bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Personal identity management and electronic government
Authors: Beynon‐Davies Paul 
Published: April 2007

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to unpack some of the socio‐technical relationships inherent in contemporary notions of personal identity management. For this purpose it considers the issue of personal identity management in terms of a framework, which distinguishes between the related processes of authentication, identification and enrolment.Design/methodology/approachThe conceptual model described in this paper is reflected against an important recent case in which issues of personal identity management are being enacted: the introduction of a UK national identity card. Both this issue and case are particularly examined in the light of the growth of e‐Government in the UK.FindingsThe paper relates issues associated with the technical infrastructure of e‐Government with some of the costs and benefits associated with the social infrastructure of e‐Government. This device offers a useful framing for a whole range of issues surrounding individual‐organisation interaction in the Information Society that rely on elements of personal identity management.Research limitations/implicationsIn the paper the issue of personal identity management is under‐represented in the Information Systems and Information Management literature. The conceptual approach adopted in the paper is used to identify areas of further research in terms of issues relevant to the technical infrastructure of e‐Government.Practical implicationsThe paper identifies a number of personal identity management issues embedded in the technical infrastructure required for effective e‐Government.Originality/valueThis paper raises the importance of personal identity management to the success of the e‐Government agenda. It also links classic information management issues to the issue of personal identity management and identifies the challenges for e‐Government within this.
Reflection as a means of understanding
Authors: Haller Coralie , Fisher Ron , Gapp Rod 
Published: April 2007

PurposeTo provide an understanding of the ways in which Confucian Heritage students use reflection as a means of learning at university.Design/methodology/approachThe approach is an exploratory qualitative study into the ways in which Confucian Heritage students learn while studying at university. Data are collected by means of semi‐structured formal interviews involving six students enrolled in a first‐year business course at an Australian university. Interviews are analysed using qualitative content analysis to identify major themes.FindingsThe research finds that values and cultural background influence Confucian Heritage students' approaches to teaching and learning at university. Beliefs that Confucian Heritage students learn through “rote learning” are challenged. Reflection is shown to be an important means of understanding, through deep learning, for Confucian Heritage students.Practical implicationsUnderstanding the relationship between culture and learning will inform teaching practice, thus enabling educators to guide and facilitate learning outcomes more effectively.Originality/valueThe research challenges the assumption that Confucian Heritage students use surface learning approaches such as “rote learning”. In fact, repetition is part of a process of reflection leading to deep learning. The research shows the importance of understanding culture as a means of improving learning outcomes.
Disconfirmation of taste as a measure of region of origin equity
Authors: d'Hauteville François , Fornerino Marianela , Philippe Perrouty Jean 
Published: April 2007

PurposeDisconfirmation of expectations is the mismatch between the expected and blind evaluation of a product. The purpose of this paper is to explore the relation between expected and perceived value (quality), focusing on wines from the French regions with varying levels of notoriety and image content.Design/methodology/approachFrom the consumer's point of view, the hedonic evaluation of a product under full information (intrinsic and extrinsic) is considered as a measure of perceived quality. Generally, the perception of the quality of a product differs according to tasting conditions (blind, or full information). Based on previous literature on food marketing it is assumed that the change of preference between blind and full conditions reflects the influence of extrinsic information (here, the region of origin). Two types of results can be expected from disconfirmation: “assimilation” occurs when the final evaluation of the product changes in the direction of the expectation provided by the extrinsic cue, whereas “contrast” occurs when this change is contrary to the expectation. Five wines selected among regions with different reputation levels, and two groups of consumers, characterized by their level of expertise (trained/untrained students) are used in the experiment.FindingsThe experiments suggest that disconfirmation may be used to measure and interpret region of origin equity on a behavioural basis rather than just attitudinal.Originality/valueProvides information resulting from research on disconfirmation of expectations.
Determinants of wine consumption of US consumers: an econometric analysis
Authors: Hussain Mahmood , Cholette Susan , Castaldi Richard 
Published: April 2007

