bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Establishing Behavioral Correlates: The MMPI as a Case Study
Authors: Green Samuel B.
Published: June 2007

Two methods have been used to determine MMPI behavioral correlates: the whole-sample and split-sample techniques. The latter technique, which splits a sample into half samples, is currently in use because it ostensibly controls more adequately for Type I errors by requiring significance in both half samples. By simply adjusting the level of significance for the whole-sample approach, however, it can control for Type I errors as well as the split-sample technique. Furthermore, the whole-sample approach appears to control more adequately for Type II errors than the split-sample technique. Finally, data are presented suggesting that as an indicator of the average result obtained by repeated random splittings of a sample, results from the whole-sample approach are preferable to those from a single split of a sample. The whole-sample method was thus recommended; however, the probability of a Type I error for each correlate tested should be set at values smaller than those currently used.
Recovery of Two- and Three-Parameter Logistic Item Characteristic Curves: A Monte Carlo Study
Authors: Hulin Charles L. , Lissak Robin I. , Drasgow Fritz
Published: June 2007

This monte carlo study assessed the accuracy of simultaneous estimation of item and person parameters in item response theory. Item responses were simulated using the two- and three-parameter logistic models. Samples of 200, 500, 1,000, and 2,000 simulated examinees and tests of 15, 30, and 60 items were generated. Item and person parameters were then estimated using the appropriate model. The root mean squared error between recovered and actual item characteristic curves served as the principal measure of estimation accuracy for items. The accuracy of estimates of ability was assessed by both correlation and root mean squared error. The results indicate that minimum sample sizes and tests lengths depend upon the response model and the purposes of an investigation. With item responses generated by the two-parameter model, tests of 30 items and samples of 500 appear adequate for some purposes. Estimates of ability and item parameters were less accurate in small sample sizes when item responses were generated by the three-parameter logistic model. Here samples of 1,000 examinees with tests of 60 items seem to be required for highly accurate estimation. Tradeoffs between sample size and test length are apparent, however.
An Application of Singular Value Decomposition to the Factor Analysis of MMPI Items
Authors: Reddon John R. , Marceau Roger , Jackson Douglas N.
Published: June 2007

Several measurement problems were identified in the literature concerning the fidelity with which the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) assesses psychopathology. A straightforward solution to some of these problems is to develop an orthogonal basis in the MMPI; however, there are 550 items, and this is a cumbersome task even for modern computers. The method of alternating least squares was employed to yield a singular value decomposition of these measures on 682 prison inmates. Unsystematic or sample-specific error variance was minimized through a two-stage least squares split thirds replication design. The relative explanatory power of models of psychopathology based on external, internal, naive, and construct-oriented measurement strategies is discussed.
Choice of Test Model for Appropriateness Measurement
Authors: Drasgow Fritz
Published: June 2007

Several theoretical and empirical issues that must be addressed before appropriateness measurement can be used by practitioners are investigated in this paper. These issues include selection of a latent trait model for multiple-choice tests, selection of a particular appropriateness index, and the sample size required for parameter estimation. The three-parameter logistic model is found to provide better detection of simulated spuriously low examinees than the Rasch model for the Graduate Record Examination, Verbal Section. All three appropriateness indices proposed by Levine and Rubin (1979) provide good detection of simulated spuriously low examinees but poor detection of simulated spuriously high examinees. A reason for this discrepancy is provided.
Supervised Regionalization Methods: A Survey
Authors: Duque Juan Carlos , Ramos Raúl , Suriñach Jordi
Published: June 2007

This article reviews almost four decades of contributions on the subject of supervised regionalization methods. These methods aggregate a set of areas into a predefined number of spatially contiguous regions while optimizing certain aggregation criteria. The authors present a taxonomic scheme that classifies a wide range of regionalization methods into eight groups, based on the strategy applied for satisfying the spatial contiguity constraint. The article concludes by providing a qualitative comparison of these groups in terms of a set of certain characteristics, and by suggesting future lines of research for extending and improving these methods.
The Economic Impacts of the Prison Development Boom on Persistently Poor Rural Places
Authors: Glasmeier Amy K. , Farrigan Tracey
Published: June 2007

Prison construction experienced explosive growth over the 1980s and 1990s. Many poor rural communities invited prisons into their environs, anticipating jobs and economic development. However, with one notable exception, no ex post empirical studies exist of the economic effects of prison construction on rural counties. Following an extensive review of the literature, this research uses a quasiexperimental control group method to examine the effect of state-run prisons constructed in rural counties between 1985 and 1995 on county earnings by employment sector, population, poverty rate, and degree of economic health. Analysis suggests a limited economic effect on rural places in general, but may have a positive impact on poverty rates in persistently poor rural counties, as measured by diminishing transfer payments and increasing state and local government earnings in places with relatively good economic health. However, there is little evidence that prison impacts were significant enough to foster structural economic change.
Design of an Assessment of Caregivers' Impulsive Feelings to Commit Elder Abuse
Authors: Lee Minhong , Kolomer Stacey
Published: June 2007

