bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Black Substantive Representation in State Legislatures from 1971–1994*
Authors: Owens Chris T. 
Published: November 2005

Objective. To determine if increased black descriptive representation in state legislatures has resulted in greater influence over policy outputs.Methods. I examine state budgets over a 24‐year period, comparing changes in spending priorities within budgets.Results. The results demonstrate that increased black representation has resulted in state legislatures giving greater priority to policy areas important to black elected officials.Conclusion. When measured correctly, increased descriptive representation can result in increased substantive representation in large political institutions.
Testing a Political Economic Theory of the Media: How Were Steel Tariffs Covered?*
Authors: Kuzyk Patricia , McCluskey Jill J. , Dente Ross Susan 
Published: November 2005

Objective.The objective of this article is to testStrömberg's (2001)prediction that newspapers will devote more space to costs of tariffs than to their benefits, using the recent steel tariff issue as a test case.Method.A content analysis was performed on a sample of 123New York Times(NYT) and 177Wall Street Journal(WSJ) articles published between January 1 and September 10, 2002. The articles were coded sentence by sentence for pro‐, anti‐, and neutral‐tariff content. Comments or information deemed supportive of the tariffs, that is, touting their benefits, were coded +1, while those emphasizing the costs of tariffs were coded –1. A statement that was neutral with regard to the tariff issue was coded 0. The proportion of sentences coded –1 was then compared with the proportion coded +1.Results.The coders found 395 sentences devoted to the negative impacts of steel tariffs versus 124 sentences devoted to their benefits out of a combined total of 3,207 sentences. The results also reveal a mild “slant” toward free trade in theWSJrelative to theNYT. In theWSJ, the proportion of lines criticizing tariffs (0.11) exceeds the proportion supporting tariffs (0.02) by a wider margin than in theNYT(0.13 vs. 0.06).Conclusions.This article provides empirical support forStrömberg's (2001)political economy model of the media. The model implies that mass media will weaken the power of special‐interest lobbies relative to unorganized interests. Specifically, the data support Strömberg's prediction that more newspaper space would be devoted to the costs of steel tariffs—which are widely dispersed—than to their benefits—which are narrowly targeted.
Social Capital and Economic Performance in the American States*
Authors: Casey Terrence , Christ Kevin 
Published: November 2005

Objective.This study tests the claim that areas with higher levels of social capital have superior economic performance.Method.The 14‐measure index of social capital created by Robert Putnam is reconstructed for an extended time period and integrated into cross‐sectional regression models including physical capital, human capital, and other factors relevant to state economic performance.Results.The analysis shows that social capital has no discernable influence on aggregate measures of output and employment. However, it does have a positive and significant impact on measures of economic equality and employment stability.Conclusions.This study does not support the claim that social capital is a general prerequisite for prosperity, but it does suggest that it may serve to reinforce a particular mode of communitarian economic development.
Investor Responses to IMF Program Suspensions: Is Noncompliance Costly?*
Authors: Edwards Martin S. 
Published: November 2005

Objective. This article reinvestigates the “catalytic” effects of IMF programs on investment controlling for the implementation of the program, allowing us to ascertain if capital markets respond to the mere announcement of a Fund program or its sustained positive implementation.Methods. Using a panel of data based on the experience of 106 developing countries entering Fund programs between 1979 and 1995, I employ both probit and tobit estimations to assess the effects of the announcement of a Fund program (and performance under it) on inflows of portfolio investment.Results. I find mixed evidence that good implementation serves to slow capital flight. I find consistently strong evidence that failed Fund programs produce portfolio flight.Conclusion. The findings suggest that we should think about the Fund's influence (both positive and negative) in light of how capital markets respond to its signals.
Using Theory to Understand Public Support for Collective Actions that Impact the Environment: Alleviating Water Supply Problems in a Nonarid Biome*
Authors: Routhe Aaron S. , Jones Robert Emmet , Feldman David L. 
Published: November 2005

