bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Gender Differences in the Earnings Mobility of Migrants
Authors: Flake Regina 
Published: October 2012

AbstractThis study analyses gender differences in the intergenerational earnings mobility of second‐generation migrants in Germany. Thereby it takes into account the influence of assortative mating and the parental integration. First, intergenerational earnings elasticities are estimated at the mean and along the earnings distribution. The results do not reveal large differences in the mobility — neither between natives and migrants nor between men and women. Second, intergenerational changes in the relative earnings position are analysed. These results confirm that migrants are mostly as (im)mobile as the native population.
Model Selection in Equations with Many ‘Small’ Effects*
Authors: Castle Jennifer L. , Doornik Jurgen A. , Hendry David F. 
Published: October 2012

AbstractHigh dimensional general unrestricted models (GUMs) may include important individual determinants, many small relevant effects, and irrelevant variables. Automatic model selection procedures can handle more candidate variables than observations, allowing substantial dimension reduction from GUMs with salient regressors, lags, nonlinear transformations, and multiple location shifts, together with all the principal components, possibly representing ‘factor’ structures, as perfect collinearity is also unproblematic. ‘Factors’ can capture small influences that selection may not retain individually. The final model can implicitly include more variables than observations, entering via ‘factors’. We simulate selection in several special cases to illustrate.
Differential effects of cathinone compounds and MDMA on body temperature in the rat, and pharmacological characterization of mephedrone‐induced hypothermia
Authors: Shortall SE , Green AR , Swift KM , Fone KCF , King MV 
Published: October 2012

Background and PurposeRecreational users report that mephedrone has similar psychoactive effects to 3,4‐methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA). MDMA induces well‐characterized changes in body temperature due to complex monoaminergic effects on central thermoregulation, peripheral blood flow and thermogenesis, but there are little preclinical data on the acute effects of mephedrone or other synthetic cathinones.Experimental ApproachThe acute effects of cathinone, methcathinone and mephedrone on rectal and tail temperature were examined in individually housed rats, with MDMA included for comparison. Rats were killed 2 h post‐injection and brain regions were collected for quantification of 5‐HT, dopamine and major metabolites. Further studies examined the impact of selected α‐adrenoceptor and dopamine receptor antagonists on mephedrone‐induced changes in rectal temperature and plasma catecholamines.Key ResultsAt normal room temperature, MDMA caused sustained decreases in rectal and tail temperature. Mephedrone caused a transient decrease in rectal temperature, which was enhanced by α1‐adrenoceptor and dopamine D1 receptor blockade, and a prolonged decrease in tail temperature. Cathinone and methcathinone caused sustained increases in rectal temperature. MDMA decreased 5‐HT and/or 5‐hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5‐HIAA) content in several brain regions and reduced striatal homovanillic acid (HVA) levels, whereas cathinone and methcathinone increased striatal HVA and 5‐HIAA. Cathinone elevated striatal and hypothalamic 5‐HT. Mephedrone elevated plasma noradrenaline levels, an effect prevented by α‐adrenoceptor and dopamine receptor antagonists.Conclusions and ImplicationsMDMA and cathinones have different effects on thermoregulation, and their acute effects on brain monoamines also differ. These findings suggest that the adverse effects of cathinones in humans cannot be extrapolated from previous observations on MDMA.
The monoacylglycerol lipase inhibitor JZL184 attenuates LPS‐induced increases in cytokine expression in the rat frontal cortex and plasma: differential mechanisms of action
Authors: Kerr DM , Harhen B , Okine BN , Egan LJ , Finn DP , Roche M 
Published: October 2012

