bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The effects of sustainable development on firms' financial performance – an empirical approach
Authors: Chang Dong‐shang , Kuo Li‐chin Regina 
Published: January 2008

AbstractThis research studies firms' sustainable development in term of economic, environmental and social dimensions and their financial performance, which includes a broader coverage of stakeholder engagement of both sustainability and profitability in a structural equation model (SEM). The secondary data of 311 firms' sustainability scores are analyzed and our observations reveal that (1) the better sustainability performers may have a tendency of positive influence on firm profitability in the same and later periods, (2) a positive reciprocal causality may exist between sustainability and profitability among the better sustainability group, (3) profitability affects corporate sustainability positively in both higher and lower sustainability groups and (4) sustainability influences firm profitability negatively in the lower sustainability group. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.
Chemical understanding and graphing skills in an honors case‐based computerized chemistry laboratory environment: The value of bidirectional visual and textual representations
Authors: Dori Yehudit J. , Sasson Irit 
Published: January 2008

AbstractThe case‐based computerized laboratory (CCL) is a chemistry learning environment that integrates computerized experiments with emphasis on scientific inquiry and comprehension of case studies. The research objective was to investigate chemical understanding and graphing skills of high school honors students via bidirectional visual and textual representations in the CCL learning environment. The research population of our 3‐year study consisted of 857 chemistry 12th grade honors students from a variety of high schools in Israel. Pre‐ and postcase‐based questionnaires were used to assess students' graphing and chemical understanding–retention skills. We found that students in the CCL learning environment significantly improved their graphing skills and chemical understanding–retention in the post‐ with respect to the prequestionnaires. Comparing the experimental students to their non‐CCL control peers has shown that CCL students had an advantage in graphing skills. The CCL contribution was most noticeable for experimental students of relatively low academic level who benefit the most from the combination of visual and textual representations. Our findings emphasize the educational value of combining the case‐based method with computerized laboratories for enhancing students' chemistry understanding and graphing skills, and for developing their ability to bidirectionally transfer between textual and visual representations. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 45: 219–250, 2008.
Determinants of Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Surgical Care
Authors: Ayanian John Z. 
Published: January 2008

AbstractRacial and ethnic disparities are a pervasive and persistent problem in health care. This article has three main objectives: 1) To highlight key studies related to racial disparities in cardiovascular care and outcomes; 2) To explore determinants of disparities specifically related to access to renal transplantation as a model for understanding racial disparities in greater depth; and 3) To present promising approaches to eliminate racial disparities in care. Performance reports of the quality of medical and surgical care by race and ethnicity will be a crucial and expanding tool as more organizations ascertain complete data on their patients’ race, ethnicity, language, and socioeconomic characteristics. Efforts to improve the quality of care and health outcomes of underserved racial and ethnic groups will also require effective coordination of care, patient‐centered communication, and constructive engagement with communities to eliminate disparities in health care and health.
Digital document and interpretation: re-thinking “text” and scholarship in electronic settings
Authors: Gradmann Stefan , Meister Jan Christoph 
Published: January 2008

Abstract
The contribution starts from outlining the evolution of the scholarly production flow from the print based paradigm to the digital age and in this context it explores the opposition of digital versus analog representation modes. It then develops on the triple paradigm shift caused by genuine digital publishing and its specific consequences for the social sciences and humanities (SSH) which in turn results in re-constituting basic scholarly notions such as ‘text’ and ‘document’. The paper concludes with discussing the specific value that could be added in systematically using digital text resources as a basis for scholarly work and also states some of the necessary conditions for such a ‘digital turn’ to be successful in the SSH.
Growth factor contents of autologous human sera prepared by different production methods and their biological effects on chondrocytes
Authors: Tanaka Yoko , Ogasawara Toru , Asawa Yukiyo , Yamaoka Hisayo , Nishizawa Satoru , Mori Yoshiyuki , Takato Tsuyoshi , Hoshi Kazuto 
Published: January 2008

