bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Hierarchical Retargetting of Fine Facial Motions
Authors: Na Kyunggun , Jung Moonryul 
Published: August 2004

Abstract We present a novel technique for retargetting captured facial animation to new facial models. We use dense motion data that can express fine motions such as wrinkles. We use a normal mesh, which is a special multi‐resolution mesh, to represent source and target models. A normal mesh is defined by the base mesh and sequence of normal offsets from it. Our retargetting consists of two steps: base mesh and detail mesh retargetting. For base mesh retargetting, we use an example‐based technique to take advantage of the intuition of the user in specifying the similarity between source and target expressions. In detail mesh retargetting, the variations of normal offsets in the source mesh are hierarchically computed and transferred to the target mesh. Our retargetting scheme is able to produce robust and delicate results for unusual target models from highly detailed motion data. Categories and Subject Descriptors (according to ACM CCS): I.3.7 [Computer Graphics]: Three Dimensional Graphics and Realism ‐ Animation; I.3.5 [Computer Graphics]: Computational Geometry and Object Modelling ‐ hierarchy and geometric transformation, object hierarchy
Sustainability Policy and Environmental Policy
Authors: Pezzey John C. V. 
Published: August 2004

AbstractA theoretical, representative‐agent economy with a depletable resource stock, polluting emissions and productive capital is used to contrast environmental policy, which internalises externalised environmental values, with sustainability policy, which achieves some form of intergenerational equity. The obvious environmental policy comprises an emissions tax and a resource stock subsidy, each equal to the respective external cost or benefit. Sustainability policy comprises an incentive affecting the choice between consumption and investment, and can be a consumption tax, capital subsidy or investment subsidy, or a combination thereof. Environmental policy can reduce the strength of the sustainability policy needed. More specialised results are derived in a small open economy with no environmental effects on utility.
Taxation of Mobile Factors as Insurance under Uncertainty
Authors: Lee Kangoh 
Published: August 2004

AbstractThis paper considers the effects of the taxation of mobile factors, i.e., capital, under uncertainty. The wages earned by residents of a jurisdiction are uncertain due to random shocks. Since the uncertain wages in a jurisdiction depend on the amount of mobile capital employed in the jurisdiction, and since taxation alters the quantity of capital employed, taxation affects the riskiness of uncertain wages. In particular, the taxation of capital moderates the fluctuation of uncertain wages, thereby providing insurance. For this reason, jurisdictions use distortionary capital taxation even if lump‐sum taxation is available. In addition, this insurance effect counteracts the tendency toward too low tax rates on capital arising from tax competition, and possibly improves the efficiency of tax competition.
Using Q‐Methodology to Involve People with Intellectual Disability in Evaluating Person‐Centred Planning
Authors: Combes Helen , Hardy Gillian , Buchan Linda 
Published: August 2004

Objectives  Person‐centred approaches do not easily lend themselves to standard methods of evaluation. This study develops a technique that will involve service users and their circle of support in making individual plans.Methodology  Q‐methodology is a phenomenological approach, which enables the researcher to co‐construct the stories of many people. Two people with learning disabilities and seven members of their circle of support were identified to participate in the study. They attended a stakeholder meeting to identify 36 valued activities. The 16 participants then completed a Q‐sort using photographs to represent these activities. These sorts were then interpreted using Q‐methodology.Results  There were a number of intercorrelations between the card sorts. Principle component analysis showed that two factors accounted for 73% of the variance of the data. The two clusters represented the members of each person's circle of support. Analysis and comparison of the factors have highlighted the similarities and differences between individuals and their circle of support.Conclusions  This study shows that Q‐methodology is a useful adjunct to person‐centred planning. Looking at and interpreting the data, which emerge through Q‐methodology, hashighlighted both similarities and individual differences for goal planning. It has also highlighted potential areas for service change and development. Using Q‐sorts over time may be a way to demonstrate the subjective change in peoples' values that occur through person‐centred planning (PCP).
Religious Expression amongst Adults with Intellectual Disabilities
Authors: Turner Susannah , Hatton Chris , Shah Robina , Stansfield Julie , Rahim Nabela 
Published: August 2004

