bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cadmium stimulates the accumulation of salicylic acid and its putative precursors in maize (Zea mays) plants
Authors: Pál Magda , Horváth Eszter , Janda Tibor , Páldi Emil , Szalai Gabriella
Published: October 2005

The effect of 10, 25 and 50 µM Cd(NO3)2 on the salicylic acid (SA) metabolism was investigated in young maize seedlings (Zea mays L., hybrid Norma). Cadmium (Cd) was translocated into the leaves and induced oxidative damage, as indicated by the reduced chlorophyll content, the decreased quantum efficiency of photosystem II and the enhanced malondialdehyde (MDA) content, especially after 7 days. The activity of glutathione reductase (EC 1.6.4.2) increased from the fourth day and that of guaiacol peroxidase (EC 1.11.1.7) after 7 days of Cd stress compared with the control leaves. These effects of Cd exhibited a correlation with the concentration. Under these conditions, Cd did not affect the MDA content or the antioxidant enzyme activities in the roots. After 7 days, Cd increased the levels of free and bound forms of benzoic acid (BA), O‐coumaric acid (O‐hydroxy‐cinnamic) (O‐HCA) and SA in the leaves, but in the roots, only the 50 µM rate of Cd caused changes in the free O‐HCA acid and bound BA content.
Dynamics of the α‐tocopherol pool as affected by external (environmental) and internal (leaf age) factors in Buxus sempervirens leaves
Authors: Hormaetxe Koldobika , Esteban Raquel , Becerril José María , García‐Plazaola José Ignacio
Published: October 2005

The pools of photoprotective molecules respond to changes in the environmental conditions and sometimes to leaf ageing. We asked to what extent both factors contribute to the contents of α‐tocopherol and xanthophyll cycle [V + A + Z (VAZ)] pigments. To address this question, we used boxtree (Buxus sempervirens) as model species because its leaves are long‐lived and evergreen and are subjected to a succession of different stress conditions during their lifespan. In three age classes of sun and shade leaves of this species, seasonal changes in photoprotective compounds were followed during 15 months and a leaf age interval of 40 months was covered. As could be expected, VAZ and α‐tocopherol pools increased in parallel during stress periods (summer and winter), but only VAZ recovered to the initial pools once stress disappeared. As a result, the basal α‐tocopherol level increased linearly in a time‐dependent manner that was also higher in sun leaves of this species when compared with shade leaves, and in fact, the rate of tocopherol increase was directly proportional to irradiance in another evergreen (Laurus nobilis). To study whether light dependency of tocopherol accumulation is observed in other species, we performed a literature survey that revealed that this age‐dependent tocopherol increase was significant in sun leaves from 65% of the species for which age‐dependent tocopherol changes have been reported, and it was on average 2.2‐fold higher in sun leaves as compared with shade leaves. We conclude that there are two components in the α‐tocopherol pool, one dynamic that responds to environmental changes and one age‐related which increases linearly with time in a light‐dependent manner. The physiological meaning of the latter remains obscure.
Delayed chlorophyll accumulation and pigment photodestruction in the epicotyls of dark‐grown pea (Pisum sativum)
Authors: Böddi Béla , Loudèche Roland , Franck Fabrice
Published: October 2005

A comparison was performed of the tetrapyrrole transformations that occur upon irradiation of epicotyl or leaves of dark‐grown Pisum sativum L. (var. Zsuzsi, Hungary). High performance liquid chromatography analysis after continuous or flash‐irradiation showed that the biosynthetic pathway from protochlorophyllide (Pchlide) to chlorophyll (Chl) a was markedly slowed down at the step of the reduction of geranylgeranyl(gg)‐Chl to dihydrogeranylgeranyl (dhgg)‐Chl in epicotyls, whereas phytyl‐Chl was synthesized in leaves subjected to the same light treatments. Quantitative pigment analysis during continuous irradiations of different intensities also showed that significant Pchlide photodestruction occurred in epicotyls even under weak light. When both Pchlide and chlorophyllide and/or chlorophylls were present in epicotyls, Pchlide photodestruction was faster under 630‐nm light than under 670‐nm light, which indicates that this process is most efficiently promoted by Pchlide excitation. Pre‐incubation of epicotyl segments with 10 mM ascorbate partly alleviated pigment photodestruction in white light. It is concluded that formation of photoactive Pchlide–Pchlide oxidoreductase complexes is important to prevent fast pigment photooxidation after Pchlide accumulation in the dark.
The rice homolog of the sodium/lithium tolerance gene functions as molecular chaperon in vitro
Authors: Antoine Wesner , Stewart James M. , De Los Reyes Benildo G.
Published: October 2005

