bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Thymus aplasia in distal trisomy 14q syndrome: An autopsy case with a review of the literature
Authors: Ohtake Tohru , Asano Shigeyuki , Nozawa Yoshihiro , Uziie Ziroh , Suzuki Hitoshi , Wakasa Haruki
Published: December 2008

The present authors report an autopsy case of a malformed male newborn with denovo duplication of the distal part of the long arm of chromosome 14 (14q24.1 to 14qter) in this paper. The partial trisomy of 14q was due to the unbalanced translocation at the end of the satellite stalk of chromosome 14. This autopsy case also had many kinds of external malformations including odd skull and facies, narrow thorax, and prominent calcaneus as well as retentio testis. The autopsy examination revealed aplasia of the thymus and marked hypoplasia of systemic lymphoid tissues. During an immunohistochemical study of the lymphoid tissues the population of T cells showed only a minority of lymphocytes. While several cases of distal trisomy 14q with cardiac malformations or a developmental abnormality of the thymus and the parathyroids seen in the third and fourth pouch defects have been reported previously, the present case was the first of this syndrome with aplasia of the thymus and systemic lymphoid hypoplasia.
Primary gastric Ki‐1 positive anaplastic large cell lymphoma: A report of two cases
Authors: Mori Naoyoshi , Yatabe Yasushi , Oka Kuniyuki , Yokose Tomoyuki , Ishido Tatsuya , Kikuchi Masanori , Asai Junpei
Published: December 2008

Two cases with primary gastric Ki‐1 positive anaplastic large cell lymphoma are presented. Morphologic features of both cases involved pleomorphism of the neoplastic cells, fibrosis and lymphatic infiltration. The neoplastic cells in both cases were positive for BerH2 (CD30), LCA(CD45), lysozyme and alpha‐1‐antitrypsin (α1‐AT). In additional case, the neoplastic cells were additionally positive for MAC387 and (α1,‐antichymotrypsin (α,‐ACT). The neoplastic cells in these cases were negative for L26(CD20), UCHL‐1 (CD45RO), DAKO CD3 and epithelial membrane antigen (EMA). According to the results of the phenotypic studies, the authors consider that the neoplastic cells have some of the features of histiocytes.

Both patients at 2 and 8 years after surgery without chemotherapy are disease free. This lymphoma is well known to be frequently misdiagnosed as undifferentiated carcinoma. Although rare in occurrence, recognition of this primary lymphoma in the stomach has a significant clinical implication, as the authors consider that its prognosis might be better than undifferentiated carcinoma of the stomach.
Selective distribution of medial thickening in the renal vessels in experimental hypertension
Authors: Chen Ql , Okeda Riki , Matsuo Takashi
Published: December 2008

Direct effects, especially the distribution of medial thickening due to chronic hypertension on the renal arterial tree, were examined pathologically and morphometrically in cats with one‐kidney DOCA‐salt hypertension. Twenty‐one adult male cats were divided into three groups: (i) an experimental group of one‐kidney DOCA‐salt hypertension (12 cats): (ii) a uninephrectomized group without administration of DOCA and salt (four cats); and (iii) a group without uninephrectomy and administration of DOCA and salt (five cats). The duration of hypertension varied from 3 weeks to 4 months and the aortic blood pressure was monitored every 5 min. The increase of mean blood pressure (MBP) of the experimental group was 15–44 mmHg. A significant medial thickening of the right renal arterial tree was evaluated by a comparison of the right and left regression lines of each case between the midwall radius (R) and medial thickness (D) of arteries in a distended state. The evaluation was made separately for arteries with R values above or below 40 μm, because a regression line between R and D showed a maximum bend at a level of R from 30 to 40 μm. The arteries of the right kidney with a diameter less than 40 μm, corresponding to the interlobular arteries and afferent arterioles, showed significant medial thickening in six cases. Medial thickening was absent in other cats of the experimental group and cats of a control group given uninephrectomy alone. Increase of MBP during the hypertensive phase of these six cases was above 34.6 mmHG and all values of other cats without medial thickening were below this level. The renal arteries of the right kidney with a diameter larger than 40 μm showed medial thickening in only one cat. This preferential distribution of medial thickening of the interlobular arteries and afferent arterioles due to one kidney DOCA‐salt hypertension was considered to be a direct effect of hypertension and a result of the specific functional (autoregulation of the renal blood flow) and structural features of these arteries.
Epithelial inclusion cysts in an intrapancreatic accessory spleen
Authors: Tang Xiaoyan , Tanaka Yutaka , Tsutsumi Yutaka
Published: December 2008

A 38 year old male underwent distal pancreatectomy for benign cystic pancreatic tumor. The pancreas tall contained a 2.3 x 2.1 cm accessory spleen associated with multiple epithelial inclusion cysts. The cysts were of varying sizes (max: 1.4 cm), lined by non‐keratinizing squamous epithelium with a few mucin‐producing cells, and filled with serous material. This is the fifth reported case of so‐called‘epidermoid’cysts in the intrapancreatic accessory spleen.
Etiology of IgA nephropathy syndrome
Authors: Endo Yuzo , Kanbayashi Hiroshi
Published: December 2008

