bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A Note on Langerhans Cells in the Oesophagus Epithelium of Domesticated Mammals
Authors: Meyer W. , Hornickel I. , Schoennagel B. 
Published: January 2010

With 3 figuresSummaryUsing the zinc‐iodide osmium tetroxide (ZIO) method, TEM and immunohistochemistry (for CD1a and langerin), the study demonstrates Langerhans cells in the oesophageal epithelium of domesticated mammals (herbivores: horse, cattle, goat; omnivores: pig, dog, laboratory rat; carnivores: cat), although with variations between the species. The ZIO method and TEM showed this cell type in the cat and, sporadically, in the horse; CD1a (+) Langerhans cells were demonstrated in the ovine, porcine and murine oesophagus. Positive staining for langerin was detected in single cells of the caprine, canine, murine and feline oesophagus and more distinct in almost all the cell layers of the equine and porcine oesophagus epithelium. The findings are discussed comparing specifically the results for CD1a and langerin, whereby the latter C‐type lectin may be of importance in species with a rather thick oesophagus epithelium, such as that present in the plantivorous and most of the omnivorous animals, where antigenic pressure is reduced.
Mental health and well‐being within rural communities: The Australian Rural Mental Health Study
Authors: Kelly Brian J. , Stain Helen J. , Coleman Clare , Perkins David , Fragar Lyn , Fuller Jeffrey , Lewin Terry J. , Lyle David , Carr Vaughan J. , Wilson Jacqueline M. , Beard John R. 
Published: January 2010

AbstractObjective:  This paper outlines the methods and baseline data from a multisite cohort study of the determinants and outcomes of mental health and well‐being within rural and remote communities. Methods:  A stratified random sample of adults was drawn in non‐metropolitan New South Wales using the Australian Electoral Roll, with the aim of recruiting all adult members of each household. Surveys assessed psychological symptoms, physical health and mental disorders, along with individual‐, family/household‐ and community‐level characteristics. A stratified subsample completed a telephone‐administered World Mental Health‐Composite International Diagnostic Interview (World Mental Health‐3.0). Proxy measures of child health and well‐being were obtained. Follow up of this sample will be undertaken at one, three and five years. Results:  A total of 2639 individuals were recruited (1879 households), with 28% from remote/very remote regions. A significant relationship was found between recent distress (Kessler‐10 scores), age and remoteness, with a linear reduction of Kessler‐10 scores with age and the lowest mean scores in remote regions. Conclusions:  Existing rurality categories cannot address the diverse socio‐cultural, economic and environmental characteristics of non‐metropolitan regions. While it has limitations, the dataset will enable a fine‐grained examination of geographic, household and community factors and provide a unique longitudinal dataset over a five‐year period.
Lower urinary tract symptoms in women with irritable bowel syndrome
Authors: Guo Ya‐Jun , Ho Chen‐Hsun , Chen Shyh‐Chyan , Yang Shun‐Shuang , Chiu Han‐Mo , Huang Kuo‐How 
Published: January 2010

Objectives:  To investigate lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in women with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and to evaluate risk factors associated with the psychiatric morbidity of these patients.Methods:  The study group included 52 female patients with a diagnosis of IBS. Fifty‐five women without gastrointestinal symptoms were used as controls. LUTS were evaluated using the American Urological Association Symptom Index questionnaire. Psychiatric morbidity was evaluated using a 12‐item version of the Chinese Health Questionnaire. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the risk factors associated with psychiatric morbidity in IBS patients.Results:  There were no significant differences between the two groups in any of the demographic variables. The most common LUTS in patients with IBS were storage symptoms. These patients had significantly higher scores of frequency, nocturia, urge incontinence, lower maximal flow rate and lower voiding volume (P < 0.05). In addition, significantly higher storage and total American Urological Association Symptom Index questionnaire scores were also noted in IBS patients (P < 0.05). The prevalence of psychiatric morbidity in IBS patients was 28.8%, which was significantly higher than in the control group (20%). The urinary storage symptom score (odds ratio: 1.518; 95% confidence interval: 1.17–1.96; P = 0.002) was significantly correlated with psychiatric morbidity.Conclusions:  LUTS are common in IBS patients and have a negative impact on their psychiatric status. Healthcare providers should be aware of the psychological consequences of LUTS in these patients.
Inactivation of the GacA response regulator in Pseudomonas fluorescens Pf‐5 has far‐reaching transcriptomic consequences
Authors: Hassan Karl A. , Johnson Aaron , Shaffer Brenda T. , Ren Qinghu , Kidarsa Teresa A. , Elbourne Liam D. H. , Hartney Sierra , Duboy Robert , Goebel Neal C. , Zabriskie T. Mark , Paulsen Ian T. , Loper Joyce E. 
Published: January 2010

