bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Topical effect of various agents on gelatinase activity in the tear film of normal dogs
Authors: Couture Simon , Doucet Michèle , Moreau Maxime , Carrier Michel 
Published: April 2006

AbstractObjective  To evaluate the topical effect of various agents, currently used in the treatment of melting ulcers, on gelatinase activity present in the tear film of normal dogs.Animal studied  Eight normal adult beagles.Procedures  Each animal received the following agents: cyclosporine A 1%, N‐acetylcysteine 10%, ciprofloxacin 0.3%, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) 1%, doxycycline 0.001%, polysulfated glycosaminoglycans (PSGAG) 5%, autoserum, and artificial tears during a 48‐h period following a Latin square design. Tear samples were collected with micro‐capillary pipettes following a corneal surface irrigation of each eye with sterile saline on four different occasions. Basal and total gelatinase activities were evaluated by optical density after processing in a commercial gelatinase activity assay. From the optical density ratio, a semi‐quantitative measure of gelatinase activity was obtained. Basal and total activities were measured in all samples.Results  The lowest total gelatinase activity, representing a percent decline in the enzyme activity although not significant, was observed 1 h after the last treatment in seven out of the eight ophthalmic agents; EDTA (68%), ciprofloxacin (76%), cyclosporine A (68%), doxycycline (47%), artificial tears (26%), PSGAG (25%), and N‐acetylcysteine (20%). However, only the reduction observed with EDTA 6 h after the last treatment was significantly lower compared to the reduction observed with the artificial tears.Conclusion  This study indicated that only EDTA was able to significantly reduce the gelatinase activity in a persistent manner in the tear film of normal canine eyes. Further studies will be required to evaluate the effect of EDTA under ulcerative conditions and to more accurately ascertain the potential in vivo effect of the other agents.
PrimaryAspergillusandFusariumkeratitis in a Holstein cow
Authors: Elligott Colleen R. , Wilkie David A. , Kuonen Vanessa J. , Bras I. Dineli , Neihaus Andrew 
Published: April 2006

AbstractA 5‐year‐old female Holstein cow was examined for ocular discharge, periorbital swelling, an area of full‐thickness corneal cellular infiltrate, fibrin, hypopyon, diffuse corneal edema, and miosis. The patient was diagnosed with a corneal stromal abscess and secondary anterior uveitis. Histopathology, mycotic culture, and polymerase chain reaction positive forAspergillusandFusariumDNA confirmed the presence of fungal infection. Response to therapy was adequate, and follow‐up with the patient 1 year after diagnosis revealed a focal area of corneal fibrosis.
Semantic learning designs: recording assumptions and guidelines
Authors: Sicilia Miguel‐Angel 
Published: April 2006

AbstractRecent developments in the standardisation of learning technology have resulted in models of learning activities and resources including descriptive metadata and definitions of conditional flows for multirole activities. Nonetheless, such learning designs are actually representations of the results of the design process and do not provide information about the rationale of the design, ie, about the theoretical standpoints, assumptions or guidelines applied to come up with the concrete arrangement of activities. These latter elements are critical not only for informative reasons, but as a medium towards the end of connecting theories and hypotheses to actual practice and analysing the resulting empirical data as a form of inquiry on the validity of theoretical assumptions. This paper delineates the main aspects of a schema for the recording of such design rationales using an ontological approach. The method for the engineering of the schema was based on connecting the definitions provided with an existing large ontological base, thus reusing a large amount of common sense knowledge. Two paradigmatic example positions of the range of aspects that could be covered by the representation language are described as an illustration. The resulting ontological definitions can be used as a foundation for the refinement of theoretical positions and for their comparative assessment.
TM4L: Creating and browsing educational topic maps
Authors: Dicheva Darina , Dichev Christo 
Published: April 2006