Since Berger's original paper on mesangial IgA‐IgG deposition with hematuria, there have been a number of clinical and pathological studies regarding IgA immune complexes, the mechanisms of glomerular IgA deposition leading to glomerular injury and animal models of IgA nephropathy. During the last quarter of this century, glomerular changes such as IgA nephropathy have also been observed in cases associated with other diseases, such as systemic lupus erythematosus, Schoenlein‐Henoch purpura, liver cirrhosis and chronic inflammatory diseases of the lung. This evidence supports the idea of an IgA nephropathy syndrome. On the other hand, IgA is thought to be an important humoral factor at the mucosal immune system and appears to have an antibody function against various etiologic candidates of extrinsic or intrinsic substances at the mucosal and systemic immune system. Glomerular IgA deposition in IgA nephropathy syndrome is thought to result from elevated levels of circulating immune complexes or aggregated IgA due to an overproduction of polymeric IgA as antibodies in the serum and due to the clearance impairment of IgA immune complexes in the hepatic and splenic phagocytic system. The glomerular IgA subclass is not one‐sided, but should be evaluated in comparison with the age of patients at renal biopsy; this indicates the approximate age of onset. Cirrhotic IgA glomerulonephritis is not related to Hepatitis B or C virus infection, but to the pathophysiologic condition of liver cirrhosis. Various etiologic candidates such as viral, microbial, dietary antigens or auto‐antigens have been listed and experimental models of IgA nephropathy syndrome have provided some clues in understanding the etiology of primary IgA nephropathy. However much still remains to be clarified and some specific epitopes common among these etiologic candidates will have to be identified.
Histological features of palatine tonsils in pustulosis palmaris et plantaris: A morphometric study
Authors: Sakai Takeshi , Kawaguchi Makoto , Ishizawa Shin , Kaji Tomoaki , Kitagawa Kazuhisa , Koizumi Fumitomo
Published: December 2008

The morphological expression of the immune response of palatine tonsils obtained from patients with pustulosis palmaris et plantaris (PPP) was investigated by morphometry in conjunction with immunohistochemistry. First, to differentiate the histological features of tonsils between PPP and habitual tonsillitis, each extent of the T cell dependent areas (T nodules), B cell dependent areas (lymph follicles), germinal centers, mixed areas of T cells and B cells, and lacunar epithelium was measured and compared on 38 patients with PPP and 47 with habitual tonsillitis, respectively. The most remarkable findings in PPP were enlargement of the secondary T nodules, and atrophy of the lymph follicles with a decrease in number of the germinal center cells and fibrosis. These changes of lymph follicles were similar to those in the older patients with habitual tonsillitis, which suggests the intensely advanced stage of the immune response within the tonsils. Second, the histological structures of the tonsils of 15 tonsillectomy effective cases (88.2%) was compared with those of two non‐effective cases in curing skin lesions. The histological structure in the non‐effective cases was very similar to that in habitual tonsillitis cases. This indicates that the histological findings may be useful in predicting the effects of tonsillectomy on PPP.
An autopsy case of hepatic sarcomatoid tumor: Immunohistochemical comparison with a sarcomatous component of hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Oda Yoshio , Katsuda Shogo , Nakanishi Isao
Published: December 2008

A case of primary hepatic tumor exclusively composed of malignant cells with sarcomatous features is described and compared immunohistochemically with two cases of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with a sarcomatous component. More than 30% of HCC cells were positively stained with anti‐cytokeratin (CAM5.2), anti‐albumin, anti‐fibrinogen and anti‐α1‐antitrypsin antibodies, and some with anti‐epithelial membrane antigen. The present sarcomatoid tumor and the sarcomatous component with HCC showed similar immuno‐histochemistry; many tumor cells were strongly immuno‐reactive for vimentin and some positive for cytokeratin, albumin, fibrinogen and u,‐antitrypsin. Other immunohistochemical markers, indicating specific differentiations to lineage of macrophages, muscle cells, glial cells, endothelial cells and so forth, were not detected in sarcomatous tumor cells of all cases. These findings suggest that the present sarcomatoid tumor would belong to an anaplastic sarcomatous variant of HCC.
Histopathologic study of partial hydatidiform moles and DNA triploid placentas
Authors: Fukunaga Masaharu
Published: December 2008

Sixty‐two placentas with a triploid DNA content, which were analyzed by flow cytometry using paraffin‐embedded tissues, were histologically investigated. These placentas were histologically classified as follows: 51 partial hydatidiform moles (PM), two hydropic abortuses and nine non‐hydropic placentas. The DNA indices of the triploid peaks were between 1.41 and 1.60. Histologically, two populations of normal and edematous villi, vesicular villous edema with cistern formation, focal syncytiotrophoblastic hyperplasia with vacuola‐tion, and villous scalloping with trophoblastic inclusion were almost always observed in the PM, but no single pathologic feature was specific for PM. The two entities, PM and triploid placenta, overlapped. Not all triploid gestations are PM and not all PM moles are triploid as shown in previously reported diploid or tetraploid PM. Although no patient with triploid PM developed persistent disease in this series, follow up of triploid PM is required as long as its true biological potential remains unclear. Flow cytometry is a reliable aid in the diagnosis of PM.
Some practical suggestions for improving engagement between researchers and policy‐makers in natural resource management
Authors: Gibbons Philip , Zammit Charlie , Youngentob Kara , Possingham Hugh P. , Lindenmayer David B. , Bekessy Sarah , Burgman Mark , Colyvan Mark , Considine Margaret , Felton Adam , Hobbs Richard J. , Hurley Karen , McAlpine Clive , McCarthy Michael A. , Moore Joslin , Robinson Doug , Salt David , Wintle Brendan
Published: December 2008

