bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Discrimination of the closely related biocontrol agents Macrolophus melanotoma (Hemiptera: Miridae) and M. pygmaeus using mitochondrial DNA analysis
Authors: Perdikis D.C. , Margaritopoulos J.T. , Stamatis C. , Mamuris Z. , Lykouressis D.P. , Tsitsipis J.A. , Pekas A.
Published: January 2004

The separation of the closely related predatory species Macrolophus melanotoma Costa (= M. caliginosus Wagner) and Macrolophus pygmaeus (Rambur) based exclusively on the different colour pattern of the first antennal segment (white central band in M. melanotoma and entirely black in M. pygmaeus) is rather precarious and their taxonomic status is still in doubt. In the present study their taxonomic status was evaluated by DNA confirmatory analysis and hybridization experiments between M. pygmaeus and a Macrolophus taxon, resembling M. melanotoma, with a first antennal segment entirely black or with a white central band collected from Dittrichia viscosa (L.) W. Greuter (Asteraceae) in southern Greece. Adult females from Dittrichia plants hybridized with males of M. pygmaeus and vice versa did not produce viable eggs. The Macrolophus species from Dittrichia irrespective of the first antennal segment coloration differed from M. pygmaeusin digestive patterns generated by AseI, XbaI, and MseI on 16S rRNA and in RAPD profiles produced by the primers OPA-18 and OPA-20. These results demonstrate that on Dittrichia plants there is a distinct dimorphic taxon, M. melanotoma, as it is the only species of the genus Macrolophus bearing a first antennal segment with a central white band. Given the limitation of the coloration pattern, the mtDNA genetic markers are the appropriate method for the identification of M. melanotomaand M. pygmaeus.
Identifying chironomids (Diptera: Chironomidae) for biological monitoring with PCR–RFLP
Authors: Carew M.E. , Pettigrove V. , Hoffmann A.A.
Published: January 2004

Chironomids are excellent biological indicators for the health of aquatic ecosystems, but their use at finer taxonomic levels is hindered by morphological similarity of species at each life stage. Molecular markers have the potential to overcome these problems by facilitating species identification particularly in large-scale surveys. In this study, the potential of the polymerase chain reaction–restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR–RFLP) approach was tested to rapidly distinguish among chironomids within a geographic area, by considering chironomid species from Melbourne, Australia. By comparing molecular markers with diagnostic morphological traits, RFLP profiles of the cytochrome oxidase I (COI) region were identified that were specific to genera and some common species. These profiles were used to develop an RFLP–based key, which was validated by testing the markers on samples from several wetlands and streams. As well as allowing for rapid identification of species that are difficult to separate on morphological grounds, this approach also has the potential to resolve current taxonomic ambiguities.
The Anopheles maculipennis complex (Diptera: Culicidae) in Iran: molecular characterization and recognition of a new species
Authors: Sedaghat M.M. , Linton Y.-M. , Oshaghi M.A. , Vatandoost H. , Harbach R.E.
Published: January 2004

Mosquitoes of the Anopheles maculipennis complex were collected in nine provinces of Iran (Esfahan, Fars, Gilan, Golestan, Kohkiluyeh va Boyerahmad, Mazandaran, Tehran, Azarbaijan-e Gharbi and Zanjan) between June 1983 and September 2002. The nuclear rDNA ITS2 sequences of 86 specimens were compared with those of seven species of the complex available in GenBank. Three genetically distinct species of the complex were distinguished: A. maculipennis Meigen, A. sacharovi Favre and a previously unrecognized species. The last species is most similar to, but clearly distinct from, A. martinius Shingarev and A. sacharovi. The taxonomy of A. martinius and A. sacharovi is critically reviewed, and justification is provided for formally recognizing the third species as Anopheles persiensissp.n. The new species is the first culicid to be characterized and named principally on the basis of DNA evidence. Anopheles persiensis was collected only in the northern Caspian Sea littoral provinces of Gilan and Mazandaran, and it seems likely that this species could be responsible for malaria transmission in this region that was previously attributed to A. maculipennis. A species-specific RFLP–PCR assay based on ITS2 sequences was developed to facilitate further studies of the three species in Iran.
Recent advances in physiological and pathological significance of NAD+metabolites: roles of poly(ADP-ribose) and cyclic ADP-ribose in insulin secretion and diabetogenesis
Authors: Okamoto Hiroshi , Takasawa Shin
Published: January 2004

Poly(ADP-ribose) synthetase/polymerase (PARP) activation causes NAD+depletion in pancreatic β-cells, which results in necrotic cell death. On the other hand, ADP-ribosyl cyclase/cyclic ADP-ribose hydrolase (CD38) synthesizes cyclic ADP-ribose from NAD+, which acts as a second messenger, mobilizing intracellular Ca2+for insulin secretion in response to glucose in β-cells. PARP also acts as a regenerating gene (Reg) transcription factor to induce β-cell regeneration. This provides the new concept that NAD+metabolism can control the cellular function through gene expression. Clinically, PARP could be one of the most important therapeutic targets; PARP inhibitors prevent cell death, maintain the formation of a second messenger, cyclic ADP-ribose, to achieve cell function, and keep PARP functional as a transcription factor for cell regeneration.
GADD34–PP1c recruited by Smad7 dephosphorylates TGFβ type I receptor
Authors: Shi Weibin , Sun Chuanxi , He Bin , Xiong Wencheng , Shi Xingming , Yao Dachun , Cao Xu
Published: January 2004