AbstractIn this article, we describe TM4L, an environment for building, maintaining and using standards‐based, ontology‐aware e‐learning repositories. It is based on the idea that concept‐driven access to learning material implemented as a topic map can bridge the gap between a learner and targeted knowledge. One of the driving goals of this work is to increase the reusability of available educational resources by enabling the use of a developed subject ontology with courses on the same subject with different stricture. Another goal of TM4L is to support an efficient context‐based retrieval of learning content tailored to the needs of a learner working on an educational task. The paper focuses on three aspects of the TM4L environment: domain modelling, editing capabilities and the interface for exploring the learning collection. The key features of the TM4L functionality are illustrated with some examples.
e‐Learning for depth in the Semantic Web
Authors: Shafrir Uri , Etkind Masha 
Published: April 2006

AbstractIn this paper, we describe concept parsing algorithms, a novel semantic analysis methodology at the core of a new pedagogy that focuses learners’ attention on deep comprehension of the conceptual content of learned material. Two new e‐learning tools are described in some detail: interactive concept discovery learning and meaning equivalence reusable learning objects. These semantic technologies were developed at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education and Adaptive Technology Resource Centre of Faculty of Information Studies (ATRC/FIS) at the University of Toronto; they were tested since 2001 in several academic institutions in Canada and at the Russian Academy of Sciences (patents pending: US patent 6,953,344 B2, USPO ♯20050149510; Copyright 2005, PARCEP Inc.). We describe the rationale for developing these instructional tools, their main characteristics and results of several evaluative implementations that show their potential to enhance learning outcomes and to provide authentic, credible, evidence‐based formative assessments of learning processes.
Towards a semantic e‐learning theory by using a modelling approach
Authors: Yli‐Luoma Pertti V. J. , Naeve Ambjörn 
Published: April 2006

AbstractIn the present study, a semantic perspective on e‐learning theory is advanced and a modelling approach is used. This modelling approach towards the new learning theory is based on the four SECI phases of knowledge conversion: Socialisation, Externalisation, Combination and Internalisation, introduced by Nonaka in 1994, and involving two levels of knowledge—tacit and explicit. In the Socialisation phase, the teacher–student interaction activates the exploratory learning behaviour. This phase is emotionally and socially loaded. The Externalisation phase is partly emotional but a cognitive dimension is also needed, which requires creativity. This phase works optimally if it is collaborative in nature. In the Combination phase, an ability for hypothetical–deductive thinking is needed for the modelling approach. During the Internalisation phase, the learning process requires that students engage in seeking to understand and explain natural phenomena, which further demands testing of the theoretical concepts.
Semantic e‐learning: synthesising fantasies
Authors: Lytras Miltiadis , Naeve Ambjörn 
Published: April 2006

AbstractWhen the subject of scientific analysis is learning, the research needs to be anchored in various nonmonolithic pillars. Several disciplines require a common ground of convergence. An objective observer of the domain can easily conclude that semantic e‐learning brings together the three different worlds of learners, pedagogues and technologists.In this short concluding paper of the special issue, we criticise the monolithic approaches to technology‐enhanced learning. We argue that semantic e‐learning presents a critical research challenge to move towards extended openness, meaning exploitation and unforeseen learning opportunities for the global community.The concluding remark is a call for a new learning generation primer. Synthesizing fantasies is in fact an invitation to semantically define our commitment to collaborate and to agree on the technology‐enabled services that bring learning to the forefront. The promotion of the knowledge‐and‐learning‐society requires an integration of the demand and supply side of knowledge and learning.
Global Production and Currency Devaluation*
Authors: Zhao Laixun , Xing Yuqing 
Published: April 2006