Summary  Policy‐makers and managers in natural resource management (NRM) often complain that researchers are out of touch. Researchers often complain that policy‐makers and managers make poorly informed decisions. In this article, we report on a meeting between researchers, policy‐makers and managers convened to identify practical solutions to improve engagement between these camps. A necessary starting point is that every researcher and policy‐maker should understand, and tap into, the motivations and reward systems of the other when seeking engagement. For example, researchers can be motivated to engage in policy development if there is a promise of outputs that align with their reward systems such as co‐authored publications. Successful research–policy partnerships are built around personal relationships. As a researcher, you cannot therefore expect your results to inform policy by only publishing in journals. As a policy‐maker, you cannot guarantee engagement from researchers by publicly inviting comment on a document. Actively building and maintaining relationships with key individuals through discussions, meetings, workshops or field days will increase the likelihood that research outcomes will inform policy decisions. We identified secondments, sabbaticals, fellowships and ‘buddies’, an annual national NRM conference and ‘contact mapping’ (a Facebook‐type network) as forums that can catalyse new relationships between researchers and policy‐makers. We challenge every researcher, policy‐maker and manager in NRM to build one new cross‐cultural relationship each year.
Intracellular mechanisms underlying the nicotinic enhancement of LTP in the rat dentate gyrus
Authors: Welsby Philip J. , Rowan Michael J. , Anwyl Roger
Published: December 2008

We have previously shown that activation of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) enhanced long‐term potentiation (LTP) in the rat dentate gyrusin vitrovia activation of α7 nAChR. In the present studies, mechanisms underlying the acute and chronic nicotinic enhancement of LTP were examined. In particular, the involvement of activation of intracellular kinases was examined using selective kinase antagonists, and the effects of enhancing cholinergic function with positive allosteric modulators of the α7 nAChR and with acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors were also investigated. Activation of extracellular signal‐regulated kinase (ERK) and cAMP‐dependent protein kinase (PKA) was found to be involved in the induction of the acute nicotinic enhancement of LTP, although not control LTP. In contrast, activation of the tyrosine kinase Src, Ca2+‐calmodulin‐dependent protein kinase II, Janus kinase 2 and p38 mitogen‐activated protein kinase was not involved in the acute nicotinic enhancement of LTP, although Src activation was necessary for control LTP. Moreover, activation of phosphoinositide 3‐kinase was involved in the acute nicotinic enhancement of LTP to a much lesser extent than in control LTP. Chronic nicotine enhancement of LTP was found to be dependent on PKA, ERK and Src kinases. Acute nicotinic enhancement of LTP was occluded by chronic nicotine treatment. The positive allosteric modulator PNU‐120596 was found to strongly reduce the threshold for nicotinic enhancement of LTP, an affect mediated via the α7 nAChR as it was blocked by the selective antagonist methyllycaconitine. The AChE inhibitors tacrine and physostigmine enhanced control LTP.
A centrifugal pathway to the mouse accessory olfactory bulb from the medial amygdala conveys gender‐specific volatile pheromonal signals
Authors: Martel Kristine L. , Baum Michael J.
Published: December 2008

We previously found that female mice exhibited Fos responses in the accessory olfactory bulb (AOB) after exposure to volatile opposite‐sex, but not same‐sex, urinary odours. This effect was eliminated by lesioning the main olfactory epithelium, raising the possibility that the AOB receives information about gender via centrifugal inputs originating in the main olfactory system instead of from the vomeronasal organ. We asked which main olfactory forebrain targets send axonal projections to the AOB, and whether these input neurons express Fos in response to opposite‐sex urinary volatiles. Female mice received bilateral injections of the retrograde tracer cholera toxin B (CTB), into the AOB, and were exposed to either same‐ or opposite‐sex volatile urinary odours 1 week later. We found CTB‐labeled cell bodies in several forebrain sites including the bed nucleus of the accessory olfactory tract, the rostral portion of the medial amygdala (MeA) and the posteromedial cortical nucleus of the amygdala. A significant increase in the percentage of CTB/Fos co‐labeled cells was seen only in the MeA of female subjects exposed to male but not to female urinary volatiles. In Experiment 2, CTB‐injected females were later exposed to volatile odours from male mouse urine, food, or cat urine. Again, a significant increase in the percentage of CTB/Fos co‐labeled cells was seen in the MeA of females exposed to male mouse urinary volatiles but not to food or predator odours. Main olfactory–MeA–AOB signaling may motivate approach behaviour to opposite‐sex pheromonal signals that ensure successful reproduction.
Archaeal diversity and a gene for ammonia oxidation are coupled to oceanic circulation
Authors: Galand Pierre E. , Lovejoy Connie , Hamilton Andrew K. , Ingram R. Grant , Pedneault Estelle , Carmack Eddy C.
Published: December 2008

