bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Managing corporate respectability
Authors: Dhir Krishna S. , Vinen Denis 
Published: February 2005

PurposeWith growing literature on corporate reputation, different perspectives are being reported on the concept of corporate reputation. These stem from different sets of issues to be managed, and various disciplinary competencies brought to bear on them. This paper presents a review of these efforts.Design/methodology/approachAdditionally, a new methodological basis for understanding perceptions of corporate reputation is presented. This paper introduces social judgement theory as a potentially useful theoretical and methodological basis for understanding perceptions of corporate respectability.FindingsThough it is generally recognized that subjectivity plays an important role in the assessment of reputation, that people rely on naïve theories of judgement to make such assessments, and that subjective or clinical judgements are generally not accurate, investigations of the process by which corporate respectability is assessed are not generally reported. However, a computerized procedure facilitates identification, measurement and reporting of judgemental sources of assessment of corporate respectability.Research limitations/implicationsThis paper provides an account of an empirical study as an example of how the procedure described here can be used for both research and practical application in formulating corporate reputation policy.Practical implicationsThe procedure described here can be used for both research and practical application in formulating corporate reputation policy. The approach presents an alternative approach to the assessment of corporate respectability.Originality/valueThe description of policies in terms of parameters of the judgement process provides an operational definition of the decision makers’ cognitive sets about the domain of corporate respectability. This information would prove invaluable in developing and implementing a judgement‐based decision support system for the benefit of managers of public relations, corporate communications, and corporate reputation.
The role of corporate identity in the higher education sector
Authors: Melewar T.C. , Akel Sibel 
Published: February 2005

PurposeThis paper analyses the strategic intent behind the University of Warwick's corporate identity (CI) programme by using the four components of the corporate identity model developed by Melewar and Jenkins.Design/methodology/approachInformation gathered from the interview with Ian Rowley, Director of Communication at the University of Warwick, is presented in support of the arguments. In addition, the paper refers to two further documents: “University of Warwick: Reputation Audit” and “The Corporate Identity Guide”.FindingsWarwick's new CI is the reflection of the new management strategy which is the move from a decentralised towards a more centralised management style. In this respect the changes at Warwick represent not a one‐dimensional perspective to CI but rather the first step of an evolving CI programme.Originality/valueApplication of the Melewar and Jenkins identity model in the context of a higher education sector.
ARE FOREIGN FIRMS MORE TECHNOLOGICALLY INTENSIVE? UK ESTABLISHMENT EVIDENCE FROM THE ARD
Authors: Driffield Nigel , Taylor Karl 
Published: February 2005

AbstractThis paper employs establishment level data from the annual respondents database to consider technological differences between establishments operating in the UK. We adopt very precise measures of technology, arguably much more detailed than have hitherto been employed to address the key question of whether use of technology differs by nationality. After numerous controls we find that typically North American establishments have a higher probability of being more technologically intensive than their UK counterparts. This result also stands up in panel analysis.
PROGRESSIVE TAXATION AS A MEANS FOR IMPROVING COMPETITIVE BALANCE
Authors: Van Der Burg Tsjalle , Prinz Aloys 
Published: February 2005

AbstractThe existing instruments for improving the competitive balance within a sports league, such as revenue sharing, restrictions on free agency and salary caps, all have their shortcomings. In this paper, we show that a progressive sports tax, the revenues of which are not redistributed to smaller teams in the league, could be a better instrument. From the broader perspective of the theory of optimum taxation, this instrument may have advantages as well.
Elevated immunoglobulin G antibodies to the proline-rich amino-terminal region of Epstein–Barr virus nuclear antigen-2 in sera from patients with systemic connective tissue diseases and from a subgroup of Sjögren's syndrome patients with pulmonary involvements
Authors: Yamazaki M , Kitamura R , Kusano S , Eda H , Sato S , Okawa-Takatsuji M , Aotsuka S , Yanagi K 
Published: February 2005