Objective: This study aims to identify the psychometric properties of the Impulsive Feelings to Commit Elder Abuse (IFCEA) scale. Method: The sample included 387 South Korean family caregivers for their older family members with disabilities. Results: The internal consistency of the IFCEA was very good, and claims for the construct validity were demonstrated. Accordingly, the confirmatory factor analysis of the IFCEA confirmed that the scale had two factors: emotional abuse and physical abuse. Conclusion: The IFCEA can be used by professionals to measure caregivers' impulses to commit elder abuse as an early assessment in the caregiving relationship.
Women Who Are Stalked
Authors: Dietz Noella A. , Martin Patricia Yancey
Published: June 2007

The authors use logistic regression with the National Violence Against Women Survey sample ( N = 8,000) to explore patterns in fear reported by women who were stalked. One fourth of our sample felt no fear, with Black women significantly less likely to report fear (compared to White women). Women who were frequently stalked, stalked by an intimate or family member or acquaintance, or stalked by physical or communicative means reported feeling fearful more than did others. Requiring a woman to feel fearful before accepting her experience as an instance of stalking risks, the authors conclude, a miscarriage of justice, an undercount of the crime, and an abandonment of women (and others) who need validation from the state and protection from stalkers.
The Factors Affecting Sexual Assaults Committed by Strangers and Acquaintances
Authors: Pazzani Lynn M.
Published: June 2007

Research on the causes of sexual assault typically analyzes rape committed by acquaintances and strangers together, despite the fact that the characteristics of the assault in these two circumstances are very different. Thus, this work examines whether the causes of each type of sexual assault—stranger and acquaintance rape—differ. The results of the analyses reveal that variables that describe a culture of gender equality, prior child abuse, and prior sexual assaults are associated with acquaintance assaults. In contrast, a culture of “hypermasculinity” is associated with stranger rape. The implications of these findings are discussed.
Party-Market Corporatism, Clientelism, and Media in Shanghai
Authors: Lee Chin-Chuan , Zhou He  , Yu Huang
Published: June 2007

In seeking to explain why Shanghai, China's economic capital, has a more timid media system than its sibling cities, we examine the political economy of the Shanghai media from the perspective of clientelism in the post-Communist and cultural milieus of what we call “party-market corporatism.” Through field work we analyze four aspects of clientelism, including media conglomeration, elite circulation, resource allocation, and (lack of) media professionalism.We conclude that Shanghai is at once a “big city” and yet a “small place:” a resource-rich city governed by one layer of power authority, hence the distance from the epicenter of power to various media organizations is so short and direct as to make media control through clientelism very effective and powerful. Clientelism represents one of the three major patterns of party-market corporatism in China's media sector.
Sustainable Intergovernmental Agreements
Authors: Edwards Torry L.
Published: June 2007

In 2005, the Texas Legislature approved Senate Bill 1894, which established two special utility districts within the extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ) of the City of Terrell, Texas, forming the largest rural planned development community in the State of Texas. This legislation allowed Terrell to use a city-design model to plan proactively for communities in its ETJ before they are constructed, through the establishment of comprehensive regional and intergovernmental agreements. Expansion from the large Dallas–Fort Worth metropolitan areas threatens the small-town character of Terrell and other rural communities in northern Texas. The recent adoption of complex intergovernmental agreements and land development planning initiatives in Terrell has stimulated the entire area to enact similar partnership agreements between developers and cities. This case study illustrates how local city authorities, challenged to preserve quality of place, can manage the growth around them and attract new investment while minimizing problems and avoiding negative consequences.
Face processing in children with autism
Authors: Speer Leslie L. , Cook Anne E. , McMahon William M. , Clark Elaine
Published: June 2007

Recent eye tracking studies of face processing have produced differing accounts of how and whether children with autism differ from their typically developing peers. The two groups' gaze patterns appear to differ for dynamic videos of social scenes, but not for static photos of isolated individuals. The present study replicated and extended previous research by comparing the gaze patterns of individuals with and without autism for four types of stimuli: social dynamic, social static, isolated dynamic, and isolated static. Participants with autism differed from their typically developing peers only for social-dynamic stimuli; fixation durations were decreased for eye regions and increased for body regions. Further, these fixation durations predicted scores on a measure of social responsiveness. These findings reconcile differences in previous reports by identifying the specific social and dynamic task components associated with autism-related face processing impairments.
How I treat acute lymphocytic leukemia in adults
Authors: Rowe Jacob M. , Goldstone Anthony H.
Published: June 2007

The treatment of newly diagnosed acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) in adults remains unsatisfactory. Not withstanding the outstanding progress in curing childhood ALL, only approximately one third of adults younger than 60 years can be cured, and the overall published survival curves have not changed significantly during the past 15 years. Recent therapeutic advances in allogeneic transplantation through the conduct of large collaborative studies, better understanding of the relevance of cytogenetics, improved molecular techniques for the detection of minimal residual disease, and clinical research into novel biologic and targeted therapies have all combined to offer potentially a better hope for an improved outcome in this disease. The current approach in 2007 to the management of this disease is presented by way of a discussion of illustrative cases. In this uncommon and difficult disease, well-structured intergroup studies will remain vital for future progress.
Effect of choline chloride in allergen-induced mouse model of airway inflammation
Authors: Mehta A. K. , Gaur S. N. , Arora N. , Singh B. P.
Published: June 2007

The incidence of asthma has increased the world over, and current therapies for the disease suffer from potential side-effects. This has created an opportunity to develop novel therapeutic approaches. Here, the anti-inflammatory activity of choline was investigated in a mouse model of allergic airway inflammation.

