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Selected AbstractsGlobalization and Regional Change in the U.S. Furniture IndustryGROWTH AND CHANGE, Issue 2 2008MARK H. DRAYSE ABSTRACT Furniture manufacturing has experienced rapid globalization in recent years. This is mainly the result of global production networks established by large manufacturers and retailers seeking to reduce costs in a highly competitive environment. The industry's globalization has been facilitated by technological innovations and the global reduction of trade and investment barriers. In the U.S., furniture-producing regions are experiencing tumultuous change. Growing numbers of firms are outsourcing production to China, which is now responsible for about half of all U.S. furniture imports. Employment levels have plummeted. However, an analysis of spatial patterns of employment, output, and capital investment in U.S. furniture manufacturing shows that regional change is not uniform. Southern regions characterized by larger firms specializing in wooden case goods production have been especially vulnerable to job loss. [source] The Characteristics and Features of SMEs: Favorable or Unfavorable to Logistics Integration?JOURNAL OF SMALL BUSINESS MANAGEMENT, Issue 3 2004René Gélinas For small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), logistics integration is one of the most significant challenges of modern management. Growing numbers of SMEs are under pressure from large manufacturing enterprises (LMEs) to change their traditional management styles, both operationally and organizationally, replacing them with integrated systems that help increase the speed and fluidity of physical and information flows, help synchronize demand with supply, and help manage transactions more accurately. The recent literature discusses integrated logistics chain management quite extensively, but most studies address the issue from the standpoint of large firms. Given the importance of SMEs in the economies of industrialized countries, and given, too, that a constantly growing number of such firms will have to replace their management methods by logistically integrated practices, the authors of this study believe that it is important to examine the characteristics and features of SMEs in order to identify those favorable and unfavorable to logistics integration. [source] Perils of religion: need for spirituality in the public spherePUBLIC ADMINISTRATION & DEVELOPMENT, Issue 2 2006Paul Collins Abstract On both sides of the Atlantic, there is increased professional concern over roles in international public sector management,whether those of the policy makers, administrators or consultants. Growing numbers across many sectors feel an unprecedented crisis of identity and integrity. In international development, institutions often find themselves subordinated to the military in ever increasing conflict situations (the ,development-security complex'). Locally, the global tendency is for public administration to be ,re-engineered' on the basis of so-called ,market' values (the ,New Public Administration'). Private sector management models are, nevertheless, hardly exemplary. Corporate greed and scandals proliferate in a world featuring increasing poverty extremes, resurgence of old or advent in new diseases (e.g. HIV/Aids), environmental degradation and racism. This article takes, as its starting point, the fact that the workplace has become an insecure and alienating environment. In pursuing the relationship between spirituality and religion, the article next distinguishes between, the dogmatic, institutionalised and potentially dangerous characteristics of many religions and the more intuitively contemplative character of spirituality with its stress on awareness of self, impact on others and feeling of universal connectedness. Bearing in mind the often extremism as well as variety of religions (as distinct from spirituality), the second section examines the interrelationship between the two. A number of models are advanced concerning relationships between belief, belonging, salvation and ritual. It is argued that attention needs to be given to the inner side of religion, which requires individuals to embark on a spiritual journey through contemplation and reflection, rather than the more visible side of religion expressed in ritual. In sum, spiritual dialogue is offered as a way forward and as a mechanism for building spiritual community through engagement. The final part of the article focuses on a trans-Atlantic spiritual engagement initiative. Faith-based discussion groups have been formed amongst business executives and professionals in USA (the Woodstock Business Conference promoted out of Georgetown University) and more recently in the City of London at the St Paul's Cathedral Institute (the Paternoster Pilot Group). These aim to develop more meaningful work orientation: rediscovery of higher purpose and its relevance to restoration of ethical business and public service values, as well as better integration of personal and social domains. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Career Paths and Choices in a Highly Differentiated Profession: The Position of Newly Qualified SolicitorsTHE MODERN LAW REVIEW, Issue 4 2001Andrew Boon Differences in the working lives of solicitors have become increasingly marked in recent years. Growing numbers of lawyers are employed in the public and corporate sectors and, with the increasing size and wealth of City of London commercial firms, there are significant differences between these firms and those ,high-street' firms that serve local communities. These differences impact on lawyers throughout training and beyond, both in terms of rites of passage into the profession and in conditions of employment. This research, the final stage in a longitudinal survey spanning the 1990s, combines quantitative and qualitative methods to explore the reactions of newly qualified solicitors to their work. Building on the project's previous surveys, which charted the nature of disadvantage suffered by many prospective entrants to the legal profession, the research finds a large measure of satisfaction regarding careers. It also identifies causes for concern, including increasing specialisation in legal education and the potential separation of the intrinsic and extrinsic rewards of professional practice. [source] Maintaining Case-Based Reasoners: Dimensions and DirectionsCOMPUTATIONAL INTELLIGENCE, Issue 2 2001David C. Wilson Experience with the growing number of large-scale and long-term case-based reasoning (CBR) applications has led to increasing recognition of the importance of maintaining existing CBR systems. Recent research has focused on case-base maintenance (CBM), addressing such issues as maintaining consistency, preserving competence, and controlling case-base growth. A set of dimensions for case-base maintenance, proposed by Leake and Wilson, provides a framework for understanding and expanding CBM research. However, it also has been recognized that other knowledge containers can be equally important maintenance targets. Multiple researchers have addressed pieces of this more general maintenance problem, considering such issues as how to refine similarity criteria and adaptation knowledge. As with case-base maintenance, a framework of dimensions for characterizing more general maintenance activity, within and across knowledge containers, is desirable to unify and understand the state of the art, as well as to suggest new avenues of exploration by identifying points along the dimensions that have not yet been studied. This article presents such a framework by (1) refining and updating the earlier framework of dimensions for case-base maintenance, (2) applying the refined dimensions to the entire range of knowledge containers, and (3) extending the theory to include coordinated cross-container maintenance. The result is a framework for understanding the general problem of case-based reasoner maintenance (CBRM). Taking the new framework as a starting point, the article explores key issues for future CBRM research. [source] Reliability in grid computing systems,CONCURRENCY AND COMPUTATION: PRACTICE & EXPERIENCE, Issue 8 2009Christopher Dabrowski Abstract In recent years, grid technology has emerged as an important tool for solving compute-intensive problems within the scientific community and in industry. To further the development and adoption of this technology, researchers and practitioners from different disciplines have collaborated to produce standard specifications for implementing large-scale, interoperable grid systems. The focus of this activity has been the Open Grid Forum, but other standards development organizations have also produced specifications that are used in grid systems. To date, these specifications have provided the basis for a growing number of operational grid systems used in scientific and industrial applications. However, if the growth of grid technology is to continue, it will be important that grid systems also provide high reliability. In particular, it will be critical to ensure that grid systems are reliable as they continue to grow in scale, exhibit greater dynamism, and become more heterogeneous in composition. Ensuring grid system reliability in turn requires that the specifications used to build these systems fully support reliable grid services. This study surveys work on grid reliability that has been done in recent years and reviews progress made toward achieving these goals. The survey identifies important issues and problems that researchers are working to overcome in order to develop reliability methods for large-scale, heterogeneous, dynamic environments. The survey also illuminates reliability issues relating to standard specifications used in grid systems, identifying existing specifications that may need to be evolved and areas where new specifications are needed to better support the reliability. Published in 2009 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Efficient resource discovery in self-organized unstructured peer-to-peer networksCONCURRENCY AND COMPUTATION: PRACTICE & EXPERIENCE, Issue 2 2009Lu Liu Abstract In unstructured peer-to-peer (P2P) networks, two autonomous peer nodes can be connected if users in those nodes are interested in each other's data. Owing to the similarity between P2P networks and social networks, where peer nodes can be regarded as people and connections can be regarded as relationships, social strategies are useful for improving the performance of resource discovery by self-organizing autonomous peers on unstructured P2P networks. In this paper, we present an efficient social-like peer-to-peer (ESLP) method for resource discovery by mimicking different human behaviours in social networks. ESLP has been simulated in a dynamic environment with a growing number of peer nodes. From the simulation results and analysis, ESLP achieved better performance than current methods. