bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Functional localization of the nitric oxide/cGMP pathway in the salamander retina
Authors: BLOM JAN J. , BLUTE TODD A. , ELDRED WILLIAM D. 
Published: July 2009

AbstractNitric oxide (NO) is a gaseous neuromodulator that has physiological functions in every cell type in the retina. Evidence indicates that NO often plays a role in the processing of visual information in the retina through the second messenger cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP). Despite numerous structural and functional studies of this signaling pathway in the retina, none have examined many of the elements of this pathway within a single study in a single species. In this study, the NO/cGMP pathway was localized to specific regions and cell types within the inner and outer retina. We have immunocytochemically localized nitric oxide synthase, the enzyme that produces NO, in photoreceptor ellipsoids, four distinct classes of amacrine cells, Müller and bipolar cells, somata in the ganglion cell layer, as well as in processes within both plexiform layers. Additionally, we localized NO production in specific cell types using the NO-sensitive dye diaminofluorescein. cGMP immunocytochemistry was used to functionally localize soluble guanylate cyclase that was activated by an NO donor in select amacrine and bipolar cell classes. Analysis of cGMP and its downstream target, cGMP-dependent protein kinase II (PKGII), showed colocalization within processes in the outer retina as well as in somata in the inner retina. The results of this study showed that the NO/cGMP signaling pathway was functional and its components were widely distributed throughout specific cell types in the outer and inner salamander retina.
Receptive field properties of ON- and OFF-ganglion cells in the mouse retina
Authors: VAN WYK MICHIEL , WÄSSLE HEINZ , TAYLOR W. ROWLAND 
Published: July 2009

AbstractThere are two subclasses of alpha cell in the mammalian retina, which are morphologically identical in plain view but have opposite responses to a luminance change: one is ON center and the other is OFF center. Recent studies have shown that the neural circuitries, which underlie light responses in such ON- and OFF-ganglion cell pairs, are not mirror symmetric with respect to the ON and OFF pathways (Pang et al., 2003; Zaghloul et al., 2003; Murphy & Rieke, 2006). This study examines alpha-cell homologues in the mouse retina and elucidates the synaptic mechanisms that generate their light responses. Morphological analysis of recorded cells revealed three subclasses that were essentially identical in plan view but had distinct vertical stratification levels. We refer to these cells as the sustained ON (ON-S), sustained OFF (OFF-S), and transient OFF (OFF-T) cells (Murphy & Rieke, 2006; Margolis & Detwiler, 2007). Both ON-S and OFF-S cells were largely driven through the ON pathwayviachanges in excitatory and inhibitory inputs, respectively. Light responses of OFF-T cells were driven by transient changes in excitatory and inhibitory inputs. Light responses of OFF-S cells were also measured in connexin 36 knockout mice in order to dissect glycinergic input arising from AII amacrine cells. At photopic/mesopic intensities, peak glycinergic input to OFF-S cells in the connexin 36 knockout mouse was reduced by ~85% compared to OFF-S cells in the wild-type retina. This is consistent with the idea that AII cells receive their input from ON-cone bipolar cells through gap junctions and in turn provide glycinergic inhibition to OFF-S cells.
Leading Successful Negotiations on Behalf of Europe: An Analysis of the European Commission High-Ranking Officials’ Practices
Authors: Lempereur Alain Pekar 
Published: July 2009

Permanent dialogue, steered by continual negotiation, was the driving force behind the construction of Post-War Europe. In this context, the countries of the European Union have extended the mandate of the European Commission (EC) to negotiate an increasing number of topics, giving the EC’s high-ranking officials a pre-eminent role of agents in the process. It is, then, urgent and useful to investigate these negotiators’ practices, to list a number of recurrent features, and to compare them with current negotiation theories. In 2004, at the request of the EC, 15 in-depth interviews were conducted with high-ranking EC officials, from different directorates, in charge of top-level negotiations. An interview guide was drawn up to address the five following points:•the success factors in negotiation,•the reasons for failure,•the management of people, relationships, cultural aspects, the mandate, and the stakeholders’ map,•the management of substantive issues and their solutions, including the use of justification criteria,•the management of the process, agenda, multilateral mechanisms, and communication.Following the interviews, a report was submitted to the EC’s General Administration Directorate. The report highlights a number of features that may favour the success of European negotiators. In what follows, some keys to success are linked to three dimensions of negotiation: process, people, and problem.
The evidence for and against astronomical impacts on climate change and mass extinctions: a review
Authors: Bailer-Jones C.A.L. 
Published: July 2009