The sodium/lithium tolerance gene previously isolated from Arabidopsis thaliana (AtSLT1) and Nicotiana tabacum (NtSLT1) has been implicated in the regulation of ion homeostasis via the CaN and SPK1/Hal4 signal transduction pathways. A homologous gene from rice (OsSLT1) encoded by an intronless open‐reading frame (1563 bp) on chromosome‐1 was studied. The 58‐kDa OsSLT1 protein contains a highly conserved C‐terminal domain characteristic of the small heat‐shock protein (smHSP) and α‐crystallin classes of molecular chaperons. Biochemical analysis of recombinant full‐length, N‐terminal‐truncated (lacking aa‐1 to aa‐217), and C‐terminal‐truncated (lacking aa‐443 to aa‐521) versions of OsSLT1 indicated that removal of the C‐terminal extension enhances chaperon activity as shown by the ability of the truncated protein to prevent thermal and non‐thermal aggregation of client proteins in an ATP‐independent manner. The C‐terminal‐truncated OsSLT1 also enhanced thermotolerance of recombinant Escherichia coli. Unlike the smHSPs, which are transcriptionally activated during stress, the activity of SLT1 appears to be modulated via complex mechanisms of protein cleavage. The implication of the results in relation to the immediate cellular defenses against protein denaturation during stress and to the previously demonstrated role of SLT1 in the CaN and SPK1/Hal4 signaling pathways is discussed.
Genetic caste determination in Pogonomyrmex harvester ants imposes costs during colony founding
Authors: Schwander T. , Cahan S. Helms , Keller L.
Published: October 2005

Some populations of Pogonomyrmex harvester ants comprise genetically differentiated pairs of interbreeding lineages. Queens mate with males of their own and of the alternate lineage and produce pure-lineage offspring which develop into queens and inter-lineage offspring which develop into workers. Here we tested whether such genetic caste determination is associated with costs in terms of the ability to optimally allocate resources to the production of queens and workers. During the stage of colony founding, when only workers are produced, queens laid a high proportion of pure-lineage eggs but the large majority of these eggs failed to develop. As a consequence, the number of offspring produced by incipient colonies decreased linearly with the proportion of pure-lineage eggs laid by queens. Moreover, queens of the lineage most commonly represented in a given mating flight produced more pure-lineage eggs, in line with the view that they mate randomly with the two types of males and indiscriminately use their sperm. Altogether these results predict frequency-dependent selection on pairs of lineages because queens of the more common lineage will produce more pure-lineage eggs and their colonies be less successful during the stage of colony founding, which may be an important force maintaining the coexistence of pairs of lineages within populations.
Host use of a hemiparasitic plant: no trade-offs in performance on different hosts
Authors: Ahonen R. , Puustinen S. , Mutikainen P.
Published: October 2005

To examine putative specialization of a hemiparasitic plant to the most beneficial host species, we studied genetic variation in performance and trade-offs between performance on different host species in the generalist hemiparasite, Rhinanthus serotinus. We grew 25 maternal half-sib families of the parasite on Agrostis capillaris and Trifolium pratense and without a host in a greenhouse. Biomass and number of flowers of the parasite were the highest when grown on T. pratense. There were significant interactions between host species and R. serotinus seed-family indicating that the differences in performance on the two hosts and without a host varied among the families. However, we found no significant negative correlations between performance of R. serotinus on the host species or between performance on the two hosts and autotrophic performance. Thus, the genetic factors studied here are not likely to affect the evolution of specialization of R. serotinus to the most beneficial host.
Early complication of pediatric central venous cannulation
Authors: WADDINGTON MARK S , MULLINS GEOFFREY C.
Published: October 2005

We describe a case of hemothorax following central venous catheter (CVC) insertion in an infant. Presumably injury occurred as a result of perforation with the dilator. Strategies to reduce the risk of complications and possible factors influencing the unsatisfactory delay in diagnosis, including the role of ’Fixation Error’, are discussed.
Acute pancreatitis induced by short‐term propofol administration
Authors: GOTTSCHLING SVEN , LARSEN REINHARD , MEYER SASCHA , GRAF NORBERT , REINHARD HARALD
Published: October 2005

The incidence of a drug‐induced pancreatitis is rare and so far more than 85 different drugs have been reported to have induced pancreatitis. Some case reports consider a relationship between propofol and acute pancreatitis. However, in these cases a number of different drugs were coadministered, thus preventing a clear causal link being established. We report a case of a drug‐induced acute pancreatitis that was most likely triggered by a single dosage of propofol. It occurred in a young girl who underwent elective magnetic resonance imaging. She developed pancreatitis within hours after exposure to propofol. Other possible triggers, e.g. gallstones or infection were ruled out. Physicians should consider pancreatitis as a potentially life‐threatening adverse event associated with propofol sedation, which is nowadays extensively used.
Pain management in the neonatal intensive care unit: a national survey in Italy
Authors: LAGO PAOLA , GUADAGNI ANNAMARIA , MERAZZI DANIELE , ANCORA GINA , BELLIENI CARLO VALERIO , CAVAZZA ALESSANDRA ,   THE PAIN STUDY GROUP OF THE ITALIAN SOCIETY OF NEONATOLOGY
Published: October 2005

Background : This study assessed current medical practice in preventative analgesia and sedation for invasive procedures in neonatal intensive care units (NICU) in Italy.

