bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Changes in Testicular Development, Ultrasonographic and Histological Appearance of the Testis in Buck Kids Immunized Against LHRH Using Recombinant LHRH Fusion Protein
Authors: Ülker H , Küçük M , Yılmaz A , Yörük M , Arslan L , DeAvila DM , Reeves JJ 
Published: May 2008

ContentsThis study was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of recombinant Ovalbumin‐LHRL (OL) immunization on changes in testicular size, histological appearance and testosterone production in buck kids. Thirty native buck kids at 18 weeks of age were divided into three groups, control (n = 10), immunization (n = 10) and castration (n = 10) groups. Immunized animals received OL protein generated by recombinant DNA technology. Ultrasonographic and histological examinations of the testes were performed. Animals were slaughtered at 44 weeks of age. Semen and epididymides were evaluated for the presence of sperm cells. Immunized animals generated anti‐LHRH antibodies. Testosterone production, testicular and accessory glands development and sperm production were suppressed in the immunized animals (p < 0.01). Semineferous tubule diameters decreased (p < 0.01), basal membrane of the tubule was thickened and hyalinized in immunized kids. Immunization affected ultrasonographic appearance of the testes drastically. While testes of control animals gained their normal ultrasonographic appearance as the age increased, immunized animals had uniform hypoechogenic testicular structure as observed at 18 weeks of age until slaughter. Simultaneous histological and ultrasonographic evaluations indicated that the changes in testicular histology could partly be monitored via ultrasonographic imaging; nevertheless, it is difficult to claim that ultrasonographic image reflects the exact changes in such instances. In conclusion, these results indicate that recombinant OL fusion protein is effective in immunocastration in buck kids and has a potential to be used as an alternative to physical castration. Further researches should be conducted to help assessing reproductive status of testes from ultrasound images.
A Competitive Dipstick Enzyme Immunoassay for Diagnosis of Early Pregnancy in Bovine
Authors: Venkatesa Perumal S , Umapathi V , Ambwani T , Lakhchaura BD 
Published: May 2008

ContentsEarly pregnancy diagnosis in bovines is one of the important aspects in efficient dairy farm management. In order to develop a competitive enzyme immunoassay (EIA) employing low cost reagents, anti‐progesterone antiserum and progesterone‐penicillinase enzyme conjugate were prepared. Using this anti‐serum and conjugate along with pencillinV–starch–iodine substrate system, the competitive EIA was standardized. In the experiment, danazol, a weak androgen used to extract the progesterone bound to proteins in milk, was included after standardizing the optimum concentration. Incubation period and temperature and pH of the reaction mixture were also optimized. The developed test was validated with milk samples obtained from dairy farm and individual animal owners. Confirmation of the pregnancy was made by per rectum examination of the genital tract around 60 days post‐insemination. The user friendly test procedure showed sensitivity and specificity of 83.3% and 87.5%, respectively as compared with residual binding method which was earlier developed in the laboratory with sensitivity and specificity of 100% and 87.5% respectively.
The exopolysaccharide of Rhizobium sp. YAS34 is not necessary for biofilm formation on Arabidopsis thaliana and Brassica napus roots but contributes to root colonization
Authors: Santaella Catherine , Schue Mathieu , Berge Odile , Heulin Thierry , Achouak Wafa 
Published: May 2008