AbstractNumerous studies over the past 30 years have suggested there is a causal connection between the motion of the Sun through the Galaxy and terrestrial mass extinctions or climate change. Proposed mechanisms include comet impacts (via perturbation of the Oort cloud), cosmic rays and supernovae, the effects of which are modulated by the passage of the Sun through the Galactic midplane or spiral arms. Supposed periodicities in the fossil record, impact cratering dates or climate proxies over the Phanerozoic (past 545 Myr) are frequently cited as evidence in support of these hypotheses. This remains a controversial subject, with many refutations and replies having been published. Here I review both the mechanisms and the evidence for and against the relevance of astronomical phenomena to climate change and evolution. This necessarily includes a critical assessment of time series analysis techniques and hypothesis testing. Some of the studies have suffered from flaws in methodology, in particular drawing incorrect conclusions based on ruling out a null hypothesis. I conclude that there is little evidence for intrinsic periodicities in biodiversity, impact cratering or climate on timescales of tens to hundreds of Myr. Although this does not rule out the mechanisms, the numerous assumptions and uncertainties involved in the interpretation of the geological data and in particular in the astronomical mechanisms suggest that Galactic midplane and spiral arm crossings have little impact on biological or climate variation above background level. Non-periodic impacts and terrestrial mechanisms (volcanism, plate tectonics, sea level changes), possibly occurring simultaneously, remain likely causes of many environmental catastrophes. Internal dynamics of the biosphere may also play a role. In contrast, there is little evidence supporting the idea that cosmic rays have a significant influence on climate through cloud formation. It seems likely that more than one mechanism has contributed to biodiversity variations over the past half Gyr.
Market design for the provision of social insurance: the case of disability and survivors insurance in Chile
Authors: REYES GONZALO 
Published: July 2009

AbstractAs part of the pension reform recently approved in Chile, the government introduced a centralized auction mechanism to provide the Disability and Survivors (D&S) Insurance that covers recent contributors among the more than eight million participants in the mandatory private pension system. This paper is intended as a case study presenting the main distortions found in the decentralized operation of the system that led to this reform and the challenges faced when designing a competitive auction mechanism to be implemented jointly by the Pension Fund Managers (AFP). When each AFP independently hired this insurance with an insurance company, the process was not competitive: colligated companies ended up providing the service and distortions affected competition in the market through incentives to cream-skim members, efforts to block disability claims, lack of price transparency, and the insurance contract acting as a barrier to entry. Cross-subsidies, inefficient risk pooling, and regulatory arbitrage were also present. The Chilean experience is relevant since other privatized systems with decentralized provision of this insurance may show similar problems as they mature. A centralized auction mechanism solves these market failures, but also gives raise to new challenges, such as how to design a competitive auction that attracts participation and deters collusion. Design features that were incorporated into the regulation to tackle these issues are presented here.
Re-producingKlinghoffer:Opera and Arab Identity before and after 9/11
Authors: LONGOBARDI RUTH SARA 
Published: July 2009