AbstractTo discuss the autologous serum production for cartilage tissue engineering, we compared three kinds of sera: whole blood‐derived serum (WBS), platelet‐containing plasma‐derived serum (PCS), and plasma‐derived serum (PDS), on the growth factor contents and their biological effects on human auricular chondrocytes. EGF, VEGF and PDGF levels were highest in WBS, while PCS and PDS followed WBS. The proliferation effects of WBS were the most pronounced, followed by that of PCS, both of which realized a 1000‐fold‐increase in chondrocyte numbers at the third passage, whereas PDS reached it after passage 4. No significant differences were observed in histology or cartilaginous matrix measurements of tissue‐engineered cartilage produced from chondrocytes cultured under different serum conditions. WBS would be clinically useful because of its potent proliferation effects, while PCS, which possibly saves the red cell concentrate, may be an option in cases where there are elevated risks of blood loss.
SEASONALITY OF MARRIAGES IN SARDINIAN PASTORAL AND AGRICULTURAL COMMUNITIES IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY
Authors: SANNA EMANUELE , DANUBIO MARIA ENRICA 
Published: January 2008

SummaryThe study of marriage seasonality of populations with different socioeconomic backgrounds may contribute to the better understanding their reproductive behaviours. This study analyses the monthly distribution of marriages in the 19th century in four agricultural villages and four pastoral villages on the island of Sardinia (Italy). The data were derived from 7340 marriage acts (3571 for the four agricultural villages and 3769 for the four pastoral villages). The aim is to ascertain whether the Sardinian agricultural and pastoral communities followed the matrimonial models reported for contemporary Italy and Europe and whether there was a change in the monthly distribution of marriages between the two halves of the 19th century. The results suggest that the marriage seasonality of the Sardinian farmers and shepherds was very similar to the patterns shown in the 19th century by Italian and European agricultural and pastoral communities. The Sardinian farmers preferred to marry in autumn–winter, while the Sardinian shepherds had a very high concentration of marriages in summer–autumn. Both communities avoided marriages in the Advent and Easter periods and in the month of May (dedicated to the Virgin Mary), and the farmers also in August (also dedicated to the Virgin Mary). Despite a certain seasonal stability, there was a significant change in the monthly distribution of marriages between the two halves of the 19th century in both the agricultural and pastoral communities, probably due to a series of laws that transformed the centuries-old socioeconomic system of Sardinia in the second half of the century.
Multi-jurisdictional investigation of interactive fountain-associated cryptosporidiosis and salmonellosis outbreaks
Authors: KIRIAN M. L. , MEREGILLANO G. , GENNETTE D. , WEINTRAUB J. M. 
Published: January 2008

SummaryInteractive water fountains are established sources of gastrointestinal infections yet most health codes fail to regulate their design and operation. This report describes multi-agency, concurrent interactive fountain-associated cryptosporidiosis and salmonellosis outbreak investigations and highlights the need for the adoption of appropriate regulations for interactive fountains.
β1‐ and β2‐adrenoceptor responses in cardiomyocytes derived from human embryonic stem cells: comparison with failing and non‐failing adult human heart
Authors: Brito‐Martins M , Harding S E , Ali N N 
Published: January 2008

Background and purpose:Characterization of human embryonic stem cell‐derived cardiomyocytes (hESC‐CM) in relation to adult myocytes is essential for their future use in transplantation or as a model system. The β‐adrenoceptor pathways, which are known to be effective early in hESC‐CM development, are of major importance because of their control of rate and force of beating, arrhythmia generation and apoptosis/necrosis. We have therefore performed detailed pharmacological analysis of the β‐adrenoceptor responses in developing hESC‐CM.Experimental approach:hESC‐CMs were differentiated from H7 ESCs and studied up to 79 days of differentiation. Rate of beating and time course of contraction and relaxation were measured in superfused preparations.Key results:Responses to the mixed β1‐ and β2‐adrenoceptor agonist isoprenaline were evident from day 10 to day 79. Stability of the responses during an application, for repeated applications on the same experimental day and over the time of development, was determined. Concentrations for half‐maximal response (12.9 nM) were similar to those from adult human heart, but closer to those obtained from failing rather than normal ventricle. Acceleration of both contraction and relaxation was quantitatively similar to that in adult ventricular myocytes, as was sensitivity to muscarinic inhibition. Use of specific antagonists showed that both β1‐ and β2‐adrenoceptors contributed to contractile responses, as seen with adult myocytes.Conclusions and implications:These data show the compatibility of hESC‐CM with adult human myocardium in terms of β‐adrenoceptor response. The experiments described here also confirm the utility of the hESC‐CM preparation for detailed pharmacological analysis. British Journal of Pharmacology (2008) 153, 751–759; doi:10.1038/sj.bjp.0707619; published online 14 January 2008
Unmet Needs and Treatment Seeking in High Users of Mental Health Services: Role of Illness Perceptions
Authors: Broadbent Elizabeth , Kydd Robert , Sanders Deanna , Vanderpyl Jane 
Published: January 2008