SummaryMicrobial exopolysaccharides (EPSs) play key roles in plant–microbe interactions, such as biofilm formation on plant roots and legume nodulation by rhizobia. Here, we focused on the function of an EPS produced by Rhizobium sp. YAS34 in the colonization and biofilm formation on non‐legume plant roots (Arabidopsis thaliana and Brassica napus). Using random transposon mutagenesis, we isolated an EPS‐deficient mutant of strain YAS34 impaired in a glycosyltransferase gene (gta). Wild type and mutant strains were tagged with a plasmid‐born GFP and, for the first time, the EPS produced by the wild‐type strain was seen in the rhizosphere using selective carbohydrate probing with a fluorescent lectin and confocal laser‐scanning microscopy. We show for the fist time that Rhizobium forms biofilms on roots of non‐legumes, independently of the EPS synthesis. When produced by strain YAS34 wild type, EPS is targeted at specific parts of the plant root system. Nutrient fluctuations, root exudates and bacterial growth phase can account for such a production pattern. The EPS synthesis in Rhizobium sp. YAS34 is not essential for biofilm formation on roots, but is critical to colonization of the basal part of the root system and increasing the stability of root‐adhering soil. Thus, in Rhizobium sp. YAS34 and non‐legume interactions, microbial EPS is implicated in root–soil interface, root colonization, but not in biofilm formation.
Outcome of dorsal buccal graft urethroplasty for recurrent bulbar urethral strictures
Authors: O’Riordan Anna , Narahari Radnakrishna , Kumar Vinod , Pickard Robert 
Published: May 2008

OBJECTIVETo audit our results of dorsal buccal mucosal graft urethroplasty for recurrent bulbar urethral stricture disease and compare them with those from specialist centres.PATIENTS AND METHODSData were collected prospectively on 52 men who had urethroplasty with ≥1 year of follow‐up; failure was defined as the need for further intervention.RESULTSThe mean (range) age of the patients was 39 (19–61) years and 23 (45%) had an identifiable cause for their stricture. The mean (range) stricture length was 3.5 (1.5–6) cm and was associated with moderate or severe spongiofibrosis in 38 (73%) men. Ten (19%) men had minor complications after surgery. The mean (range) follow‐up was 34 (12–80) months, with the mean maximum urinary flow rate increasing from 6 to 24 mL/s after surgery. The surgery failed, requiring dilatation or urethrotomy, in seven (14%) men at a mean (range) of 25 (15–50) months after urethroplasty, giving an overall success rate of 86%.CONCLUSIONThis prospective audit of dorsal buccal patch augmentation urethroplasty for bulbar strictures shows an equivalent outcome to the standard set by the expert originators, suggesting that is transferable to less specialized centres. The efficacy, low complication rate, short hospital stay and general applicability of the technique encourage its use for all men with recurrent bulbar stricture disease, but formal comparison with other options in randomized trials, including cost‐effectiveness analysis, is needed.
Renal surgery in the elderly: morbidity in patients aged >75 years in a contemporary series
Authors: Staehler Michael , Haseke Nicolas , Stadler Thomas , Bader Markus , Karl Alexander , Becker Armin , Stief Christian G. 
Published: May 2008

OBJECTIVESTo evaluate the surgical complications in a contemporary group of elderly patients with renal masses, as almost a quarter of patients with newly diagnosed renal mass are aged >74 years, with the potential for significant comorbidity.PATIENTS AND METHODSFrom April 2004 to June 2007, of 379 surgical resections of renal tumours, we assessed 117 consecutive patients aged ≥75 years, who had either radical nephrectomy (RN) or partial nephrectomy (PN) for assumed renal cell carcinoma. Also elderly patients who had nephroureterectomy (NU) for upper urothelial cancer were followed.RESULTSFifty patients had RN, 57 PN and 10 had NU; the median (range) age of all patients was 78.1 (72.7–92.5) years and was similar in all groups. No patient died during surgery and only one died within 90 days. The complication rates during and after surgery RN, PN and NU were 12%, 15% and 20%, respectively; the major complications within 30 days were 4%, 7% and 10%; major complications included bleeding during surgery and one acute bleeding event after surgery in the PN group.CONCLUSIONSOpen renal surgery in elderly patients can be done safely; there was no difference in morbidity among RN, PN and NU. Renal surgery in the elderly patient is safe if done at a specialized centre. Mortality and morbidity can be very low, rendering this a feasible approach in the treatment of renal masses even if the prognosis is not determined by the oncological situation but by comorbidity.
‘Educator talk’ and patient change: some insights from the DESMOND (Diabetes Education and Self Management for Ongoing and Newly Diagnosed) randomized controlled trial
Authors: Skinner T. C. , Carey M. E. , Cradock S. , Dallosso H. M. , Daly H. , Davies M. J. , Doherty Y. , Heller S. , Khunti K. , Oliver L. ,   on behalf of The DESMOND Collaborative
Published: May 2008