AbstractJohn Adams's operaThe Death of Klinghofferstages the 1985 hijacking of the cruise shipAchille Lauro. This essay proposes that the representations of Palestinian hijackers in three different productions show the opera reinventing itself before and after 9/11, when Arab identity hovers ambiguously in the U.S. Imaginary. Analyses focus in particular on distinct forms of collaboration among artists and media. In 1991 thorny associations among media produce an ambiguous Arab subject that reflects, and encourages, a capability for dialogue around the topic of terrorism. By contrast, two productions in 2003 rely on film and photograph to situate rigidly delineated Palestinian characters—demonstrating a dependency on visual media and a consequent highlighting of race that may be emblematic of a post-9/11 era. The essay concludes that different forms of collaboration inThe Death of Klinghoffercan be approached as a microcosm of social and political interactions taking place far beyond the opera proper.
Bernstein'sThe Joy of Musicas Aesthetic Credo
Authors: GIGER ANDREAS 
Published: July 2009

AbstractThe bulk of Leonard Bernstein's first book,The Joy of Music(1959), consists of three imaginary conversations and seven scripts ofOmnibuslectures intended for the education of lay audiences. These texts have long been admired for their pedagogy but have largely been ignored as reflections of Bernstein's aesthetic views. This article proposes thatThe Joy of Musicfunctions not only as a pedagogical document but also as an aesthetic manifesto preparing Bernstein's audiences for some of his best compositions—especially the Third Symphony (Kaddish; 1963, rev. 1977) andWest Side Story(1957). In the context ofThe Joy of Music,Kaddishappears as the fulfillment of “the real American symphonic form” andWest Side Storyas the ultimate American musical stage work, that is, a work that is as sophisticated as opera but rooted in the American musical.
Eminem's “My Name Is”: Signifying Whiteness, Rearticulating Race
Authors: KAJIKAWA LOREN 
Published: July 2009

AbstractEminem's emergence as one of the most popular rap stars of 2000 raised numerous questions about the evolving meaning of whiteness in U.S. society. ComparingThe Slim Shady LP(1999) with his relatively unknown and commercially unsuccessful first album,Infinite(1996), reveals that instead of transcending racial boundaries as some critics have suggested, Eminem negotiated them in ways that made sense to his target audiences. In particular, Eminem's influential single “My Name Is,” which helped launch his mainstream career, parodied various representations of whiteness to help counter charges that the white rapper lacked authenticity or was simply stealing black culture. This “rearticulation” of whiteness in hip hop paralleled a number of other ideological realignments in the 1990s, many of which pit questions of class against those of race in the service of constructing new political and cultural authenticities. Eminem's performances provide us with a mirror in which numerous questions surrounding whiteness's significance come into focus.
The Collaborative Medical and Behavioral Management of Chronic Cough
Authors: Petty Brian E. , Dailey Seth H. 
Published: July 2009

AbstractChronic cough is the most frequent reason cited by patients for seeking medical care in an ambulatory setting and may account for 10% to 38% of a pulmonologist's practice. Because chronic cough can be caused by or correlated with a wide array of disorders and behaviors, the diagnosis of etiologic factors and determination of appropriate therapeutic management in these cases can prove to be daunting for the physician and speech-language pathologist alike. This article will describe the phenomenon of chronic cough, discuss the many etiologic factors to consider, and review some of the more common ways in which speech-language pathologists and physicians collaborate to treat this challenging condition.
Clinical Practice: Spasmodic Dysphonia and Vocal Tremor
Authors: Finnegan Eileen M. , Hoffman Henry T. , Hemmerich Abby L. , Van Daele Douglas J. 
Published: July 2009

Abstract

The Laryngeal Movement Disorder Clinic (LMDC) was started in 1990 in the Department of Otolaryngology at the University of Iowa. This specialized subset of the general Voice Clinic (
http://www.healthcare.uiowa.edu/otolaryngology/protocols/Parts/Part1/Part1C/P1C1.htm
) is scheduled twice a month for patients with laryngeal movement disorders such as spasmodic dysphonia (SD), vocal tremor, muscle tension dysphonia (MTD), and vocal fold paralysis (VCP). Patients with other craniocervical dystonias also may be seen in this clinic. The purpose of the clinic is to provide specialized diagnostic assessments and treatments. Application of electromyography for diagnosis as well as for directed botulinum toxin injections dominates the practice of this clinic. Voice therapy also is directed through this clinic, with coordination through practitioners in the University of Iowa system or, more commonly, with practitioners who are located closer to the patients' homes. It is the purpose of this article to describe the clinical pathways for patients who are seen at the LMDC from a multidisciplinary perspective. This summary will include aspects of differential diagnosis and clinical history taking, assessment, and treatment for those with laryngeal movement disorders.
Innovation and labour flexibility
Authors: Martínez‐Sánchez Angel , José Vela‐Jiménez María , Pérez‐Pérez Manuela , de Luis‐Carnicer Pilar 
Published: July 2009

