bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Relevance of Baldrige constructs in an international context: A study of national culture
Authors: Flynn Barbara B. , Saladin Brooke 
Published: December 2005

AbstractBecause of the wide acclaim received by the Malcolm Baldrige Award, it has served as a model for national quality awards by many countries throughout the world. Some countries have adopted both the MBNQA criteria and weights, while others have adapted the criteria categories or weights somewhat. The relevance of this conceptual framework across national cultures has yet to be established, despite its use as the foundation for numerous national quality awards. This study uses Hofstede's dimensions of national culture to examine whether the theoretical constructs underlying the Baldrige criteria are relevant across national cultures. Correlation analysis, stepwise regression and analysis of variance are used to analyze hypotheses in manufacturing plants in the U.S., Japan, Germany, Italy and England. There were many interactions between dimensions of national culture and the Baldrige constructs advanced in this study. The findings indicate that national culture plays a strong role in the effectiveness of the Baldrige constructs, with the exception of customer and market focus. The findings are interpreted in light of the need for countries to develop awards and quality initiatives tailored to their national cultures.
Revisiting the theory of production competence: Extensions and cross‐validations
Authors: Schmenner Roger W. , Vastag Gyula 
Published: December 2005

AbstractThis paper examines a widely cited work in operations management, the theory of production competence, advanced initially by Cleveland, Schroeder, and Anderson (CSA). This intuitively appealing proposition asserts that production competence leads to improved business performance. However, CSA's empirical work has been criticized by Vickery and her collaborators and by Safizadeh, Ritzman, and Mallick (SRM). Moreover, SRM's own empirical work suggested that the CSA proposition only holds for batch processes. Using data from two large studies, we avoid the problems that plagued CSA's analysis, improve on their result, and call into question the SRM finding that restricts that result to batch operations.
Conceptions of Political Representation in Canada: An Explanation of Public Opinion
Authors: Anderson Cameron D. , Goodyear-Grant Elizabeth 
Published: December 2005

Abstract.Despite widespread attention paid to issues of representation, how Canadians think and feel about different facets of representation are inadequately documented and understood. Using data from the 2000 Canadian Election Study (CES), the article addresses this dearth of systematic research through an examination of popularly held attitudes toward three dimensions of political representation: direct versus representative democracy, the role of the elected representative and territorial versus non-territorial bases of substantive representation. Particular attention is paid to the impact of political knowledge and the individualist/collectivist value cleavage on representational preferences. Results are discussed in light of current debates regarding institutional and representational change in Canada.Résumé.En dépit de l'attention portée aux enjeux de la représentation, les sentiments et les idées des Canadiens par rapport aux différents aspects de la représentation sont mal documentés et compris. Cet article emploie les données de l'Étude électorale canadienne (ÉÉC) et cherche à combler cette lacune en examinant les attitudes populaires par rapport à trois dimensions de la représentation politique : la démocratie directe versus représentative, le rôle du représentant élu, et les bases de représentation territoriales versus non-territoriales. Nous accordons une attention particulière aux répercussions du niveau de connaissances politiques et des valeurs individualistes ou collectivistes sur les préférences en matière de représentation. Les résultats sont examinés à la lumière des débats récents sur le renouveau institutionnel et les modifications de la représentation au Canada.
Up the Creek: Fishing for a New Constitutional Order
Authors: Ladner Kiera L. 
Published: December 2005