Background  Although religion is an important part of many people's lives, little is known about the role of religion in the lives of people with intellectual disabilities.Method  Semi‐structured face‐to‐face interviews were conducted with 29 people with intellectual disabilities of a range of faiths (various Christian denominations, Islam and Hindu dharma). Participants were asked about the meaning of religion for them, the role of religion in their lives and the attitudes of others towards religious expression. All interviews were audio‐recorded, transcribed and thematically analysed.Results  Participants expressed strong religious identities. Prayer was a particularly popular form of religious expression, with other forms of religious expression often hindered by services or faith agencies. Some individuals expressed how their religious faith was not recognized by services or faith agencies.Conclusions  Services and faith agencies need to recognize the importance of religion in the lives of many people with intellectual disabilities, and support religious expression in this group.
Service Provision for Young People with Intellectual Disabilities and Additional Mental Health Needs: Service‐providers’ Perspectives
Authors: Scior Katrina , Grierson Kate 
Published: August 2004

Background  Very little is known about young people with intellectual disabilities who experience additional mental health problems. The perspective of service providers has been highlighted as one unresearched area.Method  Semi‐structured interviews were completed with senior service providers. Aims: (1) to explore experiences of working with young people with intellectual disabilities and additional mental health problems and their families; (2) to examine views on services’ ability to meet the needs of this group.Results  Service providers identified a gulf between current policy and the reality for this group, not least in terms of all agencies working in partnership. All agencies described instances when young people in this group fall through gaps between services. Interviewees identified a range of factors that promote good outcomes.Conclusions  The results suggest that the focus of current policies to promote joint working needs to be broadened beyond health and social services to ensure much improved links with education providers and the voluntary sector if the needs of this group are to be met.
Negative Emotional Reactions to Challenging Behaviour and Staff Burnout: Two Replication Studies
Authors: Rose David , Horne Sharon , Rose John L. , Hastings Richard P. 
Published: August 2004

Background  Hastings, R. P. [American Journal on Mental Retardation (2002) Vol. 107, pp. 455–467] hypothesized that staff negative emotional reactions to challenging behaviour might accumulate over time to affect staff well‐being. Only one previous study (Mitchell, G.& Hastings, R. P. [American Journal on Mental Retardation (2001) Vol. 106, pp. 448–459] has explored this relationship. The present analyses were designed to replicate these findings.Methods  Data were analysed from two samples of staff. In study 1, 101 staff rated their typical emotional reactions to challenging behaviours experienced as a part of their work and completed the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI). In study 2, 99 staff rated their negative emotional reactions to written challenging behaviour vignettes and also completed the MBI.Results  In both studies, significant positive correlations were found between negative emotional reactions to challenging behaviour and emotional exhaustion and depersonalization burnout but no association was found with personal accomplishment scores.Conclusions  These findings replicate previous results, but cannot be used to support the putative causal relationship between emotional reactions to challenging behaviour and staff well‐being. Clinical implications of a focus on staff emotional reactions to challenging behaviour are discussed.
Social and Professional Support for Parents of Adolescents with Severe Intellectual Disabilities
Authors: White Nia , Hastings Richard P. 
Published: August 2004

Background  Previous research has identified various dimensions of social support that are positively associated with parental well‐being. However, most research does not include multiple measures of social support and uses heterogeneous samples in terms of child characteristics such as age and severity of intellectual disability.Methods  Thirty‐three parents of adolescent children with moderate–profound intellectual disabilities completed measures of parental well‐being (stress, anxiety and depression, and caregiving satisfaction), social support (informal and formal sources, and practical and emotional support), and child characteristics (adaptive and problem behaviours).Results  Correlation analyses showed that parental well‐being was associated with the child's adaptive and problem behaviours and with the child's autism diagnosis. Parents’ ratings of the helpfulness of informal sources of support (spouse, extended family, friends, etc.) was most reliably associated with parental well‐being, and remained so after controlling for child characteristics. Parents’ access of service and professional support was not associated with parental well‐being, but there was some evidence that it was related to their child's needs.Conclusions  The research emphasizes the significance of including multiple measures of social support in research with families of children with an intellectual disability. Furthermore, the possibility that parents, during their child's adolescence, may be especially vulnerable to the disruption of their informal support networks is an important practical consideration.
Friendship Activities of Adults with Intellectual Disabilities in Supported Accommodation in Northern England
Authors: Emerson Eric , McVilly Keith 
Published: August 2004

