bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impact of Conflict on Mental Health in Northern Ireland: The Mediating Role of Intergroup Forgiveness and Collective Guilt
Authors: Myers Elissa , Hewstone Miles , Cairns Ed
Published: March 2009

The aim of the present research was to investigate the mediating role of group‐level forgiveness and guilt in the relationship between victimhood (the extent to which the conflict affected an individual's life), exposure to violence (the level of violence in their area of residence), and group identity on the one hand, and mild psychiatric morbidity on the other. Specifically the study focused on the psychological impact of the ethnopolitical conflict in Northern Ireland, utilizing people's identification with either the Catholic or Protestant community. Our results revealed that intergroup forgiveness mediated the relationship between both victimhood and group identification, as predictors, and mild psychiatric morbidity. Collective guilt, on the other hand, mediated the relationship between both exposure to violence and group identification, as predictors, and intergroup forgiveness. Overall this study shows that forgiveness and collective guilt can act as mediators in the relationship between impact of ethnopolitical conflict and mental health, at the group level, and thus demonstrates their centrality to the reconciliation process. Implications for intergroup reconciliation initiatives in Northern Ireland are discussed.
The Reconciliation Pyramid—A Narrative‐Based Framework for Analyzing Identity Conflicts
Authors: Auerbach Yehudith
Published: March 2009

The Reconciliation Pyramid is suggested in this article as a heuristic tool for exploring accomplished or burgeoning reconciliation processes, as well as cases such as the Middle East, where only tentative and mostly failed steps have been taken towards reconciliation. The first part proposes a terminological framework indicating the relationship betweenmetanarratives, national metanarratives, and national narratives. This terminology is used to analyze national narratives and their role in conflict evolvement and termination. The second part elaborates the seven stages of the Reconciliation Pyramid: Narrative acquaintance; narrative acknowledgement; expressing empathy; assumption of responsibility; readiness for restitution; asking and granting forgiveness and narrative integration. The article concludes with a short case study of the Camp David negotiations and reflects upon the suitability and contribution of the Reconciliation Pyramid to theoretical and empirical reconciliation research.
Repairing Civil Society and Experimenting with Power: A Genealogy of Social Capital
Authors: Coole Diana
Published: March 2009

In this article my principal aims are to explain why the concept of social capital has proven so popular among policy makers and to develop a critical response to it. In order to do so I bring together macro- and micro-level analyses that focus, on the one hand, on broad structural changes associated with globalisation and, on the other, on specific attempts at increasing social capital within the everyday lives of communities. To develop my macro-level analysis I suggest that the conjunction of economic volatility and demographic mobility that has affected the West since the 1970s has made building social capital an attractive option within a more general experiment with new forms of power. My claim here is that building social capital is among a clutch of recent policy initiatives designed to repair the ideological resources of contemporary liberal states, where it is the tearing as well as the weakening of the social fabric that is at stake. I focus on the British case because building social capital has been explicitly highlighted by the UK government as a vehicle for civic renewal. The micro-analysis proceeds by analysing recent surveys and policies undertaken by Camden Council. Micro refers here to local symptoms of global change; to the micro-powers being developed in response and to the local authorities where social capital policies are being operationalised. I associate these with biopolitical and ideological interventions into the very building blocks of the social. Overall, the genealogy of social capital explores how the concept's discursive significance has shifted as it moves from the democratisation literature into the policy arena and becomes entangled in relations of power. In the latter context it examines the impact of concerns about segregation that justify intrusive policies associated with social capital building.
Capturing Government Policy on the Left-Right Scale: Evidence from the United Kingdom, 1956-2006
Authors: Hakhverdian Armèn
Published: March 2009

The left-right scheme is the most widely used and parsimonious representation of political competition. Yet, long time series of the left-right position of governments are sparse. Existing methods are of limited use in dynamic settings due to insufficient time points which hinders the proper specification of time-series regressions. This article analyses legislative speeches in order to construct an annual left-right policy variable for Britain from 1956 to 2006. Using a recently developed content analysis tool, known as Wordscores, it is shown that speeches yield valid and reliable estimates for the left-right position of British government policy. Long time series such as the one proposed in this article are vital to building dynamic macro-level models of politics. This measure is cross-validated with four independent sources: (1) it compares well to expert surveys; (2) a rightward trend is found in post-war British government policy; (3) Conservative governments are found to be more right wing in their policy outputs than Labour governments; (4) conventional accounts of British post-war politics support the pattern of government policy movement on the left-right scale.
SOCIAL CAPITAL OF ECONOMIC CLUSTERS: TOWARDS A NETWORK‐BASED CONCEPTION OF SOCIAL RESOURCES
Authors: HUBER FRANZ
Published: March 2009