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to identify econometrically the determinants of wine consumption of US consumers.Design/methodology/approachIn empirically identifying driving forces of wine consumption, we used 122 survey responses from Northern California consumers.FindingsThe study found that even knowledgeable or frequent consumers of wine purchase across all price points. Further, a significant positive correlation exists between knowledge and volume of wine consumed. All three regression techniques applied in this paper indicate that knowledge remains the most important determinant in wine consumption.Practical implicationsThe results emphasize the need for US wineries to better educate and connect with consumers by developing compatible positioning strategies and marketing programs that are as informative as they are appealing.Originality/valueAs one of the few studies of the US wine market employing econometric analysis, this paper offers a fresh perspective on the consumption behavior of wine drinkers in the USA.
UNEMPLOYMENT POLICIES IN AN ECONOMY WITH ADVERSE SELECTION
Authors: Kudoh Noritaka 
Published: April 2007

ABSTRACTThis paper studies the effects of unemployment policies in a simple static general equilibrium model with adverse selection in the labour market. Firms offer a contract that induces the self‐selection of workers. In equilibrium, all unskilled workers are screened out and some skilled workers are rationed out. It is shown that the provision of unemployment insuranceraisesinvoluntary unemployment by encouraging adverse selection, while unemployment assistance – or subsidy to unemployment – reduces involuntary unemployment. A simple efficiency wage model is also presented to show that either of the two policies reduces employment by taxing effort and subsidizing shirking. The key is whether the social role of unemployment is a sorting device or a worker discipline device.
DspA/E, a type III effector of Erwinia amylovora, is required for early rapid growth in Nicotiana benthamiana and causes NbSGT1‐dependent cell death
Authors: OH CHANG‐SIK , MARTIN GREGORY B. , BEER STEVEN V. 
Published: April 2007

SUMMARYDspA/E is a pathogenicity factor of Erwinia amylovora that is translocated into the plant cell cytoplasm through an Hrp type III secretion system. Transient expression of dspA/E in Nicotiana benthamiana or yeast induced cell death, as it does in N. tabacum and apple as described previously. DspA/E‐induced cell death in N. benthamiana was not inhibited by coexpression of AvrPtoB of Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato, which inhibits programmed cell death (PCD) induced by several other elicitors in plants. Silencing of NbSGT1, the expression of which is required for PCD mediated by several resistance proteins of plants, prevented DspA/E‐induced cell death in N. benthamiana. However, silencing of NbRAR1, or two MAP kinase kinase genes, which are required for PCD associated with many resistance genes in plants, did not prevent cell death induced by DspA/E. Silencing of NbSGT1 also compromised non‐host resistance against E. amylovora. E. amylovora grew rapidly within the first 24 h after infiltration in N. benthamiana, and DspA/E was required for this early rapid growth. However, bacterial cell numbers decreased after 24 h in TRV‐vector‐transformed plants, whereas a dspA/E mutant strain grew to high populations in NbSGT1‐silenced plants. Our results indicate that DspA/E enhances virulence of E. amylovora in N. benthamiana, but the bacteria are then recognized by the plant, resulting in PCD and death of bacterial cells or restriction of bacterial cell growth.
Decompensation of pollen‐induced asthma in two towns with different pollution levels in La Mancha, Spain
Authors: Mur Gimeno P. , Feo Brito F. , Martínez C. , Tobías A. , Suárez L. , Guerra F. , Galindo P. A. , Gómez E. 
Published: April 2007