AbstractAims  To determine whether differences in the amount of time educators talk during a self‐management education programme relate to the degree of change in participants’ reported beliefs about diabetes.Method  Educators trained to be facilitative and non‐didactic in their approach were observed delivering the DESMOND self‐management programme for individuals newly diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. Observers used 10‐s event coding to estimate the amount of time educators spoke during different sessions in the programme. Facilitative as opposed to didactic delivery was indicated by targets for levels of educator talk set for each session. Targets were based on earlier pilot work. Using the revised Illness Perceptions Questionnaire (IPQ‐R) and the Diabetes Illness Representations Questionnaire (DIRQ), participants completed measures of: perceived duration of diabetes (timeline IPQ‐R), understanding of diabetes (coherence IPQ‐R), personal responsibility for influencing diabetes (personal responsibility IPQ‐R), seriousness of diabetes (seriousness DIRQ) and impact on daily life (impact DIRQ), before and after the education programme.Results  Where data from the event coding indicated educators were talking less and meeting targets for being less didactic, a greater change in reported illness beliefs of participants was seen. However, educators struggled to meet targets for most sessions of the programme.Conclusion  The amount of time educators talk in a self‐management programme may provide a practical marker for the effectiveness of the education process, with less educator talk denoting a more facilitative/less didactic approach. This finding has informed subsequent improvements to a comprehensive quality development framework, acknowledging that educators need ongoing support to facilitate change to their normal educational style.
Competing Rationales for Corporate Governance in France: Institutional Complementarities between Financial Markets and Innovation Systems
Authors: Lee Soo H. , Yoo Taeyoung 
Published: May 2008

ABSTRACTManuscript Type:ConceptualResearch Question/Issue:This paper identifies the causes and consequences of corporate governance reform with reference to the French case. By disaggregating institutional complementarities into global and domestic dimensions, we analyze the path of institutional change compelled by financial efficiency and cooperative innovation.Research Findings/Results:Our analysis of the French case shows that both converging and diverging forces of institutional change coexist, shaping selective responses to globalization. While the adoption of the shareholder model is necessary for resource acquirement from the global capital markets, resource allocation in the cooperative innovation systems reinforces the stakeholder model. The French case confirms the sustainability of distinctive institutional complementarities, albeit with selective adaptation based on a sense‐making social compromise.Theoretical Implications:The French case reminds us of the importance of distinctive institutional traditions and dominant social rationalities to understand the underlying logic of governance reform. The comparative research on corporate governance needs to address not just the cross‐country variations in institutional arrangements and practices, but also the clash of competing rationales for reform explicitly in comparative terms within a single country context.Practical Implications:For foreign investors, it is vital to understand the unique institutional environment of state‐centred stakeholder economies if they are to negotiate the best terms of return and to avoid unnecessary conflicts. French managers are expected to devise strategic choices responding to the competing rationales of governance. Managerial sense‐making is essential for achieving sound long‐term performance, upon which the legitimacy and sustainability of the constellation of selective governance rests.
Board Independence and Real Earnings Management: The Case of R&D Expenditure
Authors: Osma Beatriz Garcia 
Published: May 2008