To grasp the critical role of socio‐cultural factors for regional economic development, several concepts have been developed, including that of ‘social capital’. This notion usually refers to norms, values, networks, reciprocity or trust which are held in a community and can lead to positive social and economic outcomes. Despite its popularity as a fashionable concept in the literature, the exact meaning of social capital is far from clear. This paper criticises the dominant conceptions of social capital in economic geography and regional studies and aims to place the debate in a different perspective. It argues for an alternative understanding of social capital defined as resources embedded in social networks which can be accessed or are used for actions. The potential to overcome the current weaknesses in the literature is illustrated through discussing social capital of economic clusters.
UNIVERSITIES, AGGLOMERATIONS AND GRADUATE HUMAN CAPITAL MOBILITY
Authors: FAGGIAN ALESSANDRA , MCCANN PHILIP
Published: March 2009

In this paper we examine one aspect of agglomeration, namely the geography of human capital. In some contexts, human capital may be very mobile, and understanding local agglomeration processes therefore requires us to consider inter‐regional flows of human capital. In particular, here we discuss the flows of students in Great Britain from domicile into university and then the flows of graduate human capital from university into first employment. We then estimate the local/non‐local pattern of these flows as a function of the characteristics of the university, of the student population, and of the local region. Our findings suggest that university attendance in Great Britain is generally associated with very significant levels of human capital mobility, and only certain types of higher education institutions play a significant employment role in their local economies.
THE JANUS‐FACED ECONOMY: HONG KONG FIRMS AS INTERMEDIARIES BETWEEN GLOBAL CUSTOMERS AND LOCAL PRODUCERS IN THE ELECTRONICS INDUSTRY
Authors: MEYER SUSANNE , SCHILLER DANIEL , DIEZ JAVIER REVILLA
Published: March 2009

The influence of the institutional framework on governance modes is well covered in economic geography literature but lacks empirical evidence. The main focus of this work is to explain the governance of customer and producer relations of Hong Kong‐based electronics firms by institutional factors. Hong Kong firms are able to deal simultaneously with both the Chinese transitional setting and global markets, thus leading them to be described as Janus‐faced. Producer relations with the Pearl River Delta are mainly organised in hierarchical ways, whereas globally spread customers govern their relations with Hong Kong firms via the market. Despite the differences of the institutional setting, the advantages of spatial concentration of producers in proximity to Hong Kong have been proven.
THE RELATIVE IMPORTANCE OF RANDSTAD CITIES WITHIN COMPARATIVE WORLDWIDE CORPORATE NETWORKS
Authors: WALL R.S. (RONALD)
Published: March 2009

Today, the importance of the Randstad agglomeration is often discussed in terms of the economic coherence between its four largest cities. This is remarkable when several leading authors argue that the economic importance of cities is strongly determined by economic networks between cities worldwide. This discrepancy stems from the fact that limited empirical research exists on corporate networks. Furthermore, the relative importance of cities within various studies is based on different functional types and spatial scales of data, making the results incomparable. Therefore, in this paper, the relative importance of the four largest Randstad cities is explored within three independent, comparative networks (top 100 global firms, top 100 European firms, and top 100 Dutch firms). Employing network analysis techniques, this paper evaluates the local, supra‐regional and global importance of the four Randstad cities within the three independent networks. The results show that the relative importance and network structures of these four cities are highly dependent on the economic size and locality of the initial headquarters and that Amsterdam proves to be the most important Randstad city in all three scales of corporate networks.
FINANCIAL GEOGRAPHIES AND EMERGING MARKETS IN EUROPE
Authors: KARREMAN BAS
Published: March 2009

This study examines the contemporary financial geographies of Central and Eastern Europe and argues how these may affect the established European financial centre network in the future. As the development of the financial sector in Europe's emerging markets is largely dependent on foreign investments, explicit attention is directed towards emerging centres that exhibit sufficient power to attract multinational financial service firms. In addition, it is empirically assessed from which locations these investments are controlled. The results show a distinct spatial order of financial centres organised around three main city clusters: a ‘south‐east’ cluster controlled by Athens, a ‘central‐east’ cluster controlled by Vienna and a ‘Baltic’ cluster controlled by both Copenhagen and Stockholm. Based on these results it is argued that these centres of control, and Vienna in particular, may enhance their competitiveness as a financial centre due to their strategic position in the growing markets of Central and Eastern Europe.
The Determinants of Retail Productivity: A Critical Review of the Evidence
Authors: Higón Dolores Añón , Bozkurt Ödül , Clegg Jeremy , Grugulis Irena , Salis Sergio , Vasilakos Nicholas , Williams Allan M.
Published: March 2009

This paper discusses the literature on the established determinants of productivity in the retail sector. It also draws attention to some neglected strands of research which provide useful insights into strategies that could allow productivity enhancements in this area of the economy. To date, very few attempts have been made to integrate different specialisms in order to explain what drives productivity in retail. Here this paper rectifies this omission by putting together studies from economics, geography, knowledge management and employment studies. It is the authors’ view that quantitative studies of retail productivity should focus on total factor productivity in retailing as the result of competition/composition effects, planning regulations, information and communications technology, the multinational operation element and workforce skills. Further, the fact that retail firms possess advantages that are transferable between locations suggests that investment in strategies enhancing the transfer of explicit and tacit knowledge between and within businesses are crucial to achieve productivity gains.
Onychomycosis and diabetes
Authors: Cathcart S , Cantrell W , Elewski BE
Published: March 2009

Objective This study aims to discuss factors specific to diabetics in the diagnosis and treatment of onychomycosis.