SummaryThe GacS/GacA signal transduction system is a central regulator in Pseudomonas spp., including the biological control strain P. fluorescens Pf‐5, in which GacS/GacA controls the production of secondary metabolites and exoenzymes that suppress plant pathogens. A whole genome oligonucleotide microarray was developed for Pf‐5 and used to assess the global transcriptomic consequences of a gacA mutation in P. fluorescens Pf‐5. In cultures at the transition from exponential to stationary growth phase, GacA significantly influenced transcript levels of 635 genes, representing more than 10% of the 6147 annotated genes in the Pf‐5 genome. Transcripts of genes involved in the production of hydrogen cyanide, the antibiotic pyoluteorin and the extracellular protease AprA were at a low level in the gacA mutant, whereas those functioning in siderophore production and other aspects of iron homeostasis were significantly higher in the gacA mutant than in wild‐type Pf‐5. Notable effects of gacA inactivation were also observed in the transcription of genes encoding components of a type VI secretion system and cytochrome c oxidase subunits. Two novel gene clusters expressed under the control of gacA were identified from transcriptome analysis, and we propose global‐regulator‐based genome mining as an approach to decipher the secondary metabolome of Pseudomonas spp.
The σ‐factor FliA, ppGpp and DksA coordinate transcriptional control of the aer2 gene of Pseudomonas putida
Authors: Österberg Sofia , Skärfstad Eleonore , Shingler Victoria 
Published: January 2010

SummaryHere the σ‐factor requirement for transcription of three similar, but differentially regulated, aer genes of Pseudomonas putida KT2440 is investigated. Previous work has shown that the three Aer proteins, like chemoreceptors, colocalize to a single pole in a CheA‐dependent manner. Lack of Aer2 – the most abundant of these three proteins – mediates defects in metabolism‐dependent taxis and aerotaxis, while lack of Aer1 or Aer3 has no apparent phenotype. We show, using wild‐type and mutant P. putida derivatives combined with P. putida reconstituted FliA‐ (σ28) and σ70‐dependent in vitro transcription assays, that transcription of aer2 is coupled to motility through the flagella σ‐factor FliA, while σ70 is responsible for transcription of aer1 and aer3. By comparing activities of the wild‐type and mutant forms of the aer2 promoter, we present evidence (i) that transcription from FliA‐dependent Paer2 is enhanced by changes towards the Escherichia coli consensus for FliA promoters rather than towards that of P. putida, (ii) that the nature of the AT‐rich upstream region is important for both output and σ70 discrimination of this promoter, and (iii) that Paer2 output is directly stimulated by the bacterial alarmone ppGpp and its cofactor DksA.
Chloroform respiration to dichloromethane by a Dehalobacter population
Authors: Grostern Ariel , Duhamel Melanie , Dworatzek Sandra , Edwards Elizabeth A. 
Published: January 2010

SummaryChloroform (CF), or trichloromethane, is an ubiquitous environmental pollutant because of its widespread industrial use, historically poor disposal and recalcitrance to biodegradation. Chloroform is a potent inhibitor of metabolism and no known organism uses it as a growth substrate. We discovered that CF was rapidly and sustainably dechlorinated in the course of investigating anaerobic reductive dechlorination of 1,1,1‐trichloroethane in a Dehalobacter‐containing culture. Like 1,1,1‐trichloroethane dechlorination in this culture, CF dechlorination was a growth‐linked respiratory process, requiring H2 as an electron donor and CF as an electron acceptor. Moreover, the same specific reductive dehalogenase likely catalyzed both reactions. This Dehalobacter population appears specialized for substrates with three halogen substituents on the same carbon atom, with widespread implications for bioremediation.
Reduction of Asymmetric Information Through Corporate Governance Mechanisms – The Importance of Ownership Dispersion and Exposure toward the International Capital Market
Authors: Holm Claus , Schøler Finn 
Published: January 2010