Choline (1 mg·kg−1) was administeredviaoral gavage or intranasally before and after ovalbumin (OVA) challenge in sensitised mice. Airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) to methacholine was measured in the mice by whole-body plethysmography. Type-2 T-helper cell cytokine and leukotriene levels were estimated in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and spleen culture supernatant by ELISA. Eosinophil peroxidase activity was also determined in the BALF supernatant.

Choline treatment in sensitised mice before OVA challengeviaoral/intranasal routes significantly inhibited eosinophilic airway inflammation and eosinophil peroxidase activity. It also reduced immunoglobulin E and G1 production and inhibited the release of type-2 T-helper cell cytokines and leukotrienes. However, the development of AHR was prevented effectively by intranasal choline treatment. Most importantly, choline treatment after OVA challenge by both routes could reverse established asthmatic conditions in mice by inhibiting AHR, eosinophilic airway inflammation and other inflammatory parameters.

This study provides a new therapeutic approach for controlling as well as preventing asthma exacerbations.
Anti-inflammatory activity of β2-agonists in primary lung epithelial cells is independent of glucocorticoid receptor
Authors: Lovén J. , Svitacheva N. , Jerre A. , Miller-Larsson A. , Korn S. H.
Published: June 2007

In patients with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, the addition of long-acting β2-agonists (LABA) to glucocorticosteroids (GCS) results in better control than increasing the dose of GCS alone. In smooth muscle cells and fibroblasts, one apparent underlying mechanism involves the ability of LABAs to activate the glucocorticoid receptor (GR).

The present study investigates the effects of formoterol (FORM), salmeterol (SALM) and budesonide (BUD) on GR activation in bronchial epithelial cellsviatumour necrosis factor-α-stimulated granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) release, GR nuclear translocation and GR-regulated reporter gene activity.

Both BUD and FORM inhibited GM-CSF release by ≤50%. The combination of these two drugs, in clinically relevant concentrations, inhibited GM-CSF release by 85% down to unstimulated levels. A similar inhibition was obtained when combining BUD and SALM. The ability of FORM to inhibit GM-CSF synthesis was not altered by small interfering RNA-mediated depletion of GR and FORM nor SALM-induced GR translocation into the cell nucleus. In addition, FORM did not activate GR-regulated reporter gene activity (SALM was not tested), in contrast to the clear effect of BUD.

It was concluded that in bronchial epithelial cells, inhibition of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor synthesis by formoterol and salmeterol does not actviapreviously demonstrated glucocorticoid receptor-related mechanisms, suggesting an alternative pathway in these cells.
Transforming growth factor-β as a differentiating factor for cultured smooth muscle cells
Authors: Gawaziuk J. P. , Ma X. , Sheikh F. , Cheng Z-Q. , Cattini P. A. , Stephens N. L.
Published: June 2007

The aim of the present study was to determine whether the development of supercontractile smooth muscle cells, contributing to the nonspecific hyperreactivity of airways in asthmatic patients, is due to transforming growth factor (TGF)-β.

In cultured smooth muscle cells starved by removal of 10% foetal bovine serum for 7 days, growth arrest was seen; 30% became elongated and demonstrated super contractility. Study of conditioned medium suggested that the differentiating factor was TGF-β. Sodium dodecyl sulphate–polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS–PAGE) was carried out on conditioned medium from the arrested cells. Two protein bands were identified as matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and TGF-β1. To determine second messenger signalling by SMAD2, Western blotting and confocal microscopy were employed.

Conditioned medium from arrested cultures showed the presence of MMP-2 and TGF-β1, as revealed by SDS–PAGE; 68- and 25-kDa bands were seen. Differentiation was confirmed by upregulation of marker proteins, smooth muscle type myosin heavy chain and myosin light chain kinase. Confirmation was obtained by downregulating these proteins with decorin treatment, which reduces the levels of active TGF-β and an adenoviral dominant-negative vector coding for a mutated type II TGF-β-receptor. Activation of second messenger signalling was demonstrated immunocytochemically by the presence of phosphorylated SMAD2 and SMAD4.

Transforming growth factor-β is likely to be the differentiating factor responsible for the development of these supercontractile smooth muscle cells. The development of such cellsin vivoafter cessation of an asthmatic attack could contribute to the nonspecific hyperreactivity of airways seen in patients.
A DArT platform for quantitative bulked segregant analysis
Authors: Wenzl Peter , Raman Harsh , Wang Junping , Zhou Meixue , Huttner Eric , Kilian Andrzej
Published: June 2007

Background

Bulked segregant analysis (BSA) identifies molecular markers associated with a phenotype by screening two DNA pools of phenotypically distinct plants for markers with skewed allele frequencies. In contrast to gel-based markers, hybridization-based markers such as SFP, DArT or SNP generate quantitative allele-frequency estimates. Only DArT, however, combines this advantage with low development and assay costs and the ability to be deployed for any plant species irrespective of its ploidy level. Here we investigate the suitability of DArT for BSA applications using a barley array as an example.