The cascade of phosphorylation is a pivotal event in transforming growth factor β (TGFβ) signaling. Reversible phosphorylation regulates fundamental aspects of cell activity. TGFβ-induced Smad7 binds to type I receptor (TGFβ type I receptor; TβRI) functioning as a receptor kinase antagonist. We found Smad7 interacts with growth arrest and DNA damage protein, GADD34, a regulatory subunit of the protein phosphatase 1 (PP1) holoenzyme, which subsequently recruits catalytic subunit of PP1 (PP1c) to dephosphorylate TβRI. Blocking Smad7 expression by RNA interference inhibits association of GADD34–PP1c complex with TβRI, indicating Smad7 acts as an adaptor protein in the formation of the PP1 holoenzyme that targets TβRI for dephosphorylation. SARA (Smad anchor for receptor activation) enhances the recruitment PP1c to the Smad7–GADD34 complex by controlling the specific subcellular localization of PP1c. Importantly, GADD34–PP1c recruited by Smad7 inhibits TGFβ-induced cell cycle arrest and mediates TGFβ resistance in responding to UV light irradiation. The dephosphorylation of TβRI mediated by Smad7 is an effective mechanism for governing negative feedback in TGFβ signaling.
Essential role of MARCKS in cortical actin dynamics during gastrulation movements
Authors: Iioka Hidekazu , Ueno Naoto , Kinoshita Noriyuki
Published: January 2004

Myristoylated alanine-rich C kinase substrate (MARCKS) is an actin-binding, membrane-associated protein expressed during Xenopus embryogenesis. We analyzed its function in cytoskeletal regulation during gastrulation. Here, we show that blockade of its function impaired morphogenetic movements, including convergent extension. MARCKS was required for control of cell morphology, motility, adhesion, protrusive activity, and cortical actin formation in embryonic cells. We also demonstrate that the noncanonical Wnt pathway promotes the formation of lamellipodia- and filopodia-like protrusions and that MARCKS is necessary for this activity. These findings show that MARCKS regulates the cortical actin formation that is requisite for dynamic morphogenetic movements.
β-Catenin Is Dispensable for Hematopoiesis and Lymphopoiesis
Authors: Cobas Monica , Wilson Anne , Ernst Bettina , Mancini Stéphane J.C. , MacDonald H. Robson , Kemler Rolf , Radtke Freddy
Published: January 2004

β-catenin–mediated Wnt signaling has been suggested to be critically involved in hematopoietic stem cell maintenance and development of T and B cells in the immune system. Unexpectedly, here we report that inducible Cre-loxP–mediated inactivation of the β-catenin gene in bone marrow progenitors does not impair their ability to self-renew and reconstitute all hematopoietic lineages (myeloid, erythroid, and lymphoid), even in competitive mixed chimeras. In addition, both thymocyte survival and antigen-induced proliferation of peripheral T cells is β-catenin independent. In contrast to earlier reports, these data exclude an essential role for β-catenin during hematopoiesis and lymphopoiesis.
Differential Efficacy of Caspase Inhibitors on Apoptosis Markers during Sepsis in Rats and Implication for Fractional Inhibition Requirements for Therapeutics
Authors: Méthot Nathalie , Huang JingQi , Coulombe Nathalie , Vaillancourt John P. , Rasper Dita , Tam John , Han Yongxin , Colucci John , Zamboni Robert , Xanthoudakis Steven , Toulmond Sylvie , Nicholson Donald W. , Roy Sophie
Published: January 2004

A rodent model of sepsis was used to establish the relationship between caspase inhibition and inhibition of apoptotic cell death in vivo. In this model, thymocyte cell death was blocked by Bcl-2 transgene, indicating that apoptosis was predominantly dependent on the mitochondrial pathway that culminates in caspase-3 activation. Caspase inhibitors, including the selective caspase-3 inhibitor M867, were able to block apoptotic manifestations both in vitro and in vivo but with strikingly different efficacy for different cell death markers. Inhibition of DNA fragmentation required substantially higher levels of caspase-3 attenuation than that required for blockade of other apoptotic events such as spectrin proteolysis and phosphatidylserine externalization. These data indicate a direct relationship between caspase inhibition and some apoptotic manifestations but that small quantities of uninhibited caspase-3 suffice to initiate genomic DNA breakdown, presumably through the escape of catalytic quantities of caspase-activated DNase. These findings suggest that putative caspase-independent apoptosis may be overestimated in some systems since blockade of spectrin proteolysis and other cell death markers does not accurately reflect the high degrees of caspase-3 inhibition needed to prevent DNA fragmentation. Furthermore, this requirement presents substantial therapeutic challenges owing to the need for persistent and complete caspase blockade.
Activation of EGF Receptor Kinase by L1-mediated Homophilic Cell Interactions
Authors: Islam Rafique , Kristiansen Lars V. , Romani Susana , Garcia-Alonso Luis , Hortsch Michael
Published: January 2004