Discussion Onychomycosis has the potential to cause severe complications in diabetics and should be treated promptly. The existence of comorbid conditions and potential for drug–drug interactions complicates the selection of an appropriate treatment regimen. The role ofCandidain onychomycosis is controversial but may be of increased significance in the diabetic population due to an underlying vulnerability to this organism.

Conclusions Terbinafine is an excellent choice in diabetics due to its low risk of drug–drug interaction and proven efficacy against the typical pathogens that cause onychomycosis. Itraconazole, while an effective treatment for onychomycosis, is not a first‐choice therapy due to its black‐box cardiac warning and numerous drug interactions. Larger studies are needed in diabetics to determine the frequency of candidal nail infections.
Giant noctule bats face conflicting constraints between roosting and foraging in a fragmented and heterogeneous landscape
Authors: Popa‐Lisseanu A. G. , Bontadina F. , Ibáñez C.
Published: March 2009

The tree‐dwelling giant noctule Nyctalus lasiopterus, a partially carnivorous aerial‐hawking bat, is one of the least known European bats, and more information is needed to evaluate its conservation status. Using radiotracking, we obtained the first data on spatial requirements and habitat preferences for the species in an area critically affected by deforestation. Two breeding populations separated by 60 km, one roosting in a city and the other in a nature reserve encircling a vast coastal marshland, showed marked differences in the size of their home ranges, but both used selectively the marshlands for foraging. Urban bats remained in the city for foraging during pregnancy in spring, but increased largely their home ranges towards the marshland during lactation in early summer. The nature reserve, with few roosting opportunities, was only a marginal roosting site for a population which switched between roosts located up to 90 km apart. Giant noctules had to travel long distances (up to 130 km recorded) to meet both foraging and roosting requirements within the fragmented landscape, exhibiting among the largest home ranges ever reported in Microchiroptera. To promote the protection of this threatened species, a network of artificial roosting options should be provided in good foraging habitats until long‐term forest restoration is achieved.
RON receptor tyrosine kinase in human gliomas: expression, function, and identification of a novel soluble splice variant
Authors: Eckerich Carmen , Schulte Alexander , Martens Tobias , Zapf Svenja , Westphal Manfred , Lamszus Katrin
Published: March 2009

Malignant gliomas are incurable because of their diffuse infiltration of the surrounding brain. The recepteur d’origine nantais (RON) receptor tyrosine kinase is highly expressed in several epithelial cancer types and mediates tumorigenic, pro‐invasive as well as metastatic effects. Analyzing RON expression in human gliomas, we found that different splice variants with known oncogenic activity are expressed in glioblastomas (GBM). In addition, the RON ligand macrophage‐stimulating protein (MSP) is secreted by cultured GBM cells. MSP showed no mitogenic effect on GBM cells but displayed significant chemotactic activity for several GBM cell lines. We identified a novel splice variant, RONΔ90, which is generated by a transcript missing exon 6. As a result of a frameshift, translation is terminated in exon 7, resulting in a truncated soluble protein. RONΔ90 transcripts are expressed in normal human brain as well as in low grade astrocytomas but only in approximately 50% of highly malignant astrocytomas. In addition, RONΔ90 is detectable in supernatants of GBM cell lines. We cloned the RONΔ90 cDNA, and purified the recombinant protein from transfected cells. RONΔ90 inhibited MSP‐induced phosphorylation of cellular RON and also attenuated basal activation levels. In addition, RONΔ90 inhibited MSP‐induced glioma cell migration as well as random motility. To conclude, RONΔ90 is a novel soluble receptor variant with antagonistic activity that may act as a physiological modulator of RON signaling. The expression of several oncogenic RON splice variants in malignant gliomas suggests that these could represent candidate targets for treatment with agents inhibiting RON activity.
The theatre around Queen Christina
Authors: Dahlberg Gunilla
Published: March 2009

This article demonstrates how the theatrical forms of the Renaissance blossomed at the Swedish court under Queen Christina. By the end of the Thirty Years’ War Sweden had become a great power, eager to display its prestige and glory. Christina's mother, Maria Eleonora of Brandenburg, emerges as a key figure in the cultural enrichment that went in step with Sweden's new status. For example, she served as a patroness of the court comedian Christian Thum and summoned the French dancing‐master Antoine de Beaulieu, who introduced court ballet to the Swedish milieu. Thum's and Beaulieu's performances are discussed in this article in the light of their presumed experiences of English and French theatrical forms. Another focus is Christina's coronation festival in 1650, with its triumphal processions, salutes, banquets, carousels and baiting of beasts. The elements of this festival can largely be traced back to the Roman models rediscovered during the Renaissance. After 1650, theatrical splendour at court was reduced. A financial crisis was brewing and, once Christina abdicated in 1654, new wars threatened. Thus, the theatrical forms of Christina's last years in Sweden – for example, the performances of strolling comedians – did not prosper again until the end of the century. By then, the more lavish forms of court theatre had gone out of fashion.
The reception of Gustavus Adolphus in English literary culture: the case of George Tooke
Authors: McKeown Simon
Published: March 2009

