bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Differences in excitatory transmission between thalamic and cortical afferents to single spiny efferent neurons of rat dorsal striatum
Authors: Smeal Roy M. , Keefe Kristen A. , Wilcox Karen S. 
Published: October 2008

AbstractThe striatum is crucially involved in motor and cognitive function, and receives significant glutamate input from the cortex and thalamus. The corticostriatal pathway arises from diverse regions of the cortex and is thought to provide information to the basal ganglia from which motor actions are selected and modified. The thalamostriatal pathway arises from specific thalamic nuclei and is involved in attention and possibly strategy switching. Despite these fundamental functional differences, direct comparisons of the properties of these pathways are lacking.N‐methyl‐d‐aspartate (NMDA) receptors at synapses powerfully affect postsynaptic processing, and incorporation of different NR2 subunits into NMDA receptors has profound effects on the pharmacological and biophysical properties of the receptor. Utilization of different NMDA receptors at thalamostriatal and corticostriatal synapses could allow for afferent‐specific differences in information processing. We used a novel rat brain slice preparation preserving corticostriatal and thalamostriatal pathways to medium spiny neurons to examine the properties of NMDA receptor‐mediated excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs) recorded using the whole‐cell, patch‐clamp technique. Within the same neuron, the NMDA/non‐NMDA ratio is greater for excitatory responses evoked from the thalamostriatal pathway than for those evoked from the corticostriatal pathway. In addition, reversal potentials and decay kinetics of the NMDA receptor‐mediated EPSCs suggest that the thalamostriatal synapse is more distant on the dendritic arbor. Finally, results obtained with antagonists specific for NR2B‐containing NMDA receptors imply that NMDA receptors at corticostriatal synapses contain more NR2B subunits. These synapse‐specific differences in NMDA receptor content and pharmacology provide potential differential sites of action for NMDA receptor subtype‐specific antagonists proposed for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease.
Post‐translational regulation of an Aplysia glutamate transporter during long‐term facilitation
Authors: Collado Maria Sol , Khabour Omar , Fioravante Diasinou , Byrne John H. , Eskin Arnold 
Published: November 2008

AbstractRegulation of glutamate transporters accompanies plasticity of some glutamatergic synapses. The regulation of glutamate uptake at the Aplysia sensorimotor synapse during long‐term facilitation (LTF) was investigated. Previously, increases in levels of ApGT1 (Aplysia glutamate transporter 1) in synaptic membranes were found to be related to long‐term increases in glutamate uptake. In this study, we found that regulation of ApGT1 during LTF appears to occur post‐translationally. Serotonin (5‐HT) a transmitter that induces LTF did not increase synthesis of ApGT1. A pool of ApGT1 appears to exist in sensory neuron somata, which is transported to the terminals by axonal transport. Blocking the rough endoplasmic reticulum‐Golgi‐trans‐Golgi network (TGN) pathway with Brefeldin A prevented the 5‐HT‐induced increase of ApGT1 in terminals. Also, 5‐HT produced changes in post‐translational modifications of ApGT1 as well as changes in the levels of an ApGT1‐co‐precipitating protein. These results suggest that regulation of trafficking of ApGT1 from the vesicular trafficking system (rough endoplasmic reticulum‐Golgi‐TGN) in the sensory neuron somata to the terminals by post‐translational modifications and protein interactions appears to be the mechanism underlying the increase in ApGT1, and thus, glutamate uptake during memory formation.
Doublecortin induces mitotic microtubule catastrophe and inhibits glioma cell invasion
Authors: Santra Manoranjan , Santra Sutapa , Roberts Cindi , Zhang Rui Lan , Chopp Michael 
Published: November 2008