Background  Despite there being considerable evidence to suggest that friendships are central to health and well‐being, relatively little attention had been paid to the friendships of people with intellectual disabilities.Methods  Friendship activities involving people with and without intellectual disabilities were measured over the preceding month in a sample of 1542 adults with intellectual disabilities receiving supported accommodation in nine geographical localities in Northern England.Results  The results of the study indicate: (1) low levels of friendship activities among people with intellectual disabilities in supported accommodation; (2) people with intellectual disabilities are more likely to be involved in activities with friends who also have intellectual disabilities than with friends who do not have intellectual disabilities; (3) most friendship activities take place in the public domain rather than in more private settings (e.g. at home); (4) the setting in which a person lives is a more significant determinant of the form and content of activities with their friends than the characteristics of participants.Conclusions  Further attention needs to be given to research and practice initiatives aimed at increasing the levels of friendship activities of people with intellectual disabilities.
Social Competence in Persons with Prader‐Willi, Williams and Down's Syndromes
Authors: Rosner Beth A. , Hodapp Robert M. , Fidler Deborah J. , Sagun Jaclyn N. , Dykens Elisabeth M. 
Published: August 2004

Background  This study explores everyday social competence in the lives of persons with three genetic intellectual disability syndromes.Methods  Using parent reports on the Social and Activity Competence domains of Achenbach's Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), socially competent behaviours were examined in 58 persons with Williams syndrome, 54 persons with Prader‐Willi syndrome, and 65 persons with Down's syndrome.Results  The Down's syndrome group showed the highest overall social competence scores, while individuals with Prader‐Willi syndrome fared worst in terms of their behaviour with others. The Williams syndrome group scored lowest in terms of skill with jobs and chores, and the Down's syndrome group showed the least skill in non‐sport activities. Regarding specific activities, musical activities were popular in both Williams syndrome and Down's syndrome, but more participants with Williams syndrome played musical instruments. Compared with the other groups, individuals with Prader‐Willi syndrome were five to 25 times more likely to play with jigsaw puzzles, and those with Williams syndrome were least likely to engage in any visual–spatial leisure activities. Age was found to be a positive correlate of social competence for the Williams and Down's syndrome groups, but not for the Prader‐Willi group.Conclusions  Implications are discussed for interventions and for future behavioural phenotype work.
PARP‐1 gene disruption in mice preferentially protects males from perinatal brain injury
Authors: Hagberg Henrik , Wilson Mary Ann , Matsushita Hiroko , Zhu Changlian , Lange Mary , Gustavsson Malin , Poitras Marc F. , Dawson Ted M. , Dawson Valina L. , Northington Frances , Johnston Michael V. 
Published: August 2004

AbstractPoly(ADP‐ribose) polymerase‐1 is over‐activated in the adult brain in response to ischemia and contributes to neuronal death, but its role in perinatal brain injury remains uncertain. To address this issue, 7‐day‐old wild‐type (wt) and PARP‐1 gene deficient (parp+/– and parp–/–) Sv129/CD‐1 hybrid mice were subjected to unilateral hypoxia‐ischemia and histologic damage was assessed 10 days later by two evaluators. Poly(ADP‐ribose) polymerase‐1 knockout produced moderate but significant (p < 0.05) protection in the total group of animals, but analysis by sex revealed that males were strongly protected (p < 0.05) in contrast to females in which there was no significant effect. Separate experiments demonstrated that PARP‐1 was activated over 1–24 h in both females and males after the insult in neonatal wt mice and rats using immnocytochemistry and western blotting for poly(ADP‐ribose). Brain levels of NAD+ were also significantly reduced, but the decrease of NAD+ during the early post‐hypoxia‐ischemia (HI) phase was only seen in males. The results indicate that hypoxia‐ischemia activates Poly(ADP‐ribose) polymerase‐1 in the neonatal brain and that the sex of the animal strongly influences its role in the pathogenesis of brain injury.
Induction of PC12 cell differentiation by flavonoids is dependent upon extracellular signal‐regulated kinase activation
Authors: Sagara Yutaka , Vanhnasy Julie , Maher Pamela 
Published: August 2004