The death of Gustavus Adolphus at the Battle of Lützen in 1632 provoked a considerable literary reaction in England, including George Tooke's The Eagle‐Trvssers Elegie, first published in 1647, but dating from c. 1633. Tooke's highly dense and recondite poem can be seen as a dissenting presentation of idealized kingship in unflattering contradistinction to the example of Charles I. This essay throws new light on the neglected Tooke, particularly his literary associations with the Fairfax family, later patrons of Andrew Marvell. Tooke's poem emerges as part of the resistance to Charles's Personal Rule articulated through manuscript poetry in the 1630s.
Association of maternal pre‐pregnancy weight with birth defects: Evidence from a case–control study in Western Australia
Authors: ODDY Wendy H. , DE KLERK Nicholas H. , MILLER Margaret , PAYNE Jan , BOWER Carol
Published: March 2009

Background: Maternal obesity confers increased risks of poor pregnancy outcomes. There are limited Australian data on the risk of birth defects associated with maternal pre‐pregnancy obesity.

Methods: Population‐based case–control study of 418 controls, 111 cases with heart defects (and of these, 38 had conotruncal heart defects), 27 with neural tube defects, 86 cases with urinary tract defects, 48 cases with orofacial clefts, and 20 with limb reduction defects. Maternal pre‐pregnancy weight and height were self‐reported.

Results: Women with pre‐pregnancy obesity (body mass index 30+) had a twofold increased odds of having an infant with neural tube defects, conotruncal heart defects, orofacial clefts and limb reduction defects and 30–40% increase in heart defects generally and urinary tract defects. None of the estimates was statistically significant.

Conclusions: Our findings were consistent with similar, statistically significant studies in the literature. Weight reduction prior to pregnancy in obese women may be a means of primary prevention of birth defects.
Gynaecologists blaze the trail in primary studies and systematic reviews of diagnostic test accuracy
Authors: JOHNSON Neil Philip , KHAN Khalid S.
Published: March 2009

As the Cochrane Collaboration is poised to begin publishing systematic reviews of diagnostic test accuracy studies in addition to its traditional systematic reviews of treatment effectiveness, we are likely to see a major expansion in the number of primary studies and systematic reviews of diagnostic test accuracy in the medical literature. Obstetricians and gynaecologists have played an important role in initiating this newer area of research. However, the methodology for such studies is challenging and the published literature is riddled with pitfalls. This editorial seeks to simplify the concepts involved in diagnostic test accuracy studies and systematic reviews, to reflect on the early development of this research in our specialty and to envision the future pathway for screening and diagnostic research.
Stimulatory Effect of N‐Methyltyramine, a Congener of Beer, on Pancreatic Secretion in Conscious Rats
Authors: Tsutsumi Eri , Kanai Setsuko , Ohta Minoru , Suwa Yoshihide , Miyasaka Kyoko
Published: March 2009

Background:  Alcoholic beverages stimulate gastric acid secretion and increase the appetite. Although ingested ethanol stimulates pancreatic secretion, alcoholic beverages contain several congeners. N‐methyltyramine (NMT) was isolated from beer as a factor in stimulating gastric acid secretion. In this study, we examined NMT to determine whether the congener stimulated pancreatic secretion in conscious rats.

Methods:  Cannulae were inserted into male Wistar rats to separately drain bile and pancreatic secretions: 2 duodenal cannulae, a gastric cannula, and an external jugular vein cannula. The rats were placed in modified Bollman‐type restraint cages. After a 4‐day recovery period, experiments were conducted on unanesthetized rats. Different concentrations of NMT (5, 25, and 50 μg/kg) solutions were infused into the stomach. To examine the mechanism, the effects of the proton pump inhibitor, cholecystokinin (CCK‐BR) antagonist (YM022), CCK‐AR antagonist (CR1505), and atropine were administered prior to the NMT (25 μg/kg) infusion. The effect of intravenous infusion of NMT (7.5 μg/kg) was then determined. Moreover, dispersed acini were prepared, and the effect of different concentrations of NMT on amylase release was determined.

Results:  Intragastric administration of NMT significantly increased pancreatic exocrine secretion in a dose‐dependent manner. Atropine eliminated the stimulatory effect of NMT, but the infusion of the proton pump inhibitor, YM022, and CR1505 did not. Intravenous infusion of NMT did not affect pancreatic secretion, and NMT did not stimulate amylase release in vitro.

Conclusions:  N‐methyltyramine stimulates pancreatic secretion via the cholinergic gastro‐pancreatic reflex. The NMT content in beer was 2 mg/l, so that if a person weighing 60 kg consumes a 750 ml of beer, 25 μg/kg NMT will be ingested. Therefore, the stimulatory effect of beer on pancreatic secretion was produced not only by ethanol but also by the congener, NMT.
Effects ofd‐Cycloserine on Extinction and Reconditioning of Ethanol‐Seeking Behavior in Mice
Authors: Groblewski Peter A. , Lattal K. Matthew , Cunningham Christopher L.
Published: March 2009

Background: d‐Cycloserine (DCS), a partialN‐methyl‐d‐aspartate receptor agonist, has been shown to enhance the extinction of both cocaine and amphetamine‐induced conditioned place preference (CPP). However, there have been no reports of the effects of DCS on the extinction of ethanol‐conditioned behaviors in mice. Thus, the current experiments examined the effects of DCS on the extinction and subsequent reconditioning of ethanol‐induced CPP in mice.