Evidence of microbial zonation in the open ocean is rapidly accumulating, but while the distribution of communities is often described according to depth, the other physical factors structuring microbial diversity and function remain poorly understood. Here we identify three different water masses in the North Water (eastern Canadian Arctic), defined by distinct temperature and salinity characteristics, and show that they contained distinct archaeal communities. Moreover, we found that one of the water masses contained an increased abundance of the archaeal alpha‐subunit of the ammonia monooxygenase gene (amoA) and accounted for 70% of the amoA gene detected overall. This indicates likely differences in putative biogeochemical capacities among different water masses. The ensemble of our results strongly suggest that the widely accepted view of depth stratification did not explain microbial diversity, but rather that parent water masses provide the framework for predicting communities and potential microbial function in an Arctic marine system. Our results emphasize that microbial distributions are strongly influenced by oceanic circulation, implying that shifting currents and water mass boundaries resulting from climate change may well impact patterns of microbial diversity by displacing whole biomes from their historic distributions. This relocation could have the potential to establish a substantially different geography of microbial‐driven biogeochemical processes and associated oceanic production.
A genomic island of the sulfate‐reducing bacterium Desulfovibrio vulgaris Hildenborough promotes survival under stress conditions while decreasing the efficiency of anaerobic growth
Authors: Johnston Shawna , Lin Shiping , Lee Phoebe , Caffrey Sean M. , Wildschut Janine , Voordouw Johanna K. , Da Silva Sofia M. , Pereira Ines A. C. , Voordouw Gerrit
Published: December 2008

A 47 kb genomic island (GEI) bracketed by 50 bp direct repeats, containing 52 annotated genes, was found to delete spontaneously from the genome of Desulfovibrio vulgaris Hildenborough. The island contains genes for site‐specific recombinases and transposases, rubredoxin:oxygen oxidoreductase‐1 (Roo1) and hybrid cluster protein‐1 (Hcp1), which promote survival in air and nitrite stress. The numbering distinguishes these from the Roo2 and Hcp2 homologues for which the genes are located elsewhere in the genome. Cells with and without the island (GEI+ and GEI‐ cells respectively) were obtained by colony purification. GEI‐ cells arise in anaerobic cultures of colony‐purified GEI+ cells, indicating that the site‐specific recombinases encoded by the island actively delete this region. GEI+ cells survive better in microaerophilic conditions due to the presence of Roo1, whereas the Hcps appear to prevent inhibition by sulfur and polysulfide, which are formed by chemical reaction of sulfide and nitrite. Hence, the island confers resistance to oxygen and nitrite stress. However, GEI‐ cells have a higher growth rate in anaerobic media. Microarrays and enzyme activity stains indicated that the GEI‐ cells have increased expression of genes, which promote anaerobic energy conservation, explaining the higher growth rate. Hence, while lowering the efficiency of anaerobic metabolism, the GEI increases the fitness of D. vulgaris under stress conditions, a feature reminiscent of pathogenicity islands which allow more effective colonization of environments provided by the targeted hosts.
Hiradenitis suppurativa presenting as a polypoidal lesion at the anal verge
Authors: Seneviratne S. A. , Samarasekera D. N.
Published: December 2008

Hidradenitis suppurativa is a chronic disease characterized by painful recurrent abscesses, fistulas and scarring lesions in axilla, groin, perineum and rarely mass lesions at the affected site. Here we present a case of hidradenitis suppurativa that presented as a polypoidal growth at the anal verge.
Genetic and community similarities are correlated in endemic‐rich springs of the northern Chihuahuan Desert
Authors: Sei Makiri , Lang Brian K. , Berg David J.
Published: December 2008

Aim  Species diversity and genetic diversity within a taxon are intrinsic parts of global biodiversity. These two levels of biodiversity can show strong correlation due to a variety of reasons (i.e. parallel processes affecting both communities and populations, genotypes of a numerically or functionally dominant species affecting community composition, a species assemblage selecting for a particular genotype by affecting its selection regime). We examined correlations between species and genetic biodiversity in four isolated endemic‐rich spring systems in a hot desert and their potential link to environmental variables and physical isolation.

Location  Chihuahuan Desert spring systems in the Pecos River basin of New Mexico and Texas, USA.

Methods  We compared species richness of fish and benthic macroinvertebrate communities to within‐population allelic richness of amphipods (monophyletic Gammarus spp.) and Pecos gambusia (Gambusia nobilis) using Mantel tests. We also compared pairwise community similarities with pairwise genetic identities of populations among the same groups. We tested correlations among diversity, similarity and environmental variables after controlling for the effects of spatial distances using partial Mantel tests. We partitioned genetic and species diversity into three spatial scales (i.e. individual springs, individual spring systems, the entire region) using AMOVA and partition.