Objectives. There is increasing public debate over how to meet future water supply needs in historically water‐abundant areas such as the American southeast. Citizens, policymakers, and others are struggling to find ways to meet these needs and to design political strategies for implementing them. This article examines water supply problems facing many communities in the southeast and how social theory can be used to better understand public support for collective actions designed to alleviate them. It presents a framework synthesizing recent work of Dunlap and Jones on the conceptual foundations of environmental concern research with Ajzen and Fishbein's theory of reasoned action in order to understand public support for building a dam to meet local water supply needs.Methods. The linkages postulated by the model were empirically tested using mail‐survey data obtained from a random sample of 433 adult residents of Cumberland County, Tennessee.Results. Results demonstrate that public support for building the dam is weak.Conclusion. Knowledge of public beliefs, norms, and attitudes about its construction and potential impact, however, can provide policymakers, natural resource professionals, and local stakeholder groups with a solid understanding of why residents support, oppose, or are unsure about building a dam to alleviate water supply problems in this county.
Degree Completion Among Nontraditional College Students*
Authors: Taniguchi Hiromi , Kaufman Gayle 
Published: November 2005

Objective. With the growing number of older students attending college, one major issue concerning these nontraditional students is their overall low completion rates. We examine factors affecting nontraditional students' degree completion.Methods. Using data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, we examine the effects of student characteristics on the probability of finishing college with event history models.Results. Part‐time enrollment significantly deters college completion, whereas the number of prior enrollments facilitates it. Being relatively young, having high cognitive ability, and a high‐status occupational background also increase the chance of completion, but these effects partly differ by gender. On the other hand, being divorced and having young children, the factors often negatively associated with women's socioeconomic status, suppress degree completion for both genders.Conclusions. Based on these results, we discuss how higher educational institutions and employers might be able to help increase the rate of completion among nontraditional students.
The Roles of Parenting Styles and Social Capital in the School Performance of Immigrant Asian and Hispanic Adolescents*
Authors: Pong Suet‐ling , Hao Lingxin , Gardner Erica 
Published: November 2005

Objective. This study investigates the role of parenting styles and social capital (parental involvement, intergenerational closure, expectation, and trust) in accounting for school performance among ethnic groups and across immigrant generations.Methods. Using data from the Adolescent Health Survey, we estimate fixed‐effects models to analyze students' grade‐point averages. We compare three generations of Asian students and three generations of Hispanic students to the third‐generation (native born with native parents) white students.Results. We find significant differences by both race/ethnicity and generational status in parenting styles and forms of social capital. However, while family socioeconomic status (SES) accounts for the achievement gap between foreign‐born Hispanic and the third‐generation white students, parenting styles and forms of social capital do not moderate any ethnic‐generational differences.Conclusions. Family influences, apart from SES, cannot explain ethnicity‐generation differences in school grades among Hispanic and Asian adolescents. This study provides conceptual clarification and empirical evidence for the significant but independent association between students' school grades and parenting styles on the one hand, and social capital on the other.
Interpatient variability in the pharmacokinetics of the HIV non‐nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor efavirenz: the effect of gender, race, and CYP2B6 polymorphism
Authors: Burger David , Van Der Heiden Ilse , La Porte Charles , Van Der Ende Marchina , Groeneveld Paul , Richter Clemens , Koopmans Peter , Kroon Frank , Sprenger Herman , Lindemans Jan , Schenk Paul , Van Schaik Ron 
Published: November 2005