AbstractWe model the production allocation choices of a multinational enterprise (MNE) in a three‐country framework—one northern country and two southern ones. Products made in the South are of lower quality than those made in the North. Substitutability between goods differs due to variations in product quality. We investigate how exchange rates affect production, employment, and welfare, and find that currency devaluation from different countries brings contrasting results. In particular, an appreciation in the southern country (X) producing the lowest‐quality good with the least cost may reduce production (employment) in the North, while an appreciation in the other southern currency (Y) always does the opposite. A northern depreciation against both southern currencies may increase production in country X, but always reduces that in country Y. These arise because the MNE shifts production globally to minimize costs. Northern welfare always falls following currency appreciation in southern countries.
Strategic Exports and R&D with Internationally Mobile Skilled Labor and Exchange Rate Volatility*
Authors: Lahiri Sajal , Mesa Fernando 
Published: April 2006

AbstractThis paper extends the Spencer and Brander (1983) model of strategic exports and R&D by introducing exchange rate volatility and R&D activities that require internationally mobile skilled labor. We find that an increased volatility reduces both the levels of optimal export subsidy and R&D tax. We also find that the endogeneity of skilled wage increases the level of export subsidy and reduces the level of R&D tax if the country is an exporter of skilled labor.
Investment under Trade Policy Uncertainty: an Empirical Investigation*
Authors: Sudsawasd Sasatra , Moore Robert E. 
Published: April 2006

AbstractThe link between trade policy uncertainty and the share of investment in GDP per capita is investigated using panel data drawn from over a hundred countries for the period 1960–2000. Five indicators of trade policy are used. Two specifications of volatility for each of the trade policy indicators are constructed as measures of trade policy uncertainty. Panel regression results suggest a robust correlation between the volatility of trade policy indicators and the investment share. A significant negative impact of trade policy volatility on the investment share is found in most trade policy indicators with an exception—the volatility of the trade share indicator more closely associated with volatility in quantity than in prices has a significant positive impact on the investment share.
Evaluation of a Waiting List Initiative in a Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service
Authors: Clemente Carmen , McGrath Rita , Stevenson Clare , Barnes Jacqueline 
Published: April 2006

Background:  The aim of the study was to evaluate Initial Assessment (IA), a new system for managing referrals. The system is designed to: reduce waiting times, reduce ‘did not attend’ (DNA) rates, and improve multi‐disciplinary team working and team morale, compared to the existing referral procedure.Method:  A comparison was made between a child mental health service using IA and a second centre using the existing system over a 6‐month period, based on administrative records, a child functioning measure, staff and user questionnaires.Results:  The Initial Assessment system was associated with a significantly shorter average waiting time for the first appointment (9 weeks) and a lower DNA rate (10%) in the intervention centre. The populations seen under the new and existing systems were similar in terms of the severity of cases. Staff reported a positive impact overall on team working and team morale, despite a reported individual increase in time pressure; users reported acceptance of the system.Conclusions:  Findings suggest that the increase in team morale and support from colleagues associated with the new system may have mediated against any negative impact of the increased time pressure. Substantial cost savings to the NHS are indicated.
Relationship between Acute Ethanol‐related Responses in Long‐Sleep and Short‐Sleep Mice
Authors: Baker Rodney C. , Smolen Andrew , Smolen Toni N. , Deitrich R. A. 
Published: April 2006

Long sleep (LS) and short sleep (SS) lines of mice were derived from a heterogeneous stock of mice (HS) and have been selectively bred on the basis of the time the animals were devoid of the righting reflex (sleep time) following acute ethanol administration. We have tested a large group of the HS mice for sleep time response to ethanol. Animals were then selected from the extremes of the HS sleep time response and designated short sleep (HS‐SS) or long sleep (HS‐LS). The ED50 value for loss of righting reflex was compared between these mice (HS‐SS and HS‐LS) and animals that had undergone 25 generations of selection (SS and LS mice). The ED50 value was not significantly different for the HS‐LS (1.9 g/kg) and LS (2.17 g/kg) mice but was markedly different between HS‐SS (3.02 g/kg) and SS (4.21 g/kg) mice. The ED50 values for the eight inbred strains that constituted the HS stock ranged only from 2.33 to 2.78 g/kg. The value for LD50 one hour after ethanol administration was found to be 9.03 g/kg and for SS mice 6.94 g/kg for LS mice, in contrast to our previous findings of no difference in LD50 values between SS and LS mice when ascertained 24 hr after the ethanol dose.Since the two lines were selected only for a sleep time difference, a differential sensitivity to other consequences of acute ethanol exposure, such as the lethal dose, would not be expected unless the effects shared a common genetic mechanism of action with ethanol sleep time. The results also suggest that selection for loss of righting reflex was accomplished prior to complete divergence of sleep time. Comparison of the ethanol response distributions between the selected lines and the extremes of the HS stock indicate asymmetrical selection of both dose‐dependent initial loss of righting reflex and sleep time.
Auditory Brainstem Potentials in Sons of Alcoholic Fathers
Authors: Begleiter Henri , Porjesz Bernice , Bihari Bernard 
Published: April 2006