Methods : A questionnaire was sent to level II and III Italian NICUs to investigate pain management, pharmacological treatment and the use of pain scores during invasive procedures.

Main outcome measures were the extent to which analgesia and sedation are currently used for invasive procedures in Italian neonatal units.

Results : The rate of response to the questionnaire was 88%. Written guidelines were available on acute pain control in 25% of the NICUs, and on prolonged pain control in 50%. Routine use of preventative pharmacological and nonpharmacological measures for painful procedures ranged from 13% for elective tracheal intubation to 68% for chest tube insertion. Thirty‐six percent of NICUs routinely use sedation with opioids for mechanical ventilation; 14% prevent distress and pain for tracheal suctioning, 44% for heel lancing, 50% for venepuncture and percutaneous venous catheter insertion; 58% use analgesia before lumbar puncture. Validated pain assessment scores were used by 19% of NICUs.

Conclusions : The need for adequate analgesia is still underestimated. Further information on the safety of analgesics in neonatology is imperative, as is an adequate education of physicians and nurses on the use of pain control guidelines as part of the standard of care in the NICU.
Ultrasound‐guided interscalene brachial plexus block in a child with femur fibula ulna syndrome
Authors: JAN VAN GEFFEN GEERT , TIELENS LUC , GIELEN MATHIEU
Published: October 2005

Ultrasound‐guided interscalene brachial plexus block is described in a 7‐year‐old child with femur fibula ulna syndrome. It is suggested that ultrasound is a useful tool in situations where nerve stimulation for nerve localization cannot be used.
Australian evidence on the determinants and impact of takeover resistance
Authors: Maheswaran Krishnan , Pinder Sean
Published: October 2005

In the present paper, we examine the determinants and impact of target bid resistance on the wealth of target shareholders and the takeover process in Australia. We find that bid resistance increases target shareholder wealth in the post‐announcement period and that the probability of bid hostility increases with the target's size, decreases with the target's performance and is unrelated to the size of the premium offered by the bidder. We also find that bid hostility decreases the probability of bid success, increases the probability of bid revision and has no effect on the probability of competing bidders entering the market.
Disclosure regulation and information risk
Authors: Poskitt Russell
Published: October 2005

The present paper examines the impact of the Corporations Law Reform Act 1994 on information‐based trading in Australian Stock Exchange‐listed stocks. Results show that information‐based trading is higher in the post‐reform period, particularly for lower capitalization stocks. Further analysis shows that this is caused by a fall in turnover and rise in the number of slow trading days. After controlling for these factors, the reform is found to have no impact on information‐based trading. Interestingly, the volume of price‐sensitive disclosures is found to have no impact on either the level of information‐based trading or market spreads.
Economic benefits of enterprise resource planning systems: some empirical evidence
Authors: Matolcsy Zoltan P. , Booth Peter , Wieder Bernhard
Published: October 2005

The present study provides empirical evidence on the economic benefits of enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems. We use a modified value chain approach and identify several ratios for each component of the value chain to reflect improvements as a result of the adoption of ERP systems. These financial ratios are tracked for 2 years for a group of companies that adopted ERP systems versus a group of companies that did not adopt ERP. Both univariate and multivariate statistics are used to test for differences. The key result of the present study is that the adoption of ERP systems leads to sustained operational efficiencies and improved overall liquidity. In addition, some support is found for increased profitability 2 years after the adoption of ERP and for improvements in accounts receivable management.
Closing call auctions and liquidity
Authors: Aitken Michael , Comerton‐Forde Carole , Frino Alex
Published: October 2005

The present paper examines the impact of closing call auctions on liquidity. It exploits the natural experiment offered by the introduction of a closing call auction on the Australian Stock Exchange on 10 February 1997. The introduction of the closing call auction is associated with a reduction in trading volume at the close of continuous trading. However, bid‐ask spreads during continuous trading are largely unaffected by the introduction of the closing call auction. Therefore, closing call auctions consolidate liquidity at a single point in time without having any adverse effect on the cost of trading.
Disease resistance conferred by the expression of a gene encoding a synthetic peptide in transgenic cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) plants
Authors: Rajasekaran Kanniah , Cary Jeffrey W. , Jaynes Jesse M. , Cleveland Thomas E.
Published: October 2005