AbstractDoublecortin (DCX) is a microtubule (MT) binding protein that induces growth arrest at the G2–M phase of cell cycle in glioma and suppresses tumor xenograft in immunocompromised hosts. DCX expression was found in neuronal cells, but lacking in glioma cells. We tested the hypothesis that DCX inhibits glioma U87 cell mitosis and invasion. Our data showed that DCX synthesizing U87 cells underwent mitotic MT spindle catastrophe in a neurabin II dependent pathway. Synthesis of both DCX and neurabin II were required to induce apoptosis in U87 and human embryonic kidney 293T cells. In DCX expressing U87 cells, association of phosphorylated DCX with protein phosphatase‐1 (PP1) in the cytosol disrupted the interaction between kinesin‐13 and PP1 in the nucleus and yielded spontaneously active kinesin‐13. The activated kinesin‐13 caused mitotic MT catastrophe in spindle checkpoint. Phosphorylated‐DCX induced depolymerization of actin filaments in U87 cells, down‐regulated matrix metalloproteinases‐2 and ‐9, and inhibited glioma U87 cell invasion in a neurabin II dependent pathway. Thus, localization of the DCX–neurabin II–PP1 complex in the cytosol of U87 tumor cells inhibited PP1 phosphatase activities leading to anti‐glioma effects via (1) mitotic MT spindle catastrophe that blocks mitosis and (2) depolymerization of actin that inhibits glioma cell invasion.
CNTF‐evoked activation of JAK and ERK mediates the functional expression of T‐type Ca2+ channels in chicken nodose neurons
Authors: Trimarchi Thomas , Pachuau Judith , Shepherd Andrew , Dey Deblina , Martin‐Caraballo Miguel 
Published: November 2008

AbstractCulture of chicken nodose neurons with CNTF but not BDNF causes a significant increase in T‐type Ca2+ channel expression. CNTF‐induced channel expression requires 12 h stimulation to reach maximal expression and is not affected by inhibition of protein synthesis, suggesting the involvement of a post‐translational mechanism. In this study, we have investigated the biochemical mechanism responsible for the CNTF‐dependent stimulation of T‐type channel expression in nodose neurons. Stimulation of nodose neurons with CNTF evoked a considerable increase in signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT3) and extracellular signal‐regulated kinase (ERK) phosphorylation. CNTF‐evoked ERK phosphorylation was transient whereas BDNF‐evoked activation of ERK was sustained. Pre‐treatment of nodose neurons with the Janus tyrosine kinase (JAK) inhibitor P6 blocked STAT3 and ERK phosphorylation, whereas the ERK inhibitor U0126 prevented ERK activation but not STAT3 phosphorylation. Both P6 and U0126 inhibited the stimulatory effect of CNTF on T‐type channel expression. Inhibition of STAT3 activation by the selective blocker stattic has no effect on ERK phosphorylation and T‐type channel expression. These results indicate that CNTF‐evoked stimulation of T‐type Ca2+ channel expression in chicken nodose neurons requires JAK‐dependent ERK signaling. A cardiac tissue extract derived from E20 chicken heart was also effective in promoting T‐type Ca2+ channel expression and STAT3 and ERK phosphorylation. The ability of the heart extract to stimulate JAK/STAT and ERK activation was developmentally regulated. These findings provide further support to the idea that CNTF or a CNTF‐like factor mediates normal expression of T‐type channels.
N‐cadherin‐based adhesion enhances Aβ release and decreases Aβ42/40 ratio
Authors: Uemura Kengo , Lill Christina M. , Banks Mary , Asada Megumi , Aoyagi Nobuhisa , Ando Koichi , Kubota Masakazu , Kihara Takeshi , Nishimoto Takaaki , Sugimoto Hachiro , Takahashi Ryosuke , Hyman Bradley T. , Shimohama Shun , Berezovska Oksana , Kinoshita Ayae 
Published: November 2008

AbstractIn neurons, Presenilin 1(PS1)/γ‐secretase is located at the synapses, bound to N‐cadherin. We have previously reported that N‐cadherin‐mediated cell–cell contact promotes cell‐surface expression of PS1/γ‐secretase. We postulated that N‐cadherin‐mediated trafficking of PS1 might impact synaptic PS1‐amyloid precursor protein interactions and Aβ generation. In the present report, we evaluate the effect of N‐cadherin‐based contacts on Aβ production. We demonstrate that stable expression of N‐cadherin in Chinese hamster ovary cells, expressing the Swedish mutant of human amyloid precursor protein leads to enhanced secretion of Aβ in the medium. Moreover, N‐cadherin expression decreased Aβ42/40 ratio. The effect of N‐cadherin expression on Aβ production was accompanied by the enhanced accessibility of PS1/γ‐secretase to amyloid precursor protein as well as a conformational change of PS1, as demonstrated by the fluorescence lifetime imaging technique. These results indicate that N‐cadherin‐mediated synaptic adhesion may modulate Aβ secretion as well as the Aβ42/40 ratio via PS1/N‐cadherin interactions.
Regions of the amino terminus of the P2X1receptor required for modification by phorbol ester and mGluR1α receptors
Authors: Wen Hairuo , Evans Richard J. 
Published: November 2008