AbstractMany of the physiological benefits attributed to flavonoids are thought to stem from their potent antioxidant and free radical scavenging properties. Recently, it was shown that flavonoids protect nerve cells from oxidative stress by multiple mechanisms, only one of which is directly related to their antioxidant activity, suggesting that specific flavonoids may have other properties that could make them useful in the treatment of conditions that lead to nerve cell death. In particular, it was asked if any flavonoid could mimic neurotrophic proteins. To examine this possibility, we looked at the ability of flavonoids to induce nerve cell differentiation using PC12 cells. PC12 cells were treated with a variety of flavonoids to determine if there was a correlation between their neuroprotective activity and their neurite outgrowth‐promoting activity. In addition, the signaling pathways required for flavonoid‐induced differentiation were examined. We found that only a small subset of the flavonoids that were neuroprotective could induce neurite outgrowth by an extracellular signal‐regulated kinase‐dependent process. There was a strong correlation between the concentrations of the flavonoids that were neuroprotective and the concentrations that induced differentiation. These results suggest that the consumption of specific flavonoids could have further beneficial effects on nerve cells following injury, in pathological conditions or in normal aging.
NFATc1 activates the acetylcholinesterase promoter in rat muscle
Authors: Cohen Tatiana V. , Randall William R. 
Published: August 2004

AbstractNuclear factor of activated T‐cells (NFAT) plays a role in the response of muscle to chronic contractile activity that can result in fiber type switching and hypertrophy. These effects are due in part to activation of target genes following Ca2+‐mediated nuclear translocation of NFAT. Acetylcholinesterase (AChE), a component of the neuromuscular junction, is regulated by chronic muscle and nerve activity through changes in intracellular Ca2+, suggesting that the Ache gene may be a potential downstream target of NFAT signaling. To determine whether elements of the Ache promoter are modulated by NFAT, we transiently co‐expressed reporter constructs driven by fragments of the Ache promoter with an NFATc1 that is constitutively translocated to the nucleus [NFATc1(S → A)] in rat muscle cultures. NFATc1 potentiated reporter activity when co‐transfected with constructs containing Ache genomic elements from −1280 to −490 bp upstream of transcription initiation. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays demonstrated strong binding to a potential NFAT element at −793 bp and weaker binding to one at −678 bp. Co‐transfection of promoter fragments, containing the binding sites at −793 and at −678 bp, with NFATc1(S → A) potentiated reporter activity, supporting sites of interaction with NFAT. Our data suggests a role for NFAT as a modulator of Ache gene transcription.
Mitochondrial permeability transition in neuronal damage promoted by Ca2+ and respiratory chain complex II inhibition
Authors: Maciel Evelise N. , Kowaltowski Alicia J. , Schwalm Fábio D. , Rodrigues Juliana M. , Souza Diogo O. , Vercesi Anibal E. , Wajner Moacir , Castilho Roger F. 
Published: August 2004