Background and purposeJZL184 is a selective inhibitor of monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL), the enzyme that preferentially catabolizes the endocannabinoid 2‐arachidonoyl glycerol (2‐AG). Here, we have studied the effects of JZL184 on inflammatory cytokines in the brain and plasma following an acute immune challenge and the underlying receptor and molecular mechanisms involved.Experimental approachJZL184 and/or the CB1 receptor antagonist, AM251 or the CB2receptor antagonist, AM630 were administered to rats 30 min before lipopolysaccharide (LPS). 2 h later cytokine expression and levels, MAGL activity, 2‐AG, arachidonic acid and prostaglandin levels were measured in the frontal cortex, plasma and spleen.Key resultsJZL184 attenuated LPS‐induced increases in IL‐1β, IL‐6, TNF‐α and IL‐10 but not the expression of the inhibitor of NFkB (IκBα) in rat frontal cortex. AM251 attenuated JZL184‐induced decreases in frontal cortical IL‐1β expression. Although arachidonic acid levels in the frontal cortex were reduced in JZL184‐treated rats, MAGL activity, 2‐AG, PGE2 and PGD2 were unchanged. In comparison, MAGL activity was inhibited and 2‐AG levels enhanced in the spleen following JZL184. In plasma, LPS‐induced increases in TNF‐α and IL‐10 levels were attenuated by JZL184, an effect partially blocked by AM251. In addition, AM630 blocked LPS‐induced increases in plasma IL‐1β in the presence, but not absence, of JZL184.Conclusion and implicationsInhibition of peripheral MAGL in rats by JZL184 suppressed LPS‐induced circulating cytokines that in turn may modulate central cytokine expression. The data provide further evidence for the endocannabinoid system as a therapeutic target in treatment of central and peripheral inflammatory disorders.Linked ArticlesThis article is part of a themed section on Cannabinoids. To view the other articles in this section visit http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/bph.2013.169.issue‐4 & http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/bph.2012.167.issue‐8
Role of TNF‐α in the mechanisms responsible for preterm delivery induced by Stx2 in rats
Authors: Burdet Juliana , Sacerdoti Flavia , Cella Maximiliano , Franchi Ana M , Ibarra Cristina 
Published: October 2012

Background and PurposeInfections with a strain of Escherichia coli producing Shiga toxins could be one of the causes of fetal morbidity and mortality in pregnant women. We have previously reported that Shiga toxin type 2 (Stx2) induces preterm delivery in pregnant rats. In this study, we evaluate the role of TNF‐α, PGs and NO in the Stx2‐induced preterm delivery.Experimental ApproachPregnant rats were treated with Stx2 (0.7 ng g−1) and killed at different times after treatment. Placenta and decidua were used to analyse NOS activity by the conversion of L‐[14C]arginine into L‐[14C]citrulline, levels of PGE2 and PGF2α assessed by radioimmunoassay, and cyclooxygenase (COX) proteins by Western blot. TNF‐α level was analysed in serum by ELISA and by cytotoxicity in L929 cells. The inhibitor of inducible NOS, aminoguanidine, the COX‐2 inhibitor, meloxicam, and the competitive inhibitor of TNF‐α, etanercept, were used alone or combined to inhibit NO, PGs and TNF‐α production respectively, to prevent Stx2‐induced preterm delivery.Key ResultsStx2 increased placental PGE2 and decidual PGF2α levels as well as COX‐2 expression in both tissues. Aminoguanidine and meloxicam delayed the preterm delivery time but did not prevent it. Etanercept blocked the TNF‐α increase after Stx2 treatment and reduced the preterm delivery by approximately 30%. The combined action of aminoguanidine and etanercept prevented Stx2‐induced preterm delivery by roughly 70%.Conclusion and ImplicationsOur results demonstrate that the increased TNF‐α and NO induced by Stx2 were the predominant factors responsible for preterm delivery in rats.
Effects of μ‐opioid receptor modulation on the hippocampal network activity of sharp wave and ripples
Authors: Giannopoulos Panagiotis , Papatheodoropoulos Costas 
Published: October 2012