PurposeThis paper aims to analyze the relationship between labour flexibility and innovation performance.Design/methodology/approachThis paper is a review of theoretical perspectives to analyze this relationship. A postal survey of a sample of Spanish manufacturing and service firms was conducted and this was subject to nonparametric analysis.FindingsHigh‐innovative Spanish firms are more flexible than low‐innovative firms although the comparison across industries and type of innovation indicates that not all flexibility dimensions are statistically significant in their relationship to innovation performance.Research limitations/implicationsThe study's single country setting could limit the generalizability of the findings. Longitudinal as opposed to cross‐sectional data are needed for studying the causal assumptions suggested by this research.Practical implicationsGiven the differences of flexibility dimensions found across industries and type of innovation firms should use flexibility capabilities to complement innovation capabilities. On the other hand, some flexible managerial practices should be adopted as early as possible because they appear to be global in knowledge‐intensive firms and do not have differences across sectors and type of innovation.Originality/valueThis paper combines in the same analysis the relationship of internal and external flexibility with innovation performance, and their managerial implications.
Classifying and clustering construction projects by customer satisfaction
Authors: Kärnä Sami , Sorvala Veli‐Matti , Junnonen Juha‐Matti 
Published: July 2009

PurposeConstruction is often a long‐term project described as a dynamic and complex entity. This is one of the factors making the assessment of construction quality so difficult. The actors in the field of construction need versatile and systematic data about the quality of the construction process and the building in order to be able to operate in a customer‐oriented manner and develop their own operations. The purpose of this paper is to examine the typical factors in a construction project as regards customer satisfaction.Design/methodology/approachThe cluster analysis differentiating between projects in this paper is conducted with a total of 831 construction projects.FindingsThe paper reveals seven similar but nevertheless different clusters. What the best clusters as regards customer satisfaction has in common is that the management's professional skills and the cooperation methods are successful when compared to other areas of the cluster. Additionally, good cooperation methods predict good level of customer satisfaction. In all clusters, handover inspections has the lowest level of success. When examining various, good and poor projects, it may be stated that the same factors were successful in all of the projects.Originality/valueImproving the quality of construction projects from the customer's perspective has gained growing interest also in construction industry. Indeed, information about the project's success factors from the customer's perspective is needed in the construction business. Owing to the complex nature of construction and the special characteristics of project production, construction has had several problems in producing quality in a customer‐oriented manner. This paper describes, the success factors from the viewpoint of customer satisfaction. Construction has become a service industry adopting methods from the field of service management but the use of “soft” measurement tools, such as customer satisfaction, is still at an early stage of development.
Simulation of laminar flow in a three‐dimensional lid‐driven cavity by lattice Boltzmann method
Authors: De Santanu , Nagendra K. , Lakshmisha K.N. 
Published: July 2009