ABSTRACTManuscript Type: EmpiricalResearch Question/Issue: The purpose of this study is to examine how differences in “ownership dispersion” and “exposure to the international capital market” affect the particular use of the corporate governance mechanisms “transparency” and “board independence” in listed companies.Research Findings/Insights: Our findings are based on a Danish dataset that includes 100 listed companies. We find that transparency is a more important corporate governance mechanism for companies with exposure to the international capital market, while differences in ownership dispersion do not affect the use of the transparency mechanism. In contrast, we find that board independence in the context of a two‐tier board member system is an important corporate governance mechanism for companies with widely dispersed ownership and not for companies with exposure to the international capital market.Theoretical/Academic Implications: The relationships identified in our study contribute to improved understanding of the contextual relationship between good corporate governance and the companies' choice of corporate governance mechanisms within a given corporate governance system. This is important in order to interpret inconsistencies in prior research findings and provide insight for the design of future studies into the seemingly endogenous nature of many corporate governance relationships.Practitioner/Policy Implications: The requirement to adhere to the “comply or explain rules” for corporate governance has become commonplace for listed companies. The study provides insight into valid reasons for differences in compliance. Regulators and other capital market participants should acknowledge that companies may differ in their use of corporate governance mechanisms for various reasons, including differences in ownership dispersion and exposure to the international capital market.
Board Supervision Capability and Information Transparency
Authors: Chiang Hsiang‐Tsai , He Li‐Jen 
Published: January 2010

ABSTRACTManuscript Type: EmpiricalResearch Question/Issue: Board members are charged with the responsibility of supervising company operation and firm value cannot only be influenced by managers' actions, but also by those of boards of directors. Furthermore, transparency has always played an important role in corporate governance, but few studies related it to the capacity of boards of directors. Consequently, this study focuses on the capacity, compensation, and structure of boards of directors and how they relate to company transparency.Research Findings/Insights: Using both primary and archival data from Taiwan, we find that compensation can encourage company board of directors to act in the best interests of shareholders when there is greater board independence. Among all board supervision capabilities, continuing education is the most important factor in enhancing the transparency of a firm.Theoretical/Academic Implications: This study considers the importance of directors' compensation in corporate governance while the majority of prior studies only consider the role of management compensation. Further, the results provide additional evidence to demonstrate that board supervision capabilities may complement strong governance.Practitioner/Policy Implications: This study offers deeper insights for policy makers to understand the influence of board of directors' impact on corporate governance. In addition, it provides evidence to recommend further consideration of director compensation and continuing education to enhance board effectiveness.
Restructuring to Repair Legitimacy – A Contingency Perspective
Authors: Wang Pengii 
Published: January 2010

ABSTRACTManuscript Type:EmpiricalResearch Question/Issue:This study examines the effectiveness of restructuring in repairing legitimacy after a firm is punished for financial fraud.Research Findings/Insights:We use the antecedents of fraud to distinguish between three types of financial fraud and argue that different types of such fraud affect different dimensions of legitimacy. We also identify four types of restructuring and adopt a contingency perspective to argue that the type of restructuring adopted should match the dimensions of legitimacy affected for a successful legitimacy repair, which is proxied by a positive market response when the restructuring is announced. Using a sample of Chinese listed firms, we find that disassociation from illegitimate business operations and creation of valuable business operations are more effective in repairing legitimacy after fraudulent financial reporting. Disassociation from illegitimate organizational structures and creation of monitors are more effective following embezzlement or stock market manipulation. However, no type of restructuring is effective following improper accounting practice. Market investors value creation of monitors more than they do disassociation from an illegitimate organizational structure, and attach the same value to disassociation from illegitimate business operations and creation of valuable business operations.Theoretical/Academic Implications:This study makes three contributions to the organizational legitimacy and corporate crisis management literature. First, it links corporate crises arising from financial fraud to social legitimacy. Second, it extends the number of restructuring types identified in the legitimacy literature to four, taking content and form as two dimensions. Third, it links corporate crises arising from financial fraud to the effectiveness of responsive restructurings via social legitimacy.Practitioner/Policy Implications:Firms punished for financial fraud should signal restructuring according to the nature of the fraud and address the pertinent dimensions of legitimacy.
Maternal behavior predicts infant cortisol recovery from a mild everyday stressor
Authors: Albers Esther M. , Marianne Riksen‐Walraven J. , Sweep Fred C.G.J. , Weerth Carolina de 
Published: January 2010

Background:  In the very first years of life, parenting is considered to be important for the regulation of the infant's emotional and physiological states. In the present study, three‐month‐old infants’ cortisol responses (reactivity and recovery) to a mild everyday stressor, namely being taken out of the bath, were examined in relation to the quality of maternal behavior. It was hypothesized that a higher quality of maternal behavior towards the infant predicted lower cortisol reactivity as well as a better recovery from the reaction.Method:  The participants were 64 infants (34 boys and 30 girls) and their mothers. Maternal behavior (sensitivity and cooperation) towards the infant during the bathing routine was rated from videotapes. Salivary cortisol was obtained from the infants three times: before the bathing routine (T1), and 25 minutes (T2) and 40 minutes (T3) after the infants were taken out of the bath.Results:  The infants reacted with a significant increase in cortisol to the stressor (from 6.8 nmol/l to 9.9 nmol/l), and regression analysis showed that the higher the quality of maternal behavior the better the cortisol recovery from the stressor.Conclusion:  Our findings indicate the potential importance of social processes for physiological recovery from everyday stressful situations in infants.
Specificity of putative psychosocial risk factors for psychiatric disorders in children and adolescents
Authors: Shanahan Lilly , Copeland William , Jane Costello E. , Angold Adrian 
Published: January 2010