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Contact sensitization from Compositae-containing herbal remedies and cosmeticsCONTACT DERMATITIS, Issue 4 2002Evy Paulsen The Compositae (Asteraceae) family of plants is currently an important cause of allergic plant contact dermatitis in Europe. The family comprises some of the oldest and most valued medicinal plants, and the increasing popularity of herbal medicine and cosmetics may theoretically result in a growing number of Compositae sensitizations from these sources. According to the literature at least 15 species, including among others arnica (Arnica montana), German and Roman chamomile (Chamomilla recutita and Chamaemelum nobile), marigold (Calendula officinalis), Echinacea and elecampane (Inula helenium), have been suspected of sensitization or elicitation of Compositae dermatitis. Epidemiological data are available for 2 species only, arnica and German chamomile, the rest of the evidence being anecdotal. Based on this, sensitization seems to occur relatively frequently with a few species such as arnica and elecampane, and occurs rarely with the majority, especially the widely used German chamomile. Sesquiterpene lactones are the most important allergens, but there are a few cases of sensitization from a coumarin, a sesquiterpene alcohol and a thiophene. The risk of elicitation of dermatitis by using Compositae-containing products in Compositae-sensitive individuals is by-and-large unknown. [source] AMPK-dependent hormonal regulation of whole-body energy metabolismACTA PHYSIOLOGICA, Issue 1 2009N. L. Dzamko Abstract AMP-dependent protein kinase (AMPK) is an evolutionarily conserved serine/threonine protein kinase central to the regulation of energy balance at both the cellular and whole-body levels. In its classical role as an intracellular metabolic stress-sensing kinase, AMPK switches on fatty acid oxidation and glucose uptake in muscle, while switching off hepatic gluconeogenesis. AMPK also has a broader role in metabolism through the control of appetite. Regulation of AMPK activity at the whole-body level is coordinated by a growing number of hormones and cytokines secreted from adipose tissue, skeletal muscle, pancreas and the gut including leptin, adiponectin, insulin, interluekin-6, resistin, TNF-, and ghrelin. Understanding how these secreted signalling proteins regulate AMPK activity to control fatty acid oxidation, glucose uptake, gluconeogenesis and appetite may yield therapeutic treatments for metabolic disorders such as diabetes, insulin resistance and obesity. [source] So You Want to Be a Dermasurgeon: How to Get Training or Choose a FellowshipDERMATOLOGIC SURGERY, Issue 9 2006MURAD ALAM MD BACKGROUND There are many routes to obtaining training in dermasurgery. OBJECTIVE The objective is to discuss some considerations that may guide selection of dermasurgery training. METHODS Current training options are reviewed. RESULTS Some considerations that may guide selection of type of dermasurgery training include: (1) individual temperament; (2) the subtype of dermasurgery in which training is desired (Mohs, cosmetic surgery, laser); (3) family and geographic factors; (4) preference for private practice versus academic career; and (5) proportion of future practice to be devoted to dermasurgery. CONCLUSIONS There are a growing number of training choices for budding dermasurgeons, with multiple options available for each set of particular circumstances. [source] Antipsychotic prescribing trends: a review of pharmaco-epidemiological studiesACTA PSYCHIATRICA SCANDINAVICA, Issue 1 2010H. Verdoux Objective:, To review findings from pharmaco-epidemiological studies exploring antipsychotic (AP) drugs prescribing trends. Method:, We retrieved original studies that explored AP prescribing trends in general population samples since 2000. For each study, we extracted information on sampling method, period, assessment of AP use and corresponding estimates (incidence rates, prevalence rates, pharmacy sales, prescription data) and diagnostic assessment. Results:, Nearly all studies meeting the inclusion criteria (n = 17) showed an increase in AP prescriptions, mainly because of a dramatic rise in second-generation antipsychotics (SGAP) prescriptions. APs are often prescribed for non-psychotic disorders in adults as well as in children and adolescents. Conclusion:, Considering the growing number of persons from the general population exposed to APs, population studies assessing the risk/benefit ratio of SGAP use in disorders other than psychosis are necessary, particularly in children and adolescents. [source] Issues related to the diagnosis and treatment of autism spectrum disorders,DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES RESEARCH REVIEW, Issue 2 2007Paul T. Shattuck Abstract This paper explores issues and implications for diagnosis and treatment, stemming from the growing number of children identified with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). Recent developments and innovations in special education and Medicaid programs are emphasized. Eligibility determination policies, innovations in diagnostic practices, the cost and financing of assessment, variability among programs in diagnostic criteria, and racial/ethnic disparities in the timing of diagnosis all influence the capacity of service systems to provide diagnoses in a timely, coordinated, accurate, economical, and equitable manner. There are several barriers to the more widespread provision of intensive intervention for children with ASDs, including lack of strong evidence of effectiveness in scaled-up public programs, uncertainty about the extent of obligations to provide services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, high cost of intervention, and variability among states in their willingness to fund intensive intervention via Medicaid. Innovative policy experiments with respect to financing intensive intervention through schools and Medicaid are being conducted in a number of states. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. MRDD Research Reviews 2007;13:129,135. [source] Extracellular interactome of the FGF receptor,ligand system: Complexities and the relative simplicity of the wormDEVELOPMENTAL DYNAMICS, Issue 2 2009Urszula M. Polanska Abstract Fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) and their receptors (FGFRs) regulate a multitude of biological functions in embryonic development and in adult. A major question is how does one family of growth factors and their receptors control such a variety of functions? Classically, specificity was thought to be imparted by alternative splicing of the FGFRs, resulting in isoforms that bind specifically to a subset of the FGFs, and by different saccharide sequences in the heparan sulfate proteoglycan (HSPG) co-receptor. A growing number of noncanonical co-receptors such as integrins and neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) are now recognized as imparting additional complexity to classic FGFR signaling. This review will discuss the noncanonical FGFR ligands and speculate on the possibility that they provide additional and alternative means to determining the functional specificity of FGFR signaling. We will also discuss how invertebrate models such as C. elegans may advance our understanding of noncanonical FGFR signaling. Developmental Dynamics 238:277,293, 2009. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] A framework for evidence-based mental health care and policyACTA PSYCHIATRICA SCANDINAVICA, Issue 2006L. Salvador-Carulla Objective:, Care planning integrates a growing number of disciplines, research fields and analysis techniques. A framework of the main areas of interest with regard to evidence-based health care in mental health is provided here. Method:, The framework is based on the experience of working with data analysts and health and social decision makers at the PSICOST/RIRAG network, a Spanish research association which includes psychiatrists, health economists and health policy experts, as well as on a review of the literature. Results:, Three main areas have been identified and described here: outcomes management, knowledge discovery from data, and decision support systems. Their use in mental health care is reviewed. Conclusion:, It is important to promote bridging strategies among these new fields in order to enhance communication and information transfer between the different parts involved in mental health decision making: i) clinicians and epidemiologists, ii) data analysts, iii) care policy makers and other end-users. [source] Neuronal plasticity: implications in epilepsy progression and managementDRUG DEVELOPMENT RESEARCH, Issue 8 2007Sherifa A. HamedArticle first published online: 12 FEB 200 Abstract Epilepsy is a common neurological disease. A growing number of research studies provide evidence regarding the progressive neuronal damage induced by prolonged seizures or status epilepticus (SE), as well as recurrent brief seizures. Importantly, seizure is only one aspect of epilepsy. However, cognitive and behavioral deficits induced by progressive seizures or antiepileptic treatment can be detrimental to individual function. The neurobiology of epilepsy is poorly understood involving complex cellular and molecular mechanisms. The brain undergoes changes in its basic structure and function, e.g., neural plasticity with an increased susceptibility in neuronal synchronization and network circuit alterations. Some of these changes are transient, while others are permanent with an involvement of both glutamatergic and ,-aminobutyric acid (GABA)ergic systems. Recent data suggest that impaired neuronal plasticity may underlie the cognitive impairment and behavioral changes associated with epilepsy. Many neurologists recognize that the prevention or suppression of seizures by the use of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) alone is insufficient without clear predictions of disease outcome. Hence, it is important to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying epileptogenesis because this may allow the development of innovative strategies to prevent or cure this condition. In addition, this realization would have significant impact in reducing the long-term adverse consequences of the disease, including neurocognitive and behavioral adverse effects. Drug Dev Res 68:498,511, 2007. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Neuropathic pain: symptoms, models, and mechanismsDRUG DEVELOPMENT RESEARCH, Issue 4 2006Simon Beggs Abstract Peripheral neuropathic pain is the most debilitating of all clinical pain syndromes and affects a large and growing number of people worldwide. There are diverse causes for peripheral neuropathic pain, which may be experienced after traumatic nerve injury or from diseases that affect peripheral nerves, such as diabetes, HIV/AIDS, and cancer, and it can also result from toxic chemicals, such as cancer chemotherapy agents. Despite these varying causes, it is clear that neuropathic pain is due to persistent pathological alterations resulting in hyperexcitability in the peripheral and central nervous systems, and it is the neuropathology that must be targeted for effective therapy of which there is none presently available. Mechanistically, neuropathic pain is distinct from acute pain and inflammatory pain, for which many effective therapies are known. In this review, we describe the relationships between clinical symptoms and experimental models of peripheral neuropathic pain, and we provide a framework for understanding the potential mechanisms that involve primary neuronal dysfunction as well as pathological changes in neuron-glial signaling. Drug Dev. Res. 67:289,301, 2006. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] An active role for patients in clinical research?DRUG DEVELOPMENT RESEARCH, Issue 3 2006Deirdre O'Connell Abstract In the context of stricter control of clinical research, more informed patients, and a growing number of patient organizations, an active role for patients in clinical research has more than one meaning. Patient involvement in research as subjects is insufficient and can be improved by the information provided by patient groups and by better collaboration between the research community and patient groups. Knowledge about and understanding of clinical trials is central to greater participation. Involvement in the research process provides another role for patients and patient groups and a number of studies have examined such involvement. Patient advocacy groups are involved in training initiatives to enable effective patient involvement in the administration and conduct of clinical research. Various national and European research and regulatory organizations now work with patient representatives, often providing training for them. A third role for patient organizations lies in supporting the research community in lobbying for increased funding, especially for independent clinical research. The area of clinical research outside randomized clinical trials needs also to be carefully considered, in particular the Outcomes Research field. Drug Dev. Res. 67:188,192, 2006. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] THE EFFECT OF REWARDS AND SANCTIONS IN PROVISION OF PUBLIC GOODSECONOMIC INQUIRY, Issue 4 2007MARTIN SEFTON A growing number of field and experimental studies focus on the institutional arrangements by which individuals are able to solve collective action problems. Important in this research is the role of reciprocity and institutions that facilitate cooperation via opportunities for monitoring, sanctioning, and rewarding others. Sanctions represent a cost to both the participant imposing the sanction and the individual receiving the sanction. Rewards represent a zero-sum transfer from participants giving to those receiving rewards. We contrast reward and sanction institutions in regard to their impact on cooperation and efficiency in the context of a public goods experiment. (JEL C92) [source] Disability, capacity for work and the business cycle: an international perspectiveECONOMIC POLICY, Issue 63 2010Hugo Benítez-Silva Summary Important policy issues arise from the high and growing number of people claiming disability benefits for reasons of incapacity for work in OECD countries. Economic conditions play an important part in explaining both the stock of disability benefit claimants and inflows to and outflows from that stock. Employing a variety of cross-country and country-specific household panel data sets, as well as administrative data, we find strong evidence that local variations in unemployment have an important explanatory role for disability benefit receipt, with higher total enrolments, lower outflows from rolls and, often, higher inflows into disability rolls in regions and periods of above-average unemployment. In understanding the nature of the cyclical fluctuations and trends in disability it is important to distinguish between work disability and health disability. The former is likely to be influenced by economic conditions and welfare programmes while the latter evolves in a slower fashion with medical technology and demographic changes. There is little evidence of health disability being related to the business cycle, so cyclical variations are driven by work disability. The rise in unemployment due to the current global economic crisis is expected to increase the number of disability insurance claimants. --- Hugo Benítez-Silva, Richard Disney and Sergi Jiménez-Martín [source] A randomized controlled trial of an internet-based intervention for alcohol abusersADDICTION, Issue 12 2009John A. Cunningham ABSTRACT Objective Misuse of alcohol imposes a major public health cost, yet few problem drinkers are willing to access in-person services for alcohol abuse. The development of brief, easily accessible ways to help problem drinkers who are unwilling or unable to seek traditional treatment services could therefore have significant public health benefit. The objective of this project is to conduct a randomized controlled evaluation of the internet-based Check Your Drinking (CYD) screener ( http://www.CheckYourDrinking.net). Method Participants (n = 185) recruited through a general telephone population survey were assigned randomly to receive access to the CYD, or to a no-intervention control group. Results Follow-up rates were excellent (92%). Problem drinkers provided access to the CYD displayed a six to seven drinks reduction in their weekly alcohol consumption (a 30% reduction in typical weekly drinking) at both the 3- and 