With the use of event‐related brain potentials we have observed sensory as well as cognitive deficits in abstinent alcoholics. By recording auditory brainstem potentials (BSP) from abstinent alcoholics we demonstrated significant delays in brainstem transmission time. We have also reported that P3 amplitudes are significantly reduced in abstinent alcoholics compared to control subjects.Although the neurophysiological deficits observed in abstinent alcoholics are presumed to be alcohol‐related effects, it is possible that some of these deficits may exist prior to alcohol exposure, and may be present in subjects at high risk for alcoholism. We have recently observed significantly reduced P3 components in young sons of alcoholics similar to those observed in abstinent alcoholics. In the present study, we examined auditory BSPs in young boys at high risk for alcoholism and matched controls. We found no statistically significant difference in brainstem transmission time between high risk individuals and matched control subjects. These findings suggest that while some brain deficits observed in abstinent alcoholics may antecede the development of alcoholism (P3) and may represent a predisposing factor, other deficits (BSP) appear to be the consequence of alcohol and/or nutritional‐related effects.
Chronic Ethanol Consumption Affects Filipin‐Cholesterol Complexes and Intramembranous Particles of Synaptosomes of Rat Brain Cortex
Authors: Renau‐Piqueras Jaime , Miragall Fernando , Marques Amparo , Baguena‐Cervellera Rafael , Guerri Consuelo 
Published: April 2006

To assess the effect of ethanol on the planar distribution of cholesterol as well as on the surface architecture of presynaptic terminals of rats, synaptosomes isolated from cerebral cortex of rats chronically exposed to alcohol were incubated with filipin, a cytochemical marker for β‐hydroxycholesterol, and analyzed using both conventional (qualitative and quantitative) and freeze‐fracture electron microscopy. Synaptosomes incubated in the absence of filipin were used as cytochemical controls. Biochemical determination indicates a 12% increase of cholesterol in synaptosomal membranes from alcohol treated rats. This increase was confirmed by a significant increment in the number of filipin‐cholesterol complexes.Synaptosomes of treated rats showed a reduction in the total number of synaptic vesicles (SV) as well as a decrease in the density and total number of intramembranous particles (IMP) per synaptosome. In control rats, most synaptosomal IMP were distributed in clusters whereas in those of rats exposed to alcohol they were distributed at random. These changes in distribution of IMP were also observed in presynaptic terminals analyzed “in situ.” These findings indicate that ethanol acts on the presynaptic terminals. The variations in cholesterol content as well as in the density and distribution of IMP appear to be related to alcohol‐induced changes in the physicochemical properties of components of the synaptosomal membrane.
Association between Alcoholism and Increased Hepatic Iron Stores
Authors: Irving Michael G. , Halliday June W. , Powell Lawrie W. 
Published: April 2006