Neural cell adhesion molecules (CAMs) are important players during neurogenesis and neurite outgrowth as well as axonal fasciculation and pathfinding. Some of these developmental processes entail the activation of cellular signaling cascades. Pharmacological and genetic evidence indicates that the neurite outgrowth-promoting activity of L1-type CAMs is at least in part mediated by the stimulation of neuronal receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs), especially FGF and EGF receptors. It has long been suspected that neural CAMs might physically interact with RTKs, but their activation by specific cell adhesion events has not been directly demonstrated. Here we report that gain-of-function conditions of the Drosophila L1-type CAM Neuroglian result in profound sensory axon pathfinding defects in the developing Drosophila wing. This phenotype can be suppressed by decreasing the normal gene dosage of the Drosophila EGF receptor gene. Furthermore, in Drosophila S2 cells, cell adhesion mediated by human L1-CAM results in the specific activation of human EGF tyrosine kinase at cell contact sites and EGF receptors engage in a physical interaction with L1-CAM molecules. Thus L1-type CAMs are able to promote the adhesion-dependent activation of EGF receptor signaling in vitro and in vivo.
Loss of PALS1 Expression Leads to Tight Junction and Polarity Defects
Authors: Straight Samuel W. , Shin Kunyoo , Fogg Vanessa C. , Fan Shuling , Liu Chia-Jen , Roh Michael , Margolis Ben
Published: January 2004

Prior work in our laboratory established a connection between the PALS1/PATJ/CRB3 and Par6/Par3/aPKC protein complexes at the tight junction of mammalian epithelial cells. Utilizing a stable small interfering RNA expression system, we have markedly reduced expression of the tight junction-associated protein PALS1 in MDCKII cells. The loss of PALS1 resulted in a corresponding loss of expression of PATJ, a known binding partner of PALS1, but had no effect on the expression of CRB3. However, the absence of PALS1 and PATJ expression did result in the decreased association of CRB3 with members of the Par6/Par3/aPKC protein complex. The consequences of the loss of PALS1 and PATJ were exhibited by a delay in the polarization of MDCKII monolayers after calcium switch, a decrease in the transepithelial electrical resistance, and by the inability of these cells to form lumenal cysts when grown in a collagen gel matrix. These defects in polarity determination may be the result of the lack of recruitment of aPKC to the tight junction in PALS1-deficient cells, as observed by confocal microscopy, and subsequent alterations in downstream signaling events.
Training virtual library network’s staff using the Internet: the experience of the Latin American and the Caribbean Social Science Virtual Library online course
Authors: Babini Dominique
Published: January 2004

What challenges do we envisage when considering the Internet as a platform to deliver training for librarians, editors and Webmasters working in the development of a collaborative virtual library? After some considerations concerning technology‐based distance training developments for librarians, the experience of the Latin American Council of Social Sciences is described where the Internet is used to deliver training to librarians, editors and Webmasters of their member institutes in Latin America and the Caribbean. Choosing a virtual campus platform, building multinational teams for teaching and learning, working on the design of course content and preparing full‐text bibliography, managing the course and evaluating its results have been the main challenges for this experience, which is described to help library networks in developing regions think about the Internet as a possible platform for training staff located in institutions with access to the Internet.
A process perspective on leadership and team development
Authors: Sheard A.G. , Kakabadse A.P.
Published: January 2004

This monograph summarises the key influences of leadership behaviour on the transformation process associated with creation of an effective and high performing team. It clarifies the key factors that are relevant to a team at each stage of the transformation process and the leadership roles that each team member can play. The role of an organisation's senior management is considered both in terms of the impact it has on the transformation process within specific teams and in terms of creating the necessary organisational environment to make effective teams the norm. Some reasons why senior management behaviour is often perceived as inconsistent and unhelpful are explored. Specific recommendations are made to help senior managers to adapt their behaviour, and in so doing become more context‐sensitive to the needs of the environment as it changes. Some tools and techniques are presented that have been found in practice to help senior managers adapt their behaviour to that most appropriate at a given time, and to create the organisational infrastructure needed to make effective teams the organisational norm rather than the exception. A case study is presented illustrating the networked nature of leadership and the culture change associated with making effective teams “the way we do things around here.”
Management‐related information on Spanish university library Web pages
Authors: Pacios Ana R.
Published: January 2004

A typological analysis of the management‐related documents that Spanish university libraries show on their Web sites is provided. The paper discusses about the structure and contents of the Web pages; provides some analysis on the location of the documents in the pages; and presents a view of document changes after 1 year, taking into account their presence and currency.
Developing services in an evolving technological and political era
Authors: Guy Fred
Published: January 2004