SummaryAssociations of Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) and autoimmune diseases have been hypothesized. We have analysed IgG antibodies to EBV nuclear antigen (EBNA)-2 in sera from Japanese patients with autoimmune systemic connective tissue diseases (CTD), exemplified by systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), primary Sjögren's syndrome (SS), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), systemic sclerosis  (SSc)  and  secondary  SS  (classical  CTDs  complicated  with  SS). An  enzyme-linked  immunosorbent  assay  (ELISA)  which  uses  glutathione-S-transferase polypeptides fused to EBV nuclear antigen (EBNA)-2 and EBNA-1 was developed. Ratios of IgG antibody reactivity to whole IgG concentrations of sera were calculated to normalize EBNA-2 and EBNA-1 antibody levels to the hypergammaglobulinaemia that occurs in CTD. The ELISA optical density OD450 readings of IgG antibodies to both the amino-terminal aa 1–116 of EBNA-2 and carboxyl-terminal aa 451–641 of EBNA-1 were elevated significantly in patients with SLE, primary SS, RA, SSc and secondary SS when compared to EBNA-1. The OD readings were divided by serum IgG concentrations to normalize for the hypergammaglobulinaemia. The specific levels of IgG antibodies to the amino-terminal region of EBNA-2 were elevated in patients with SLE, primary SS or RA, as well as those with secondary SS complicated with SLE or RA. The EBNA-2 amino-terminal region contains a polyproline tract and a proline-rich sequence and has considerable amino acid sequence homology with many cellular proline-rich proteins. High ratios of EBNA-2 aa 1–116 to EBNA-1 aa 451–641 IgG antibody levels which probably suggest reactivation of EBV latent infection were associated significantly with pulmonary involvement in SS patients. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that the sequence similarity between the amino-terminal region of EBNA-2 and proline-rich cellular proteins is associated with pathogenesis in a subpopulation of CTD patients, possibly by the molecular mimicry–epitope shift mechanism.
IgG subclass distribution of the rheumatoid arthritis-specific autoantibodies to citrullinated fibrin
Authors: Chapuy-Regaud S , Nogueira L , Clavel C , Sebbag M , Vincent C , Serre G 
Published: February 2005

SummaryIn the rheumatoid synovium, deiminated (‘citrullinated’) forms of fibrin are the major targets of IgG autoantibodies to citrullinated proteins (ACPA), the most specific serological markers of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). To further the characterization of ACPA, we determined their subclass distribution. From a previously validated highly sensitive and specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) onto in vitro deiminated human fibrinogen − antihuman fibrin(ogen) autoantibodies (AhFibA)-ELISA − we derived and calibrated four ELISAs, using monoclonal antibodies to each of the four IgG subclasses, to determine the proportions of AhFibA subclasses in the sera. A series of 186 serum samples from RA patients was analysed. All AhFibA-positive sera contained IgG1-AhFibA, which reached the highest titres and accounted for more than 80% of AhFibA in three-quarters of the sera. One or two other subclasses were associated with IgG1 in 39% of the sera, IgG4-AhFibA being observed much more frequently and at higher titres than IgG3- or IgG2-AhFibA. IgG1 alone or IgG(1 + 4)-AhFibA were the AhFibA subclass profiles found in more than 80% of patients. AhFibA are mainly IgG1 and, to a lesser extent, IgG4. Such IgG subclass profiles may influence the effector phases of the immunological conflict between ACPA and deiminated fibrin that takes place specifically in the rheumatoid synovium and therefore may play a critical role in the self-maintenance of rheumatoid inflammation.
TNF-a mediates the development of anaemia in a murine Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense infection, but not the anaemia associated with a murine Trypanosoma congolense infection
Authors: Naessens J , Kitani H , Nakamura Y , Yagi Y , Sekikawa K , Iraqi F 
Published: February 2005