Fertile, transgenic cotton plants expressing the synthetic antimicrobial peptide, D4E1, were produced through Agrobacterium‐mediated transformation. PCR products and Southern blots confirmed integration of the D4E1 gene, while RT‐PCR of cotton RNA confirmed the presence of D4E1 transcripts. In vitro assays with crude leaf protein extracts from T0 and T1 plants confirmed that D4E1 was expressed at sufficient levels to inhibit the growth of Fusarium verticillioides and Verticillium dahliae compared to extracts from negative control plants transformed with pBI‐d35SΩ‐uidA‐nos (CGUS). Although in vitro assays did not show control of pre‐germinated spores of Aspergillus flavus, bioassays with cotton seeds in situ or in planta, inoculated with a GFP‐expressing A. flavus, indicated that the transgenic cotton seeds inhibited extensive colonization and spread by the fungus in cotyledons and seed coats. In planta assays with the fungal pathogen, Thielaviopsis basicola, which causes black root rot in cotton, showed typical symptoms such as black discoloration and constriction on hypocotyls, reduced branching of roots in CGUS negative control T1 seedlings, while transgenic T1 seedlings showed a significant reduction in disease symptoms and increased seedling fresh weight, demonstrating tolerance to the fungal pathogen. Significant advantages of synthetic peptides in developing transgenic crop plants that are resistant to diseases and mycotoxin‐causing fungal pathogens are highlighted in this report.
Engineering a root‐specific, repressor‐operator gene complex
Authors: Kim Tehryung , Balish Rebecca S. , Heaton Andrew C. P. , McKinney Elizabeth C. , Dhankher Om Parkash , Meagher Richard B.
Published: October 2005

Strong, tissue‐specific and genetically regulated expression systems are essential tools in plant biotechnology. An expression system tool called a ‘repressor‐operator gene complex’ (ROC) has diverse applications in plant biotechnology fields including phytoremediation, disease resistance, plant nutrition, food safety, and hybrid seed production. To test this concept, we assembled a root‐specific ROC using a strategy that could be used to construct almost any gene expression pattern. When a modified E. coli lac repressor with a nuclear localization signal was expressed from a rubisco small subunit expression vector, S1pt::lacIn, LacIn protein was localized to the nuclei of leaf and stem cells, but not to root cells. A LacIn repressible Arabidopsis actin expression vector A2pot was assembled containing upstream bacterial lacO operator sequences, and it was tested for organ and tissue specificity using β‐glucuronidase (GUS) and mercuric ion reductase (merA) gene reporters. Strong GUS enzyme expression was restricted to root tissues of A2pot::GUS/S1pt::lacIn ROC plants, while GUS activity was high in all vegetative tissues of plants lacking the repressor. Repression of shoot GUS expression exceeded 99.9% with no evidence of root repression, among a large percentage of doubly transformed plants. Similarly, MerA was strongly expressed in the roots, but not the shoots of A2pot::merA/S1pt::lacIn plants, while MerA levels remained high in both shoots and roots of plants lacking repressor. Plants with MerA expression restricted to roots were approximately as tolerant to ionic mercury as plants constitutively expressing MerA in roots and shoots. The superiority of this ROC over the previously described root‐specific tobacco RB7 promoter is demonstrated.
A high‐throughput inducible RNAi vector for plants
Authors: Wielopolska Anna , Townley Helen , Moore Ian , Waterhouse Peter , Helliwell Chris
Published: October 2005

We describe here a vector system that allows dexamethasone‐inducible RNAi against plant genes. The system utilizes a modified pHELLSGATE vector, under the control of the pOp6 promoter, and the synthetic transcription factor, LhGR. We demonstrate that the production of RNAi‐inducing hairpin RNA from this system can be regulated by the application and removal of dexamethasone. Silencing of a target gene encoding phytoene desaturase was highly effective 24 h after application of dexamethasone. In the presence of the hormone silencing was maintained for at least 5 days while removal of the inducer resulted in significant recovery within 24 h. A transgene encoding luciferase was silenced with similar speed and efficiency following application of dexamethasone but unlike phytoene desaturase, mRNA levels did not recover within 10 days after dexamethasone was removed. Insertion of target gene sequences into this vector is mediated by Gateway™ recombination, facilitating its use for high‐throughput applications, such as gene discovery or validation. The inducibility of RNAi from this system may be useful in helping to identify the functions of genes which when constitutively silenced give embryo lethality or pleiotropic phenotypes. A modified version of this system may also be used for tissue‐specific hairpin RNA expression.
High‐yield production of authentic human growth hormone using a plant virus‐based expression system
Authors: Gils Mario , Kandzia Romy , Marillonnet Sylvestre , Klimyuk Victor , Gleba Yuri
Published: October 2005