SummaryBackground
Allergic diseases have increased in industrialized countries and this increase is associated not only with genetic factors but also with lifestyle and environmental factors such as air pollution. Our hypothesis was that asthma in pollen‐allergic patients from two towns with very different pollution levels in La Mancha (Spain) could be affected to a very different degree.Objective
Our objectives were to assess the risk factors associated with decompensation of pollen‐induced asthma in the two towns and to perform a comparison between the patients from Puertollano (high pollution level) and Ciudad Real (low pollution level) with respect to daily symptoms, medication used and peak‐flow measurements.Methods
We designed a cohort study with 137 patients (66 from Puertollano and 71 from Ciudad Real), conducted over 3 years (1999–2001) and including two pollen seasons. The two populations presented similar demographic and clinical characteristics. The variables studied included: area of residence, sex, age, smoking status, asthma symptoms and positive prick tests. Clinical decompensation was monitored by symptoms recorded on diary cards, twice daily peak‐flow measurements and the use of protocolized medication.Results
There was a clinically relevant relationship between the place of residence and clinical decompensation. The risk of clinical decompensation in patients from Puertollano was up to three times higher than that of patients in Ciudad Real (P=0.034). Furthermore, patients from Puertollano and patients with moderate asthma presented more rapid decompensation compared with patients from Ciudad Real (P=0.020) and patients with mild asthma (P=0.049).Conclusion
In conclusion, pollen‐allergic asthmatics in Puertollano present a poorer clinical course and become decompensated earlier than those from Ciudad Real and it could be due to air pollution.
Vaccinations, infections and antibacterials in the first grass pollen season of life and risk of later hayfever
Authors: Bremner S. A. , Carey I. M. , DeWilde S. , Richards N. , Maier W. C. , Hilton S. R. , Strachan D. P. , Cook D. G. 
Published: April 2007

SummaryBackground
It has been hypothesized that early‐life exposure to vaccinations, infections or antibacterials influence allergic disease development. Concurrent exposure to grass pollens may alter any effect.Objective
To test the hypothesis that exposure to antibacterials, vaccinations (DTP or MMR) or specific infections during the first grass pollen seasons of life influences the risk of hayfever more than at any other time of the year.Methods
Nested case–control studies were based on birth cohorts within two large databases of computerized patient records from UK general practices: the General Practice Research Database (GPRD) and Doctors' Independent Network (DIN). Seven thousand ninety‐eight hayfever cases, diagnosed after age 2, were matched to controls for practice, age, sex and follow‐up of control to case ascertainment date. Conditional logistic regression was used to compare exposure by age 1 (age 2 for MMR) inside vs. outside the grass pollen season (May, June, July). Odds ratios (ORs) were pooled across databases.Results
There were no associations in either database between MMR during vs. outside the grass pollen season and later hayfever. Of 23 infections studied, none were statistically significant; although analyses for the less common conditions were limited by low statistical power. The pooled OR for hayfever comparing exposure to antibacterials only in the grass pollen season with only outside it was 1.20 (95% CI 0.98–1.47) and for DTP was 0.84 (95% CI 0.72–0.98).Conclusion
Although an interaction between early exposure to microbial agents and concurrent grass pollen exposure on hayfever risk seemed plausible, there was little evidence to support it across a range of analyses. However, the effect of DTP though weak deserves further study.
Studies on the interactions between C‐reactive protein and complement proteins
Authors: Bíró Adrienn , Rovó Zita , Papp Diana , Cervenak László , Varga Lilian , Füst George , Thielens Nicole M. , Arlaud Gérard J. , Prohászka Zoltán 
Published: April 2007

SummarySeveral studies have investigated the interactions between C‐reactive protein (CRP) and various complement proteins but none of them took into consideration the different structural forms of CRP. The aim of our study was to investigate whether the different antigenic forms of CRP are able to bind C1q, to trigger activation of the C1 complex and to study the ability of the various CRP forms to bind complement factor H (FH) and C4b‐binding protein (C4BP). Interactions between various CRP forms and complement proteins were analysed in enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay and surface plasmon resonance tests and activation of the C1 complex was followed in a reconstituted system using purified C1q, C1r and C1s in the presence of C1‐INH. Native, ligand‐unbound CRP activated the classical pathway weakly. After binding to phosphocholine, native CRP bound C1q and significantly activated C1. Native CRP complexed to phosphocholine did not bind the complement regulatory proteins FH and C4BP. After disruption of the pentameric structure of CRP, as achieved by urea‐treatment or by site‐directed mutagenesis, C1q binding and C1 activation further increased and the ability of CRP to bind complement regulatory proteins was revealed. C1q binds to CRP through its globular head domain. The binding sites on CRP for FH and C4BP seemed to be different from that of C1q. In conclusion, in parallel with the increase in the C1‐activating ability of different CRP structural variants, the affinity for complement regulatory proteins also increased, providing the biological basis for limitation of excess complement activation.
Hepatitis B virus core antigen epitopes presented by HLA‐A2 single‐chain trimers induce functional epitope‐specific CD8+ T‐cell responses in HLA‐A2·1/Kb transgenic mice
Authors: Zhang Yuxia , Li Shu , Shan Ming , Pan Xuwen , Zhuang Ke , He Lihua , Gould Keith , Tien Po 
Published: April 2007