Methods: Male DBA/2J mice received either 2 or 4 pairings of ethanol (2 g/kg) with a conditioned stimulus (CS+) floor cue (and an equal number of saline pairings with a CS− floor cue on alternate days) resulting in either a weak or strong ethanol CPP, respectively. Following conditioning of a strong ethanol CPP mice received saline or 30 mg/kg DCS prior to each of the twelve 30‐minute choice extinction trials administered at 48‐hour intervals. Mice that had received conditioning of a weak ethanol CPP received saline, 30 or 60 mg/kg DCS immediately before each of the six 30‐minute choice extinction trials. Following successful ethanol CPP extinction, mice received reconditioning trials similar to the initial conditioning trials. A final experiment examined the effects 12 DCS pre‐exposures (15, 30, and 60 mg/kg) on initial conditioning of ethanol CPP.

Results: First, we showed that 2 doses of DCS (30 and 60 mg/kg) did not have aversive properties that could confound the effects on extinction of CPP (Experiment 1). Second, we showed that DCS (30 and 60 mg/kg) had no effect on the rate of extinction of either strong (Experiment 2) or weak (Experiment 3) ethanol‐induced CPP. Interestingly, DCS administered during extinction interfered with reconditioning of ethanol‐induced CPP—an effect specific to reconditioning, as DCS pre‐exposure did not influence initial ethanol CPP conditioning (Experiment 4).

Conclusions: These experiments show that although DCS showed no effect on extinction behavior, when given during extinction it interfered with subsequent reconditioning of ethanol CPP. The mechanisms of this effect were not, however, due to nonspecific interference with learning because repeated DCS pre‐exposures did not impair initial conditioning of ethanol CPP.
Age of Drinking Onset and Injuries, Motor Vehicle Crashes, and Physical Fights After Drinking and When Not Drinking
Authors: Hingson Ralph W. , Edwards Erika M. , Heeren Timothy , Rosenbloom David
Published: March 2009

Background:  Earlier age of drinking onset has been associated with greater odds of involvement in motor vehicle crashes, unintentional injuries, and physical fights after drinking. This study explores whether early drinkers take more risks even when sober by comparing potential associations between age of drinking onset and these outcomes after drinking relative to when respondents have not been drinking.

Method:  From a national sample, 4,021 ever‐drinkers ages 18 to 39 were asked age of drinking onset, not counting tastes or sips. They were also asked if they were ever in motor vehicle crashes, unintentionally injured, or in physical fights after drinking and when not drinking. GEE logistic regression models for repeated measures dichotomous outcomes compared whether odds ratios between age of onset and these adverse outcomes significantly differed when they occurred after drinking versus when not drinking, controlling for respondents’ demographic characteristics, cigarette and marijuana use, family history of alcoholism, ever experiencing alcohol dependence, and frequency of binge drinking.

Results:  Compared with persons who started drinking at age 21+, those who started at ages <14, 14 to 15, 16 to 17, and 18 to 20 had, after drinking, respectively greater odds: 6.3 (2.6, 15.3), 5.2 (2.2, 12.3), 3.3 (1.5, 7.3), and 2.2 (0.9, 5.1) of having been in a motor vehicle crash; 6.0 (3.4, 10.5), 4.9 (3.0, 8.6), 3.7 (2.4, 5.6), and 1.9 (1.2, 2.9) of ever being in a fight; and 4.6 (2.4, 8.7), 4.7 (2.6, 8.6), 3.2 (1.9, 5.6), and 2.3 (1.3, 4.0) of ever being accidentally injured. The odds of experiencing motor vehicle accidents or injuries when not drinking were not significantly elevated among early onset drinkers. The odds of earlier onset drinkers being in fights were also significantly greater when respondents had been drinking than not drinking.

Conclusion:  Starting to drink at an earlier age is associated with greater odds of experiencing motor vehicle crash involvement, unintentional injuries, and physical fights when respondents were drinking, but less so when respondents had not been drinking. These findings reinforce the need for programs and policies to delay drinking onset.
Associations and Interactions Between SNPs in the Alcohol Metabolizing Genes and Alcoholism Phenotypes in European Americans
Authors: Sherva Richard , Rice John P. , Neuman Rosalind J. , Rochberg Nanette , Saccone Nancy L. , Bierut Laura J.
Published: March 2009

Background: Alcohol dependence is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide and has a strong familial component. Several linkage and association studies have identified chromosomal regions and/or genes that affect alcohol consumption, notably in genes involved in the 2‐stage pathway of alcohol metabolism.

Methods: Here, we use multiple regression models to test for associations and interactions between 2 alcohol‐related phenotypes and SNPs in 17 genes involved in alcohol metabolism in a sample of 1,588 European American subjects.