We describe here a high‐yield transient expression system for the production of human growth hormone (hGH, or somatotropin) in transfected Nicotiana benthamiana leaves. The system is based on a recently described plant virus‐based modular expression vector [Gleba, Y., Marillonnet, S. and Klimyuk, V. (2004) Engineering viral expression vectors for plants: the ‘full virus’ and the ‘deconstructed virus’ strategies. Curr. Opin. Plant Biol. 7, 182–188; Marillonnet, S., Giritch, A., Gils, M., Kandzia, R., Klimyuk, V. and Gleba, Y. (2004) In planta engineering of viral RNA replicons: efficient assembly by recombination of DNA modules delivered by Agrobacterium. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 101, 6852–6857], and represents a simple and fast alternative to stable transformation. By using various combinations of provector modules, hGH was produced in three compartments of the cell: the apoplast, the chloroplast and the cytosol. We found that targeting to the apoplast provided the highest amount of correctly processed and biologically active hGH, with a yield of up to 10% of total soluble protein or 1 mg per gram of fresh weight leaf biomass. These results indicate that the use of viral vectors for high‐yield production of human therapeutic proteins in plants by transient expression provides an attractive alternative to production protocols using standard expression vectors in transgenic or transplastomic plants.
Welfare Implications of Community Forest Plantations in Developing Countries: The Orissa Social Forestry Project
Authors: Köhlin Gunnar , Amacher Gregory S.
Published: October 2005

Community forest plantations are a common intervention in developing countries. We use household and remote sensing data from Orissa, India, to estimate welfare effects of community forest plantations, in terms of the value of decreased collection times plantations afford users. A selection model, accounting for possible jointness in site location and productivity, is used to estimate collection production functions for different household labor categories in natural and community forests. Two measures of an opportunity cost of time are used to determine welfare effects of time saved due to community forests. We find access to community forests is important to marginal productivity of different labor categories, but to different degrees, highlighting the need to disaggregate household data when analyzing these interventions. We also find substantial welfare improvements from time savings for many households and villages.
Innovation in Small, Project‐Based Construction Firms*
Authors: Barrett Peter , Sexton Martin
Published: October 2005

Relevant literature is synthesized to provide a holistic picture of our current knowledge of innovation in small, project‐based firms, highlighting significant gaps in the broad areas of ‘focus and outcome’, ‘organizational capabilities’, ‘context’ and ‘process’. Research findings from fieldwork focused on the construction industry are offered to address these gaps. In particular, a consensus model is given of the organizational factors dynamically at play. It is shown that typically the innovations of small, project‐based firms are closely tied to their operational activities and are pushed forward by owners who utilize very scarce resources to make progress in the interstices of normal business. This leads to an emphasis on taking up established technologies through ‘learning on the job’. Growth per se is not an important target. The motivation to act is generally to get past a survival mode of operating and to achieve stability by satisfying clients. These characteristics contrast with large organizations, especially in terms of the role of the owner, the close focus on niche markets and the lack of slack resources to innovate in parallel with normal business. It is hoped that these results will be of interest to other sectors where small, project‐based firms operate.
Strategic and Organizational Evolution of Spanish Firms: Towards a Holding Network Form?
Authors: Galan Jose I. , Sanchez Maria J. , Zúñiga‐Vicente José Ángel
Published: October 2005

The main objective of this study is to analyse the strategic and organizational evolution of large firms in a current time period and within a specific geographical context (Spain). In order to achieve this purpose, the paper combines the Chandlerian programme with processual analysis. We draw on documentary sources (annual reports, company histories, business directories and so on) and interviews. We have found that in the model of corporate development some characteristics of new organizational structures will coexist with some features of old ones. In line with previous studies our findings highlight the existence of the ‘multidivisional network’ but, most importantly, our findings also reflect the emergence of a new kind of organizational form that we call ‘holding network’. The ‘holding network’ is more decentralized, both strategically and operationally, than the multidivisional form. However, its level of decentralization is less than in the N‐form. Furthermore, whereas the multidivisional form is a hierarchy, the ‘holding network’ emphasizes the communication among people of different levels. This multilevel communication differs from that in the N‐form. Apart from the horizontal communication in the same level there is vertical and horizontal communication between different levels. We conclude by emphasizing the need to explore in future empirical studies to what extent these patterns and new organizational forms should be considered as a transitory or consolidated phenomenon.
Conditions of Radical Transformation in State‐Owned Enterprises*
Authors: Erakovic Ljiljana , Wilson Marie
Published: October 2005

This study analyses the key contributors to radical organizational change in five New Zealand state‐owned enterprises during their ownership transition between 1985 and 1995. Abrupt government reform policies, organizations' market positions, realization of rapid technological innovation, proactive managerial actions and the new owners' strategic intent are established as key conditions of radical change in state‐owned enterprises. We integrate our findings with institutional theory and resource dependency theory to argue that organizational dynamics in times of uncertainty depend on de‐institutionalization of old and institutionalization of new patterns of resource dependency.
Surprises in Management and Organization: Concept, Sources and A Typology*
Authors: Cunha Miguel Pina e , Clegg Stewart R. , Kamoche Ken
Published: October 2005