Results  We found strong correlations between invertebrate species richness and mosquitofish allelic richness. We found even stronger correlations of amphipod and gambusia genetic identities with fish and invertebrate community similarities; these were best explained by geographic distance rather than abiotic environmental factors. Most of the taxa and communities exhibited the largest proportion of diversity at the regional level.

Main conclusions  Our results suggest that drift and migration are the mechanisms that best explain our observations, and although α‐diversity among genes and species may not be strongly correlated, the pattern of species and allelic complementarity among these groups seems to be concordant at the regional level.
Global change and carnivore body size: data are stasis
Authors: Meiri Shai , Guy Dorit , Dayan Tamar , Simberloff Daniel
Published: December 2008

Aim  Global warming and other anthropogenic changes to the environment affect many aspects of biology and have often been invoked as causing body size changes in vertebrates. Here we examine a diverse set of carnivore populations in search of patterns in body size change that could reflect global warming (in accord with Bergmann's rule).

Location  Global.

Methods  We used > 4400 specimens representing 22 carnivore species in 52 populations collected over the last few decades to examine whether size changed with collection date when geography and sex are accounted for. We then examined several factors related to global warming, body mass, diet, and the attributes of the different datasets, to see whether they affect the standardized slope (β) of the size versus time regression.

Results  Six of 52 populations we examined show a significant effect of year of collection on body size at the 0.05 probability level. The response of size to global warming does not reflect spatial patterns of size variation, nor do diet or body mass affect tendency of populations to change in body size. Size changes are no more pronounced in populations that have been sampled more recently. However, change, where it occurs, is rapid.

Main conclusions  There may be a tendency in the literature to report only cases where recent changes are prevalent. Although in our data only a minority of populations show body size changes, we may see changes accelerating in the future in response to more drastic climatic changes and other anthropogenic changes.
Elevational gradients and species richness: do methods change pattern perception?
Authors: Rowe Rebecca J. , Lidgard Scott
Published: December 2008

Aim  Species richness patterns along elevational gradients have been documented extensively. Yet, the implications of differences in how the data are compiled are seldom explored. We investigate the effect of grain size on the richness–elevation relationship. Grain size varies among the principal methods used to collect or aggregate species occurrences: localized sites, elevational ‘bins’ and interpolation of species ranges. Assumptions of sampling and species distributions also vary among these methods. Methodology can influence the pattern that is perceived and comparability of results. We compare patterns from all three methods explicitly using the same suite of observations, based on museum records and field surveys of non‐flying small mammals. Our assessment is enhanced by comparing patterns resulting from each method for each of six adjacent mountain ranges.

Location  Utah, North America.

Methods  We document elevational species richness patterns using generalized linear models (GLMs), comparing the general shape of the trend as well as curvature, location and magnitude of peak richness across methods, both within and among gradients. We also introduce a new procedure to test for richness peaks using site‐based occurrences.

Results  We find a general congruence of the richness–elevation relationship, depicting a hump‐shaped pattern with a second‐order polynomial GLM showing a significant fit to nearly all gradient‐methodology combinations. However, underlying characteristics of the trend may vary with grain size. As grain size coarsens, maximum species richness increases and elevation of the mode slightly decreases. Results for curvature vary, but degree of curvature tends to increase as grain size coarsens. The richness–elevation patterns are independent of sampling effects.

Main conclusions  The perceived elevational diversity pattern for small mammals along these mountain ranges is not scale‐dependent. Differences in how the data are compiled are not reflected in major differences in patterns, even when local samples are neither uniformly spaced nor sampled with the same intensity. This result lends confidence to the assertion that patterns documented in similar studies with different methodologies and for which sampling is sufficiently comprehensive are good indicators of diversity. However, consistency of results from more than one compilation method may help to address issues of scale‐dependence, more so when these comparisons are made explicit.
The Kiss of Death and Cabal of Dons: Blackmail and Grooming in Georgian Oxford
Authors: ROUSSEAU GEORGE
Published: December 2008

This article reconstructs the case of an Oxford University don accused of sexual impropriety in mid‐eighteenth century England by an adolescent boy. It recreates the biographical and historical contexts involved in the scandal, and demonstrates what the various agendas and motivations were for the accusation, as well as explains how the case played itself out. The don's actions are shown to be far less straightforward than claimed by his adversaries. The chapter adds to the growing literature about adults and children in history.
Positive Deviance on the Ethical Continuum: Green Mountain Coffee as a Case Study in Conscientious Capitalism
Authors: GRACE NEVILLE MARY
Published: December 2008

Increasingly, stories are emerging about businesses that engage in ethical behaviors above and beyond mere compliance with regulations. These positive deviations along the ethical continuum provide an opportunity to explore how some companies’ business philosophy leads them to pursue an array of outcomes beyond the bottom line. This paper presents a case study of Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, the leading ethical company in the United States as rated by Forbes magazine, exploring the company culture and operating philosophy from a perspective of conscientious capitalism. The three underlying assumptions of conscientious capitalism are: (1) interconnectedness between individuals, businesses, and global society; (2) wealth as a holistically understood state rather than solely a financial status; and (3) relevant time spanning multiple generations. Implications are offered for commerce, business practitioners, and educators.
Identity, Belonging, and Achievement
Authors: Cohen Geoffrey L. , Garcia Julio
Published: December 2008