AimsTo characterize the demographic and pharmacogenetic factors that influence interpatient variability in the plasma concentrations of the HIV non‐nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor efavirenz.MethodsData from all samples analyzed for efavirenz in our TDM service in 2002 and 2003 were reviewed. Information on gender, age, body weight, height, race, hormonal contraceptive use (in a subset of patients), and time between sampling and last intake was recorded. PCR‐restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis was performed to detect the cytochrome P450 2B6 (CYP2B6) C1459T variant (present in CYP2B6*6 and CYP2B6*7) which is associated with low CYP2B6 activity.ResultsA total of 255 patients were included in this analysis. The median plasma efavirenz concentration was 2.50 (interquartile range: 1.85–3.55) mg l−1. Eight patients (3.1%) were considered to have a subtherapeutic plasma concentration (<1.0 mg l−1) and 48 (18.9%) a toxic efavirenz concentration (>4.0 mg l−1). Gender, time after last intake, and race were the only factors that were significantly related to plasma efavirenz concentration in a multivariate analysis. No influence was observed for body weight, hormonal contraceptive use, and the presence of the CYP2B6 C1459T polymorphism.ConclusionsGender and race are important factors in determining interpatient variability in plasma efavirenz concentrations which were unaffected by the presence of the CYP2B6 C1459T polymorphism. Physicians should be particularly alert for signs of efavirenz‐induced toxicity in females and non‐Caucasian patients.
The larynx as an immunological organ: immunological architecture in the pig as a large animal model
Authors: Barker E , Haverson K , Stokes C R , Birchall M , Bailey M 
Published: November 2005

SummaryThe larynx is a mucosal organ positioned at the divergence of the respiratory and digestive tracts. It is exposed to a wide variety of environmental components, including foreign antigens, tobacco smoke, laryngopharyngeal reflux and pollutants. The mucosal immune system generates either active immune responses or tolerance, depending on the nature of the antigen and we hypothesize that the larynx is important organ for immunological decision-making in the airway. Because the pig is an ideal large animal model in which to explore laryngological research questions, such as those relating to laryngeal transplantation, we investigated the normal mucosal immunology of the porcine larynx. Pig larynges and tracheae were processed and prepared for bright-field microscopy and quantitative, multiple-colour immunofluorescence histology using pig-specific monoclonal antibodies. There was an abundance of immunologically active cells within the mucosa of the larynx and trachea of both the newborn and adult animal. Specifically, major histocompatibility complex class II (MHC class II+) cells, CD4+ and CD8+ cells were identified, although regional differences in numbers were apparent: specifically, the supraglottis contained fewer immunologically relevant cells than other sites sampled. There was a significant correlation between the numbers of MHC class II+ and CD4+ cells indicating co-ordinate regulation and therefore functional local interactions. The presence of such an immunological structure suggests that the larynx may have important functions in respiratory immunology and that it may trigger strong alloresponses after laryngeal transplantation.
CD28-mediated costimulation impacts on the differentiation of DC vaccination-induced T cell responses
Authors: Voigt H , Schrama D , Eggert A O , Vetter C S , Müller-Blech K , Reichardt H M , Andersen M H , Becker J C , Lühder F 
Published: November 2005

SummaryCostimulatory signals such as the ones elicited by CD28/B7 receptor ligation are essential for efficient T cell activation but their role in anti-tumour immune responses remains controversial. In the present study we compared the efficacy of DC vaccination-induced melanoma specific T cell responses to control the development of subcutaneous tumours and pulmonary metastases in CD28-deficient mice. Lack of CD28-mediated costimulatory signals accelerated tumour development in both model systems and also the load of pulmonary metastases was strongly increased by the end of the observation period. To scrutinize whether lack of CD28 signalling influences priming, homing or effector function of Trp-2180−188/Kb-reactive T cells we investigated the characteristics of circulating and tumour infiltrating T cells. No difference in the frequency of Trp-2180−188/Kb-reactive CD8+ T cells could be demonstrated among the cellular infiltrate of subcutaneous tumours after DC vaccination between both genotypes. However, the number of IFN-γ-producing Trp-2-reactive cells was substantially lower in CD28-deficient mice and also their cytotoxicity was reduced. This suggests that CD28-mediated costimulatory signals are essential for differentiation of functional tumour-specific CD8+ T-effector cells despite having no impact on the homing of primed CD8+ T cells.
Multiple interleukin-18 injections promote both mouse Th1 and Th2 responses after sublethalEscherichia coliinfection
Authors: Kinoshita M , Kuranaga N , Matsumoto A , Ono S , Shinomiya N , Hiraide H , Seki S 
Published: November 2005