We discuss why surprises, defined as events that happen unexpectedly or expected events that take unexpected shapes, are important to organizations and should be considered in the organization and management literature as an umbrella concept, encompassing a variety of related phenomena. The concept of organizational surprises is unpacked and a typology is built around the (un)expectedness of the issue and the (un)expectedness of the process. This typology uncovers the several types of surprising events that organizations may face, and contributes to the literature by identifying how different types of surprises require distinct managerial approaches.
Working Time, Gender and Family: An East‐West European Comparison
Authors: Tang Ning , Cousins Christine
Published: October 2005

This article provides a comparison of three West European countries with five Central East European countries in respect of working time and the integration of work and family life. The countries are the Netherlands, Sweden and the UK in West Europe and Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania and Slovenia in Central East Europe. As well as providing an East–West comparison, the article also takes into account the differing institutional and policy contexts in the selected countries and the different routes to flexibility. A further aim of the article is to extend our understanding of the culture and values which underpin the organization of family and work in each country. Whilst there is a clear East–West divide, all eight countries demonstrate diverse routes to flexibility and different mixes of social policies and gender cultures which have lead to considerable differences in the integration of work and family life.
Changing sources of support for women's political rights*
Authors: Meyer Katherine , Rizzo Helen , Ali Yousef
Published: October 2005

Much research investigating changes in women's political rights focuses on the presence or absence of improvement that is evident in national and international policies or on gender proportionality in representative institutions at international, national, and local levels. Public opinion about women's rights is an important corollary to this research because it underpins the legitimacy of policies and representative bodies. However, if examined alone, changes in public opinion over time yield an incomplete picture of women's situation, just as changes in policies and representation do. Factors that lie behind statistics about trends in women's rights matter, and it is essential to figure out if the sources of support for women's political rights shift over time. We employed data from Kuwait in the years surrounding the Beijing +5 conference to illustrate how the absence of change in public opinion about women's rights can hide important social dynamics that figure into the development of policies and practices affecting women. Whereas support for women's rights was evident among the most numerous and advantaged Kuwaiti citizens in 1994, it rested less with the general public and more with citizens involved in social networks and those who had particular political and cultural agendas by 1998.
Negotiating livelihoods beyond Beijing: the burden of women food vendors in the informal economy of Limbe, Cameroon*
Authors: Fonchingong Charles C.
Published: October 2005

As a response to the trappings of globalisation and the commoditisation of the sphere of production, women continue to play a crucial role in securing livelihoods by guaranteeing access to food in rural, peri‐urban, and urban areas. Based on a survey of food vendors, this paper evaluates women's input through informal earnings, the coping strategies devised to stave off poverty occasioned by the economic meltdown, the travails of meeting the daily demands of family survival and the influence on gender relations.

The profile of vendors indicate that most are assuming greater headship of households, they straddle between the home and their business premises with attendant effects on time, mobility, health and labour. Amid these hurdles, the vendors are barely able to address the basic needs of their families. However, they are becoming economically empowered as they exercise greater leverage in intra‐household resource allocation. These minimal gains are offset by a heavy tax burden, the poor regulatory framework for informal sector activities and the incessant crackdown by municipal authorities. Reconciling the trade‐off between income generation and care‐giving hinges on drawing additional labour from the family‐especially the girl child and some supportive family relations.
International law, mixed marriage, and the law of succession in North Africa: “…but some are more equal than others”
Authors: Ltaief Wassila
Published: October 2005

This article deals with the issues of equality in the countries of the Maghreb and Egypt, where inequality in inheritance and with respect to interreligious marriage is of major significance. As a result, international agreements and international law take on a fluid character according to the whim of existing political systems, where legislators fluctuate between cultural particularism and the need to set themselves within the modernist movement. Yet how can one claim to be modernising countries in which half of the citizens have a truncated status and reservations attached to international agreements raise insuperable barriers against any change premised on equality between men and women? The considerations offered here start from legislation in four Muslim countries with a view to assessing the likelihood that international agreements might one day bring such countries not merely to comply with them but also to give women the place that is theirs by right.
The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights as a tool for combating discrimination against women: general observations and a case study on Algeria*
Authors: Bennoune Karima
Published: October 2005

The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) is vital to protecting the human rights of women. This is reflected in the substantive rights which the treaty guarantees and its procedural emphasis on non‐discrimination. The ICESCR now has 151 State Parties, as compared with 180 states that have ratified the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). While the latter is a lightning rod for opposition to the advancement of women's rights, the former is not. It may, therefore, be a particularly useful tool for combating discrimination against women, especially in the Muslim world where resistance to CEDAW in conservative quarters is strong. Still, some argue that the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, which monitors implementation of the ICESCR, needs to further elaborate its jurisprudence on women's issues. Against such a complex backdrop, this study will explore the utility of the ICESCR in combating discrimination against women, looking in particular at the example of Algeria, which became a State Party in 1989.
Measuring women's progress in a global era
Authors: Walby Sylvia
Published: October 2005