AbstractThe potentiation of P2X1receptor currents by phorbol ester (PMA) treatment and stimulation of mGluR1α receptors was sensitive to inhibition of novel forms of protein kinase C. Potentiation was also reduced by co‐expression of an amino terminal P2X1receptor minigene. Cysteine point mutants of residues Tyr16‐Gly30were expressed inXenopus oocytes.Peak current amplitudes to ATP for Y16C, T18C and R20C mutants were reduced, however this did not result from a decrease in surface expression of the channels. The majority of the mutants showed changes in the time‐course of desensitization of ATP evoked currents indicating the important role of this region in regulation of channel properties. PMA and mGluR1α potentiation was abolished for the mutants Y16C, T18C, R20C, K27C and G30C. Minigenes incorporating either Y16C, K27C, V29C or G30C still inhibited PMA responses. However D17C, T18C or R20C mutant minigenes were no longer effective suggesting that these residues are important for interaction with regulatory factors. These results demonstrate that the conserved YXTXK/R sequence and a region with a conserved glycine residue close to the first transmembrane segment contribute to PMA and GPCR regulation of P2X1receptors.
A win–win method for multi‐party negotiation support
Authors: Kuula Markku , Stam Antonie 
Published: October 2008

AbstractIn this paper, we introduce an interactive multi‐party negotiation support method for decision problems that involve multiple, conflicting linear criteria and linear constraints. Most previous methods for this type of problem have relied on decision alternatives located on the Pareto frontier; in other words, during the negotiation process the parties are presented with new Pareto optimal solutions, requiring the parties to sacrifice the achievement of some criteria in order to secure improvements with respect to other criteria. Such a process may be vulnerable to stalemate situations where none of the parties is willing to move to a potentially better solution, e.g., because they perceive – rightly or wrongly − that they have to give up more than their fair share. Our method relies on “win–win” scenarios in which each party will be presented with “better” solutions at each stage of the negotiations. Each party starts the negotiation process at some inferior initial solution, for instance the best starting point that can be achieved without negotiation with the other parties, such as BATNA (best alternative to a negotiated agreement). In subsequent iterations, the process gravitates closer to the Pareto frontier by suggesting an improved solution to each party, based on the preference information (e.g., aspiration levels) provided by all parties at the previous iteration. The preference information that each party needs to provide is limited to aspiration levels for the objectives, and a party's revealed preference information is not shared with the opposing parties. Therefore, our method may represent a more natural negotiation environment than previous methods that rely on tradeoffs and sacrifice, and provides a positive decision support framework in which each party may be more comfortable with, and more readily accept, the proposed compromise solution. The current paper focuses on the concept, the algorithmic development, and uses an example to illustrate the nature and capabilities of our method. In a subsequent paper, we will use experiments with real users to explore issues such as whether our proposed “win–win” method tends to result in better decisions or just better negotiations, or both; and how users will react in practice to using an inferior starting point in the negotiations.
A multi‐agent framework to build integer programming applications to playoff elimination in sports tournaments
Authors: Lucena Carlos J. P. , Noronha Thiago F. , Ribeiro Celso C. , Urrutia Sebastian 
Published: October 2008

AbstractThis work describes a multi‐agent framework for developing autonomous applications of integer programming to playoff qualification and elimination problems in sports tournaments. These applications involve collecting results from several sources, processing them, and publishing a report on the situation of each team taking part in the competition, regarding qualification and elimination statistics. An instance of this framework was created to follow the Brazilian national football tournament, showing very good results in practice in terms of ease of use; speed of update, processing and publication; and attractiveness to the users.
MEAT MARKETING MARGINS IN BRITAIN
Authors: HOUSTON GEORGE 
Published: November 2008