ABSTRACTManuscript Type: EmpiricalResearch Question/Issue: This paper analyzes the role of boards of directors in constraining research and development (R&D) spending manipulation. Extant research on earnings management indicates that independent directors reduce accounting accruals manipulation; however, there is little evidence on their effectiveness in limiting potentially value reducing R&D cuts motivated by short‐term earnings pressures.Research Findings/Results: Using a large sample of UK firms, I study whether independent boards are efficient at detecting and constraining myopic R&D cuts. The results indicate that more independent boards constrain the manipulation of R&D expenditure. The research design controls for the potential confounding effect of the decision to capitalize vs. expense R&D outlays.Theoretical Implications: The results indicate that independent directors have sufficient technical knowledge to identify opportunistic reductions in R&D, and efficiently constrain opportunistic R&D spending.Practical Implications: The evidence supports the emphasis that recent policy statements have put on increasing the number of independent directors on corporate boards. This study offers insights to policy makers interested in enhancing the monitoring role of corporate boards.
A New Mixture Model for Capture Heterogeneity
Authors: Morgan B. J. T. , Ridout M. S. 
Published: May 2008

Summary
We propose a mixture of binomial and beta–binomial distributions for estimating the size of closed populations. The new mixture model is applied to several real capture–recapture data sets and is shown to provide a convenient, objective framework for model selection. The new model is compared with three alternative models in a simulation study, and the results shed light on the general performance of models in this area. The new model provides a robust flexible analysis, which automatically deals with small capture probabilities.
SACRAMENTAL SUFFERING: THE FRIENDSHIP OF FLANNERY O’CONNOR AND ELIZABETH HESTER1
Authors: WOOD RALPH C. 
Published: May 2008

AbstractAs the only orthodox Christian writer the American nation has yet produced, Flannery O’Connor created a remarkable body of fiction rooted in a profoundly sacramental theology. The depth of O’Connor's sacramentalism has recently been revealed with the opening of her remarkable letters to Elizabeth Hester, her most important epistolary friend. Their eleven‐year correspondence centers upon two inseparable matters: conversion and suffering. The aim of this essay is to explore how the gift (or refusal) of faith comes through the embrace (or rejection) of a participation in God's own life through a life of sacramental suffering.
RETURNING BARTH TO ANSELM
Authors: STANLEY TIMOTHY 
Published: May 2008

Barth's AnselmThis article focuses on Barth's explication of Anselm's Proslogion 2‐4 in his book on Anselm and attempts to show how Anselm helped clarify for Barth the ontological nature of his own early theology, in particular what he meant by the “is” in his affirmation “God is God.” Our contention is that Barth's continual pointing to Anselm's Fides Quaerens Intellectum as a vital key to his own theology should not be overlooked. In fact, we argue that only by returning Barth to Anselm in this way can we begin to understand more thoroughly one of the key contributions of Barth's theology generally and its potential relevance to contemporary onto‐theological debates.
INTRODUCING THE WORK OF PETER OCHS
Authors: RASHKOVER RANDI 
Published: May 2008

AbstractPeter Ochs’ work offers a rehabilitation of the wisdom tradition celebrated by rabbinic Judaism. While Jewish philosophy, long occupied by the particular names and categories of the given order, has neglected the deepest insights of the rabbinic appreciation of wisdom, Ochs’ work recovers wisdom as a metaphysically imaginative and pragmatically effective exercise of reasoning. The four articles offered in this symposium on the work of Peter Ochs by David Lamberth, James K. A. Smith, Nicholas Adams and Leora Batnitzky, together with Peter Ochs’ response and Steven Kepnes’ conclusion, offer a striking illustration of the reach and depth of Ochs’ recovery of wisdom. This reach extends but is not limited to a ‘new thinking’ and agenda for philosophical theology applied to its specific areas of concern, including the relationship between philosophy and theology, the nature of religious studies, and the practice of Scriptural Reasoning.
HOW RELIGIOUS PRACTICES MATTER1: PETER OCHS' “ALTERNATIVE NURTURANCE” OF PHILOSOPHY OF RELIGION
Authors: SMITH JAMES K. A. 
Published: May 2008