SummaryInterleukin (IL)-18 is considered to induce exclusively the Th1 immune response but not the Th2 response in the presence of adequate IL-12 stimulation in bacterial infections. However, we demonstrate herein that multiple IL-18 injections to the mice not only enhance the early Th1 response but also stimulate the Th2 response later after viable Escherichia coli infection. Multiple IL-18 injections (three alternate-day injections) raised the serum interferon (IFN)-γ level at 6 h and serum Th2 cytokine levels, such as IL-4, IL-10 and IL-13, at 48 h after infection, while a single IL-18 injection increased only the serum IFN-γ level. Depletion of mouse CD4+ cells suppressed the IL-18-induced Th2 cytokines, IL-4, IL-10 and IL-13. In contrast, depletion of natural killer (NK)1·1+ cells reduced the IFN-γ and IL-13 levels. Moreover, multiple IL-18 injections up-regulated the serum IgM level at 72 h after infection while a single IL-18 injection did not. Interestingly, neutralization of IL-4 but not IFN-γ partially suppressed the increased serum IgM.Liver mononuclear cells (MNCs) from the mice treated with multiple IL-18 injections significantly increased more production of not only IFN-γ but also Th2 cytokines and IgM by in vitro lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation than those from the phosphate-buffered saline (PBS)-treated mice, while liver MNCs from the single IL-18-injected mice also increased IFN-γ production but significantly suppressed IL-4 and IgM production compared to those from the PBS-treated mice. Our findings suggest that multiple injections of IL-18 up-regulate both the cellular and humoral innate immunities, thereby enhancing host defence against bacterial infections.
Human cytomegalovirus pp65 lower matrix protein: a humoral immunogen for systemic lupus erythematosus patients and autoantibody accelerator for NZB/W F1 mice
Authors: Chang M , Pan M-R , Chen D-Y , Lan J-L 
Published: November 2005

SummaryBoth the infection of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) and the immunization of its recombinant glycoprotein (gB) in mice have been known to induce autoimmunity, resulting in symptoms similar to those of human systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Research has also found that the murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV)-specific monoclonal antibody (mAb) is able to react with a human U1-70K-like autoantigen. To investigate HCMV involvement in autoimmunity, we analysed the humoral responses to HCMV by autoimmune patients and normal adults. Our studies show unambiguously that sera from SLE patients exhibited an elevated IgG titre to HCMV when compared with those observed in controls and other connective tissue disease (CTD) patients (P &lt; 0·001). The IgM titres to HCMV and IgG to HBV were evaluated, and no significant differences were noted among all testing groups. In addition to initiating T cell activity, as reported by many investigators, we found that the HCMV pp65 antigen (also known as lower matrix protein) was able to induce humoral responses in SLE patients. Immunoblot assays showed that 82·56% of sera from SLE patients reacted with the HCMV pp65 antigen, but only 11·11%, 23·53% and 31·17% of patients from normal control, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and CTD patients, respectively, reacted to it. Unlike HCMV pp65, HCMV pp150 induced B cell activity in most collected sera (92·22%-98·04%). Finally, female NZB/W F1 mice immunized with plasmids encoding HCMV pp65 open reading frame (pcDNApp65) developed an early onset of autoantibody activity and more severe glomerulonephritis. Thus, we conclude that the HCMV pp65 antigen triggers humoral immunity in SLE patients and autoimmune-prone mice and that it could very well exacerbate the autoimmune responses in susceptible animals.
Natural killer cell activities of synbiotic Lactobacillus casei ssp. casei in conjunction with dextran
Authors: Ogawa T , Asai Y , Tamai R , Makimura Y , Sakamoto H , Hashikawa S , Yasuda K 
Published: November 2005