Results: The strongest evidence for association after correcting for multiple testing was between rs1229984, a nonsynonymous coding SNP in ADH1B, and DSM‐IV symptom count (p = 0.0003). This SNP was also associated with maximum number of drinks in 24 hours (p = 0.0004). Each minor allele at this SNP predicts 45% fewer DSM‐IV symptoms and 18% fewer max drinks. Another SNP in a splice site in ALDH1A1 (rs8187974) showed evidence for association with both phenotypes as well (p = 0.02 and 0.004, respectively), but neither association was significant after accounting for multiple testing. Minor alleles at this SNP predict greater alcohol consumption. In addition, pairwise interactions were observed between SNPs in several genes (p = 0.00002).

Conclusions: We replicated the large effect of rs1229984 on alcohol behavior, and although not common (MAF = 4%), this polymorphism may be highly relevant from a public health perspective in European Americans. Another SNP, rs8187974, may also affect alcohol behavior but requires replication. Also, interactions between polymorphisms in genes involved in alcohol metabolism are likely determinants of the parameters that ultimately affect alcohol consumption.
An Agency Theoretic Analysis of the Professionalized Family Firm
Authors: Chua Jess H. , Chrisman James J. , Bergiel Erich B.
Published: March 2009

The professionalized firm must evaluate the performance of managers and provide incentives that will motivate them to achieve the firm's goals. Using the agency theoretic framework we develop propositions on how differences in goals, altruistic tendencies, and strategic time horizons might affect performance evaluation and incentive compensation in family firms that employ both family and nonfamily managers and how these differences would affect the performance of the professionalized family firms relative to that of nonfamily firms.
The Role of Gender Stereotypes in Perceptions of Entrepreneurs and Intentions to Become an Entrepreneur
Authors: Gupta Vishal K. , Turban Daniel B. , Wasti S. Arzu , Sikdar Arijit
Published: March 2009

In this study we examine the role of socially constructed gender stereotypes in entrepreneurship and their influence on men and women's entrepreneurial intentions. Data on characteristics of males, females, and entrepreneurs were collected from young adults in three countries. As hypothesized, entrepreneurs were perceived to have predominantly masculine characteristics. Additional results revealed that although both men and women perceive entrepreneurs to have characteristics similar to those of males (masculine gender–role stereotype), only women also perceived entrepreneurs and females as having similar characteristics (feminine gender–role stereotype). Further, though men and women did not differ in their entrepreneurial intentions, those who perceived themselves as more similar to males (high on male gender identification) had higher entrepreneurial intentions than those who saw themselves as less similar to males (low male gender identification). No such difference was found for people who saw themselves as more or less similar to females (female gender identification). The results were consistent across the three countries. Practical implications and directions for future research are discussed.
Systematic Search and Its Relationship to Firm Founding
Authors: Patel Pankaj C. , Fiet James O.
Published: March 2009

This research uses a representative sample of U.S. nascent entrepreneurs to find that there is a positive relationship between their use of systematic search and their success in founding new firms. We control for mediating variables and find that searching systematically leverages firm founding by using an adaptive decision–making style and social capital. Systematic search also appears to reduce environmental uncertainty, which has additional important implications for aspiring entrepreneurs. Finally, this research suggests possible lines of future inquiry.
Why Networks Enhance the Progress of New Venture Creation: The Influence of Social Capital and Cognition
Authors: De Carolis Donna Marie , Litzky Barrie E. , Eddleston Kimberly A.
Published: March 2009

Why does social capital influence the progress of new venture creation for some entrepreneurs more than others? Our investigation suggests that social capital is not enough; that the type of person involved in network relationships matters to new venture creation. We test the effects of the interplay of social capital and cognition on a sample of 269 entrepreneurs. Our results confirm that social networks and relational capital enhance levels of illusion of control, which is directly related to the progress of new venture creation. We find marginal support for the relationship between social capital and risk propensity.
Who Will Consent to Emergency Treatment Trials for Subarachnoid Hemorrhage?
Authors: Del Giudice Angela , Plaum Justin , Maloney Eileen , Kasner Scott E. , Le Roux Peter D. , Baren Jill M.
Published: March 2009

Objectives:  Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is a devastating disorder that still requires much clinical study. However, the decision to participate in a randomized clinical trial, particularly a neuroemergency trial, is a complex one. The purposes of this survey were to determine who would participate in a randomized clinical trial that intended to examine transfusion practices after SAH, to identify who could serve as potential proxy decision‐makers, and to find which patient characteristics were associated with the decision to participate.

Methods:  This was a cross‐sectional study using a self‐administered questionnaire, composed of a brief description of the proposed trial followed by questions about participation using a 5‐point Likert scale. Information sought included potential decision‐maker, demographic data, setting and reason for current health care access, and personal or family history of neurologic injury.