The National Library of Scotland (NLS), like national libraries throughout the world, at present, faces quite major challenges in fulfilling its key functions of acquisition, retention, preservation and access as traditional forms of publication are paralleled by publication in electronic form. In addition, the Scotland Act of 1998, whilst not altering the role that NLS plays, has focussed attention on that role within the changed political context of the United Kingdom. This paper will consider the response to the challenges looking not only at the development of technical solutions but also at the organisational changes identified and currently underway. This paper is a revised and updated version of a paper presented at Internet Librarian International 2002, London, UK, 18‐20 March 2002.
Comparison of the different electronic versions of the Encyclopaedia Britannica: a usability study
Authors: Hamilton B.
Published: January 2004

Over the years, Encyclopaedia Britannica has undergone a number of revisions and has been provided in a number of formats other than print. The different electronic formats include a CD‐ROM version, a subscription online version, a free online version that was recently changed to a subscription version, and a DVD‐ROM version. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usability and effectiveness of the different electronic versions of the Encyclopaedia Britannica. The objectives of this study were to find out if one of the electronic versions of the Encyclopaedia Britannica is easier to use than the others, to see if the users are satisfied with the information that they retrieved from each version, and to see if the users retrieve the same information from each version. Over one third (six) of 15 participants thought that britannica.com was the easiest to use. The main reason mentioned was the set‐up of the initial results screen. Most of the participants felt that all of the databases answered the searches sufficiently and nine participants felt that britannica.com answered the searches the best. The main reason mentioned was the variety of information sources provided on the search results page (Encyclopaedia Britannica articles, magazine articles, Web sites, and books). Seven of the participants were satisfied with using all of the databases.
Library operations and Internet resources
Authors: Hundie Kebede
Published: January 2004

The Internet has rapidly become one of the most powerful global sources of a wide range of information presenting many possibilities for librarians and information providers to seek information relating to their day‐to‐day activities, from buying books and serials to teaching information literacy skills. This paper delineates how libraries can benefit from the use of Internet resources to enhance the quality of their various services, at the same time saving both money and time. Some strategies for identifying valuable and relevant online resources are presented; and a number of most useful Internet tools and resources that are of great interest to librarians and information workers are discussed.
An evaluative case study of a real‐time online reference service
Authors: Kloss Louise , Zhang Yin
Published: January 2004

This case study evaluated a real‐time online interactive reference service. Three data gathering methods were used. First, general usage statistics were generated electronically from the service provider. Second, patron evaluations were collected electronically. Third, questionnaires were mailed to the librarians who provided the service. The general usage statistics revealed an overall pattern of growth in the number of participating libraries, the number of patrons, the number of questions and the total time spent answering them in minutes. Patron evaluations of the service were positive, most of the patrons' questions were answered. They all liked the service and intended to use it again. The librarians' responses were also positive. Most of the librarians were able to find quality Internet Web sites containing the answers to their patrons' questions and when they could not, they often found the answers in a print resource. This finding suggested that regardless of the setting, print resources still had an important role to play in the provision of reference service.
Internet surfing for the blind: a prototype
Authors: Loo Alfred , Lu Ming‐te , Bloor Chris
Published: January 2004

The right of blind people to access the Internet is simply ignored in many countries because Web pages have been designed for normal people. As a result, many blind people are not enjoying the benefits of the Internet and the improvement in the quality of life that Internet use can bring. In order for visually impaired persons to surf the Internet, it is necessary to develop a special human‐computer interface (HCI) system. This paper presents the design of a Web project for the blind. The aim of this research is to develop a new HCI model and an associated computer system for visually impaired people so that they can browse the World Wide Web via Internet. An assessment of the potential of a wide range of applications and their impact are also presented.
Review of Japanese Web sites for Chinese history
Authors: Wai Fan Ka
Published: January 2004

In the study of Chinese history, Japan is the most important place of such studies outside China. This paper sets out to introduce Japanese Web sites on Chinese history and briefly discuss the characteristics of such Web sites. The Web sites on Chinese history that were developed by Japanese scholars contain highly specialized contents, including from research associations on a particular dynasty to organizations on a particular subject.
Information portals: a strategy for importing external content
Authors: van Brakel Pieter
Published: January 2004

Intranets and portals are supposed to provide an infrastructure through which end‐users can gain effective access to information sources needed to assist in daily tasks such as effective decision making, planning and research. This paper discusses the current lack of clarity on how to address the external information issue in conjunction with the current popularity of portals and their multiplicity, emphasising in particular the confusion in regards to what constitutes each portal type. The issue of definition intensifies when the term information portals becomes added to the current list of portal categories. Does the latter belong to a unique category of portals or should it rather be seen as an umbrella term for other portals? When is a portal an information portal? To conclude, what should a strategy entail to ensure that external information sources are perceived by an enterprise as of strategic importance?
ASK: a virtual enquiry desk – a case study
Authors: Beard Jill , Bottomley Neil , Geeson Rachel , Spencer Stuart
Published: January 2004