Abstract.Everyone familiar with the study of Canadian politics knows the joke about how a French national, an Englishman and a Canadian were asked to write an essay about an elephant: the French national wrote about the culinary uses of the elephant, the Englishman wrote about the elephant and imperialism, and the Canadian wrote a paper entitled, “Elephant: Federal or Provincial Responsibility?” Though simple, the joke conveys the essence of Canadian politics: always defined by jurisdictional disputes. The joke misses the boat, however, by ignoring the fact that indigenous people are now (as they always have been) engaging in jurisdictional debates in an attempt to challenge the Canadian constitutional order and to reaffirm their own constitutional order and autonomy. This paper examines one such dispute—the Mi'kmaw claim of rights and responsibilities for the salmon fishery—and presents it as a case of contested sovereignties and a resulting jurisdictional dispute. In so doing, I pose the question: Is salmon a federal, provincial or Mi'kmaq responsibility? In seeking an answer, this paper proceeds in an exploratory manner to map both constitutional orders, and the interrelation between these orders that results in the debate over responsibility for the salmon.Résumé.Dans le milieu de la science politique au Canada, tout le monde connaît la blague du Français, du Britannique et du Canadien qui doivent écrire une thèse sur l'éléphant. Le Français disserte sur les usages culinaires de l'éléphant, le Britannique traite de l'éléphant et de l'impérialisme et le Canadien écrit une thèse intitulée : “L'éléphant : responsabilité fédérale ou provinciale?” Cette blague, dans sa simplicité, évoque l'essence même de la politique au Canada, car la politique canadienne a toujours été définie par des conflits juridictionnels. Mais, si elle illustre bien la nature de la politique au Canada, elle n'est cependant pas satisfaisante parce qu'elle ignore qu'aujourd'hui (comme autrefois d'ailleurs) les peuples autochtones s'engagent dans les débats juridictionnels pour contester l'ordre constitutionnel du Canada et pour réaffirmer leur propre ordre constitutionnel et leur autonomie. Cet article examine l'un de ces conflits : la revendication par les Mi'kmaq de leurs droits et responsabilités concernant les pêcheries de saumon – et le présente comme un cas de souverainetés contestées, et, par conséquent, un exemple de conflit juridictionnel. Je pose donc la question : “Saumon : responsabilité fédérale, provinciale ou Mi'kmaq?” En répondant à cette question, l'article explore les caractéristiques des deux ordres constitutionnels et leur connexions, ce qui mène à un débat sur l'attribution des compétences dans le domaine du saumon.
Gender vs. Diversity Mainstreaming: A Preliminary Examination of the Role and Transformative Potential of Feminist Theory
Authors: Hankivsky Olena 
Published: December 2005

Abstract.This paper considers why gender mainstreaming (GM), a strategy that many have claimed holds promise for transforming public policy and working towards social justice, is inherently limited and flawed. The paper begins with a brief overview of GM, specifically focusing on the Canadian context, and highlights current discussions in the literature regarding issues of implementation and best practices. It then moves on to reveal that a critical but overlooked dimension of GM is its theoretical foundation. In contextualizing GM within a contemporary feminist theory framework, the paper seeks to illuminate the problematic relationship that currently exists between GM and feminist theory and, moreover, demonstrates why the theoretical premises of GM need significant reworking. The argument put forward is that if insights of recent feminist theorizing are taken seriously, it becomes clear that GM should be replaced by an alternative and broader strategy of diversity mainstreaming. Through the use of practical examples, the paper illustrates how diversity mainstreaming is able to better capture, articulate and make visible the relationship between simultaneously interlocking forms of oppressions that include but are not limited to gender.Résumé.Cet article étudie pourquoi l'intégration d'une perspective de genre (IPG), une stratégie dans laquelle beaucoup ont vu la promesse d'une transformation de la politique publique et d'un progrès vers la justice sociale, est en soi limitée et défectueuse. L'article débute par un bref exposé sur l'IPG, s'intéressant principalement au contexte canadien, et il met en évidence les discussions actuelles dans la littérature au sujet de problèmes de mise en oeuvre et de pratiques exemplaires. Il révèle ensuite qu'une dimension critique mais négligée de l'IPG est son fondement théorique. En contextualisant l'IPG dans un cadre de théorie féministe contemporaine, l'article cherche à éclairer la relation problématique qui existe actuellement entre l'IPG et la théorie féministe et, de surcroît, démontre pourquoi les prémisses théoriques de l'IPG nécessitent une révision significative. L'argument avancé est que, si l'on prend au sérieux les conclusions des théories féministes récentes, il semble évident que l'IPG devrait être remplacée par une stratégie plus vaste d'intégration d'une perspective de diversité. S'appuyant sur des exemples pratiques, l'article montre que l'intégration d'une perspective de diversité réussit à mieux capturer, mettre en rapport et rendre visible la relation entre des formes d'oppression qui s'entrecroisent simultanément et qui incluent mais ne se limitent pas au genre.
Amorphous and Semicrystalline Solid Polymers: Experimental and Modeling Studies of Their Inelastic Deformation Behaviors
Authors: Khan Fazeel , Krempl Erhard 
Published: December 2005