SummaryIn the writer's opinion the total margin on all meat and bacon products has probably been about 37 to 38 per cent in recent years, made up of 5 per cent for processing, 23 to 24 per cent for retailing and 9 per cent for marketing and wholesale distribution. It is unlikely that the farm‐to‐retail margin on home‐produced carcase meat has averaged less than 32 to 33 per cent and it may well have been two or three points higher.
ECONOMIC REDIRECTIONS IN RECENT U.S. AGRICULTURAL POLICY
Authors: Spitze R. G. F. 
Published: November 2008

Decisions of governments around the world concerning their agriculturul sectors have taken on increasingly an international dimension. The United Kingdom with its unique economic character has shared historically a mutual concern with major agricultural countries about their policies.This study analyses recent developments in U.S. agricultural price and income policy and programmes. Though some version of these policies has prevailed in the U.S. for almost forty years, distinct redirections have appeared in the current decade following a major policy crisis in the late 1950's. The new voluntary land retirement and compensatory payment approach is characterised, its economic rationale examined, and some of its probable economic consequences are measured. There has been a shift away from a high price support and from attempts at a compulsory production control programme. Many of the problems have been eliminated or mitigated, but both remaining and newly created difficulties still plague the policy scene.
THE COST OF FOOD MARKETING*
Authors: Wollen G. H. , Turner G. 
Published: November 2008

There exists a wealth of statistical data in the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on agricultural structure and production, and on the consumption of food, much of which is well known and readily available to research workers outside. But much less is known about the manufacturing and distribution costs of food between the farm gate and the consumer.The purpose of this paper is to present aggregate data relating to food marketing, in much the same way that earlier contributions, notably to this Journal, have covered agricultural output and net income, and farm structure. Changes in the food marketing sector since the end of rationing are briefly set out and, following discussion of some of the conceptual problems involved, estimates are presented of the value added to food between farm or port and the retail level, and of the magnitude of the flows within the sector
AN APPRAISAL OF CONTRACT FARMING
Authors: Allen G. R. 
Published: November 2008

This article reviews the circumstances under which contract farming, as one form of vertical integration, is necessary to secure rapid and efficient co‐ordination and adaptability within systems of food production/marketing/distribution. A review of American experience and attitudes indicates that contracting in the U.S.A. has been successful in matching farm production to the needs of consumers more quickly and economically than otherwise would have been possible. Contract terms have generally been ‘fair’ to United States farmers, partly as a result of a strong co‐operative system, including a large number of bargaining co‐operatives, but also as a result of strong competition between American agri‐businesses. American experience and conclusions can be transposed to British circumstances.However, there should be greater publicity and analysis of contract terms, as well as more complete information on the financial performance of the agri‐business operations of conglomerates and other multi‐product businesses.
THE CASE OF URULI KANCHAN ‐ A STUDY IN DEVELOPMENT
Authors: Beresford Tristram 
Published: November 2008