A review of a five‐year project to design, implement, promote and evaluate a virtual enquiry desk in a new British University. The service specification, target audience and process of development are documented and discussed. The results of an evaluative survey of 30 users reveal that rather than distance or part‐time students, the majority of users are full‐time undergraduate students submitting questions within 15 miles of the University during core opening times. It is clear that the Library is still operating within a “hybrid” rather than purely electronic environment, and the implications of this for partner colleges are considered. The paper concludes with some pointers for the future of a service that is now firmly established as part of the subject advice service offered to Bournemouth University students 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
What Ensues From Emotional Distress? Implications for Competence Estimation
Authors: Pomerantz Eva M. , Rudolph Karen D.
Published: January 2004

Although much is known about what precedes emotional distress, less is known about what follows such distress. The goal of this research was to examine the process by which emotional distress contributes to competence estimation. Children 9 to 13 years of age in fourth through sixth grade (N=932) participated in a 3‐wave longitudinal study spanning 12 months. Their emotional distress, views of themselves and their world, and competence estimation were assessed. Emotional distress predicted negative beliefs about the self and the world over time; these beliefs in turn predicted decrements in competence estimation over time. Negative views of the self and the world mediated the path from emotional distress to competence underestimation. The findings suggest that the experience of emotional distress has negative implications for children's development.
Risk Factors for Speech Delay of Unknown Origin in 3‐Year‐Old Children
Authors: Campbell Thomas F. , Dollaghan Christine A. , Rockette Howard E. , Paradise Jack L. , Feldman Heidi M. , Shriberg Lawrence D. , Sabo Diane L. , Kurs‐Lasky Marcia
Published: January 2004

One hundred 3‐year‐olds with speech delay of unknown origin and 539 same‐age peers were compared with respect to 6 variables linked to speech disorders: male sex, family history of developmental communication disorder, low maternal education, low socioeconomic status (indexed by Medicaid health insurance), African American race, and prolonged otitis media. Abnormal hearing was also examined in a subset of 279 children who had at least 2 hearing evaluations between 6 and 18 months of age. Significant odds ratios were found only for low maternal education, male sex, and positive family history; a child with all 3 factors was 7.71 times as likely to have a speech delay as a child without any of these factors.
Family Risk of Dyslexia Is Continuous: Individual Differences in the Precursors of Reading Skill
Authors: Snowling Margaret J. , Gallagher Alison , Frith Uta
Published: January 2004

The development of 56 children at family risk of dyslexia was followed from the age of 3 years, 9 months to 8 years. In the high‐risk group, 66% had reading disabilities at age 8 years compared with 13% in a control group from similar, middle‐class backgrounds. However, the family risk of dyslexia was continuous, and high‐risk children who did not fulfil criteria for reading impairment at 8 years performed as poorly at age 6 as did high‐risk impaired children on tests of grapheme–phoneme knowledge. The findings are interpreted within an interactive model of reading development in which problems in establishing a phonological pathway in dyslexic families may be compensated early by children who have strong language skills.
Peer Rejection and Social Information‐Processing Factors in the Development of Aggressive Behavior Problems in Children
Authors: Dodge Kenneth A. , Lansford Jennifer E. , Burks Virginia Salzer , Bates John E. , Pettit Gregory S. , Fontaine Reid , Price Joseph M.
Published: January 2004

The relation between social rejection and growth in antisocial behavior was investigated. In Study 1, 259 boys and girls (34% African American) were followed from Grades 1 to 3 (ages 6–8 years) to Grades 5 to 7 (ages 10–12 years). Early peer rejection predicted growth in aggression. In Study 2, 585 boys and girls (16% African American) were followed from kindergarten to Grade 3 (ages 5–8 years), and findings were replicated. Furthermore, early aggression moderated the effect of rejection, such that rejection exacerbated antisocial development only among children initially disposed toward aggression. In Study 3, social information‐processing patterns measured in Study 1 were found to mediate partially the effect of early rejection on later aggression. In Study 4, processing patterns measured in Study 2 replicated the mediation effect. Findings are integrated into a recursive model of antisocial development.
Genetic Evidence for Bidirectional Effects of Early Lexical and Grammatical Development
Authors: Dionne Ginette , Dale Philip S. , Boivin Michel , Plomin Robert
Published: January 2004