Results

In a first test experiment, we compared two bulks of 40 Steptoe/Morex DH plants with contrasting pubescent leaves (mPub) alleles on chromosome 3H. At optimized levels of experimental replication and marker-selection threshold, the BSA scan identified 433 polymorphic markers. The relative hybridization contrast between bulks accurately reflected the between-bulk difference in the frequency of the mPub allele (r = 0.96). The 'platform noise' of DArT assays, estimated by comparing two identical aliquots of a DNA mixture, was significantly lower than the 'pooling noise' reflecting the binomial sampling variance of the bulking process. The allele-frequency difference on chromosome 3H increased in the vicinity of mPub and peaked at the marker with the smallest distance from mPub (4.6 cM). In a validation experiment with only 20 plants per bulk we identified an aluminum (Al) tolerance locus in a Dayton/Zhepi2 DH population on chromosome 4H with < 0.8 cM precision, the same Al-tolerance locus that had been mapped before in other barley populations.

Conclusion

DArT-BSA identifies genetic loci that influence phenotypic characters in barley with at least 5 cM accuracy and should prove useful as a generic tool for high-throughput, quantitative BSA in plants irrespective of their ploidy level.
Activation and localization of matrix metalloproteinase-2 and -9 in the skeletal muscle of the muscular dystrophy dog (CXMDJ)
Authors: Fukushima Kazuhiro , Nakamura Akinori , Ueda Hideho , Yuasa Katsutoshi , Yoshida Kunihiro , Takeda Shin'ichi , Ikeda Shu-ichi
Published: June 2007

Background

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are key regulatory molecules in the formation, remodeling and degradation of all extracellular matrix (ECM) components in both physiological and pathological processes in various tissues. The aim of this study was to examine the involvement of gelatinase MMP family members, MMP-2 and MMP-9, in dystrophin-deficient skeletal muscle. Towards this aim, we made use of the canine X-linked muscular dystrophy in Japan (CXMDJ) model, a suitable animal model for Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Methods

We used surgically biopsied tibialis cranialis muscles of normal male dogs (n = 3) and CXMDJ dogs (n = 3) at 4, 5 and 6 months of age. Muscle sections were analyzed by conventional morphological methods and in situ zymography to identify the localization of MMP-2 and MMP-9. MMP-2 and MMP-9 activity was examined by gelatin zymography and the levels of the respective mRNAs in addition to those of regulatory molecules, including MT1-MMP, TIMP-1, TIMP-2, and RECK, were analyzed by semi-quantitative RT-PCR.

Results

In CXMDJ skeletal muscle, multiple foci of both degenerating and regenerating muscle fibers were associated with gelatinolytic MMP activity derived from MMP-2 and/or MMP-9. In CXMDJ muscle, MMP-9 immunoreactivity localized to degenerated fibers with inflammatory cells. Weak and disconnected immunoreactivity of basal lamina components was seen in MMP-9-immunoreactive necrotic fibers of CXMDJ muscle. Gelatinolytic MMP activity observed in the endomysium of groups of regenerating fibers in CXMDJ did not co-localize with MMP-9 immunoreactivity, suggesting that it was due to the presence of MMP-2. We observed increased activities of pro MMP-2, MMP-2 and pro MMP-9, and levels of the mRNAs encoding MMP-2, MMP-9 and the regulatory molecules, MT1-MMP, TIMP-1, TIMP-2, and RECK in the skeletal muscle of CXMDJ dogs compared to the levels observed in normal controls.

Conclusion

MMP-2 and MMP-9 are likely involved in the pathology of dystrophin-deficient skeletal muscle. MMP-9 may be involved predominantly in the inflammatory process during muscle degeneration. In contrast, MMP-2, which was activated in the endomysium of groups of regenerating fibers, may be associated with ECM remodeling during muscle regeneration and fiber growth.
Repressor of temperate mycobacteriophage L1 harbors a stable C-terminal domain and binds to different asymmetric operator DNAs with variable affinity
Authors: Ganguly Tridib , Bandhu Amitava , Chattoraj Partho , Chanda Palas K , Das Malabika , Mandal Nitai C , Sau Subrata
Published: June 2007

Background

Lysogenic mode of life cycle of a temperate bacteriophage is generally maintained by a protein called 'repressor'. Repressor proteins of temperate lambdoid phages bind to a few symmetric operator DNAs in order to regulate their gene expression. In contrast, repressor molecules of temperate mycobacteriophages and some other phages bind to multiple asymmetric operator DNAs. Very little is known at present about the structure-function relationship of any mycobacteriophage repressor.