In this article we discuss how social or group identities affect achievement. We also present a model of identity engagement that describes how a salient social identity can trigger psychological threat and belonging concerns and how these can produce persistent performance decrements, which through feedback loops can increase over time. The character of such processes may be revealed only over time because they are recursive in nature and interact with other factors in chronically evaluative social environments. Finally, we address how this model helped in the development of successful interventions.
Recognizing Targets: Wittgenstein's Exploration of a New Kind of Foundationalism inOn Certainty1
Authors: Brice Robert Greenleaf
Published: December 2008

Bringing the views of Grayling, Moyal‐Sharrock and Stroll together, I argue that inOn Certainty, Wittgenstein explores the possibility of a new kind of foundationalism. Distinguishing propositional language‐games from non‐propositional, actional certainty, Wittgenstein investigates a foundationalismsui generis. Although he does not forthrightly state, defend, or endorse what I am characterizing as a “new kind of foundationalism,” we must bear in mind thatOn Certaintywas a collection of first draft notes written at the end of Wittgenstein's life. The work was unprogrammatic, sometimes cryptic. Yet, his exploration into areas of knowledge, certitude and doubt suggest an identifiable direction to his thoughts.
Bildung and Decline
Authors: Cahill Kevin M.
Published: December 2008

My point of departure is the idea that Wittgenstein's work, especially his later work with its explicit emphasis on practices, seeks to engage a reader who is likely to come to philosophy with a certain cast of mind that includes unexamined commitments from a particular cultural context. I show how a substantial number of remarks by Wittgenstein in which he addresses cultural topics bring out the importance of the quite specific connections he saw between the philosophical problems with which he grappled and the historical cultural context in which those problems have arisen. Not only is a grasp of this aspect of his writing integral to a proper understanding of Wittgenstein as a thinker, bringing out these connections serves to put these remarks into a coherent conceptual framework. In assessing the relation of Wittgenstein's cultural concerns to his engagement with metaphysics, I show how his development of Spengler's thought is an important connecting link. Particularly important for this analysis will be my discussion of Wittgenstein's understanding and employment of the concept of a Betrachtungsform, as well as a few closely related concepts. I then offer an interpretation of what I believe to be the significance of the connection in his later thought between his philosophical activity and his views about the modern West.
EXPLORING THE NUMBER OF FIRST‐ORDER POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS ACROSS COUNTRIES: SOME STYLIZED FACTS*
Authors: Auffhammer Maximilian , Carson Richard T.
Published: December 2008

ABSTRACT Why do some countries have no first‐order administrative subdivisions (e.g., states or provinces), whereas other countries have over 80? Recently, economists have started to look at the optimal size of countries and forces influencing the creation of local political jurisdictions like school districts. This paper provides the first analysis of the “missing middle” level of political jurisdictions common to all countries. We empirically examine how country size, natural transportation infrastructure, location, population fractionalization, and level of development affect the number of first‐order subdivisions. The number of first‐order subdivisions is shown to be associated in a nonlinear way with measures of fractionalization—exhibiting a U‐shaped Kuznets curve for ethnic heterogeneity and an inverted Kuznets curve for lingual and religious heterogeneity. This is a different and more complex relationship than that found for local political jurisdictions where greater heterogeneity is associated with more districts suggesting that first‐order political subdivisions may serve a different role.
Estimating Firm Size Elasticities of Product and Process R&D
Authors: INKMANN JOACHIM
Published: December 2008

This paper provides an empirical test of the particular product life‐cycle hypothesis which postulates that the firm size elasticity of process R&D exceeds the firm size elasticity of product R&D. Panel data on German manufacturing firms is used which is affected by attrition and sample selection. An inverse probability weighted generalized empirical likelihood (GEL) estimator is proposed, which corrects for the selectivity bias under the identifying assumption of conditionally independent selection and benefits from the superior small sample bias properties of GEL compared to generalized method of moments (GMM). The product life‐cycle hypothesis is clearly rejected in all specifications.
Are property rights enough? Re‐evaluating a big‐bang claim1
Authors: Katz Barbara G. , Owen Joel
Published: December 2008

We investigate the claim made by proponents of the big‐bang strategy that the establishment of property rights in an economy in transition creates its own demand for the enforcement of laws to protect those rights. Our model contains a government engaging in activities to accomplish objectives that depend on public support for the enforcement of the rule of law and agents who interpret the level of activities of the government as indications of the government's intent to enforce the rule of law. Agents, using the level of government activities as an input to their decisions, choose whether to support the government's objectives. We establish conditions under which the level of activities chosen by the government maximizes its benefits, and simultaneously induces the constituency to support enforcement of the rule of law. These conditions provide a basis for the argument for the implementation of the big‐bang policy. When these conditions do not hold, however, we show that the level of activities that maximizes the government's benefits may have only a minor impact on support for the enforcement of the rule of law. Two characteristics play an important role in these conditions: the initial level of crime and the types of activities the government chooses to undertake. We present examples showing that the initial level of crime has the more dramatic effect on subsequent support for the rule of law.
Women's employment, children and transition An empirical analysis for Poland1
Authors: Bardasi Elena , Monfardini Chiara
Published: December 2008