This article addresses the autonomy hypothesis of vocabulary and grammar and bootstrapping mechanisms in early language development. Two birth cohorts of 1,505 and 1,049 same‐sex twin pairs from the UK were assessed at 2 and 3 years on grammar and vocabulary, using adapted versions of the MacArthur Communicative Development Inventory. Vocabulary and grammar correlate strongly at both 2 and 3 years in both cohorts. Multivariate genetic modeling reveals a consistently high genetic correlation between vocabulary and grammar at 2 and 3 years. This finding suggests the same genetic influences operate for both vocabulary and grammar, a finding incompatible with traditional autonomy hypothesis, at least in early acquisition. Cross‐lagged longitudinal genetic models indicate both lexical and syntactical bootstrapping operate from 2 to 3 years.
The Effects of Group Stereotypes on Adolescents' Reasoning About Peer Retribution
Authors: Pitner Ronald O. , Astor Ron Avi , Benbenishty Rami , Haj‐Yahia Muhammad M. , Zeira Anat
Published: January 2004

This study examined the effects of negative group stereotypes on adolescents' reasoning about peer retribution. The sample of adolescents was drawn from central and northern Israel and consisted of 2,604 Arab and Jewish students (ages 13–17; grades 7–11). A quasi‐experimental, between‐subject design was used, in which the students in each grade were assigned randomly to 1 of 4 peer retribution scenarios. The findings provide evidence that Arab and Jewish students have stereotypes about one another and that in‐group bias affected their approval and reasoning about peer retribution only in specific situations. This inquiry provides evidence that it was the number of justifications endorsed within a specific domain that distinguished Arab and Jewish respondents. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
Judging Who Knows Best About Yourself: Developmental Change in Citing the Self Across Middle Childhood
Authors: Burton Sarah , Mitchell Peter
Published: January 2004

Rosenberg (1979) reported that children under the age of 11 do not recognize that they are the authority on their own self‐knowledge, placing authority instead with adults. However, results from Studies 1 and 2, in which 86 and 47 children, respectively, from predominantly White low‐ to middle‐income communities participated, suggest that the shift from reliance on adults to self occurs between the ages of 5 and 10 years. The studies also demonstrate parallel development in judging own and other people's self‐knowledge. Study 3, in which 96 children from predominantly White low‐ to middle‐income communities participated, shows the beginnings of sophisticated understanding in children aged 5 to 7 years, who differentiate between information about the self that is best judged by the self and information that can be judged by others. Suggestions are made as to why this aspect of understanding minds develops later than other aspects of psychological understanding.
The Effects of Sleep Restriction and Extension on School‐Age Children: What a Difference an Hour Makes
Authors: Sadeh Avi , Gruber Reut , Raviv Amiram
Published: January 2004

This study assessed the effects of modest sleep restriction and extension on children's neurobehavioral functioning (NBF). The sleep of 77 children (age: M=10.6 years; range=9.1–12.2 years) was monitored for 5 nights with activity monitors. These children (39 boys and 38 girls) were all attending regular 4th‐ and 6th‐grade classes. Their NBF was assessed using computerized tests on the 2nd day of their normal sleep schedule. On the 3rd evening, the children were asked to extend or restrict their sleep by an hour on the following 3 nights. Their NBF was reassessed on the 6th day following the experimental sleep manipulation. Sleep restriction led to improved sleep quality and to reduced reported alertness. The sleep manipulation led to significant differential effects on NBF measures. These effects may have significant developmental and clinical implications.
Reactivity and Regulation in Cortisol and Behavioral Responses to Stress
Authors: Ramsay Douglas , Lewis Michael
Published: January 2004

This study examined relations between reactivity (i.e., peak response) and regulation (i.e., response dampening) in 6‐month‐old infants' cortisol and behavioral responses to inoculation (N=62). Data showed that reactivity and regulation were unrelated for both cortisol and behavior. The independence of reactivity and regulation suggests that measures of both are needed to characterize infant cortisol or behavioral response to stress more completely. For both reactivity and regulation, cortisol and behavior were unrelated, suggesting that measures of both are needed to assess infant stress more adequately. There was considerable variation in the timing of the peak cortisol response, suggesting that obtaining only a single poststressor cortisol sample does not provide a sensitive measure of cortisol reactivity.
Are Children of Young Mothers Disadvantaged Because of Their Mother's Age or Family Background?
Authors: López Turley Ruth N.
Published: January 2004

Using a national sample of children 3 to 16 years old, this study found that the lower test scores and increased behavior problems of children born to younger mothers are not due to her age but to her family background. First, for nonfirstborn children, maternal age at first birth has a significant effect on test scores, whereas maternal age at the child's birth does not. Second, this study replicated a controversial study by Geronimus, Korenman, and Hillemeier (1994) and found that the disadvantage of children born to younger mothers is greatly reduced when maternal family background is controlled through a comparison of children born to sisters. Third, maternal age is not an important predictor of children's test score rates of improvement over time. This evidence suggests that maternal age is not causal.
What Changes in Infant Walking and Why
Authors: Adolph Karen E. , Vereijken Beatrix , Shrout Patrick E.
Published: January 2004