Results:  Nine‐hundred five subjects were enrolled during emergency department (ED) visits, office visits, hospital admissions, or online, during a 1‐month period: 63% were women and 46% were white. Nonneurologic problems were the leading reason (90%) for health care access, but 45% had a personal or family history of neurologic injury. Overall, 54% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 51% to 57%) of subjects stated they would definitely or probably consent to participate. No subject characteristics were associated with this decision: age (p = 0.28), sex (p = 0.16), race/ethnicity (p = 0.07), education (p = 0.44), religion (p = 0.42), clinical setting (p = 0.14), reason for visit (p = 0.58), and/or history of neurologic injury (p = 0.33). The vast majority (88%) identified a family member as the proxy decision‐maker, again without differences among groups.

Conclusions:  Greater than half of respondents stated they would participate in a proposed emergency treatment trial for SAH. Our survey suggests that the decision to participate is highly individualized, because no demographic, pathologic, historical, or access‐related predictors of choice were found. Educational materials designed for this type of trial would need to be broad‐based. Family members should be considered as proxy decision‐makers where permitted by federal and local regulations.
Potential Impact of Adjusting the Threshold of the Quantitative D‐dimer Based on Pretest Probability of Acute Pulmonary Embolism
Authors: Kabrhel Christopher , Mark Courtney D. , Camargo Jr Carlos A. , Moore Christopher L. , Richman Peter B. , Plewa Michael C. , Nordenholtz Kristen E. , Smithline Howard A , Beam Daren M. , Brown Michael D. , Kline Jeffrey A.
Published: March 2009

Objectives:  The utility of D‐dimer testing for suspected pulmonary embolism (PE) can be limited by test specificity. The authors tested if the threshold of the quantitative D‐dimer can be varied according to pretest probability (PTP) of PE to increase specificity while maintaining a negative predictive value (NPV) of >99%.

Methods:  This was a prospective, observational multicenter study of emergency department (ED) patients in the United States. Eligible patients had a diagnostic study ordered to evaluate possible PE. PTP was determined by the clinician’s unstructured estimate and the Wells score. Five different D‐dimer assays were used. D‐dimer test performance was measured using 1) standard thresholds and 2) variable threshold values: twice (for low PTP patients), equal (intermediate PTP patients), or half (high PTP patients) of standard threshold. Venous thromboembolism (VTE) within 45 days required positive imaging plus decision to treat.

Results:  The authors enrolled 7,940 patients tested for PE, and clinicians ordered a quantitative D‐dimer for 4,357 (55%) patients who had PTPs distributed as follows: low (74%), moderate (21%), or high (4%). At standard cutoffs, across all PTP strata, quantitative D‐dimer testing had a test sensitivity of 94% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 91% to 97%), specificity of 58% (95% CI = 56% to 60%), and NPV of 99.5% (95% CI = 99.1% to 99.7%). If variable cutoffs had been used the overall sensitivity would have been 88% (95% CI = 83% to 92%), specificity 75% (95% CI = 74% to 76%), and NPV 99.1% (95% CI = 98.7% to 99.4%).

Conclusions:  This large multicenter observational sample demonstrates that emergency medicine clinicians currently order a D‐dimer in the majority of patients tested for PE, including a large proportion with intermediate PTP and high PTP. Varying the D‐dimer’s cutoff according to PTP can increase specificity with no measurable decrease in NPV.
(A)sexual reproduction – a review of life cycles of grape phylloxera,Daktulosphaira vitifoliae
Authors: Forneck Astrid , Huber Lars
Published: March 2009

Since its emergence as a pest of grapevine about 150 years ago, studies on the life cycle and mode of reproduction of grape phylloxera (Daktulosphaira vitifoliaeFitch) (Homoptera: Phylloxeridae) have been of considerable scientific interest and importance for applied viticulture. The life cycle of grape phylloxera, as described in the mid to late nineteenth century, is still subject to discussion and confusion. In this article, we aim to provide for the first time an overview of the reported life cycle strategies of grape phylloxera by summarizing documented observations, the results of controlled field and laboratory assays, and the results of molecular genetic analyses. Thus, we present a detailed morphological comparison of grape phylloxera morphs and provide clarification of these by suggesting a simplified nomenclature as well as revising errors found in the published literature. Moreover, recent molecular markers studies, which further enhance our understanding of the impact of sexual recombination on grape phylloxera, are described and discussed.
Response of female oriental fruit moth to volatiles from apple and peach trees at three phenological stages
Authors: Piñero Jaime C. , Dorn Silvia
Published: March 2009

The attractiveness of peach (Prunus persica L. Batsch) and apple (Malus domestica L. Borkh.) (both Rosaceae) tissue to gravid female oriental fruit moth, Grapholita (= Cydia) molesta (Busck) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), was assessed at three distinct stages throughout the growing season using a dual‐choice bioassay. Plant material offered to the female moths consisted of a plant shoot in early spring, before fruit became available. Later, it consisted of a leaf‐bearing twig and a fruit, either alone or in combination. The level of attraction of the female moths to the various plant tissues varied substantially over time and according to the plant species. Before fruit became available, female moths were significantly attracted to peach as well as to apple shoots. During the early fruit growth stage, moths were attracted to a leaf‐bearing twig originating from a peach tree, but not to that from an apple tree. In peach, it was the vegetative tissue that accounted for the attraction, whereas in apple, it was the reproductive tissue (a developing fruit). During the late fruit growth stage, both peach fruit and apple fruit were highly attractive, whereas a twig with leaves from either an apple or a peach tree was neither attractive nor repellent to the female moths. This changing female olfactory response to volatiles emitted by vegetative tissue and fruits from the two host plant species with progressing season is discussed with respect to the biology and the dispersal of this moth species.
Media composition influences on growth, enzyme activity, and virulence of the entomopathogen hyphomycete Isaria fumosoroseus
Authors: Ali Shaukat , Huang Zhen , Ren Shunxiang
Published: March 2009