Abstract
The study of the inelastic deformation behavior of six amorphous and semicrystalline polymers was performed to develop and verify the capabilities of a constitutive material model. The test conditions consisted of piecewise constant strain rates for loading and unloading. Immediate control mode switching capability permitted using load control for creep and recovery tests. Positive, nonlinear rate sensitivity was observed in all cases for monotonic loading and the prior loading rate was found to have a strong influence on creep, relaxation and strain recovery (emulating creep at zero stress) tests. In particular, a fast prior rate engenders a larger change in the output variable: strain in conditions of creep and stress drop in relaxation. Based on the absence of any distinctive deformation traits, the preponderance of data collected in the experimentation program suggests that both categories of polymers can be modeled using the same phenomenological approach. Modeling of the experimental data is introduced with a uniaxial form of the Viscoplasticity Theory Based on Overstress for Polymers (VBOP). Simulations and model predictions are provided for various loading histories. Additional modifications necessary to extend the theory to finite deformation and inelastic compressibility are then presented. An objective formulation is obtained in the Eulerian framework together with the recently proposed logarithmic spin by Xiao [Xiao, H., Bruhns, O., and Meyers, A., 1997, “Hypoelesticity Model Based Upon the Logarithmic Stress Rate,” J. Elast., 47, pp. 51–68].
A Thermodynamic Framework for Describing Solidification of Polymer Melts
Authors: Kannan K. , Rao I. J. , Rajagopal K. R. 
Published: December 2005

Abstract
A thermodynamic framework is presented that can be used to describe the solidification of polymer melts, both the solidification of atactic polymers into an amorphous elastic solid and the crystallization of other types of polymer melts to semi-crystalline elastic solids. This framework fits into a general structure that has been developed to describe the response of a large class of dissipative bodies. The framework takes into account the fact that the natural configuration of the viscoelastic melt and the solid evolve during the process and that the symmetries of these natural configurations also evolve. Different choices are made as to how the material stores energy, produces entropy, and for its latent heat, latent energy, etc., that lead to models for different classes of materials. The evolution of the natural configuration is dictated by the manner in which entropy is produced, how the energy is stored etc., and it is assumed that the constitutive choices are such that the rate entropy production is maximized, from an allowable class of constitutive models. Such an assumption also determines the crystallization kinetics, i.e., provides equations such as the Avrami equation. Using the framework, a model is developed within which the problem of fiber spinning is studied and we find that the model is able to predict observed experimental results quite well.
Recruitment of
Bacillus subtilis
RecN to DNA Double-Strand Breaks in the Absence of DNA End Processing
Authors: Sanchez Humberto , Kidane Dawit , Castillo Cozar M. , Graumann Peter L. , Alonso Juan C. 
Published: December 2005

ABSTRACT

The recognition and processing of double-strand breaks (DSBs) to a 3′ single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) overhang structure in
Bacillus subtilis
is poorly understood. Mutations in
addA
and
addB
or null mutations in
recJ
(Δ
recJ
),
recQ
(Δ
recQ
), or
recS
(Δ
recS
) genes, when present in otherwise-Rec
+
cells, render cells moderately sensitive to the killing action of different DNA-damaging agents. Inactivation of a RecQ-like helicase (Δ
recQ
or Δ
recS
) in
addAB
cells showed an additive effect; however, when Δ
recJ
was combined with
addAB
, a strong synergistic effect was observed with a survival rate similar to that of Δ
recA
cells. RecF was nonepistatic with RecJ or AddAB. After induction of DSBs, RecN-yellow fluorescent protein (YFP) foci were formed in
addAB
Δ
recJ
cells. AddAB and RecJ were required for the formation of a single RecN focus, because in their absence multiple RecN-YFP foci accumulated within the cells. Green fluorescent protein-RecA failed to form filamentous structures (termed threads) in
addAB
Δ
recJ
cells. We propose that RecN is one of the first recombination proteins detected as a discrete focus in live cells in response to DSBs and that either AddAB or RecQ(S)-RecJ are required for the generation of a duplex with a 3′-ssDNA tail needed for filament formation of RecA.
The Streptococcal Blr and Slr Proteins Define a Family of Surface Proteins with Leucine-Rich Repeats: Camouflaging by Other Surface Structures
Authors: Waldemarsson Johan , Areschoug Thomas , Lindahl Gunnar , Johnsson Eskil 
Published: December 2005