This study compared the relative contributions of growing body dimensions, age, and walking experience in the development of walking skill in 9‐ to 17‐month‐old infants (N=210), 5–6‐year old kindergartners (N=15), and college students (N=13). Kinematic measures derived from participants' footprints showed characteristic improvements in walking skill. As children became bigger, older, and more experienced, their steps became longer, narrower, straighter, and more consistent. Improvements reflected a narrowing base of support and increasing control over the path of progression. Although both infants' age and the duration of their walking experience contributed to improvements in walking skill, experience was the stronger predictor. This finding suggests that practice is the more important developmental factor for helping infants to conquer their weak muscles and precarious balance.
The Development and Consequences of Stereotype Consciousness in Middle Childhood
Authors: McKown Clark , Weinstein Rhona S.
Published: January 2004

Two studies including an ethnically diverse sample of 202 children ages 6 to 10 examined the development and consequences of children's awareness of others’ stereotypes (“stereotype consciousness”). Study 1 revealed that between ages 6 and 10, children's ability to infer an individual's stereotype increases dramatically. Children's awareness of broadly held stereotypes also increases with age, and children from academically stigmatized ethnic groups (African Americans and Latinos) are at all ages more likely be aware of broadly held stereotypes than children from academically nonstigmatized ethnic groups (Whites and Asians). Study 2 revealed that among children from stigmatized ethnic groups aware of broadly held stereotypes, on 1 of 2 challenging cognitive tasks and self‐reported effort, diagnostic testing conditions led to stereotype threat effects.
Preschool Children's Reasoning About Ability
Authors: Heyman Gail D. , Gee Caroline L. , Giles Jessica W.
Published: January 2004

Young children's reasoning about ability was investigated among 155 preschoolers (M=4 years, 10 months) across 3 studies. Results suggest that preschoolers are sensitive to mental state information when making judgments about another child's ability: They judged a child who finds a task easy to be smarter than one who finds the same task hard. Systematic patterns of errors on recall tasks suggest that preschoolers perceive positive correlations between (a) exerting effort and experiencing academic success, and (b) being nice and having high academic ability. Results from a comparison group of forty 9‐ to 10‐year‐olds (M=9 years, 10 months) suggest that the preschool findings generally reflect emerging patterns of reasoning about ability that persist into later childhood, but that the perceived correlations between high effort and academic outcomes and between social and academic traits diminish with age.
Variable Effects of Children's Aggression, Social Withdrawal, and Prosocial Leadership as Functions of Teacher Beliefs and Behaviors
Authors: Chang Lei
Published: January 2004

Teachers' beliefs about aggressive and withdrawn behaviors in the classrooms and teachers' overall caring and support of students were hypothesized to influence the relations between these classroom behaviors and peer acceptance and self‐perceived social competence. These hypotheses were tested in a sample of 82 middle school classes consisting of 4,650 students ages 13 to 16. The results suggest that teachers' aversion to aggression and empathy toward withdrawal enhanced the self‐perceptions of both aggressive and withdrawn children and enforced peer rejection of aggression but not of social withdrawal. Teacher warmth had similar effects. Prosocial leadership had a positive social impact among students independent of teacher beliefs. These findings are discussed in an attempt to reconceptualize children's social behaviors and peer status.
The Role of Social‐Referential Context in Verbal and Nonverbal Symbol Learning
Authors: Campbell Aimee L. , Namy Laura L.
Published: January 2004

This study examined the role of social‐referential context in 13‐ and 18‐month‐olds' mapping of verbal and nonverbal symbols to object categories. Infants heard either novel words or novel nonverbal sounds in either a referential or nonreferential context. In all conditions, an experimenter engaged in a social‐referential interaction and the label was produced while the infant's attention was directed to the referent. In the referential condition, labels were produced by the experimenter within the context of a familiar naming routine. In the nonreferential condition, labels were emitted from a baby monitor placed near the infant. The study subsequently tested infants' mapping of the symbols to the referent objects using a forced‐choice procedure. Although the results for the 18‐month‐olds were strongest, infants at both ages showed evidence of learning both words and sounds in the referential condition and failed to learn them in the nonreferential condition. Thus, infants successfully learned both words and sounds under the same circumstances at both ages. These findings suggest that the social‐referential context, and not the symbolic form per se, determine infants' success at symbol learning.
Known and Novel Noun Extensions: Attention at Two Levels of Abstraction
Authors: Yoshida Hanako , Smith Linda B.
Published: January 2004

Two experiments tested the hypothesis that names direct attention at two levels of abstraction: Known names direct attention to the properties most relevant to the specific category; novel names direct attention to the shape, the property most generally relevant across known object names. English‐speaking and Japanese‐speaking 3‐year‐olds were shown a novel object that was named with (a) known nouns referring to things similar in shape or similar in material and color, and (b) novel nouns. Given known nouns, children attended to shape when the name referred to a category organized by shape, but they did not when the name referred to a category organized by other properties. Children generalized novel names by shape. The results are discussed within the debate between shape‐based and taxonomic categories.
Parents Do Matter: Trajectories of Change in Externalizing and Internalizing Problems in Early Adolescence
Authors: Galambos Nancy L. , Barker Erin T. , Almeida David M.
Published: January 2004