Objective: A small number of patients tend to use a disproportionately high amount of mental health services. Understanding the needs and behaviours of this group is important in order to improve patient management. Few studies have investigated the role that patients’ perceptions about their mental illness play in guiding coping responses and treatment seeking. The aim of the present study was to investigate how illness perceptions in high users of mental health services were related to unmet needs and treatment-seeking behaviours. Method: A total of 203 high users of mental health services were interviewed using the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire, the Camberwell Assessment of Need and the Drug Attitude Inventory, and were also asked to report the number of visits they had made to the general practitioner in the past year. District Health Board clinical staff completed the Camberwell Assessment of Need and the Global Assessment of Functioning for each user. Results: More negative perceptions about mental illness were associated with higher ratings of unmet needs by both patients and staff. Negative perceptions were also related to poorer attitudes towards medication, and lower functioning. Perceptions about the personal ability to control the illness were consistently associated with better outcomes. Patients’ causal attributions could be categorized as social, psychological, biological and behavioural. More frequent visits to the general practitioner were associated with perceptions of more severe symptoms, greater concern and higher emotional responses to the illness, and psychosocial causal attributions. Conclusion: Illness perceptions provide a framework to assess patients’ ideas about severe mental illness and a means by which to identify maladaptive beliefs. Interventions targeted at changing these beliefs may encourage better self-management.
Association Between Duration of Untreated Psychosis, Premorbid Functioning, and Cognitive Performance and the Outcome of First-Episode Schizophrenia in Japanese Patients: Prospective Study
Authors: Yamazawa Ryoko , Nemoto Takahiro , Kobayashi Hiroyuki , Chino Bun , Kashima Haruo , Mizuno Masafumi 
Published: January 2008

Objective: The aim of the present study was to identify the relationship between duration of untreated psychosis (DUP), premorbid functioning, and cognitive dysfunction and the outcome of first-episode schizophrenia. Method: Thirty-four neuroleptic-naïve patients who consulted hospitals in Tokyo and who were treated by psychiatrists for the first time were evaluated with regard to DUP, premorbid functioning, psychiatric symptoms, and global functioning. The neuropsychological test battery consisted of the Letter Cancellation Test, Trail-Making Test, Digit Span and Verbal Fluency Test. One year later, 24 of the subjects were reassessed for psychiatric symptoms, global functioning, and social functioning, and the relationships between DUP, premorbid functioning, and cognitive performance and the outcome was investigated. Results: Short DUP, good premorbid functioning, and good Letter Cancellation Test, Digit Span and Verbal Fluency Test scores were significantly associated with good outcome. Conclusions: The present results in a Japanese sample are consistent with previous international evidence that delay of initial treatment, premorbid functioning, and cognitive deficits are associated with outcome. A major limitation of the present study was the small size of the subject group. But because the subjects were relatively homogeneous and not influenced by psychoactive substances, the results reflect the essence of the disorder.
Social Distance and Perceived Dangerousness Across Four Diagnostic Categories of Mental Disorder
Authors: Marie Dannette , Miles Brad 
Published: January 2008