This article empirically investigates how the transition to a market economy affected the relationship between motherhood and labour force outcomes in Poland. We estimate different probit models on two panel datasets covering a three‐year period before the reform (1987–1989) and a three‐year period afterwards (1994–1996). Contrary to a priori expectations, our findings indicate that during transition young children were much less of a deterrent to the employment probability of their mother than they were before transition.
Placebo Efficacy in Childhood and Adolescence Migraine: An Analysis of Double-Blind and Placebo-Controlled Studies
Authors: Evers S , Marziniak M , Frese A , Gralow I
Published: December 2008

Studies on the treatment of migraine in children and adolescents are rare and difficult to design. In particular, the high placebo response in some trials makes it difficult to prove efficacy of a verum drug. We analysed all available placebo-controlled trials on acute and on prophylactic migraine treatment in children and adolescents with respect to different placebo rates (pain free and pain relief at 2 h; rate of responders with ≥ 50% attack frequency decrease). We identified eight crossover and 11 parallel group trials on acute treatment. The placebo response rates were considerably lower in crossover trials than in parallel group trials (19.2% vs. 27.1% for pain free after 2 h and 39.4% vs. 56.9% for pain relief after 2 h). In the 10 prophylactic trials included in this analysis, only a small trend towards a lower placebo rate in crossover trials could be observed. Further significant factors associated with a lower placebo rate in childhood and adolescence trials on the acute treatment of migraine were single-centre (vs. multicentre) trials and small sample size. Age and sex were not associated with the placebo response. Our study suggests that parallel group trials on the acute treatment of migraine in children and adolescents show a very low therapeutic gain due to a high placebo rate. The verum response rates, however, are very similar to those seen in adulthood trials. In conclusion, trial designs on the acute and prophylactic treatment of migraine in children and adolescents should consider the specific findings of this analysis in order to exhibit a higher probability of showing significant differences between placebo and verum drug.
Strengthening the social relationships of mothers with learning difficulties
Authors: McConnell David , Dalziel Allison , Llewellyn Gwynnyth , Laidlaw Kathryn , Hindmarsh Gabrielle
Published: December 2008

Accessible summary

 Many mothers with learning difficulties want help with meeting people and making friends, and ‘getting out and about’ in their community.

 We worked with mothers with learning difficulties and family support workers to create a programme, the ASLP, to help mothers achieve their goals to get out and about in the community.

 This programme involves mothers meeting, talking and learning together over a 12‐week period. Mothers also receive one to one support to work on their individual goals.

 We tested the programme with 32 mothers and most mothers achieved their goals and now feel better about themselves and more confident about being in the community.

 This programme is now available for other service workers to use to support mothers with learning difficulties in their communities.

Mothers with learning difficulties are often isolated within their local communities. They also report low levels of social support. Social disconnection is associated with high levels of stress and poorer mental health, and in turn, adverse parenting and child outcomes. In the study reported here, a multi‐site, intervention group only, repeated measures research design was employed to determine the efficacy of a group‐based, adult‐learning programme designed to strengthen the social relationships and improve the psychological wellbeing of mothers with learning difficulties. Thirty‐two mothers with learning difficulties completed the programme across six sites in Australia. The effects of the programme on perceived social support and psychological wellbeing were substantially greater than established benchmarks for parent‐training and family support programmes. These promising findings warrant further investigation, ideally employing a randomised‐controlled trial design.
Development of the fetal ilium – challenging concepts of bipedality
Authors: Cunningham Craig A. , Black Sue M.
Published: December 2008

Macroradiographs of 30 human fetal and neonatal ilia were analysed to investigate the early pattern of trabecular bone organization prior to the influences of direct weight‐bearing locomotion. Consistent and well‐defined patterns of internal organization were identified within the fetal and neonatal ilium, which correspond with previously recognized regions that have been attributed directly to forces associated with bipedal locomotion. This study proposes that patterns previously attributed to weight‐bearing locomotive responses are present in the earliest stages of the development of this bone. It is suggested that the rudimentary scaffold seen in the fetal and neonatal ilium could indicate a predetermined template upon which locomotive influences may be superimposed and perhaps reinforced at a later age. Alternatively, this early pattern may mimic the adult form due to the effects of in‐utero limb movement activity even though it is not weight bearing. This is a preliminary study that will be supported in a further communication with three‐dimensional micro‐computed trabecular analysis.
Mate plugging via genital mutilation in nephilid spiders: an evolutionary hypothesis
Authors: Kuntner M. , Kralj‐Fišer S. , Schneider J. M. , Li D.
Published: December 2008