To what extent has the Beijing +10 process led to the improvement of the lives of women? This paper addresses key issues involved in making such an assessment, in particular, the conceptualisation and measurement of gender equality. It starts with a consideration of three different perspectives concerning the conceptualisation of “improvement” as either economic development, human capabilities, or gender equality. This is followed by an analysis of the tensions between three different models of gender equality. The final section is a critical review of the operationalisation of these concepts and the collection of data necessary to assess progress on each of the 12 critical areas of concern of the UN Platform for Action. In particular, what are the best indicators? The paper engages with the development of international standards of gender equality with a focus on their application in the EU region.
Rights of the body and perversions of war: sexual rights and wrongs ten years past Beijing*
Authors: Petchesky Rosalind P.
Published: October 2005

The Beijing Platform for Action (1995) and its companion documents – those of the Vienna Conference on Human Rights (1993) and the International Conference on Population and Development (1994) – took important steps toward securing recognition for what we might call human rights of the body. These are affirmative rights relating to sexual expression, reproductive choice and access to health care and negative rights pertaining to freedom from violence, torture and abuse. But ten years later, the violated male bodies of Abu Ghraib, Guantánamo, and Gujarat seem to mock certain of Beijing's most basic premises: that women are primarily the victims rather than the perpetrators of bodily abuses; and that, as such, women are, or should be, the privileged beneficiaries of bodily integrity rights. This paper re‐examines these premises in the shadow of the “war on terrorism”, religious extremism, and practices of racialised, sexual, and often homophobic violence against men that emerge in wars and ethnic conflicts. In particular it looks at the war in Iraq and how that war configures such practices in both old and new ways. My purpose is not to repudiate feminist visions but rather to challenge the exclusive privileging of women as the bearers of sexual rights and to open up discussion of new, more inclusive coalitions of diverse social movements for rights of the body.
‘I Get by with a Little Help from my Friends’: Adults with Intellectual Disability Discuss Loneliness1
Authors: McVilly Keith R. , Stancliffe Roger J. , Parmenter Trevor R. , Burton‐Smith Rosanne M.
Published: October 2005

Background This study explored ‘loneliness’ as experienced by adults with intellectual disability, with ‘intermittent’ to ‘limited’ support needs.

Method A measure of loneliness was piloted, and qualitative techniques used to develop a greater understanding of the participants’ experience.

Results The Loneliness Scale proved valid and reliable and the participants reported loneliness in ways comparable with the general population.

Conclusions The findings demonstrate the effectiveness of combining quantitative and qualitative techniques to enhance understanding of people's perspective when developing support systems to promote their quality of life. Based on participant perspectives, recommendations are made concerning the issues and types of support families and professionals could consider when seeking to assist people with intellectual disability address loneliness. Further investigation of the effects of differing educational and vocational opportunities on people's post‐school social networks appears warranted.
Deficient attention is hard to find: applying the perceptual load model of selective attention to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder subtypes
Authors: Huang‐Pollock Cynthia L. , Nigg Joel T. , Carr Thomas H.
Published: October 2005

Background:  Whether selective attention is a primary deficit in childhood Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) remains in active debate.

Methods:  We used the perceptual load paradigm to examine both early and late selective attention in children with the Primarily Inattentive (ADHD‐I) and Combined subtypes (ADHD‐C) of ADHD.

Results:  No evidence emerged for selective attention deficits in either of the subtypes, but sluggish cognitive tempo was associated with abnormal early selection.

Conclusions:  At least some, and possibly most, children with DSM‐IV ADHD have normal selective attention. Results support the move away from theories of attention dysfunction as primary in ADHD‐C. In ADHD‐I, this was one of the first formal tests of posterior attention network dysfunction, and results did not support that theory. However, ADHD children with sluggish cognitive tempo (SCT) warrant more study for possible early selective attention deficits.
Teacher‐mediated intervention after disaster: a controlled three‐year follow‐up of children's functioning
Authors: Wolmer Leo , Laor Nathaniel , Dedeoglu Ceyda , Siev Joanna , Yazgan Yanki
Published: October 2005

Background:  Child survivors of a catastrophic earthquake in Turkey were evaluated three and a half years after the event, and three years after a sub‐group participated in a teacher‐mediated intervention developed by the authors. The goal of this follow‐up study was to determine the long‐term effectiveness of the original intervention.

Methods:  Subjects who participated in the intervention were compared with a control group of children similar in terms of demographics, risk and exposure. All children were evaluated in terms of posttraumatic, grief and dissociative symptomatology, as well as adaptive functioning (academic performance, social behavior and general conduct).