6-month follow-ups compared to a one drink per week reduction among control group respondents. Conclusions The CYD is one of a growing number of internet-based interventions with research evidence supporting its efficacy to reduce alcohol consumption. The internet could increase the range of help-seeking options available because it takes treatment to the problem drinker rather than making the problem drinker come to treatment. [source] Epidemiology of Adult Psychiatric Visits to U.S. Emergency DepartmentsACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE, Issue 2 2004Sara B. Hazlett MD Objectives: To characterize psychiatric-related emergency department visits (PREDVs) among adults in the United States for the year 2000 and to analyze PREDV trends from 1992 to 2000. Methods: Emergency department (ED) visit data from the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey were used to estimate the number of PREDVs for adults aged 18 years and older. A PREDV was defined as any visit with a psychiatric discharge diagnosis (ICD N290, N312) or a suicide attempt (ICD E950,E959). Results: Approximately 4.3 million PREDVs occurred in the United States in the year 2000, yielding an annual rate of 21 visits per 1,000 adults. The PREDV rates increased 15% between 1992 and 2000. The PREDVs accounted for 5.4% of all ED visits. Substance abuse (27%), neuroses (26%), and psychoses (21%) were the most common conditions. African Americans had significantly higher visit rates (29/1,000; 95% CI = 27/1,000 to 31/1,000) compared with whites (23/1,000; 95% CI = 22/1,000 to 25/1,000). Persons with Medicaid (66/1,000; 95% CI = 64/1,000 to 68/1,000) had double the rate of PREDVs than the uninsured (33/1,000; 95% CI = 31/1,000 to 35/1,000) and almost eight times the rate of those privately insured (8/1,000; 95% CI = 7/1,000 to 10/1,000). Patients with psychiatric diagnoses had a higher admission rate (22%) than those with nonpsychiatric diagnoses (15%). The uninsured were the least likely to be admitted for all major psychiatric conditions except suicide (p < 0.0001). Conclusions: Psychiatric-related ED visits represent a substantial and growing number of ED visits each year. Patient characteristics influence the likelihood of a PREDV. Further research is needed to better understand the role that hospital EDs play in the delivery of health care services to those with mental illness. [source] Screening for Novel Industrial BiocatalystsENGINEERING IN LIFE SCIENCES (ELECTRONIC), Issue 6 2004P. Lorenz Abstract Biocatalysis, the use of microbial cells or isolated enzymes in the production of fine chemicals, is steadily moving towards becoming accepted as an indispensable tool in the inventory of modern synthetic chemistry [1]. It is estimated that in 10,% of the cases biocatalysis will provide an overall superior synthetic strategy over traditional organic chemistry [2]. This remarkable development in a field coined "white biotechnology" is due to the growing recognition in the industry of the capabilities and performance of enzymes as exemplified in a growing number of implemented processes [3,,4], examples running at a scale of >1000 tons product/year. Breakthroughs in the key biotechnological areas of a) genetic resource access (explicitly the explorability of non-cultivated microorganisms), b) enzyme screening and discovery and c) in vitro evolution of proteins to find and optimize enzymes to become near-ideally suited biocatalysts have been instrumental in pushing industrial biocatalysis to where it stands today [5, 6]. With these technological options it seems that future use of biocatalysis is limited only by the availability of the biocatalyst [3], the screening for which is subject of this review. [source] Endogenous estrogen status, but not genistein supplementation, modulates 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene-induced mutation in the liver cII gene of transgenic big blue rats,ENVIRONMENTAL AND MOLECULAR MUTAGENESIS, Issue 5 2005Tao Chen Abstract A growing number of studies suggest that isoflavones found in soybeans have estrogenic activity and may safely alleviate the symptoms of menopause. One of these isoflavones, genistein, is commonly used by postmenopausal women as an alternative to hormone replacement therapy. Although sex hormones have been implicated as an important risk factor for the development of hepatocellular carcinoma, there are limited data on the potential effects of the estrogens, including phytoestrogens, on chemical mutagenesis in liver. Because of the association between mutation induction and the carcinogenesis process, we investigated whether endogenous estrogen and supplemental genistein affect 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA)-induced mutagenesis in rat liver. Intact and ovariectomized female Big Blue rats were treated with 80 mg DMBA/kg body weight. Some of the rats also received a supplement of 1,000 ppm genistein. Sixteen weeks after the carcinogen treatment, the rats were sacrificed, their livers were removed, and mutant frequencies (MFs) and types of mutations were determined in the liver cII gene. DMBA significantly increased the MFs in liver for both the intact and ovariectomized rats. While there was no significant difference in MF between the ovariectomized and intact control animals, the mutation induction by DMBA in the ovariectomized groups was significantly higher than that in the intact groups. Dietary genistein did not alter these responses. Molecular analysis of the mutants showed that