Summary
Development of anaemia in inflammatory diseases is cytokine-mediated. Specifically, the levels of tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), produced by activated macrophages, are correlated with severity of disease and anaemia in infections and chronic disease. In African trypanosomiasis, anaemia develops very early in infection around the time when parasites become detectable in the blood. Since the anaemia persists after the first waves of parasitaemia when low numbers of trypanosomes are circulating in the blood, it is generally assumed that anaemia is not directly induced by a parasite factor, but might be cytokine-mediated, as in other cases of anaemia accompanying inflammation. To clarify the role of TNF-α in the development of anaemia, blood parameters of wild type (TNF-α+/+), TNF-α-null (TNF-α–/–) and TNF-α-hemizygous (TNF-α–/+) trypanotolerant mice were compared during infections with the cattle parasite Trypanosoma congolense. No differences in PCV, erythrocyte numbers or haemoglobin were observed between TNF-α-deficient and wild type mice, suggesting that the decrease in erythrocytes was not mediated by TNF-α. Erythropoetin (EPO) levels increased during infection and no significant differences in EPO levels were observed between the three mouse strains. In contrast, during an infection with the human pathogen Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense, the number of red blood cells in TNF-α-deficient mice remained significantly higher than in the wild type mice. These data suggest that more than one mechanism promotes the development of anaemia associated with trypanosomiasis.
Vasoactive intestinal peptide impairs leucocyte migration but fails to modify experimental murine colitis
Authors: Newman R , Cuan N , Hampartzoumian T , Connor S J , Lloyd A R , Grimm M C 
Published: February 2005

SummaryInflammatory bowel diseases are chronic inflammatory disorders of the gastrointestinal tract. Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) is a neuropeptide with known anti-inflammatory activity. We have demonstrated previously that administration of VIP inhibits leucocyte migration in a murine model of delayed-type hypersensitivity, and anti-inflammatory efficacy is supported by other studies. The aim of this study was to investigate the VIP effects in a murine model of intestinal inflammation. Colitis was induced in BALB/c mice by a 2·5 mg enema of 2,4,6-trinitrobenzenesulphonic acid (TNBS) and the mice were killed on day 7. Mice were administered either a 3-day (therapeutic) or 7-day (prophylactic) constant infusion of VIP by subcutaneously implanted mini-osmotic pumps, or intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of VIP on alternate days over 7 days. Clinical disease scores, weight changes, histopathology of colon tissues, plasma VIP levels, cytokine levels and chemotaxis of peripheral blood mononuclear cells were evaluated. After administration of TNBS, mice quickly developed severe colitis accompanied by dramatic body weight loss (20% by day 6) and high mortality (30%). Prophylactic treatment using high-dose VIP abrogated leucocyte chemotaxis; however, it failed to ameliorate the weight loss and mortality. Moreover, VIP delivered either by constant infusion or i.p. failed to modify the clinical, histological or cytokine markers of disease. Our studies show that, despite an ability to inhibit chemokine-induced chemotaxis of mononuclear cells, VIP was unable to modulate TNBS-induced colitis. This contrasts with the efficacy of VIP in models of mild inflammatory disease and suggests that VIP is unlikely to provide a useful model for novel anti-IBD therapy.
Mature dendritic cells differentiated in the presence of interferon-b and interleukin-3 prime functional antigen-specific CD8+ T cells
Authors: Renneson J , Salio M , Mazouz N , Goldman M , Marchant A , Cerundolo V 
Published: February 2005

SummaryDendritic cell (DC)-based immunization represents a promising approach for the immunotherapy of cancer. The optimal conditions required to prepare DCs remain to be defined. Monocytes incubated in the presence of interferon (IFN)-β and interleukin (IL)-3 give rise to a distinct type of DCs (IFN-β/IL-3 DCs) that are particularly efficient at eliciting IFN-γ and IL-5 production by allogeneic helper T cells. We assessed the capacity of this new type of DCs to prime antigen-specific naive CD8+ T cells and compared them to the conventional DCs differentiated in the presence of granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and IL-4 (GM-CSF/IL-4 DCs). We demonstrate that IFN-β/IL-3 DCs matured by TLR3 or CD40 ligation efficiently prime Melan-A26−35-specific CD8+ T cells in vitro, at a similar level as GM-CSF/IL-4 DCs. Activated antigen-specific CD8+ T cells produced IFN-γ and displayed potent cytotoxic activity against peptide-pulsed target cells. Expansion of CD8+ T cell numbers was generally higher following priming with CD40-L than with polyinosinic–polycytidylic acid (poly I:C) matured DCs. Cytolytic activity was induced by both maturing agents. These data indicate that IFN-β/IL-3 DCs represent a promising cell population for the immunotherapy of cancer.
Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 is elevated, but not essential, in the development of bleomycin-induced murine scleroderma
Authors: Matsushita M , Yamamoto T , Nishioka K 
Published: February 2005