Background and PurposeHippocampus‐dependent memory involves the activity of sharp wave ripples (SWRs), which are thought to participate in the process of memory consolidation. The hippocampus contains high levels of endogenous opioids and of μ‐opioid receptors (MORs). Here, we have assessed the role of MOR agonists in the modulation of SWRs.Experimental ApproachUsing recordings of extracellular potentials from the CA1 field of rat hippocampal slices, we examined the pharmacological actions of morphine, DAMGO and fentanyl on SWRs and on network excitability and paired‐pulse inhibition.Key ResultsAll three MOR agonists (1 nM–10 μM) significantly increased the amplitude of sharp waves and the occurrence of SWR sequences, but reduced the initiation of episodes of SWRs. Fentanyl was most potent in producing these effects and morphine the least. Interestingly, although SWRs were reduced by relatively high concentrations (≥100 nM) of all agonists, they were significantly enhanced by very low concentrations of morphine (5–10 nM). Morphine and DAMGO at moderate‐to‐high concentrations increased network excitability and reduced inhibition. Furthermore, DAMGO suppressed inhibition more readily than it increased excitation, whereas morphine suppressed inhibition only at high concentrations. These drug effects were reversed by the MOR antagonists naloxone and CTOP.Conclusions and ImplicationsWe found that the SWRs were significantly modulated by three MOR agonists and that the SWRs were very sensitive to subtle changes in the excitation/inhibition balance induced by MOR agonists. Such modulation might underlie the effects of these agonists on hippocampus‐dependent memory.
Monitoring growth, survival and enzyme system of melon fruit fly Bactrocera cucurbitae (Coquillett) under the influence of affinity purified pea lectin
Authors: Kaur Amrit Pal , Sohal Satwinder K. , Kaur Manpreet , Singh Jatinder 
Published: October 2012

AbstractPisum sativum agglutinin has been shown to act as a feeding inhibitor for various insect pests belonging to different orders: Lepidoptera, Coleoptera and Hemiptera. In the present study, its insecticidal activity was assessed through monitoring the growth and development of a dipteran pest Bactrocera cucurbitae (Coquillett) (Diptera: Tephritidae). Pea lectin, P. sativum agglutinin (PSA) was purified by single step affinity chromatography on a Sephadex G‐100 and the purification was monitored through hemagglutination activity and SDS‐PAGE. Insect feeding assays were conducted to determine the effect of pea lectin against first and second instar larvae of melon fruit fly B. cucurbitae. Lectin was incorporated in an artificial diet at a varied range of concentrations, 12.5, 25, 50, 100, 200 and 400 μg/mL. The lectin showed highly significant antimetabolic effects in both first and second instars. Time taken for pupation and development as well as percentage pupation and percentage adult emergence were adversely affected. The activity of three hydrolase enzymes (esterases, acid and alkaline phosphatases), five oxidoreductases (superoxide dismutase, catalase, ascorbate peroxidase, peroxidase, O‐demethylase) and one group transfer enzyme (glutathione‐S‐transferases) was also assessed in second instar larvae fed on lectin treated diet at 100 μg/mL concentration. The P. sativum lectin significantly and deleteriously influenced the activity of all these enzymes at all exposure intervals.
Estimating Environmental Behavior Without Performing a Life Cycle Assessment
Authors: Collado‐Ruiz Daniel , Ostad‐Ahmad‐Ghorabi Hesamedin 
Published: October 2012

SummaryMany authors have agreed on the interest of considering environmental concerns in the early stages of product development. However, most eco‐design tools are based on life cycle assessment principles and require a model to give information about the product's environmental performance. This modeling can have negative effects on team performance and on the potential for innovation, not to mention on the project's duration. Additionally, the model requires information that is not available in the early design stages. This article analyzes the potential of inferring conclusions about the life cycle stages with the highest impact by using similar products. From a database of previous products, environmental profile estimations are carried out, that is, the assessments of the contribution of each life cycle stage to the total impact and the variability of this measure. It is then possible to discard—or ensure consideration of—life cycle stages. Furthermore, the level of the conclusions is assessed on a five‐point scale. The proposed approach is applied to four case studies with different levels of abstraction and the relevance of the conclusions is assessed. The article resolves the problems regarding potential for estimating the distribution of the environmental impacts along the life cycle.
Depth and Nature of Giant Petroleum Discoveries Through Time as an Indicator of Resource Depletion
Authors: Railsback L. Bruce 
Published: October 2012