Summary
We have reported previously that Lactobacillus casei ssp. casei, together with specific substrate dextran, exhibited an adjuvant effect of stimulating humoral immune responses against bovine serum albumin (BSA) as a model antigen in BALB/c mice. In the present study, among the Lactobacillus species tested, L. casei ssp. casei with dextran significantly elevated the natural killer (NK) cell activites in spleen mononuclear cells from BALB/c mice in comparison to L. casei ssp. casei alone or other Lactobacillus species with or without dextran. Oral administration of L. casei ssp. casei together with dextran also resulted in a significant increase of NK cell activities in healthy human volunteers. Further, L. casei ssp. casei induced significant production of interleukin (IL)-12 in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells and IL-15 mRNA expression in the human intestinal epithelial cell line Caco-2. L. casei ssp. casei with dextran in food also significantly elevated the survival rate of BALB/c mice bearing Meth-A cells. Taken together, these results demonstrate that dietary synbiotic supplementation which is a combination of the L. casei ssp. casei used as a probiotic together with the dextran, a specific substrate as a prebiotic, efficiently elicits murine and human NK cell activities.
Gut motor function: immunological control in enteric infection and inflammation
Authors: Khan W I , Collins S M 
Published: November 2005

SummaryAlteration in gastrointestinal (GI) motility occurs in a variety of clinical settings which include acute enteritis, inflammatory bowel disease, intestinal pseudo-obstruction and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Most disorders affecting the GI tract arise as a result of noxious stimulation from the lumen via either microbes or chemicals. However, it is not clear how injurious processes initiated in the mucosa alter function in the deeper motor apparatus of the gut wall. Activation of immune cells may lead to changes in motor-sensory function in the gut resulting in the development of an efficient defence force which assists in the eviction of the noxious agent from the intestinal lumen. This review addresses the interface between immune and motor system in the context of host resistance based on the studies in murine model of enteric nematode parasite infection. These studies clearly demonstrate that the infection-induced T helper 2 type immune response is critical in producing the alterations of infection-induced intestinal muscle function in this infection and that this immune-mediated alteration in muscle function is associated with host defence mechanisms. In addition, by manipulating the host immune response, it is possible to modulate the accompanying muscle function, and this may have clinical relevance. These observations not only provide valuable information on the immunological control of gut motor function and its role in host defence in enteric infection, but also provide a basis for understanding pathophysiology of gastrointestinal motility disorders such as in IBS.
Spatial and temporal patterns in summer ichthyoplankton assemblages on the eastern Bering Sea shelf 1996–2000
Authors: DUFFY‐ANDERSON J. T. , BUSBY M. S. , MIER K. L. , DELIYANIDES C. M. , STABENO P. J. 
Published: November 2005

AbstractLarval and early juvenile fishes were sampled from the eastern Bering Sea (EBS) shelf during summer from 1996 to 2000. Data from these collections were used to examine spatial and temporal patterns in species assemblage structure and abundance. Cluster analyses based on Bray–Curtis dissimilarity coefficients were used to group species and stations according to similar abundance and species composition. Ordination techniques were used to verify groupings, and a non‐parametric stepwise procedure using a Spearman correlation coefficient (BIO‐ENV) was used to relate groupings to predominant environmental variables. These approaches revealed a pattern of station groupings that were generally related to bathymetry in 1996, 1997, 1999, and 2000, although no obvious relationship to geographic boundaries was observed in 1998. Significant differences in species associations were observed in 1997 and 1998, and depressions in abundance were also noted among many species between 1997 and 1999. A regional, full primitive equation model was used to simulate float trajectories on the EBS shelf in each year to better relate fish distributional observations to prevailing current patterns. Model results indicated general variations in flow in several years, although 1998 stood out with stronger northeast flow than in any of the other years examined. Observed disruptions of larval and early juvenile fish assemblages could be related to the strong El‐Niño event of 1997–98 in the EBS. If this idea is confirmed, our study suggests that larval and juvenile fish are sensitive and respond relatively quickly (1–2 yr) to environmental perturbations, and as such, may be timely indicators of environmental change.