Summary
Accumulative data have demonstrated that plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) plays an important role in the extracellular matrix metabolism; however, the involvement of PAI-1 in scleroderma has not been fully elucidated. In this study, we investigated the role of PAI-1 in bleomycin-induced murine scleroderma. 100 µg of bleomycin was injected subcutaneously to the back skin of C3H/HeJ mice on alternate day for 4 weeks. Histopathological findings revealed that PAI-1 was positive in macrophage-like cells and fibroblastic cells in the dermis, in parallel with the induction of dermal sclerosis. PAI-1 mRNA expression in the whole skin was up-regulated at 1 and 4 weeks. The production of active PAI-1 protein in the lesional skin was significantly increased 3 and 4 weeks after bleomycin treatment. Next, we examined whether dermal sclerosis is induced by bleomycin in PAI-1-deficient (PAI-1–/–) mice. 10 µg of bleomycin was subcutaneously injected to PAI-1–/– and wild type (WT) mice 5 days per week for 4 weeks. Histological examination revealed that dermal sclerosis was similarly induced even in PAI-1–/– as well as WT mice. Dermal thickness and collagen contents in the skin were significantly increased by bleomycin injection in both PAI-1–/– and WT mice, and the rate of increase was similar. These data suggest that PAI-1 plays an important role, possibly via TGF-β pathway activation. However, the fact that PAI-1 deficiency did not ameliorate skin sclerosis suggest that PAI-1 is not the essential factor in the development of bleomycin-induced scleroderma, and more complex biochemical effects other than PA/plasmin system are greatly suspected.
a4b1+ and a4b7+ CD4+ T cell numbers increase and CLA+ CD4+ T cell numbers decrease in systemic sclerosis
Authors: Scala E , Paganelli R , Sampogna F , Abeni D , Colonna L , De Pità O , Puddu P , Russo G 
Published: February 2005

SummaryWe studied the expression of adhesion molecules affecting recirculation and homing on peripheral blood CD4+ T cells of patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc), in order to evaluate whether the distribution of tissue targeted subsets could reflect the participation of internal organs or the extent of cutaneous involvement [i.e. limited cutaneous (lc) and diffuse cutaneous (dc)]. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from 51 patients with SSc and 19 sex- and age-matched controls were investigated by cytofluorimetric analysis for lymphocyte subpopulations carrying the following surface molecules: CD3, CD4, CLA, α4β7 and α4β1. Standard routine biochemistry and clinical examinations were also performed in all patients. We found that both α4β1+ and α4β7+ cells within the CD4+ T cell population were significantly increased, while CLA+ CD4+ T cells were significantly reduced in SSc, compared to healthy donors. Significantly lower absolute numbers of α4β7+ cells were found in lc- compared to dc-SSc. Patients with oesophageal involvement had high numbers of α4β7+ cells, while those with nephritis also showed low levels of CLA+ cells. Lung involvement was related directly to α4β1+ cell numbers and inversely to α4β7+ CD4 cell numbers. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that distinct CD4+ T cell populations with selective homing properties show changes from normal distribution in SSc, and such changes are related to clinical expression and organ involvement in the course of the disease.
Control of anthocyanin biosynthesis in flowers of Antirrhinum majus
Authors: Martin Cathie , Prescott Andy , Mackay Steve , Bartlett Jeremy , Vrijlandt Eli 
Published: February 2005