ABSTRACTRegions with tandemly arranged leucine-rich repeats (LRRs) have been found in many prokaryotic and eukaryotic proteins, in which they provide a remarkably versatile framework for the formation of ligand-binding sites. Bacterial LRR proteins include the recently described Slr protein ofStreptococcus pyogenes, which is related to internalin A ofListeria monocytogenes. Here, we show that strains of the human pathogenStreptococcus agalactiaeexpress a protein, designated Blr, which together with Slr defines a family of internalin A-related streptococcal LRR proteins. Analysis with specific antibodies demonstrated that Blr is largely inaccessible onS. agalactiaegrown in vitro, but surface exposure was increased ∼100-fold on mutants lacking polysaccharide capsule. InS. pyogenes, surface exposure of Slr was not affected in a mutant lacking hyaluronic acid capsule but was increased >20-fold in mutants lacking M protein or protein F. Thus, both Blr and Slr are efficiently camouflaged by other surface structures on bacteria grown in vitro. When Blr and Slr exposed on the bacterial surface were compared, they exhibited only little immunological cross-reactivity, in spite of extensive residue identity, suggesting that their surface-exposed parts have been under evolutionary pressure to diverge functionally and/or antigenically. These data identify a family of immunologically diverse streptococcal LRR proteins that show unexpected complexity in their interactions with other bacterial surface components.
Purification and Characterization of LPXTGase from
Staphylococcus aureus
: the Amino Acid Composition Mirrors That Found in the Peptidoglycan
Authors: Lee Sung G. , Fischetti Vincent A. 
Published: December 2005

ABSTRACT

Bacterial surface proteins are important molecules in the infectivity and survival of pathogens. Surface proteins on gram-positive bacteria have been shown to attach via a transpeptidase, termed sortase, that cleaves an LPXTG sequence found close to the C termini of nearly all surface proteins on these bacteria. We previously identified a unique enzyme (LPXTGase) from
Streptococcus pyogenes
that also cleaves the LPXTG motif with a catalytic activity higher than that of sortase, suggesting that it plays an important role in the attachment process. We have now purified and characterized an LPXTGase from
Staphylococcus aureus
and found that it has both similar and unique features compared to the
S. pyogenes
enzyme. The
S. aureus
enzyme is glycosylated and contains unusual amino acids, like its streptococcal counterpart. Like the streptococcal enzyme, staphylococcal LPXTGase has an overrepresentation of amino acids found in the peptidoglycan, i.e., glutamine/glutamic acid, glycine, alanine, and lysine, and furthermore, we find that these amino acids are present in the enzyme at precisely the same ratio at which they are found in the peptidoglycan for the respective organism. This suggests that enzymes responsible for wall assembly may also play a role in the construction of LPXTGase.
Identification of an ABC Transporter Required for Iron Acquisition and Virulence inMycobacterium tuberculosis
Authors: Rodriguez G. Marcela , Smith Issar 
Published: December 2005

ABSTRACTIron availability affects the course of tuberculosis infection, and the ability to acquire this metal is known to be essential for replication ofMycobacterium tuberculosisin human macrophages.M. tuberculosisovercomes iron deficiency by producing siderophores. The relevance of siderophore synthesis for iron acquisition byM. tuberculosishas been demonstrated, but the molecules involved in iron uptake are currently unknown. We have identified two genes (irtAandirtB) encoding an ABC transporter similar to the YbtPQ system involved in iron transport inYersinia pestis. Inactivation of theirtABsystem decreases the ability ofM. tuberculosisto survive iron-deficient conditions. IrtA and -B do not participate in siderophore synthesis or secretion but are required for efficient utilization of iron from Fe-carboxymycobactin, as well as replication ofM. tuberculosisin human macrophages and in mouse lungs. We postulate that IrtAB is a transporter of Fe-carboxymycobactin. TheirtABgenes are located in a chromosomal region previously shown to contain genes regulated by iron and the major iron regulator IdeR. Taken together, our results and previous observations made by other groups regarding two other genes in this region indicate that this gene cluster is dedicated to siderophore synthesis and transport inM. tuberculosis.
Coordinated Regulation of Two Independent Cell-Cell Signaling Systems and Swarmer Differentiation inSalmonella entericaSerovar Typhimurium
Authors: Kim Wook , Surette Michael G. 
Published: December 2005