Objectives: To examine whether laypersons make categorical distinctions between psychoses, neuroses, and addictive behaviours relative to desired social distance and whether degree of familiarity and perceived dangerousness influences social distance judgements. Method: Two studies were undertaken using the mental health literacy framework. The first study involved surveying lay beliefs and perceptions of a mentally ill person who exhibited behavioural cues of one of the following: schizophrenia, depression, alcohol abuse, or substance dependence. The second study involved a partial replication and refinement of the first study to determine whether discriminate judgements across diagnostic categories were influenced by perceived dangerousness. Results: Findings from study 1 indicated that laypersons do differentiate between psychological disorders and respond to them differently relative to social distance. Results from study 2 confirmed those of study 1 and in addition suggested that perceived dangerousness influences social distance, largely with respect to schizophrenia. Conclusions: Laypersons make categorical distinctions between different types of disorders. Perceived dangerousness is more strongly associated with schizophrenia, than is warranted when considered against acts of violence and aggression committed by individuals with alcohol abuse and substance dependence problems.
Microgravity/microscale double-helical fluid containment
Authors: May Heather-Jean , Lowry Brian J 
Published: January 2008

Double-helical containment is a novel approach to open containment in microgravity (or at microscale). In contrast to axisymmetric containers, there is no length restriction on properly designed double-helical containers. Use of a double helix permits drainage to zero volume, an uncommon feature in microgravity; near-complete drainage is a key feature for any practically useful container. The fact that double-helical containers are open and tubular makes possible a broad range of applications that rely on accessible fluids.
The double-helical fluid containment and the stability of such volumes are examined in detail. Helical supports permit filamentary containers of infinite extent, but only double-helical containers are stable down to zero volume. The base case of symmetric supports (separation angle 180°) is considered in terms of symmetric volumes as well as asymmetric helicatenoid volumes. The distinct symmetric and asymmetric cases are then related by perturbing the angle of separation between the supports. The helicatenoid volumes may combine to form a dual helicatenoid volume. The dual helicatenoid is interesting in that it permits multiphase tube-like geometries.
Double-helical behaviours such as drainability are found to vanish at a critical separation angle 246.48°. With larger separation angles, double-helical containers behave like single-helical containers (360°), due to the dominance of the longer-span interface. A second shift in behaviour occurs at the limit angle 209.12°, where the regions of stability including the cylinder and the helicatenoids become more connected. The common structures of DNA appear to coincide with the limiting geometry at 209.12°. The most robust double-helical containers are therefore those with separation angles between approximately 210° and 240°. Experimental results roughly verify the volume maximum for near-symmetry, and more importantly verify stability to zero volume.
p53-Dependent and p53-Independent Activation of Autophagy by ARF
Authors: Abida Wassim M. , Gu Wei 
Published: January 2008

Abstract
The ARF tumor suppressor is a crucial component of the cellular response to hyperproliferative signals, including oncogene activation, and functions by inducing a p53-dependent cell growth arrest and apoptosis program. It has recently been reported that the ARF mRNA can produce a smARF isoform that lacks the NH2-terminal region required for p53 activation. Overexpression of this isoform can induce autophagy, a cellular process characterized by the formation of cytoplasmic vesicles and the digestion of cellular content, independently of p53. However, the level of this isoform is extremely low in cells, and it remains unclear whether the predominant form of ARF, the full-length protein, is able to activate autophagy. Here, we show that full-length ARF can induce autophagy in 293T cells where p53 is inactivated by viral proteins, and, notably, expression of the NH2-terminal region alone, which is required for nucleolar localization, is sufficient for autophagy activation, independently of p53. Given the reported ability of p53 to induce autophagy, we also investigated the role of p53 in ARF-mediated autophagy induction. We found that full-length ARF expression induces p53 activation and promotes autophagy in a p53-positive cell line, and that ARF-mediated autophagy can be abrogated, at least in part, by RNAi-mediated knockdown of p53 in this cellular context. Thus, our findings modify the current view regarding the mechanism of autophagy induction by ARF and suggest an important role for autophagy in tumor suppression via full-length ARF in both p53-dependent and p53-independent manners, depending on cellular context. [Cancer Res 2008;68(2):352–7]
The Kringle 1 Domain of Hepatocyte Growth Factor Has Antiangiogenic and Antitumor Cell Effects on Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Shen Zan , Yang Zhen Fan , Gao Yi , Li Ji Cheng , Chen Hai Xiao , Liu Ching Chiu , Poon Ronnie T.P. , Fan Sheung Tat , Luk John M. , Sze Kong Hung , Li Tsai Ping , Gan Ren Bao , He Ming Liang , Kung Hsiang Fu , Lin Marie C.M. 
Published: January 2008