AbstractThis article engages the work of Peter Ochs from the perspective of philosophy of religion. In particular, I consider Ochs' work on Scriptural Reasoning and Jewish Morning Prayer as articulating a unique emphasis on religious liturgical practices that hints at a much needed paradigm shift in philosophy of religion, which has tended to focus on the cognitive aspects of religion (beliefs and doctrines) or the merely static artifacts of religious traditions.
PRAGMATICISM AND BIBLICAL HERMENEUTICS: SOME COMMENTS ON THE WORK OF PETER OCHS
Authors: BATNITZKY LEORA 
Published: May 2008

AbstractThis article considers the tension between Peter Ochs' commitment not to apply external standards to scripture and his view that rules of meaning must continually be adjusted to new conditions. In this context, the article rejects Ochs' claim that “the ‘isms’ of modernity [have] exhausted their positive contribution to the betterment of humanity,” arguing instead, on the basis of Ochs' work itself, that we remain “children of the epoch of great dyads”—between the logic of scripture and consciousness of our historicity, between the children of Abraham and the children of Adam, between Abraham's tent and the desert outside of it.
RESPONSE: REFLECTIONS ON BINARISM
Authors: OCHS PETER 
Published: May 2008

AbstractImmanuel Kant asked, What are the transcendental conditions for knowing the world and for knowing how we ought to behave in it? For Scriptural Reasoners, this question is answered through fellowships of scriptural study in which practices of shared reading and interpretation give rise to practices of reasoning, speculatively, about what ultimately guides and authorizes our action in the world. These practices lead, in one direction, to Textual Reasoning: fellowships of study that define and test such speculations from within the context of specific traditions of belief and action. In another direction, these practices lead to recommendations about academic study: for example, about how well or poorly various disciplines comprehend the conditions for understanding scriptural religion.
PETER OCHS: PHILOSOPHY IN THE SERVICE OF GOD AND WORLD
Authors: KEPNES STEVEN D. 
Published: May 2008

AbstractAs theologian, Ochs adopts C. S. Peirce's notions of “thirdness” to find an alternative to the dichotomies particular/universal, traditional/modern, individual/community that plague modern thought and theology. In the difficult attempt to walk this fine line between the dichotomies of contemporary thought, Ochs often finds himself misunderstood by the two camps on either side of him. Thus, we see that Batnitzky accuses him of being too universalistic and Lamberth of being too particularistic. Ochs's reply to his critics on both the modernist or traditionalist sides is that both are wrong because they employ the same dichotomist logic. Each is a mirror image of the other. Ochs argues that operative in scripture is a “logic of thirdness,” which provides the key both to the repair of modern theology and the repair of the world.
A Dual Aspect Process Model of Intensive Interaction
Authors: Firth Graham 
Published: May 2008

Accessible summary

Intensive Interaction is a way of communicating sociably with people who have severe or profound learning disabilities and/or autism.
The writer of this paper thinks that some people may have different ideas why they do Intensive Interaction with people who have severe or profound learning disabilities and/or autism.
Some people use Intensive Interaction to communicate with and respond to people who have severe or profound learning disabilities and/or autism, in whichever way works best.
Other people use Intensive Interaction to help people who have severe or profound learning disabilities and/or autism to learn more ways to communicate and get on with other people around them.
The writer of this paper thinks that there should be more research into what people think about Intensive Interaction.

SummaryIntensive Interaction is an empirically researched approach to developing fundamental communication and sociability for people with severe and profound learning disabilities and/or autism. However, it is the author’s contention that certain aspects of Intensive Interaction are not universally conceptualised in a uniform manner, and that there are two general process models that are used to describe the approach by an increasing number of multi‐disciplinary practitioners and advocates. Firstly, there is a ‘Social Inclusion Process Model’ of Intensive Interaction, with practitioners using the approach with the primary aim of inclusively responding to the communication of a person with learning disability, however it is expressed. Secondly, there is a ‘Developmental Process Model’, with practitioners having identifiably educative or developmental goals, rather than the approach being viewed simply as a means of contemporaneous social inclusion. In an attempt to clarify this position, this paper makes the case for a ‘Dual Aspect Process Model’ of Intensive Interaction.