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to apply lattice Boltzmann equation method (LBM) with multiple relaxation time (MRT) model, to investigate lid‐driven flow in a three‐dimensional (3D), rectangular cavity, and compare the results with flow in an equivalent two‐dimensional (2D) cavity.Design/methodology/approachThe second‐order MRT model is implemented in a 3D LBM code. The flow structure in cavities of different aspect ratios (0.25‐4) and Reynolds numbers (0.01‐1000) is investigated. The LBM simulation results are compared with those from numerical solution of Navier‐Stokes (NS) equations and with available experimental data.FindingsThe 3D simulations demonstrate that 2D models may predict the flow structure reasonably well at low Reynolds numbers, but significant differences with experimental data appear at high Reynolds numbers. Such discrepancy between 2D and 3D results are attributed to the effect of boundary layers near the side‐walls in transverse direction (in 3D), due to which the vorticity in the core‐region is weakened in general. Secondly, owing to the vortex stretching effect present in 3D flow, the vorticity in the transverse plane intensifies whereas that in the lateral plane decays, with increase in Reynolds number. However, on the symmetry‐plane, the flow structure variation with respect to cavity aspect ratio is found to be qualitatively consistent with results of 2D simulations. Secondary flow vortices whose axis is in the direction of the lid‐motion are observed; these are weak at low Reynolds numbers, but become quite strong at high Reynolds numbers.Originality/valueThe findings will be useful in the study of variety of enclosed fluid flows.
Banking performance and technological change in non‐core EU countries
Authors: Figueira Catarina , Nellis Joseph , Parker David 
Published: July 2009

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the cost efficiency of banks operating in two “non‐core” EU countries, Portugal and Spain, over a number of years. Specifically, the paper aims to examine the extent to which banks' efficiency is influenced by their portfolio orientation and scale of operation.Design/methodology/approachData envelopment analysis is used to identify banks' levels of performance over time in both countries. In order to decompose banks' total factor productivity change into technological, scale efficiency and pure efficiency changes, the Malmquist index method is applied.FindingsBanks operating in both countries have improved their performance over time and savings banks and large banks, in particular, have tended to outperform other types of banks. Banks operating in Spain tend to perform better than in Portugal and Spanish‐owned banks perform better than their Portuguese‐owned counterparts. The improvements in performance revealed have mainly been due to technological change.Research limitations/implicationsBankscope is a well‐respected data source and has been the basis of many studies of performance in international banking. Unfortunately, owing to data deficiencies, around 20 per cent of the banks operating in Portugal and Spain were not included.Practical implicationsIf Portuguese banks are to be competitive internationally, there is considerable need for efficiency improvements.Originality/valueThe paper provides insights into the dynamics of the Portuguese and Spanish banking systems. The results should be of interest to management in banking and bank regulators in Europe, and economists and others studying bank performance trends. The research reported may shed light on some of the challenges facing the banking sectors of the “new” EU states (such as Poland and Hungary).
Assessing the impact of transcriptomics, proteomics and metabolomics on fungal phytopathology
Authors: TAN KAR‐CHUN , IPCHO SIMON V. S. , TRENGOVE ROBERT D. , OLIVER RICHARD P. , SOLOMON PETER S. 
Published: July 2009

SUMMARYPeer‐reviewed literature is today littered with exciting new tools and techniques that are being used in all areas of biology and medicine. Transcriptomics, proteomics and, more recently, metabolomics are three of these techniques that have impacted on fungal plant pathology. Used individually, each of these techniques can generate a plethora of data that could occupy a laboratory for years. When used in combination, they have the potential to comprehensively dissect a system at the transcriptional and translational level. Transcriptomics, or quantitative gene expression profiling, is arguably the most familiar to researchers in the field of fungal plant pathology. Microarrays have been the primary technique for the last decade, but others are now emerging. Proteomics has also been exploited by the fungal phytopathogen community, but perhaps not to its potential. A lack of genome sequence information has frustrated proteomics researchers and has largely contributed to this technique not fulfilling its potential. The coming of the genome sequencing era has partially alleviated this problem. Metabolomics is the most recent of these techniques to emerge and is concerned with the non‐targeted profiling of all metabolites in a given system. Metabolomics studies on fungal plant pathogens are only just beginning to appear, although its potential to dissect many facets of the pathogen and disease will see its popularity increase quickly. This review assesses the impact of transcriptomics, proteomics and metabolomics on fungal plant pathology over the last decade and discusses their futures. Each of the techniques is described briefly with further reading recommended. Key examples highlighting the application of these technologies to fungal plant pathogens are also reviewed.