SummaryThe potency of CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) responses toward core antigen has been shown to affect the outcomes of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Since single‐chain trimers (SCT) composed of peptide epitope β2‐microglobulin (β2m) and major histocompatiblity complex (MHC) class I heavy chain covalently linked together in a single molecule have been shown to stimulate efficient CTL responses, we investigated the properties of human leucocyte antigen (HLA)‐A2 SCTs encoding the HBV core antigen (HBcAg) epitopes C18−27 and C107−115. Transfection of NIH‐3T3 cells with pcDNA3.0‐SCT‐C18−27 and SCT‐C107−115 leads to stable presentation of HBcAg epitopes at the cell surface. HLA‐A2.1/Kb transgenic mice vaccinated with the SCT constructs, either as a DNA vaccine alone or followed by a boost with recombinant vaccinia virus, were shown to generate HBcAg‐specific CTL responses by enzyme‐linked immunospot assay (ELISPOT) and in vitro interferon‐γ release experiments. HBcAg‐specific CTLs from vaccinated HLA‐A2.1/Kb transgenic mice were able to inhibit HBV surface and e antigen expression as indicated by HepG2.2.15 cells. Our data indicate that a DNA vaccine encoding a human HLA‐A2 SCT with HBV epitopes can lead to stable, enhanced HBV core antigen presentation, and may be useful for the control of HBV infection in HLA‐A2‐positive HBV carriers.
Evolution of mammalian CD1: marsupial CD1 is not orthologous to the eutherian isoforms and is a pseudogene in the opossum Monodelphis domestica
Authors: Baker Michelle L. , Miller Robert D. 
Published: April 2007

SummaryCD1 is a member of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I family of proteins that present lipid antigens to T cells and natural killer (NK) T cells; it is found in both eutherian mammals and birds. In eutherians, duplication of the CD1 gene has resulted in multiple isoforms. A marsupial CD1 homologue was identified in a set of expressed sequence tags from the thymus of the bandicoot Isoodon macrourus. Southern blot and genomic sequence analyses revealed that CD1 is a single copy gene in both I. macrourus and a distantly related marsupial, the opossum Monodelphis domestica, which is currently the only marsupial species for which a whole genome sequence is available. We found that the opossum CD1 is located in a genomic region with a high degree of conserved synteny to the chromosomal regions containing human and mouse CD1. A phylogenetic analysis of mammalian CD1 revealed that marsupial CD1 is not orthologous to the eutherian CD1 isoforms, consistent with the latter having emerged by duplication after the separation of marsupials and eutherians 170–180 million years ago. The I. macrourus CD1 gene is actively transcribed and appears to encode a functional protein. In contrast, transcription of the M. domestica CD1 was not detected in any tissue and the predicted CD1 gene sequence contains a number of deletions that appear to render the locus a pseudogene.
Cancer immunoediting from immune surveillance to immune escape
Authors: Kim Ryungsa , Emi Manabu , Tanabe Kazuaki 
Published: April 2007