This study examined the relative influence of three parenting behaviors (support, behavioral control, and psychological control) and deviant peers on trajectories of externalizing and internalizing problems in early adolescence. A white, working‐to‐middle‐class sample of adolescents and their mothers and fathers in two‐earner families participated in a 3½‐year longitudinal study (N=lies). The study began when the adolescents were in sixth grade (M age=rs). Analyses showed that parents’ firm behavioral control seemed to halt the upward trajectory in externalizing problems among adolescents with deviant peers. Initial levels of internalizing problems were higher among adolescents with parents who reported lower levels of behavioral control and among adolescents with deviant peers. This study suggests that parenting exerts an important influence in adolescents' lives and may do so even in the face of potentially negative peer influence.
Parenting and Adolescents' Accuracy in Perceiving Parental Values
Authors: Knafo Ariel , Schwartz Shalom H.
Published: January 2004

What determines adolescents' accuracy in perceiving parental values? The current study examined potential predictors including parental value communication, family value agreement, and parenting styles. In the study, 547 Israeli adolescents (aged 16 to 18) of diverse socioeconomic backgrounds participated with their parents. Adolescents reported the values they perceive their parents want them to hold. Parents reported their socialization values. Accuracy in perceiving parents' overall value system correlated positively with parents' actual and perceived value agreement and perceived parental warmth and responsiveness, but negatively with perceived value conflict, indifferent parenting, and autocratic parenting in all gender compositions of parent–child dyads. Other associations varied by dyad type. Findings were similar for predicting accuracy in perceiving two specific values: tradition and hedonism. The article discusses implications for the processes that underlie accurate perception, gender differences, and other potential influences on accuracy in value perception.
Feedback Seeking in Children and Adolescents: Associations With Self‐Perceptions, Attachment Representations, and Depression
Authors: Cassidy Jude , Ziv Yair , Mehta Tara G. , Feeney Brooke C.
Published: January 2004

Because the feedback children and adolescents receive is important to their development, 2 experimental studies were designed to examine children's (M=12 years) and adolescents' (M=17 years) active selection of the quality of feedback they wish to receive. In both studies evidence emerged that participants' self‐perceptions influence their feedback seeking. Participants with positive self‐perceptions sought more positive feedback than participants with negative self‐perceptions and sought more positive feedback than expected by chance. Participants with negative self‐perceptions lacked this tendency to seek positive feedback and sometimes sought less positive feedback than expected by chance. As expected, depression and attachment‐related measures were also associated with participants’ feedback seeking. Contributions of feedback‐seeking patterns to stability and change in children's and adolescents' development are discussed.
Mother–Child Conversation and Children's Understanding of Biological and Nonbiological Changes in Size
Authors: Jipson Jennifer L. , Callanan Maureen A.
Published: January 2004

This article explores the ways that mothers and children from primarily middle‐income European American backgrounds reason about events in which biological and nonbiological objects change in size. In Study 1, mother–child conversations were examined to investigate the events mothers described as growth, as well as the ways mothers explained events occurring in different domains. Findings indicate that although mothers primarily discussed events in domain‐specific ways, they exhibited some domain blurring in their talk to children. In Study 2, 3‐year‐old children (M=3 years, 2 months) and 5‐year‐old children (M=5 years) provided descriptions and explanations of the same events. Results suggest that preschool children have begun to develop domain‐specific understandings. Results are discussed in light of the role that social interaction plays in children's conceptual development.
Rethinking the Educational Practices of Biblical Doctoral Studies
Authors: Fiorenza Elisabeth Schüssler
Published: January 2004

The paper explores the impact of the change in populations, the impact of electronic communication, and the multiplicity of methodological approaches on the ethos and practices of biblical studies. It proposes a rhetorical emancipatory educational paradigm and explores its possibilities for the professional education of biblical scholars on the doctoral level. Since both college and seminary teachers are shaped in and through their doctoral studies, it is necessary to focus on doctoral education in order to address the growing recognition that the discipline of biblical studies in its present form needs to cultivate transformative intellectuals who are not only at home in the academy but also can critically intervene in the public discourses and uses of the Bible in religious communities, democratic publics, or global inter‐religious relations.
On the Necessity of Crisis: A Reflection on Pedagogical Conflict and the Academic Study of Religion
Authors: Tite Philip L.
Published: January 2004

A pervasive, yet under‐discussed, problem in religious studies classrooms is the presence of faith crisis. Many students face a type of cognitive dissonance when faced with the critical‐analytical approach in the academic study of religion. This essay, in an open and conversational tone, addresses the learning opportunity underlying such crisis moments. The discussion begins with a delimitation of what constitutes the secular university's goals in pedagogy and research. After arguing that a reductive limitation of knowable knowledge construction is to be the focus of the university, the discussion moves to the presence of cognitive stages of development, or liminal rites of passage as analogous for explicating the learning process in which crisis moments emerge. Finally, the discussion concludes with a reflection on the coherence of reductive limitation and collaborative pedagogy.