Of good revolutionists there are two kinds, distinguished by the end from which they start. There are those who are impatient with human stupidity: these begin by wanting some kind of monetary reform; their imagination is haunted by the spectre Of coffee burnt, wheat dumped into the sea, herrings ploughed into the soil. And there are those who begin from the other end, who talk of change of heart…. The danger, for those who start at the temporal end, is Utopianism: settle the problem of distribution — of wheat, coffee, aspirin or wireless sets — and all the problems of evil will disappear. The danger, for those who start at the other end, is Indifferentism: neglect the affairs of the world, and save as many souls from the wreckage as possible. Wisdom mediates between these two extremes…. Wisdom tells us that we have to begin from both ends at once.RésuméLE CAS URULI KANCHAN ‐ UNE ÉTUDE DU DÉVELOPPEMENTLes bons partisans des révolutions sont de deux sortes; on les distingue selon le bout d'où ils portent. Il y a ceux qui s'impatientent devant les sottises humaines: ils commencent par vouloir une réforme monétaire d'une espèce ou d'une autre; le spectre du café brûlé, du blé jetéà la mer ou des harengs mis sous terre hante leur imagination. Et ily a ceux qui commencent par l'autre bout, qui parlent de changer les esprits… Le danger, pour ceux qui commencent par les fins temporelles, c'est l'utopisme: résoudre le problème de la répartition ‐ du blé, du café, de l'aspirine ou des postes radio ‐ et tous les problèmes du mal disparaîtront. Pour ceux qui partent de l'autre bout, le danger s'appelle l'indifférentisme: négliger les affaires du monde et sauver du naufrage le plus grand nombre d'âmes possible. La sagesse s'équilibre entre ces deux extrêmes…. La sagesse nous enseigne que nous devons commencer par les deux bouts à la fois.ZusammenfassungDER FALL VON URULI KANCHAN ‐ EINE UNTERSUCHUNG ZUM THEMA ENTWICKLUNGEs gibt zwei Arten von guten Revolutionären, die sich durch ihren Ausgangspunkt voneinander unterscheiden. Die einen sind unzufrieden mit der menschlichen Dummheit: sie gehen davon aus, dass sie irgendeine Art von Wäkrungsreform anstreben; sie haben Zwangsvorstellungen von dem Schauspiel von verbranntem Kaffee, von ins Meer geschütteten Weizen, von in den Boden gepflügten Heringen. Die anderen beginnen von dem entgegengesetzten Ende und sprechen von einer Gesinnungsänderung…. Für diejenigen, die von dem irdischen Ansatzpunkt ausgehen, besteht die Gefahr des Utopismus: sie meinen, man brauche nur das Problem der Verteilung ‐ von Weizen, Kaffee, Aspirin oder Rundfunkgeräten ‐ zu lösen, und alle Probleme des Bösen werden verschwinden. Für diejenigen, die vom entgegengesetzten Ende ausgehen, liegt die Gefahr in der Gleichgültigkeit: sie meinen, man solle die Angelegenheiten der Welt vernachlässigen und soviele Seelen wie möglich aus dem Zusammenbruch retten. Die Weisheit liegt darin, zwischen den beiden Extremen zu vermitteln…. Die Weisheit rät uns, an beiden Enden zugleich anzusetzen.
INTERNATIONAL ASPECTS OF AGRICULTURE
Authors: Peart Rt. Hon. T. F. 
Published: November 2008

Recent negotiations for British entry into the E.E.C. and the consequential effects in agriculture are critically examined. Acceptance of the Common Agricultural Policy of the E.E.C. will be a major change, and Britain will have to end a successful post‐war policy enshrined in the 1947 and 1957 Agriculture Acts. Its effects on the British farmer and consumer are examined; also the implications it has on Britain's traditional food suppliers, especially the Commonwealth.RésuméASPECTS INTERNATIONAUX DE L'AGRICULTUREL'auteur examine en critique les récentes négociations en vue de l'entrée de la Grande‐Bretagne dans la C.E.E. et les conséquences qui en découleront dans le domaine de l'agriculture. L'acceptation de la politique agricole commune de la C.E.E. va constituer un changement capital et la Grande‐Bretagne devra mettre fin à une politique d'après‐guerre définie aux termes des lois de 1947 et 1957 sur l'Agriculture et qui a réussi. Les effets de ce changement sur l'agriculteur et le consommateur britanniques sont examinés, de même que ses répercussions pour les fournisseurs traditionnels des importations britanniques de produits alimentaires, plus particulièrement le Commonwealth.ZusammenfassungINTERNATIONALE ASPEKTE DER LANDWIRTSCHAFTKürzlich stattgefundene Verhandlungen über Grossbritanniens Eintritt in die Europäische Wirtschaftsgemeinschaft und die daraus entstehenden Auswirkungen auf die Landwirtschaft werden kritisch geprüft. Die Annahme einer gemeinsamen Agrarpolitik durch die E.W.G. wird eine wesentliche Änderung bedeuten, und Gross‐britannien wird seiner erfolgreichen Agrarpolitik der Nachkriegszeit, die in den Agrarerlassen von 1947 und 1957 eingeschlossen ist, ein Ende setzen müssen. Die Auswirkungen auf den britischen Landwirt und Verbraucher werden untersucht; ebenso die Folgen, die für die traditionellen Nahrungsmittellieferanten Grossbritanniens, insbesondere das Commonwealth, daraus enstehen.