Nephilid spiders are known for gigantic females and tiny males. Such extreme sexual dimorphism and male‐biased sex ratios result in fierce male–male competition for mates. Intense sperm competition may be responsible for behaviors such as mate guarding, mate binding, opportunistic mating, genital mutilation, mating plugs and male castration (eunuchs). We studied the mating biology of two phylogenetically, behaviorally and morphologically distinct south‐east Asian nephilid spider species (Herennia multipuncta, Nephila pilipes) in nature and in the laboratory. Specifically, we established the frequencies and effectiveness of plugging (a plug is part of the male copulatory organ), and tested for male and female copulatory organ reuse. Both in nature and in the laboratory, plug frequencies were higher in H. multipuncta (75–80% females plugged) compared with N. pilipes (45–47.4%), but the differences were not significant. Plugs were single and effective (no remating) in H. multipuncta but multiple and ineffective (remating possible) in N. pilipes. In Herennia, the males plugged when the female was aggressive and in Nephila plugging was more likely when mating with previously mated and larger females. Further differences in sexual biology are complete palpal removal and higher sexual aggressiveness in Herennia (sexual cannibalism recorded for the first time), and mate binding in Nephila. Thus, we propose the following evolutionary hypothesis: nephilid plugging was ancestrally successful and enabled males to monopolize females, but plugging became ineffective in the phylogenetically derived Nephila. If the evolution of nephilid sexual mechanisms is driven by sexual conflict, then the male mechanism to monopolize females prevailed in a part of the phylogeny, but the female resistance to evade monopolization ultimately won the arms race.
Shotgun proteomics implicates extracellular matrix proteins and protease systems in neuronal development induced by astrocyte cholinergic stimulation
Authors: Moore Nadia H. , Costa Lucio G. , Shaffer Scott A. , Goodlett David R. , Guizzetti Marina
Published: December 2008

Astrocytes play an important role in neuronal development through the release of soluble factors that affect neuronal maturation. Shotgun proteomics followed by gene ontology analysis was used in this study to identify proteins present in the conditioned medium of primary rat astrocytes. One hundred and thirty three secreted proteins were identified, the majority of which were never before reported to be produced by astrocytes. Extracellular proteins were classified based on their biological and molecular functions; most of the identified proteins were involved in neuronal development. Semi‐quantitative proteomic analysis was carried out to identify changes in the levels of proteins released by astrocytes after stimulation with the cholinergic agonist carbachol, as we have previously reported that carbachol‐treated astrocytes elicit neuritogenesis in hippocampal neurons through the release of soluble factors. Carbachol up‐regulated secretion of 15 proteins and down‐regulated the release of 17 proteins. Changes in the levels of four proteins involved in neuronal differentiation (thrombospondin‐1, fibronectin, plasminogen activator inhibitor‐1, and plasminogen activator urokinase) were verified by western blot or ELISA. In conclusion, this study identified a large number of proteins involved in neuronal development in the astrocyte secretome and implicated extracellular matrix proteins and protease systems in neuronal development induced by astrocyte cholinergic stimulation.
DIDS protects against neuronal injury by blocking Toll‐like receptor 2 activated‐mechanisms
Authors: Yao Hang , Felfly Hady , Wang Juan , Zhou Dan , Haddad Gabriel G.
Published: December 2008

Using an in vitro ischemia model (ischemic solution; IS model) that induces penumbral cell death, we examined the effect of 4,4′‐diisothio‐cyanostilbene‐2,2′‐disulfonic acid (DIDS) on cell injury/death and underlying molecular mechanisms. Propidium iodide (PI) uptake was used to quantify cell death in organotypic hippocampal slice cultures. A 24‐h IS exposure caused a fivefold increase in mean PI fluorescence intensity. DIDS, dose‐dependently (1–4000 μM), reduced the IS‐induced PI uptake in hippocampal CA1 neurons with an IC50 of 26 μM. This protective effect of DIDS was reversible and effective even 6 h following the onset of IS treatment. Gene expression profiling studies indicated that among ∼46 000 transcripts tested, the most significantly up‐regulated gene by IS was interleukin‐1β (IL‐1β) which was also the most significantly down‐regulated gene when DIDS was added to the IS‐treated slices. The addition of a recombinant IL‐1 receptor antagonist (100 μg/mL) or neutralizing IL‐1β antibody significantly attenuated the IS‐induced cell death, indicating that the up‐regulation of IL‐1β with IS treatment contributed to the IS‐induced cell death. Toll‐like receptor 2 (TLR2), another gene that was significantly up‐regulated by IS and suppressed by DIDS, was studied to determine whether it was related to the IL‐1β up‐regulation. Indeed, this was the case as the IS‐induced IL‐1β up‐regulation was abolished in TLR2−/− mouse brain slices. Furthermore, the IS‐induced cell death was significantly reduced in TLR2−/− when compared with that in wild‐type slices, indicating that TLR2 is functionally upstream of IL‐1β in this IS model. We conclude that (i) IS up‐regulates TLR2 expression and augments TLR2 signaling, causing over‐expression of IL‐1β which leads to cell death and (ii) DIDS blocks IS‐induced neuronal injury, at least partially, by suppressing the TLR2 pathway.