SummaryAlthough alcoholic liver disease is often associated with some increase in hepatic iron stores, it is now established that when gross iron overload is present, this is due to genetic hemochromatosis. Furthermore, there appears to be a critical iron concentration necessary for the induction of hepatic fibrosis. Lipid peroxidation induced by ethanol and/or iron would appear to play a major role in hepatic damage in both humans and experimental animals. Although the exact mechanism(s) of induction of lipid peroxidation by ethanol and iron remains to be elucidated, both toxins can exert a synergistic effect upon hepatic lipid peroxidation. Iron overload has also been shown to stimulate directly hepatocyte and hepatic procollagen mRNA expression, which is further stimulated by ethanol. The observed synergism between iron and alcohol with respect to both hepatic lipid peroxidation and collagen biosynthesis offers a possible explanation of the apparent early onset of fibrosis and cirrhosis in patients with iron overload who have an excessive alcohol intake.
Alcohol‐induced Enhancement of Intestinal γ‐Glutamyl Transpeptidase Activity in Rats and Humans: A Possible Role in Increased Serum γ‐Glutamyl Transpeptidase Activity in Alcoholics
Authors: Ishii Hirornasa , Watanabe Yoko , Okuno Furnio , Takagi Toshikazu , Munakata Yoshio , Miura Soichiro , Shigeta Yohsuke , Tsuchiya Masaharu 
Published: April 2006

It is a well‐known phenomenon that serum γ glutamyltranspeptidase (γ‐GTP, EC 2.3.2.2.) activity is increased after chronic consumption of ethanol, and γ‐GTP has been, therefore, widely used as a sensitive marker for detection of alcoholism and its related liver disease. However, the precise mechanisms whereby the chronic ethanol consumption leads to an increase in serum γ‐GTP activity are not fully understood. In the present study, we investigated the relationship between the intestinal and serum γ‐GTP activities after chronic ethanol consumption both in rats and humans.Chronic ethanol feeding to rats resulted in a significant increase in serum γ‐GTP activity associated with a significant increment of the intestinal γ‐GTP activity. The histochemical staining of γ‐GTP in the mucosa of the small intestine of these animals demonstrated enhanced γ‐GTP activity at the microvilli of the brush border membrane, lamina propria of the mucosa, and endoplasmic reticulum of the intestinal epithelial cell. The augmented activity in the lamina propria was mainly localized at the submucosal lymphatics. Histology of the small intestine of human alcoholics was, more or less, similar to those observed in alcoholic rats.We further investigated the γ‐GTP activity in the mesenteric lymph using the animal model of lymphorrhea, and found that the γ‐GTP activity was increased by 83% when expressed per unit of lymph in the ethanol‐fed rat, accompanied by a marked decrease of serum γ‐GTP activity, suggesting a close relationship between the serum and the intestinal γ‐GTP via the lymphatic channel. In conclusion, an increased serum γ‐GTP activity, which is frequently observed in alcoholics, may, at least in part, originate from the enhanced activity of the intestinal γ‐GTP.
Heavy Drinking and Regular Psychoactive Drug Use among Gynecological Outpatients
Authors: Russell Marcia , Coviello Donna 
Published: April 2006

Self‐reported patterns of alcohol and drug use were examined in gynecological outpatients (n= 1967). Seventeen percent were heavy drinkers, 14% regularly used psychoactive drugs with the potential for nonmedical use, and over 3% both drank heavily and regularly used psychoactive drugs.Significantly higher alcohol intakes (mean usual number of drinks per occasion was 3.6 compared to 3.1, p < 0.01) and more heavy drinkers (26% compared to 19%, based on quantity‐frequency, p < 0.01) were associated with regular psychoactive drug use. However, the relationship between other measures of alcohol use and regular psychoactive drug use varied as a function of age, marital status, and employment status.Regular psychoactive drug use was significantly elevated among outpatients who were in their fifties, retired/other (not housewives, employed, or looking for work, e.g. students or disabled), not married, or white. The risk of regular psychoactive drug use was more than 1.5 times higher among heavy drinkers than among nonheavy drinkers.It is estimated that there are over 35 million gynecologic office visits per year, therefore, increased case‐finding in this population has the potential to reach large numbers of women at risk who otherwise might not be identified.