DMBA induced chemical-specific types of mutations in the liver cII gene. These results suggest that endogenous ovarian hormones have an inhibitory effect on liver mutagenesis by DMBA, whereas dietary genistein does not modulate spontaneous or DMBA-induced mutagenesis in either intact or ovariectomized rats. Environ. Mol. Mutagen., 2005. Published 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Genetic aspects of the Paget's disease of bone: concerns on the introduction of DNA-based tests in the clinical practice.EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF CLINICAL INVESTIGATION, Issue 7 2010Advantages, disadvantages of its application Eur J Clin Invest 2010; 40 (7): 655,667 Abstract Background, A large amount of genetic studies have clearly demonstrated the existence of a genetic susceptibility to Paget's disease of bone (PDB). Although the disease is genetically heterogeneous, the SQSTM1/p62 gene, encoding a protein with a pathophysiological role in both osteoclast differentiation and activity, has been found worldwide to harbour germline mutations in most of the PDB patients from geographically distant populations originating from different areas of Europe, both in sporadic and familial cases. Materials and Methods, Thus, SQSTM1/p62 gene mutations may confer an increased lifetime risk of developing PDB. Results, Several different genotype-phenotype analyses have shown a high penetrance for such mutations. These results suggest the opportunity to perform genetic testing in affected individuals and then, after the identification of a SQSTM1/p62 gene germline mutation, in their relatives as a real and concrete strategy to increase the diagnostic sensitivity in most of the asymptomatic mutant carriers. However, it is of note to underlie that an incomplete penetrance for SQSTM1/p62 gene mutations has also been reported. Conclusions, In light of all these contradictory evidences, a review on whether, when and why apply the DNA test to those subjects, its interpretation and clinical application is necessary. In fact, a growing number of preventive care options are now available to affected patients and families and the process of systematically assessing risk is becoming increasingly important for both patients and physicians. [source] Is culture a golden barrier between human and chimpanzee?EVOLUTIONARY ANTHROPOLOGY, Issue 2 2003Christophe Boesch Abstract Culture pervades much of human existence. Its significance to human social interaction and cognitive development has convinced some researchers that the phenomenon and its underlying mechanisms represent a defining criterion for humankind. However, care should be taken not to make hasty conclusions in light of the growing number of observations on the cultural abilities of different species, ranging from chimpanzees and orangutans to whales and dolphins. The present review concentrates on wild chimpanzees and shows that they all possess an extensive cultural repertoire. In the light of what we know from humans, I evaluate the importance of social learning leading to acquisition of cultural traits, as well as of collective meaning of communicative traits. Taking into account cross-cultural variations in humans, I argue that the cultural abilities we observe in wild chimpanzees present a broad level of similarity between the two species. [source] PERSPECTIVE: Linking concepts in the ecology and evolution of invasive plants: network analysis shows what has been most studied and identifies knowledge gapsEVOLUTIONARY APPLICATIONS (ELECTRONIC), Issue 2 2010Sonia Vanderhoeven Abstract In recent decades, a growing number of studies have addressed connections between ecological and evolutionary concepts in biologic invasions. These connections may be crucial for understanding the processes underlying invaders' success. However, the extent to which scientists have worked on the integration of the ecology and evolution of invasive plants is poorly documented, as few attempts have been made to evaluate these efforts in invasion biology research. Such analysis can facilitate recognize well-documented relationships and identify gaps in our knowledge. In this study, we used a network-based method for visualizing the connections between major aspects of ecology and evolution in the primary research literature. Using the family Poaceae as an example, we show that ecological concepts were more studied and better interconnected than were evolutionary concepts. Several possible connections were not documented at all, representing knowledge gaps between ecology and evolution of invaders. Among knowledge gaps, the concepts of plasticity, gene flow, epigenetics and human influence were particularly under-connected. We discuss five possible research avenues to better understand the relationships between ecology and evolution in the success of Poaceae, and of alien plants in general. [source] Molecular basis of resistance to cytochrome bc1 inhibitorsFEMS YEAST RESEARCH, Issue 2 2008Nick Fisher Abstract Inhibitors of the mitochondrial respiratory chain enzyme cytochrome bc1 (respiratory complex III) have been developed as antimicrobial agents. They are used in agriculture to control plant pathogenic fungi and in medicine against human pathogens, such as the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum, or Pneumocystis jiroveci (an opportunistic pathogenic fungus life-threatening in immuno-compromised patients). These respiratory inhibitors are thus effective against a broad range of important pathogens. Unfortunately, the