Results

Using highly purified repressor (CI) of temperate mycobacteriophage L1, we have demonstrated here that L1 CI harbors an N-terminal domain (NTD) and a C-terminal domain (CTD) which are separated by a small hinge region. Interestingly, CTD is more compact than NTD at 25°C. Both CTD and CI contain significant amount of α-helix at 30°C but unfold partly at 42°C. At nearly 200 nM concentration, both proteins form appreciable amount of dimers in solution. Additional studies reveal that CI binds to O
64 and O

L
types of asymmetric operators of L1 with variable affinity at 25°C. Interestingly, repressor – operator interaction is affected drastically at 42°C. The conformational change of CI is most possibly responsible for its reduced operator binding affinity at 42°C.

Conclusion

Repressors encoded by mycobacteriophages differ significantly from the repressor proteins of λ and related phages at functional level but at structural level they are nearly similar.
Virus detection and identification using random multiplex (RT)-PCR with 3'-locked random primers
Authors: Clem Amy L , Sims Jonathan , Telang Sucheta , Eaton John W , Chesney Jason
Published: June 2007

Background

PCR-based detection and identification of viruses assumes a known, relatively stable genome. Unfortunately, high mutation rates may lead to extensive changes in viral nucleic acid sequences making dedicated PCR primer use problematic. Furthermore, in bioterrorism, viral consensus sequences can be genetically modified as a countermeasure to RT-PCR and DNA chip detection. Accordingly, there is a great need for the development of rapid and universal virus detection and identification technologies.

Results

We report herein that viral genomic DNA or RNA can be separated from host nucleic acids in plasma by filtration and nuclease digestion, and randomly amplified in a single PCR using a mixture of primers designed to be resistant to primer-dimer amplification (5'-VVVVVVVVAA-3', V = A, G or C; 38 or 6561 primers). We have termed this novel PCR method Random Multiplex (RT)-PCR since hundreds of overlapping PCR amplifications occur simultaneously. Using this method, we have successfullydetected and partially sequenced 3 separate viruses in human plasma without using virus-specific reagents (i.e., Adenovirus Type 17, Coxsackievirus A7, and Respiratory Syncytial Virus B). The method is sensitive to ~1000 genome equivalents/ml and may represent the fastest means of detection of unknown viruses.

Conclusion

These studies suggest that the further development of random multiplex (RT)-PCR may lead to a diagnostic assay that can universally detect viruses in donated blood products as well as in patients suffering with idiopathic disease states of possible viral etiology.
Mannose receptor regulation of macrophage cell migration
Authors: Sturge Justin , Todd S Katrina , Kogianni Giolanta , McCarthy Afshan , Isacke Clare M
Published: June 2007

The migration of macrophages through peripheral tissues is an essential step in the host response to infection, inflammation, and ischemia as well as in tumor progression and tissue repair. The mannose receptor (MR; CD206, previously known as the macrophage MR) is a 175-kDa type I transmembrane glycoprotein and is a member of a family of four recycling endocytic receptors, which share a common extracellular domain structure but distinct ligand-binding properties and cell type expression patterns. MR has been shown to bind and internalize carbohydrate and collagen ligands and more recently, to have a role in myoblast motility and muscle growth. Given that the related Endo180 (CD280) receptor has also been shown to have a promigratory role, we hypothesized that MR may be involved in regulating macrophage migration and/or chemotaxis. Contrary to expectation, bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMM) from MR-deficient mice showed an increase in random cell migration and no impairment in chemotactic response to a gradient of CSF-1. To investigate whether the related promigratory Endo180 receptor might compensate for lack of MR, mice with homozygous deletions in MR and Endo180 were generated. These animals showed no obvious phenotypic abnormality, and their BMM, like those from MR-deficient mice, retained an enhanced migratory behavior. As MR is down-regulated during macrophage activation, these findings have implications for the regulation of macrophage migration during different stages of pathogenesis.
Foxa1andFoxa2regulate multiple phases of midbrain dopaminergic neuron development in a dosage-dependent manner
Authors: Ferri Anna L. M. , Lin Wei , Mavromatakis Yannis E. , Wang Julie C. , Sasaki Hiroshi , Whitsett Jeffrey A. , Ang Siew-Lan
Published: June 2007

The role of transcription factors in regulating the development of midbrain dopaminergic (mDA) neurons is intensively studied owing to the involvement of these neurons in diverse neurological disorders. Here we demonstrate novel roles for the forkhead/winged helix transcription factors Foxa1 and Foxa2 in the specification and differentiation of mDA neurons by analysing the phenotype of Foxa1 and Foxa2 single- and double-mutant mouse embryos. During specification, Foxa1 and Foxa2 regulate the extent of neurogenesis in mDA progenitors by positively regulating Ngn2 (Neurog2)expression. Subsequently, Foxa1 and Foxa2 regulate the expression of Nurr1(Nr4a2) and engrailed 1 in immature neurons and the expression of aromatic l-amino acid decarboxylase and tyrosine hydroxylase in mature neurons during early and late differentiation of midbrain dopaminergic neurons. Interestingly, genetic evidence indicates that these functions require different gene dosages of Foxa1 and Foxa2. Altogether, our results demonstrate that Foxa1 and Foxa2 regulate multiple phases of midbrain dopaminergic neuron development in a dosage-dependent manner.
Chondroitin sulfate glycosaminoglycans control proliferation, radial glia cell differentiation and neurogenesis in neural stem/progenitor cells
Authors: Sirko Swetlana , von Holst Alexander , Wizenmann Andrea , Götz Magdalena , Faissner Andreas
Published: June 2007