SummaryA striking increase of the depth of giant petroleum discoveries in the past 15 years coincides with a shift to discoveries in subsalt plays that require more challenging exploration and drilling. Technological advances have facilitated these changes, but technological advances alone could not have induced these changes in petroleum exploration on a planet in which shallow and less challenging targets remained in abundance like that of previous decades. Instead, the trends toward greater discovery depths and more challenging plays suggest that most of the conventional petroleum accumulations of the kind that fueled the global economic system of the 1900s have already been found.
B2C Mass Customization in the Classroom
Authors: Visich John K. , Gu Qiannong , Khumawala Basheer M. 
Published: October 2012

ABSTRACTThe purpose of this article is to describe an internet‐based mass customization assignment in Operations Management/Supply Chain Management classes where students utilize the Web site of a company that offers a customized product. Students evaluate the user interface, judge the value proposition of the product they demonstrate, and discuss issues of product design, process design and scheduling, inventory management, Supply Chain Management, marketing, and competitors. The students learn about mass customization from both the producer's perspective and the consumer's perspective. Through their own research and the class presentations students are able to develop a better understanding of the implementation requirements and challenges of mass customization. The assignment is highly interactive and has been successfully used in Operations Management and Supply Chain Management courses at under‐graduate and graduate levels and at multiple universities. In addition, practitioners interested in implementing a mass customization process can use the assignment as a brainstorming or benchmarking exercise.
Applying IRSS Theory: The Clark Atlanta University Exemplar
Authors: Payton Fay Cobb , Suarez‐Brown Tiki L. , Smith Lamar Courtney 
Published: October 2012

ABSTRACTThe percentage of underrepresented minorities (African‐American, Hispanic, Native Americans) that have obtained graduate level degrees within computing disciplines (computer science, computer information systems, computer engineering, and information technology) is dismal at best. Despite the fact that academia, the computing workforce, professional associations, and scientific societies have identified procedures, models, and best practices in an attempt to increase the number of individuals within these underrepresented communities, the number of minorities receiving MS and PhDs in these fields have only increased marginally. In this article, we discuss how Boice's four‐part IRSS model (i.e., Involvement, Regimen, Self‐Management, and Social Networks) combined with effective mentoring models as introduced in Payton et al., is a promising framework for addressing the longstanding issue of underrepresented minorities in management education, which tends to mirror findings in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics disciplines. The focus of this article is to illustrate the application of these theories at the undergraduate level by discussing two precollege/early college/scholarship programs implemented at Clark Atlanta University (CAU). These CAU programs provide the field with an exemplar which can serve as a foundational example for institutions seeking to foster, retain and graduate underrepresented minorities in higher education management disciplines, in general, and offer lessons learned from historically black colleges and universities, in particular. Using a “360‐degree mentoring” model to supplement the IRSS framework, our study concludes with implications for future research regarding how academic institutions can create, foster and sustain programs for effective recruitment, retention, and training of underrepresented minorities.
The Impact of CMS Quality on the Outcomes of E‐learning Systems in Higher Education: An Empirical Study
Authors: Kim Kihyun , Trimi Silvana , Park Hyesung , Rhee Shanggeun 
Published: October 2012

ABSTRACTCourse Management Systems (CMSs) in higher education have emerged as one of the most widely adopted e‐learning platforms. This study examines the success of e‐learning CMSs based on user satisfaction and benefits. Using DeLone and McLean's information system success model as a theoretical framework, we analyze the success of e‐learning CMSs in five dimensions: system quality, information quality, instructional quality, user satisfaction, and CMS benefits. An analysis of survey data collected from students participating in a university‐wide CMS shows that system quality, information quality, and instructional quality positively influence user satisfaction, which, in turn, increases the benefits of CMSs. By providing a comprehensive framework for the critical success factors in e‐learning CMSs and their causal relationships, this study provides practical implications for managing e‐learning courses and resources for a more flexible and effective CMS‐centered, e‐learning environment.
Applying Diversity Management Concepts to Improve the Minority Educational Pipeline
Authors: Oguntebi Joy , Shcherbakova Maria , Wooten Lynn P. 
Published: October 2012