SummaryCancer immune surveillance is considered to be an important host protection process to inhibit carcinogenesis and to maintain cellular homeostasis. In the interaction of host and tumour cells, three essential phases have been proposed: elimination, equilibrium and escape, which are designated the ‘three E’s'. Several immune effector cells and secreted cytokines play a critical role in pursuing each process. Nascent transformed cells can initially be eliminated by an innate immune response such as by natural killer cells. During tumour progression, even though an adaptive immune response can be provoked by antigen‐specific T cells, immune selection produces tumour cell variants that lose major histocompatibility complex class I and II antigens and decreases amounts of tumour antigens in the equilibrium phase. Furthermore, tumour‐derived soluble factors facilitate the escape from immune attack, allowing progression and metastasis. In this review, the central roles of effector cells and cytokines in tumour immunity, and the escape mechanisms of tumour cells during tumour progression are discussed.
Malnutrition in hip fracture patients: an intervention study
Authors: Olofsson Birgitta , Stenvall Michael , Lundström Maria , Svensson Olle , Gustafson Yngve 
Published: April 2007

Aims.  To investigate whether a nutritional intervention in older women and men with femoral neck fracture had an effect on postoperative complications during hospitalization and on nutritional status at a four‐month follow‐up.Methods.  The design was a randomized controlled trial. The present study sample consisted of 157 patients aged 70 years and above with femoral neck fracture. The nutritional intervention included, among other things, a nutritional journal to detect nutrition deficiencies and protein‐enriched meals for at least four days postoperatively. Further, at least two nutritional and protein drinks were served each day during the whole hospitalization and other factors that would influence the patient's nutrition were also considered and dealt with. Postoperative complications were registered and patients were assessed using the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) scale, including body mass index (BMI), on admission and at a four‐month follow‐up.Results.  Malnutrition was common and low MNA scores were associated with postoperative complications such as delirium and decubitus ulcers. There were significantly fewer days of delirium in the intervention group, seven patients in the intervention group developed decubitus ulcers vs. 14 patients in the control group and the total length of hospitalization was shorter. There were no detectable significant improvements regarding nutritional parameters between the intervention and the control group at the four‐month follow‐up but men improved their mean BMI, body weight and MNA scores in both the intervention and the control groups while women deteriorated in both groups.Conclusions.  Malnutrition was common among older people with hip fractures admitted to hospital. The nutritional intervention might have contributed to the patients suffering fewer days with delirium, fewer decubitus ulcers and shorter hospitalization but did not improve the long‐term nutritional status, at least not in women.Relevance to clinical practice.  This nutritional intervention, which was included in a multifactorial multidisciplinary intervention, is inexpensive and relatively easy to implement. It has significant effects on complications but no long‐term effect on nutritional parameters, at least not in women.
Revisiting the concept of malnutrition in older people
Authors: Chen Cheryl Chia‐Hui , Bai Ya‐Ying , Huang Guan‐Hua , Tang Siew Tzuh 
Published: April 2007

Aim.  The aim of this study is to revisit the concept of malnutrition in older people, trace the new development and test the use of refined framework with empirical data.Background.  Malnutrition in older people is a common and significant problem worldwide. Continuing Chen's earlier work in 2001, a refinement was conducted and a prospective study was designed to test the use of this refined framework.Design.  A cohort study of 114 hospitalized older patients in Northern Taiwan.Methods.  The sample consists of 114 older patients aged 65 years and older, who were admitted for the cardiac and orthopaedic services at a tertiary 2300‐bed hospital. From March to August 2004, assessed by one trained nurse, participants completed a structured face‐to‐face interview evaluating their age, visual/hearing impairments, oral health, cognitive status, comorbidities, medication use, social economic status, functional status, social support, depressive symptoms and nutritional status within 48 hours of admission. Participants who stayed >5 days were reassessed before discharge (n = 70). The data from admission were the main focus of this report.Results.  Regression analysis revealed that that more medication taken, female gender, lower functional status (beta = 0·34, P < 0·001) and higher depressive symptoms were independent predictors of poor nutritional status, with the full model accounting for 48·2% of the variance. The result is in‐line with the original theoretical underpinnings and it suggests that this refined framework detailing sub‐concepts and measurable indices appears to fit the empirical data and suitable for clinical use.Conclusion.  The findings lend support to the use of this framework in managing malnutrition in older people.Relevance to clinical practice.  Nurses have an essential role in providing care for older people a framework like this would provide a road map guiding the intervention efforts.