problem of acquired resistance has rapidly emerged. A growing number of pathogen isolates resistant to inhibitor treatment have been reported, and this resistance is often linked to mutation within cytochrome b, one of the essential catalytic subunits of the complex. Saccharomyces cerevisiae is an invaluable model in order to assess the impact of the mutations on the sensitivity to the drugs, on the respiratory capacity and the fitness of cells. In this minireview, the inhibitors, their mode of action, and the mutations implicated in resistance and studied in yeast are briefly reviewed. Four mutations that are of particular importance in medicine and in agriculture are briefly reviewed and described in more detail and the molecular basis of resistance and of evolution of the mutations is discussed succinctly. [source] The use of leukocyte profiles to measure stress in vertebrates: a review for ecologistsFUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY, Issue 5 2008A. K. Davis Summary 1A growing number of ecologists are turning to the enumeration of white blood cells from blood smears (leukocyte profiles) to assess stress in animals. There has been some inconsistency and controversy in the ecological literature, however, regarding their interpretation. The inconsistencies may stem partly from a lack of information regarding how stress affects leukocytes in different taxa, and partly from a failure on the part of researchers in one discipline to consult potentially informative literature from another. 2Here, we seek to address both issues by reviewing the literature on the leukocyte response to stress, spanning the taxa of mammals (including humans), birds, amphibians, reptiles and fish. 3We show that much of the early literature points to a close link between leukocyte profiles and glucocorticoid levels. Specifically, these hormones act to increase the number and percentage of neutrophils (heterophils in birds and reptiles), while decreasing the number and percentage of lymphocytes. This phenomenon is seen in all five vertebrate taxa in response to either natural stressors or exogenous administration of stress hormones. For the ecologist, therefore, high ratios of heterophils or neutrophils to lymphocytes (,H : L' or ,N : L' ratios) in blood samples reliably indicate high glucocorticoid levels. Furthermore, this close relationship between stress hormones and N : L or H : L ratios needs to be highlighted more prominently in haematological assessments of stress, as it aids the interpretation of results. 4As with hormone assays, there are challenges to overcome in the use of leukocytes profiles to assess levels of stress; however, there are also advantages to this approach, and we outline each. Given the universal and consistent nature of the haematological response to stress, plus the overwhelming evidence from the veterinary, biomedical and ecological literature reviewed here, we conclude that this method can provide a reliable assessment of stress in all vertebrate taxa. [source] Temporary Work in the Public Services: Implications for Equal OpportunitiesGENDER, WORK & ORGANISATION, Issue 4 2003Hazel M. Conley This article examines the impact of the growing number of temporary employment contracts in the public sector on equal opportunity theory, policy and practice. Quantitative and qualitative data from two case study local authorities are utilized to examine the mechanisms by which temporary work becomes an equal opportunities issue. A strong association between part-time work and temporary employment status is demonstrated as an important aspect of the gendered nature of temporary work. Links between ethnicity and temporary work are less clear but are based upon the insecurity of targeted funding for teachers and the under-valuation of the skills of the workers concerned. The data indicate that temporary workers are largely excluded from equal opportunity policy and practice, bringing into question a concept of equality that can permit less favourable treatment for certain groups of workers. It is argued that public sector restructuring, particularly concerning decentralization and the quest for flexibility, has facilitated the differential treatment of employees, thereby fundamentally eroding the basis of equal opportunity policy and practice. [source] ASIANS IN AMERICA'S SUBURBS: PATTERNS AND CONSEQUENCES OF SETTLEMENT§GEOGRAPHICAL REVIEW, Issue 2 2005EMILY SKOP ABSTRACT. In an effort to provide a more complex and multifaceted understanding of the process of spatial assimilation, this article explores alternative paths in understanding racial/ ethnic minority residential patterns. It scrutinizes patterns of contemporary Asian Indian and Chinese settlement in two metropolitan areas: Austin, Texas and Phoenix, Arizona. Though not particularly evolved in terms of their Asian immigrant settlement or dynamics, Austin and Phoenix represent the growing number of newly emergent Asian centers throughout the nation that have developed with the rapid rise of immigration from these two countries in the past several decades. The analysis utilizes records from the 2000 census to document and map Asian Indian and Chinese settlement within each metropolitan area and to investigate whether-and to what degree-each group is clustered or dispersed. The article then raises important questions about the consequences of concentration and dispersal for the incorporation of Asian Indian and Chinese residents. [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||