Although the local environment is known to regulate neural stem cell (NSC)maintenance in the central nervous system, little is known about the molecular identity of the signals involved. Chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans (CSPGs)are enriched in the growth environment of NSCs both during development and in the adult NSC niche. In order to gather insight into potential biological roles of CSPGs for NSCs, the enzyme chondroitinase ABC (ChABC) was used to selectively degrade the CSPG glycosaminoglycans. When NSCs from mouse E13 telencephalon were cultivated as neurospheres, treatment with ChABC resulted in diminished cell proliferation and impaired neuronal differentiation, with a converse increase in astrocytes. The intrauterine injection of ChABC into the telencephalic ventricle at midneurogenesis caused a reduction in cell proliferation in the ventricular zone and a diminution of self-renewing radial glia, as revealed by the neurosphere-formation assay, and a reduction in neurogenesis. These observations suggest that CSPGs regulate neural stem/progenitor cell proliferation and intervene in fate decisions between the neuronal and glial lineage.
Premixed diesel combustion using direct injection near top dead centre
Authors: Shimazaki N , Minato A , Nishimura T
Published: June 2007

With conventional diesel combustion, heterogeneity of the mixture has been one of the major difficulties in improving the NO x and particulate matter (PM) trade-off or relationship. Premixed (injection completed before ignition) compression ignition (PCI) combustion significantly improves the fuel-air mixture quality and consequently improves the cleanliness of diesel combustion. This research examines premixed diesel combustion near top dead centre (TDC) with a hole-type nozzle suitable for fuel-air mixture formation at high temperature and air density. This combustion concept can simultaneously reduce NO x and smoke emissions by increasing the turbulent mixing rate. Furthermore, the hydrocarbon (HC) emissions were lower than premixed diesel combustion with injection earlier in the cycle. This combustion system can also be used in conventional diesel combustion mode, in which it has also shown good performance. This paper describes such a dual mode system for practical application of PCI combustion. The system can be switched between conventional diesel combustion and PCI combustion modes. Also discussed is the need for developing new control technology specific to PCI combustion.
Oxidation stability of biodiesel and its effects on diesel combustion and emission characteristics
Authors: Yamane K , Kawasaki K , Sone K , Hara T , Prakoso T
Published: June 2007

The current paper describes two topics. The first is a study of the effect of fatty acid methyl ester content in biodiesel on characteristics of oxidation stability as quality parameters, including peroxide value, acid value, kinematic viscosity, and induction period obtained from a Rancimat test. The second is a study of the effect of biodiesel oxidation on diesel combustion and emission characteristics. An accelerated oxidation stability test was conducted by the Rancimat test method on methyl esters with different unsaturated fatty acid components. The unsaturated fatty acid components exert a large influence on oxidation deterioration as well as thermal and auto-oxidation stability. In addition, characteristics of oxidation were obtained from a thermal oxidation test using a tank equipped with an injection system test rig. These experiments clarified relationships between oxidation quality parameters. The autoignition characteristics of deliberately oxidized biodiesel were analysed by means of the constant-volume combustion method. Engine bench tests were also conducted on a single-cylinder engine. These experiments employed methyl ester made from soya bean oil as biodiesel. Use of an oxidized biodiesel was found to increase combustion pressure and temperatures, resulting in increased NO x emission; however, CO emission and smoke are decreased without any loss in fuel consumption rate.
Fuel unmixedness effects in a gasoline homogeneous charge compression ignition engine
Authors: Herold R E , Foster D E , Ghandhi J B , Iverson R J , Eng J A , Najt P M
Published: June 2007

Fuel stratification, independent of thermal and residual gas stratification, was studied in a gasoline homogenous charge compression ignition (HCCI) engine. The unmixed charge was created by injecting fuel (iso-octane) into the intake port after being prevaporized and heated to the same temperature as the intake stream. Planar laser-induced fluorescence measurements showed that local equivalence ratios in the charge differed from the mean equivalence ratio by up to 50 per cent for the latest possible injection timing. Experimental results showed little to no change in combustion phasing and performance between prevaporized port (unmixed) or premixed (homogeneous) fuelling. Increases in NO x and CO emissions were observed with the prevaporized port fuelling and are believed to result from the regions richer or leaner than the mean equivalence ratio. These results indicate that fuel stratification in the absence of thermal and residual stratification does not appear to be a viable method for HCCI combustion control for gasoline-type fuels.
An Effect of Structural Modification in the Photo-hydrogen-evolving RuIIPtII Dimers
Authors: Ozawa Hironobu , Sakai Ken
Published: June 2007

The second example of a photo-hydrogen-evolving (PHE) molecular device consisting of a Ru(bpy)32+ (bpy = 2,2′-bipyridine) derivative and a cis-PtCl2 unit has been successfully prepared and characterized to reveal that the PHE activity is quite sensitive to the structural modification at the bridging spacer unit connecting the RuII and PtII centers.
Effect of Nanoparticle Addition into Anode Electrodes for Direct Ethanol Fuel Cells
Authors: Park Namsin , Shiraishi Takeyuki , Kamisugi Kazuyoshi , Hayase Shuzi
Published: June 2007