Abstract
The kringle 1 domain of human hepatocyte growth factor (HGFK1) was previously shown to inhibit bovine aortic endothelial cell proliferation, suggesting that it might be an antiangiogenic molecule. Here, we evaluated the in vivo efficacy of a recombinant adenoassociated virus carrying HGFK1 (rAAV-HGFK1) for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in a rat orthotopic HCC model and explored its molecular mechanisms in vitro in both endothelial and tumor cells. We first showed that rAAV-HGFK1 treatment significantly prolonged the survival time of rats transplanted with tumor cells. Treatment with rAAV-HGFK1 inhibited tumor growth, decreased tumor microvessel density, and completely prevented intrahepatic, lung, and peritoneal metastasis in this in vivo model. In vitro, rAAV-HGFK1 exhibited both antiangiogenic and antitumor cell effects, inhibiting the proliferation of both murine microvascular endothelial cells (MEC) and tumor cells, and inducing apoptosis and G0-G1 phase arrest in these cells. To our surprise, rAAV-HGFK1 did not act through the hepatocyte growth factor/hepatocyte growth factor receptor pathway. Instead, it worked mainly through epidermal growth factor (EGF)/epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling, with more minor contributions from vascular endothelial growth factor/vascular endothelial growth factor receptor and β fibroblast growth factor (bFGF)/β fibroblast growth factor receptor (bFGFR) signaling. In both MECs and tumor cells, rAAV-HGFK1 acted through two pathways downstream of EGFR, namely inhibition of extracellular signal-regulated kinase activation and stimulation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase/c-Jun-NH2-kinase activation. These results suggest for the first time that HGFK1 exerts both antiangiogenic and antitumor cell activities mainly through EGF/EGFR signaling, and may thus be considered as a novel therapeutic strategy for the treatment of HCC. [Cancer Res 2008;68(2):404–14]
Glioma Pathogenesis-Related Protein 1 Exerts Tumor Suppressor Activities through Proapoptotic Reactive Oxygen Species–c-Jun–NH2 Kinase Signaling
Authors: Li Likun , Abdel Fattah ElMoataz , Cao Guangwen , Ren Chengzhen , Yang Guang , Goltsov Alexei A. , Chinault A. Craig , Cai Wei-Wen , Timme Terry L. , Thompson Timothy C. 
Published: January 2008

Abstract
Glioma pathogenesis-related protein 1 (GLIPR1), a novel p53 target gene, is down-regulated by methylation in prostate cancer and has p53-dependent and -independent proapoptotic activities in tumor cells. These properties suggest an important tumor suppressor role for GLIPR1, yet direct genetic evidence of a tumor suppressor function for GLIPR1 is lacking and the molecular mechanism(s), through which GLIPR1 exerts its tumor suppressor functions, has not been shown. Here, we report that the expression of GLIPR1 is significantly reduced in human prostate tumor tissues compared with adjacent normal prostate tissues and in multiple human cancer cell lines. Overexpression of GLIPR1 in cancer cells leads to suppression of colony growth and induction of apoptosis. Mice with an inactivated Glipr1 gene had significantly shorter tumor-free survival times than either Glipr1+/+ or Glipr1+/− mice in both p53+/+ and p53+/− genetic backgrounds, owing to their development of a unique array of malignant tumors. Mechanistic analysis indicated that GLIPR1 up-regulation increases the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) leading to apoptosis through activation of the c-Jun–NH2 kinase (JNK) signaling cascade. Thus, our results identify GLIPR1 as a proapoptotic tumor suppressor acting through the ROS-JNK pathway and support the therapeutic potential for this protein. [Cancer Res 2008;68(2):434–43]