Background:  Most psychosocial risk factors appear to have general rather than specific patterns of association with common childhood and adolescence disorders. However, previous research has typically failed to 1) control for comorbidity among disorders, 2) include a wide range of risk factors, and 3) examine sex by developmental stage effects on risk factor–disorder associations. This study tests the specificity of putative psychosocial risk factors while addressing these criticisms.Methods:  Eight waves of data from the Great Smoky Mountains Study (N = 1,420) were used, covering children in the community age 9–16 years old. Youth and one parent were interviewed up to seven times using the Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Assessment, providing a total of 6,674 pairs of interviews. A wide range of putative neighborhood, school, peer, family, and child risk factors, and common and comorbid youth disorders were assessed.Results:  The majority of putative risk factors were specific to one disorder or one disorder domain. A unique or ‘signature set’ of putative risk factors was identified for each disorder. Several putative risk factors were associated with a disorder in preadolescent males, preadolescent females, adolescent males, or adolescent females only.Conclusions:  Our findings support the need to define risk factors and disorders narrowly, to control comorbidity and other risk factors, and to consider developmental patterns of specificity by sex.
An introduction to QT interval prolongation and non‐clinical approaches to assessing and reducing risk
Authors: Pollard CE , Abi Gerges N , Bridgland‐Taylor MH , Easter A , Hammond TG , Valentin J‐P 
Published: January 2010

Owing to its association with Torsades de Pointes, drug‐induced QT interval prolongation has been and remains a significant hurdle to the development of safe, effective medicines. Genetic and pharmacological evidence highlighting the pivotal role the human ether‐a‐go‐go‐related gene (hERG) channel was a critical step in understanding how to start addressing this issue. It led to the development of hERG assays with the rapid throughput needed for the short timescales required in early drug discovery. The resulting volume of hERG data has fosteredin silicomodels to help chemists design compounds with reduced hERG potency. In early drug discovery, a pragmatic approach based on exceeding a given potency value has been required to decide when a compound is likely to carry a low QT risk, to support its progression to late‐stage discovery. At this point, thein vivoefficacy and metabolism characteristics of the potential drug are generally defined, as well its safety profile, which includes usually a dog study to assess QT interval prolongation risk. The hERG andin vivoQT data, combined with the likely indication and the estimated free drug level for efficacy, are put together to assess the risk that the potential drug will prolong QT in man. Further data may be required to refine the risk assessment before making the major investment decisions for full development. The non‐clinical data are essential to inform decisions about compound progression and to optimize the design of clinical QT studies.This article is commented on by Guth and Rast, pp. 22–24 of this issue and is part of a themed section on QT safety. To view this issue visithttp://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/121548564/issueyear?year=2010
Dealing with hERG liabilities early: diverse approaches to an important goal in drug development
Authors: Guth BD , Rast G 
Published: January 2010

In drug development, early recognition of a potential for blocking the human ether‐a‐go‐go related gene (hERG) channels is perhaps the best way to avoid later disappointment when QT interval prolongation shows up in clinical trials. Knowledge of the hERG blocking liability offers the chance to modify the molecule to reduce, or even eliminate, this unwanted activity and lack of success in such modification is a good reason to stop further development of the molecule. In this issue of the BJP, different methods for early detection of hERG channel blocking liability are discussed by Pollard et al. One attractive approach is widespread screening of molecules at a very early stage of research to detect compounds with this liability and thereby eliminate them. There are now several methodologies available that offer hERG channel testing on a high‐throughput format but entail a diverse selection of direct and indirect readouts of hERG channel blocking activity and all are subject to practical limitations that also need to be considered prior to investing in a particular experimental approach. The approach selected, if any, should reflect the resources and expertise available. In any case, it is essential to be aware of the experimental limitations and potential inaccuracies that are inherent to each approach.This article is a commentary on Pollard et al., pp. 12–21 of this issue and is part of a themed section on QT safety. To view this issue visit http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/121548564/issueyear?year=2010