SummaryThe intensity and pattern of anthocyanin biosynthesis in Antirrhinum flowers is controlled by several genes. We have isolated six cDNA clones encoding enzymes in the pathway committed to flavonoid biosynthesis and used these to assay how the regulatory genes that modify colour pattern affect the expression of bio‐synthetic genes. The biosynthetic genes of the later part of the pathway appear to be co‐ordinately regulated by two genes, Delila (Del), and Eluta (El), while the early steps (which also lead to flavone synthesis) are controlled differently. This division of control is not the same as control of anthocyanin biosynthesis by the regulatory genes R(S) and C1 in maize aleurone, and may result from the adaptive significance of different flavonoids in flowers and seeds, reflecting their attractiveness to insects and mammals respectively. EI and del are probably involved in transcriptional control and both genes appear to be able to repress expression of some biosynthetic genes and activate expression of others.
The impact of decreased Rubisco on photosynthesis, growth, allocation and storage in tobacco plants which have been transformed with antisense rbcS
Authors: Quick W.P. , Schurr U. , Fichtner K. , Schulze E.‐D. , Rodermel S.R. , Bogorad L. , Stitt M. 
Published: February 2005

SummaryTransgenic tobacco plants tranformed with antisense to rbcS to decrease expression of ribulose‐1,5–bisphosphate carboxylase‐oxygenase (Rubisco) have been used to investigate (a) whether Rubisco is limiting for photosynthesis and plant growth and (b) whether biomass allocation and storage of carbohydrate and nitrogen are regulated in response to decreased rate of photosynthesis.The rate of photosynthesis (measured in growth conditions) and plant growth were not strongly inhibited until almost half of the Rubisco was removed. When Rubisco was decreased further there was a large decrease of photosynthesis and plant growth. When photosynthesis decreased in the ‘antisense’ plants there was an increase in the shoot/root ratio and the specific leaf area. As a result, the leaf area ratio (leaf area per g plant dry weight) increased 3–4–fold. This shows that tobacco compensates for decreased photosynthesis by maximizing leaf area. The decrease of photosynthesis also resulted in lower starch and free hexose in the leaf, but the volume of the diurnal starch turnover was largely maintained. This indicates that partitioning to starch is regulated to decrease non‐productive accumulation of starch, but still maintain a pool of transient starch for export during the night. The decrease of photosynthesis was also accompanied by a large increase of the nitrogen/ carbon balance, due to a large accumulation of nitrate in the leaf. This shows that assimilation of nitrate is inhibited in response to low availability of photo‐synthate.
Pigmentation mutants produced by transposon mutagenesis in Antirrhinum majus
Authors: Luo Da , Coen Enrico S. , Doyle Sandra , Carpenter Rosemary 
Published: February 2005

SummaryNew pigmentation mutants were generated by transposon mutagenesis in Antirrhinum majus, in three previously described loci, nivea, delila and incolorata, and two new loci, daphne and olive. The wild‐type olive gene is required for the production of dark‐green leaves, and the daphne gene for the synthesis of flavones. Five out of the six mutants were both germinally and somatically unstable, indicating that they resulted from transposon insertions. Molecular analysis of the mutant at nivea (mV‐600) showed that it was caused by insertion of a new transposon, Tam4. The sequence of Tam4 suggests that it is unable to transpose autonomously and that it is related to Tam1 and Tam2. All three of these transposons have identical inverted repeats, produce 3 bp target duplications, leave similar excision footprints and share at one end a 600‐700 bp region containing many palindromic copies of a motif sequence, possibly required in c/sfor transposition. The somatic excision of Tam4 in niV‐600 is at a very low rate compared to germinal excision but it can be activated by crossing to lines carrying derivative alleles of a Tam1 insertion at niv. Molecular analysis of four different pigmentation mutants has shown that insertions of Tam1, Tam2, Tam3 and Tam4 have been obtained, illustrating the potential of general transposon mutagenesis for trapping and isolating new transposons as well as for tagging genes.