The effect of nanoparticle addition into an anode electrode on direct ethanol fuel cells is reported. When nanopartilces such as TiO2, SnO2, and SiO2 were added to the anode electrode, the short circuit current (Jsc) increased from 2.8 to 4.4–9.0 mA cm−2. The nanoparticle and the carbon-supported PtRu (PtRu/C) were mixed merely at the ratio of 1:1. The PtRu content decreased to a half of the original electrode, but, Jsc increased after the nanoparticle addition. The results were explained by the increase in the fuel diffusion and the catalyst activity. These effects of the nanoparticle addition were not observed for direct methanol fuel cells.
Synthesis and Mesomorphism Study of Novel Carbohydrate-derived Liquid Crystals Containing Glucosyl and Chenodiolyl Residues
Authors: Xiao Wenqiang , Zhang Baoyan , Cong Yuehua
Published: June 2007

Synthesis of carbohydrate-derived liquid crystals by assembling d-(+)-glucose with mesogenic units containing chenodiolyl moieties and a flexible spacer is reported for first time and the thermal properties and liquid-crystalline behavior were carefully studied.
Vitamin k Deficiency In 'SPF' Rats
Authors: Gaunt I. F. , Lane-Petter W.
Published: June 2007

Extensive haemorrhage which could be prevented by vitamin K, or by bacterial contamination of the animals, has been reported in germ-free rats fed purified diets by Gustafsson (1959a; 1959b). As far as we are aware a similar vitamin K deficiency has not previously been reported in rats of limited microflora ('SPF').
‘Terramycin’ and Breeding Mice
Authors: Barnett S. A. , Munro Kathleen M. H.
Published: June 2007

‘Terramycin’ had no ill effect on A2G/Tb mice breeding either at 21 °C or at –3°C: it sometimes had a favourable effect on reproductive performance at 21 °C, probably by preventing epizootic diarrhoea.
Vervet Monkey Disease: Experimental Infection of Monkeys with the Causative Agent, and Antibody Studies in Wild-Caught Monkeys
Authors: Simpson D. I. H. , Bowen E. T. W. , Bright W. F.
Published: June 2007

The experimental infection of rhesus and vervet monkeys with the causative agent of a fatal disease in German and Yugoslav laboratory workers is described. All the monkeys developed a uniformly fatal illness irrespective of the dose or route of inoculation. The agent was detected in the monkeys’ blood, tissues, saliva and urine.

No complement-fixing antibodies to the agent were detected in any of the 201 mostly vervet monkey sera collected in Uganda in areas from which the incriminated batches came, nor in the serum of one langur monkey which had been in contact with these batches at London.

The hazards of handling recently captured wild primates and their tissues are pointed out.
Some Aspects of Reproductive Performance in Inbred Mice
Authors: Festing Michael
Published: June 2007

An examination of litter size, interval between litters, the ‘litter index’ (a measure of the persistency of breeders), preweaning mortality and productivity 70, 120 and 170 days after mating was made in 9 inbred lines of mice. The data were collected over a period of at least a year from the breeding records of 360 monogamous pairs of mice. Litter size was not significantly affected by parity. There were significant strain differences in the pattern of intervals between litters. Typically, the interval between mating and the first litter was short, followed by a longer interval between the first and second litter, followed again by a shorter interval both between the second and third and between the third and fourth litters. This pattern was most pronounced in the BALB/c, but did not occur in the DBA/2, where the intervals between all litters were approximately equal.

There were statistically significant strain differences in all seven characters, and heritabilities in the broad sense ranged from 0.36 for the interval between litters to 0.89 for preweaning mortality. The heritabilities of the other three components of 170–day productivity (litter size, litter index and interval between litters) were less than the heritability of 170-day productivity itself. The shape of the productivity curve was found to be genetically determined, although in the typical case there was a linear decline in productivity from the first to the third 50–day period.

No significant linear relationship was found between litter size or interval between litters and 170–day productivity using simple linear regression. There was a significant linear relationship between 170–day productivity and preweaning mortality, and between 170-day productivity and the litter index.

Multiple linear regression showed that the four factors: litter size, interval between litters, preweaning mortality and litter index, accounted for about 32, 10, 32 and 23 per cent respectively of the variation in 170-day productivity.
Disease in a Caesarian-Derived Albino Rat Colony and in a Conventional Colony
Authors: Bell Deirdre P.
Published: June 2007

A small caesarian-derived colony of albino rats was established in 1960 and has been maintained apparently free of specific pathogens by a simple and inexpensive method. The prevalence of disease, parasite infestations and other abnormalities has been compared in the caesarian-derived colony with rats of the same strain kept under conventional conditions.