ABSTRACTAlmost all members of the genusSalmonelladifferentiate and migrate on semisolid surfaces in a coordinated population behavior known as swarming. Important virulence determinants are coupled to swarmer differentiation in several other pathogenic organisms, collectively suggesting that conditions that trigger swarming in the laboratory may fortuitously promote the cells to enter a robust physiological state relevant to the host environment. Here, we present evidence that expression of two independent cell-cell signaling systems are also coupled to swarmer differentiation inS. entericaserovar Typhimurium. Expression of bothpfsandsdiAgenes was up-regulated in the actively migrating swarmers compared to their vegetative counterparts propagated in broth or spread plated on the surface of swim, swarm, and solid media. Accordingly, swarmers produced elevated levels of a universally recognized signaling molecule, autoinducer-2, and exhibited increased sensitivity toN-acyl homoserine lactones (AHLs), signaling molecules thatSalmonelladoes not produce. Expression of therckoperon was concomitantly up-regulated in the swarmers in an SdiA-dependent manner only in the presence of exogenous AHLs. In addition to the previously reported adaptive antibiotic resistance phenotype and global shift in metabolism, this work presents another component of the physiological changes that are specifically associated with swarmer differentiation in serovar Typhimurium and not simply due to growth on a surface.
Regulation of the
Mycobacterium tuberculosis mce1
Operon
Authors: Casali Nicola , White Amy M. , Riley Lee W. 
Published: December 2005

ABSTRACT

In the murine model of infection, a
Mycobacterium tuberculosis mce1
operon mutant elicits an aberrant granulomatous response, resulting in uncontrolled replication and failure to enter a persistent state. In this study, we demonstrate that the
mce1
genes can be transcribed as a 13-gene polycistronic message encompassing Rv0166 to Rv0178. Quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR and immunoblot analyses revealed that the
mce1
genes and proteins are expressed during in vitro growth but are significantly down-regulated in intracellular bacilli isolated from murine macrophages. A homologue of the FadR subfamily of GntR transcriptional regulators, Rv0165c (designated Mce1R), lies upstream and is divergently transcribed from the operon. To investigate whether this gene plays a role in regulation of
mce1
expression, we created an
M. tuberculosis mce1R
deletion mutant. There was no difference in expression of
mce1
operon genes in Δ
mce1R
compared to expression in the wild type during logarithmic growth in vitro. However, in bacilli isolated from murine macrophages, expression of
mce1
genes was significantly higher in Δ
mce1R
. In addition, overexpression of
mce1R
resulted in repression of the
mce1
genes. These data demonstrate that Mce1R is a negative regulator that acts intracellularly to repress expression of the
mce1
operon. We propose that Mce1R facilitates balanced temporal expression of the
mce1
products required for organized granuloma formation, which is both protective to the host and necessary for the persistence of
M. tuberculosis
.
Expression Analysis of Up-Regulated Genes Responding to Plumbagin inEscherichia coli
Authors: Chen Jenn-Wei , Sun Chang-Ming , Sheng Wei-Lun , Wang Yu-Chen , Syu Wan-Jr 
Published: December 2005

ABSTRACTPlumbagin is found in many medicinal plants and has been reported to have antimicrobial activities. We examined the molecular responses ofEscherichia colito plumbagin by using a proteomic approach to search for bacterial genes up-regulated by the drug. The protein profile obtained was compared with that ofE. coliwithout the plumbagin treatment. Subsequent analyses of the induced proteins by mass spectroscopy identified several up-regulated genes, includingygfZ, whose function has not been defined. Analyses of the 5′-flanking sequences indicate that most of these genes contain a marbox-like stretch, and several of them are categorized as members of themar/soxregulon. Representatives of these genes were cloned into plasmids, and the marbox-like sequences were modified by site-directed mutagenesis. It was proven that mutations in these regions substantially repressed the level of proteins encoded by the downstream genes. Furthermore, plumbagin's early effect was demonstrated to robustly induce SoxS rather than MarA, an observation distinctly different from that seen with sodium salicylate.