AbstractChanges in mitochondrial integrity, reactive oxygen species release and Ca2+ handling are proposed to be involved in the pathogenesis of many neurological disorders including methylmalonic acidaemia and Huntington's disease, which exhibit partial mitochondrial respiratory inhibition. In this report, we studied the mechanisms by which the respiratory chain complex II inhibitors malonate, methylmalonate and 3‐nitropropionate affect rat brain mitochondrial function and neuronal survival. All three compounds, at concentrations which inhibit respiration by 50%, induced mitochondrial inner membrane permeabilization when in the presence of micromolar Ca2+ concentrations. ADP, cyclosporin A and catalase prevented or delayed this effect, indicating it is mediated by reactive oxygen species and mitochondrial permeability transition (PT). PT induced by malonate was also present in mitochondria isolated from liver and kidney, but required more significant respiratory inhibition. In brain, PT promoted by complex II inhibition was stimulated by increasing Ca2+ cycling and absent when mitochondria were pre‐loaded with Ca2+ or when Ca2+ uptake was prevented. In addition to isolated mitochondria, we determined the effect of methylmalonate on cultured PC12 cells and freshly prepared rat brain slices. Methylmalonate promoted cell death in striatal slices and PC12 cells, in a manner attenuated by cyclosporin A and bongkrekate, and unrelated to impairment of energy metabolism. We propose that under conditions in which mitochondrial complex II is partially inhibited in the CNS, neuronal cell death involves the induction of PT.
Iron‐sulfur enzyme mediated mitochondrial superoxide toxicity in experimental Parkinson's disease
Authors: Liang Li‐Ping , Patel Manisha 
Published: August 2004

AbstractMitochondrial oxidative stress is thought to be an important pathological mediator of neuronal death in Parkinson's disease. However, the precise mechanism by which mitochondrial oxidative stress mediates the death of dopaminergic neurons of the substantia nigra remains unclear. We tested the idea that neuronal damage in the MPTP (1‐methyl‐4‐phenyl‐1,2,3,6‐tetrahydropyridine) model of Parkinson's disease results, in part, from superoxide radical toxicity via inactivation of an iron‐sulfur (Fe‐S) protein, mitochondrial aconitase. Administration of MPTP in mice resulted in inactivation of mitochondrial aconitase, but not fumarase in the substantia nigra. MPTP treatment mobilized an early mitochondrial pool of iron detectable by bleomycin chelation that coincided with mitochondrial aconitase inactivation. MPTP‐induced mitochondrial aconitase inactivation, iron accumulation and dopamine depletion were significantly attenuated in transgenic mice overexpressing mitochondrial Sod2 and exacerbated in partial deficient Sod2 mice. These results suggest that mitochondrial aconitase may be an important early source of mitochondrial iron accumulation in experimental Parkinson's disease, and that superoxide radical toxicity manifested by oxidative inactivation of mitochondrial aconitase may play a pathogenic role in Parkinson's disease.
Autocrine regulation of nerve growth factor expression by Trk receptors
Authors: Mallei Alessandra , Rabin Stuart J. , Mocchetti Italo 
Published: August 2004

AbstractActivation of the neurotrophin receptor Trk induces the release of neurotrophins. However, little is known about the ability of released neurotrophins to modulate their own synthesis in an autocrine manner. As a step towards understanding the role of Trk in regulating the synthesis of neurotrophins, we exposed NIH‐3T3 cells expressing TrkA or TrkC receptors to their cognate ligands as well as to GM1, a ganglioside that activates TrkA and TrkC by inducing the release of neurotrophin‐3. Nerve growth factor and neurotrophin‐3 synthesis were then determined by measuring the relative levels of protein and mRNA. TrkA‐expressing cells exposed to human recombinant nerve growth factor exhibited higher levels of nerve growth factor mRNA. Human recombinant neurotrophin‐3 evoked an increase in nerve growth factor mRNA in both TrkA and TrkC‐expressing cells. GM1 elicited a time‐dependent increase in nerve growth factor protein and mRNA in NIH‐3T3 cells expressing TrkA or TrkC receptor but not in wild‐type cells. Surprisingly, GM1 failed to change neurotrophin‐3 levels. The ability of GM1 to increase nerve growth factor mRNA levels was blocked by TrkC‐IgG but not by TrkB‐IgG receptor body. These data suggest that released neurotrophin‐3 may activate a positive autocrine loop of nerve growth factor synthesis by Trk activation.