The investigation has shown that rats of the caesarian-derived colony were free from chronic respiratory disease, lice, worms in the urinary bladder, tape-worms, bartonellosis, salmonellosis, labyrinthitis and various minor infections, all of which were prevalent in rats kept under conventional conditions. Animals of both colonies were subject to a low incidence of tumours, which were of various types in the caesarian-derived rats but mainly mammary carcinomas in the controls. A haemorrhagic hepatic disease occurred for a short time in both colonies. The most prevalent congenital abnormality was one associated with hydronephrosis, pyelonephritis and a haemorrhagic renal disease; both colonies had a similar prevalence of these lesions. Occasional cases of hydrocephalus, situs inversus, cleft lip and cleft palate, microphthalmia and absent organs were observed in both colonies.

The study has indicated that there are considerable advantages in using caesarian-derived rats in preference to conventional stock in experimental work.
Susceptibility of caesarian-derived rats to natural infection with chronic respiratory disease
Authors: Bell Deirdre P. , Wheeler Sylvia M.
Published: June 2007

Young caesarian-derived rats, sharing cages with conventional rats, developed chronic respiratory disease after 2 months if the conventional rats were young, and after 1 month if they were old. Old caesarian-derived rats developed the disease after only 2 weeks of exposure, irrespective of the age of the cage mate.

In long-term experiments, caesarian-derived rats acquired chronic respiratory disease from conventional rats even when kept separately in wiremesh cages adjacent to theirs. If caesarian-derived rats were kept in a separate cage 4 feet away from infected stock more than 1/3 of the rats did not develop chronic respiratory disease, and in the remainder the disease was retarded.

When facilities are restricted and it is desirable to use caesarian-derived stock these, if young, could be housed with young conventional rats for up to 2 months with little risk of developing chronic respiratory disease.
A breeding cage for cats
Authors: Jackson O. F. , Scott Patricia P.
Published: June 2007

A 3-cage mobile unit for littering and rearing kittens is described and illustrated. It is light, easily handled and serviced, provides ready access to the kittens and a comfortable environment for both mother and young, while reducing opportunities for the spread of infection from one litter to another.
Rabbit mortality survey
Authors: Whitney J. C. , Blackmore D. K. , Townsend G. H. , Parkin R. J. , Hugh-Jones M. E. , Crossman P. J. , Graham-Marr T. , Rowland A. C. , Festing M. F. W. , Krzysiak D.
Published: June 2007

In a survey of mortality in 2224 rabbits of up to 12 weeks of age, drawn from 10 production units, neonatal mortality was important with 111 still-births and 175 deaths in the 1st week of life out of a total of 457 deaths in the whole survey. There was a low overall incidence of death from respiratory and enteric disease during the period of study.
The ethics of space in clinical practice
Authors: Alderson Priscilla
Published: June 2007

The views of parents and staff about physical and symbolic space and its effects on ethical clinical practice are reported. Researchers observed four neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) in southern England, and interviewed 40 senior staff and the parents of 80 babies. The adults' concerns include: how space affects the sharing of information and responsibility for the babies; respect and welcoming policies; access, freedom of movement and accessibility of staff; family friendly space and privacy; aesthetic values; and 'baby-led' space. The paper concludes that abstract principles of respect for autonomy and attitudes towards the baby's biological and personal space take on practical embodied meanings in clinical spaces and practices. NICU design and aesthetics convey powerful ethical messages of welcome or exclusion that endorse or undermine partnerships between staff and parents. Helping premature and impaired babies to reach their space at the centre of their family involves sensitive management.
Antecedents of Convergence and Divergence in Strategic Positioning: The Effects of Performance and Aspiration on the Direction of Strategic Change
Authors: Park Kyung Min
Published: June 2007

This paper investigates drivers of convergence and divergence in strategic positioning in terms of resource-allocation decisions. The study, based on the behavioral theory of the firm, suggests two unexplored kinked-curve relationships between performance gaps and strategic convergence-divergence. First, the study suggests a negative relationship between a focal firm’s performance relative to aspiration levels and strategic convergence-divergence, where the slope is steeper when performance is above the aspiration level. Second, it suggests a positive relationship between a target firm’s performance relative to a focal firm’s performance and strategic convergence-divergence, where the slope is steeper when a target firm’s performance is below a focal firm’s performance. Empirical analysis of dyad-level data in the U.S. food processing industry reveals that the direction of a firm’s strategic change is shaped by its aspiration level, its performance level, and the performance gap between it and the firm it selects as a model. This study contributes to the current literature by offering preliminary indications of when and how a firm moves closer to or further away from other competing firms in its strategic position.
Perspective—Scholarship, Scholarly Institutions, and Scholarly Communities
Authors: March James G.
Published: June 2007

Scholarship is less an individual than a collective activity. The history of A Behavioral Theory of the Firm illustrates two key aspects of the collective nature of scholarship. The first aspect is the dependence of scholarship on the institutions of scholarship. For a period of about 10 years beginning around 1954, The Graduate School of Industrial Administration at the Carnegie Institute of Technology was an extraordinary incubator of ideas, the “Vienna Circle” of its time. The second aspect is the cooperative interdependence of communities of scholars. Ideas take form and reproduce through an intergenerational, international pyramid of promiscuous and acrobatic intellectual intercourse.