Results:  The severity of post‐traumatic, grief and dissociative symptoms of the two groups was comparable. Teachers blind to group assignment rated participating children significantly higher than the control group in terms of adaptive functioning.

Conclusions:  Early post‐disaster intervention addressing children and their educational milieu provides children with significant symptomatic reduction, allowing the mobilization of adaptive coping, thereby enhancing their overall functioning as observed in school.
Sustained attention and response inhibition in young children at risk for Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
Authors: Berwid Olga G. , Curko Kera Elizabeth A. , Marks David J. , Santra Amita , Bender Heidi A. , Halperin Jeffrey M.
Published: October 2005

Background:  Studies of school‐aged children, adolescents, and adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) have variably shown ADHD‐related impairment in both inhibitory control and sustained attention. However, few studies have examined ADHD‐associated patterns of performance on these tasks among younger children (below age 7 years).

Methods:  A combined continuous performance test and go/no‐go task (CPT/GNG) and the Day–Night Stroop Task (DNST) were administered to an ethnically diverse sample of 3.44‐ to 6.95‐year‐old children rated by parents and teachers as being either high risk or low risk for ADHD. All children performed the DNST (N = 71) and a subset of the sample (N = 44) performed the CPT/GNG. Analyses assessed task validity as well as the effects of age and risk status.

Results:  Significant main effects for age and risk status were found on all tasks. In addition, age × condition interactions were found for the CPT and DNST, which suggest that the tasks were sensitive to age‐related changes in sustained attention and inhibitory control respectively. No significant risk status × condition interactions were found, suggesting that young children at risk for ADHD do not exhibit specific deficits in either inhibitory control or sustained attention. The most consistent effect related to risk status across tasks was the greater number of errors and longer and more variable reaction times on the part of children at risk for ADHD irrespective of condition.

Conclusions:  ADHD‐associated decrements in performance on these tasks appear to be attributable either to generalized behavioral dysregulation or poor state regulation rather than to deficient inhibitory control.
The role of emotional responses and physiological reactivity in the marital conflict–child functioning link
Authors: El‐Sheikh Mona
Published: October 2005

Background:  Children's emotional responses and physiological reactivity to conflict were examined as mediators and moderators in the associations between exposure to parental marital conflict and child adjustment and cognitive problems.

Method:  One hundred and eighty elementary school children participated. In response to a simulated argument, children's skin conductance level reactivity (SCLR) was examined, and their emotional responses (reported and observed anger, sadness, and fear) were assessed.

Results:  A higher level of SCLR was a robust risk factor for various child outcomes, mediated boys’ internalizing difficulties in the marital conflict–child functioning link, and functioned as a vulnerability factor for girls’ externalizing, internalizing, and cognitive problems. Increased anger (for boys) and sadness (for girls) exacerbated adjustment difficulties related to marital conflict.

Conclusions:  Findings illustrate the aggregation of risk in relation to child and family characteristics.
Asymmetric deterioration of spatial awareness with diminishing levels of alertness in normal children and children with ADHD
Authors: Dobler V.B. , Anker S. , Gilmore J. , Robertson I.H. , Atkinson J. , Manly T.
Published: October 2005

Background:  There is growing literature suggesting that some children diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can show a significant bias in attention away from left space. Here we examine mechanisms that may underpin these effects in both clinical and non‐clinical child populations. Unilateral spatial inattention (unilateral neglect) is a commonly reported consequence of stroke in adults. Although for most patients the problem is relatively transient, persistent forms of neglect are almost exclusively associated with right hemisphere lesions. It has been suggested that this chronicity may result from co‐existing disruption to right hemisphere dominant systems that mediate alertness. Here we present two studies examining the relationship between sustained attention and left spatial awareness in childhood.

Method:  In the first, normal children without the ADHD diagnosis were administered a non‐spatial test of sustained attention/alertness. Children who performed poorly at this task, relative to their more attentive peers, showed a modest but reliable delay in awareness of left‐sided visual information. Furthermore, attention towards the left declined for both groups as a function of time‐on‐task, suggesting a significant within‐subject modulatory effect of alertness on spatial awareness. The second study examines this relationship in children referred to clinical services for attention problems. Irrespective of their final diagnosis, children were divided into two groups according to their performance in sustained attention/alertness tasks.

Results:  The results suggest that, regardless of the children's clinical diagnosis, diminished sustained attention/alertness levels formed the strongest predictor of relatively delayed awareness of information presented within left visual space. Two children within this group exhibited signs of hitherto undetected spatial neglect as severe as that observed in some brain‐injured adults.

Conclusions:  Clinical and theoretical implications are discussed. Keywords: Sustained attention, visuo‐spatial attention, normal 6–7‐year‐old children.