ABSTRACTThe objective of this conceptual article is to investigate existing diversity management paradigms and extend their implications toward the goal of increasing minority representation in management education. We suggest that the existing learning‐and‐effectiveness diversity management paradigm (Thomas & Ely, 1996, Harvard Business Review, 74(5), 79–90), which integrates contributions from diverse individuals, can be utilized in addressing the underrepresented minority shortage at each progressive stage of the education pipeline, beginning with the high school level. We propose and discuss a complex set of solutions that highlight the students’ educational experience, motivation, awareness, and social environment. These solutions target minority underrepresentation with the goal of ultimately increasing the proportion of minorities in the PhD pool and subsequently within the management professoriate.
Introducing Artificial Neural Networks through a Spreadsheet Model
Authors: Rienzo Thomas F. , Athappilly Kuriakose K. 
Published: October 2012

ABSTRACTBusiness students taking data mining classes are often introduced to artificial neural networks (ANN) through point and click navigation exercises in application software. Even if correct outcomes are obtained, students frequently do not obtain a thorough understanding of ANN processes. This spreadsheet model was created to illuminate the roles of the following ANN parameters: weights, learning rates, threshold functions, and transformation functions. The spreadsheet ANN model project is given early in the semester, just after ANN is introduced. Students can see effects of ANN parameters as they make changes to spreadsheet model inputs, greatly enhancing discussion of ANN processes. After working with the spreadsheet model, students have expressed an appreciation for decisions based on patterns of historic data, and they like the ability to peek “behind the curtain” at processes of predictive software packages.
Obama in Words and Deeds*
Authors: Hoffman Donna R. , Howard Alison D. 
Published: October 2012

ObjectiveWe assess how President Barack Obama acted as chief legislator using the rhetoric contained in his initial joint address to Congress and his three subsequent State of the Union addresses (SUAs).MethodUsing content analysis, we analyze how Obama conveyed policy substance (both credit claiming and position taking) and used symbolism as he carried out the constitutional requirements of reporting and recommending measures to Congress.ResultsObama's first‐term SUA rhetoric is consistent in regard to credit claiming; he devotes about 17 percent of his speeches to this activity. His SUAs typically contain about 35 legislative requests, and these are frequently requests for fairly large‐scale actions. His use of symbolic rhetoric is unique. Obama uses individuals and historical examples to highlight the instrumental and effective role government has played in supporting the pursuit of the American Dream. His legislative requests, for his first three full years in office, have been fully or partially successful at a median rate of almost 45 percent, placing him slightly above the median yearly rate since 1965.ConclusionsObama's rhetorical choices in the SUA portray him as an unusual chief legislator in many ways. He is deferential to Congress on legislative detail, tending to focus his SUA requests on large‐scale items and leaving the details of legislation to Congress. If Congress failed to act, he occasionally sought to accomplish his policy goals through executive actions if he could. He was then able to use the rhetoric of the SUA to portray himself as an active and effective president, something that would aid his reelection and legacy goals. Furthermore, Obama often had to confront unreasonably high expectations, and this strategy helped him position himself against the unpopular institution of Congress as he sought reelection.
Shaping the Federal Courts: The Obama Nominees
Authors: Kimel T. J. , Randazzo Kirk A. 
Published: October 2012

ObjectivesThe objective of this study is to explore President Obama's nominations to the lower federal courts and compare his patterns to those from George W. Bush and William Jefferson Clinton using a typology established by Goldman in 1997.MethodsUsing data from 1993 to 2012 provided by the American Constitution Society for Law and Policy, we examine a series of cross‐tabulations to make our comparisons.ResultsThe data indicate that President Obama has nominated more women and minorities to the federal bench than either of his two immediate predecessors. Additionally, his nominees possess more moderate ideological preferences than the nominees from either Bush or Clinton.ConclusionsThese results demonstrate that Obama seems more concerned with racial and gender diversity rather than ideological preferences. Therefore, President Obama's claims of pragmatism and his desire to nominate individuals who reflect American society, often doubted by both political supporters and detractors, appear supported by the available data.