Three isolates of Isaria fumosoroseus Wize (Hyphomycetes) were cultured on six media composed of differing amounts of chitin, carbon, and nitrogen. The effect of nutrition on growth and virulence was studied by measuring colony growth, spore yield, germination rate, spore‐bound protease (Pr1) and lipase activity, and virulence of inoculum produced by different media against second instars of diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (L.) (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae). Chitin peptone nutrition media resulted in the highest colony growth but spore yields were lowest for this medium, whereas the osmotic stress medium resulted in the lowest colony growth with fewer spores. Highest lipase activity (4.14 µmol/ml/min) was observed for spores produced on high C/N medium for isolate IF28.2, whereas highest Pr1 activity (2.64 µmol/ml/min) was also observed on high C/N medium for isolate IF28.2. A higher rate of Pr1 and lipase activity for all three isolates was observed on low C/N, 2% peptone, and the osmotic stress media. Conidia from nutrient‐poor media (2% peptone) proved to be the least virulent for all three isolates with median survival time values of 2.23, 2.05, and 1.79 days for IF32, IF28.2, and IF49, respectively. Median survival time values for the various nutrient media proved to be positively correlated with spore‐bound Pr1 and lipase activity, having correlation coefficient values of 0.115 and 0.538, respectively.
Sequestration of 3‐oxygenated α‐ionone derivatives in the male rectal gland of the solanaceous fruit fly, Bactrocera latifrons
Authors: Nishida Ritsuo , Enomoto Hiroshi , Shelly Todd E. , Ishida Tatsuaki
Published: March 2009

The solanaceous fruit fly, Bactrocera latifrons (Hendel) (Diptera: Tephritidae), infests various solanaceous fruits including eggplant and chili peppers. We found that a freshly cut fruit of an eggplant cultivar [Solanum melongena L. cv. Long Purple Oriental (Solanaceae)] selectively attracted and provoked voracious feeding behavior in adult B. latifrons males (but not in females) in an indoor test. One of the male‐specific attractants/feeding stimulants in eggplant was identified as 3‐hydroxy‐α‐ionone. Sexually mature males that fed on the eggplant pulp selectively accumulated a series of 3‐oxygenated α‐ionone/α‐ionol analogs (e.g., 3‐oxo‐α‐ionol and 3‐oxo‐7,8‐dihydro‐α‐ionol) in the rectal gland, a suspected pheromone reservoir in male flies. Males fed on synthetic 3‐hydroxy‐α‐ionone, 3‐oxo‐α‐ionol, or 3‐oxo‐α‐ionone partially biotransformed the compounds into 3‐oxo‐α‐ionol, 3‐oxo‐α‐ionone, and 3‐oxo‐7,8‐dihydro‐α‐ionol and sequestered substantial quantities (as high as 5 µg/gland as a mixture) in a similar ratio in the rectal gland within 6 h after ingestion. These results suggest that the rectal sequestrates may serve as a sex pheromone similar to other Bactrocera species that use phenylpropanoid volatiles to attract conspecific females.
TGF‐β2 is specifically expressed in human dermal papilla cells and modulates hair folliculogenesis
Authors: Inoue Keita , Aoi Noriyuki , Yamauchi Yuji , Sato Takahiro , Suga Hirotaka , Eto Hitomi , Kato Harunosuke , Tabata Yasuhiko , Yoshimura Kotaro
Published: March 2009

Dermal papilla cells (DPCs) in the mammalian hair follicle have been shown to develop hair follicles through epithelial–mesenchymal interactions. A cell therapy to regenerate human hair is theoretically possible by expanding autologous human DPCs (hDPCs) and transplanting them into bald skin, though much remains to be overcome before clinical success. In this study, we compared gene signatures of hDPCs at different passages and human dermal fibroblasts, and found transforming growth factor (TGF)‐β2 to be highly expressed in cultured hDPCs. Keratinocyte conditioned medium, which is known to help preserve the hair‐inducing capacity of hDPCs, up‐regulated TGF‐β2 expression of hDPCs and also enhanced their alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, a known index for hair‐inductive capacity. Through screening of components secreted from keratinocytes, the vitamin D3 analogue was found to promote TGF‐β2 expression and ALP activity of hDPCs. In animal hair folliculogenesis models using rat epidermis and expanded hDPCs, inhibition of TGF‐β2 signalling at the ligand or receptor level significantly impaired hair folliculogenesis and maturation. These results suggest an important role for TGF‐β2 in hair follicle morphogenesis and provide insights into the establishment of future cell therapies for hair regrowth by transplanting expanded DPCs.