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Various Changes (various + change)
Selected AbstractsIn vivo high-resolution synchrotron radiation imaging of collagen-induced arthritis in a rodent modelJOURNAL OF SYNCHROTRON RADIATION, Issue 3 2010Chang-Hyuk Choi In vivo microstructures of the affected feet of collagen-induced arthritic (CIA) mice were examined using a high-resolution synchrotron radiation (SR) X-ray refraction technique with a polychromatic beam issued from a bending magnet. The CIA models were obtained from six-week-old DBA/1J mice that were immunized with bovine type II collagen and grouped as grades 0,3 according to a clinical scoring for the severity of arthritis. An X-ray shadow of a specimen was converted into a visual image on the surface of a CdWO4 scintillator that was magnified using a microscopic objective lens before being captured with a digital charge-coupled-device camera. Various changes in the joint microstructure, including cartilage destruction, periosteal born formation, articular bone thinning and erosion, marrow invasion by pannus progression, and widening joint space, were clearly identified at each level of arthritis severity with an equivalent pixel size of 2.7,µm. These high-resolution features of destruction in the CIA models have not previously been available from any other conventional imaging modalities except histological light microscopy. However, thickening of the synovial membrane was not resolved in composite images by the SR refraction imaging method. In conclusion, in vivo SR X-ray microscopic imaging may have potential as a diagnostic tool in small animals that does not require a histochemical preparation stage in examining microstructural changes in joints affected with arthritis. The findings from the SR images are comparable with standard histopathology findings. [source] MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTING CHANGE AND NEW PUBLIC MANAGEMENT IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT: A REASSESSMENT OF AMBITIONS AND RESULTS , AN INSTITUTIONALIST APPROACH TO ACCOUNTING CHANGE IN THE DUTCH PUBLIC SECTORFINANCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY & MANAGEMENT, Issue 3 2008Henk J. Ter Bogt Dutch municipalities and provinces, denoted here as local government, have seen a succession of changes in their management accounting systems and have also introduced other changes related to New Public Management (NPM) in the last twenty years. This paper examines accounting changes, such as the introduction of accrual accounting, output and outcome budgets and performance measurement, from an institutionalist point of view. The paper presents experiences of 23 politicians and professional managers with the various changes over a period of fifteen to twenty years. The interviewees, just like various researchers in the field of NPM, were critical of the accounting changes and their effects. However, several of them also made clear that, seen over the long run, the changes did have some effects that they liked and seem to be in line with the ,ideals' presented in NPM literature. The paper suggests that an institutionalist perspective is helpful for studying change processes in organizations and for observing factors and developments that might not be noticed when a more functional and short-term perspective is adopted. [source] Redesigning mental health services: lessons on user involvement from the Mental Health CollaborativeHEALTH EXPECTATIONS, Issue 1 2003Glenn Robert PhD Abstract Objectives, To explore the involvement of mental health service users in the redesign of in-patient mental health services in six Trusts participating in a multi-regional NHS modernization programme. Design, Semi-structured interviews and observation of team meetings undertaken as part of an action research study. Participants and setting, Users, clinical, medical and managerial staff from six mental health trusts which participated in the Northern & Yorkshire and Trent regions' Mental Health Collaborative (MHC). Results and conclusions, Whilst there were some problems, user involvement was undoubtedly a strength of the MHC in comparison to other modernization programmes within the NHS we have studied. However, the particular challenges posed by the specific context of acute mental health services should not be overlooked. The initial approach taken in each of the sites was to simply invite a user or user representative to join the local project team. In the course of events, various changes were made to this initial mechanism for involving users in the ongoing work of the teams. These changes , and setbacks in some sites , make drawing firm conclusions as to the effectiveness of the various strategies employed problematic. However, our qualitative data suggest a number of broad lessons that will assist both those leading and participating in other redesign initiatives to maximize the benefits to be gained from service user involvement. [source] Domestic tourism destination choices,,,a choice modelling analysisINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF TOURISM RESEARCH, Issue 6 2003Twan Huybers Abstract Tourism destinations compete with each other to attract visitors. Although international tourism has received a lot of attention, domestic tourism remains the mainstay for many destinations. To inform the basis on which destinations compete, an understanding of the determinants of destination choices is required. In this paper, the discrete choice modelling method is applied to investigate the determining factors underlying the short-break holiday destination choices of prospective tourists from Melbourne, Australia. The results from an estimated nested logit model indicate the relative importance of a number of destination and trip attributes and respondent characteristics. The model results are used to simulate the effects on destinations' market shares resulting from various changes in attributes and tourist characteristics. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Comparison of testes structure, spermatogenesis, and spermatocytogenesis in young, aging, and hybrid cichlid fish (Cichlidae, Teleostei)JOURNAL OF MORPHOLOGY, Issue 3 2003Lev Fishelson Abstract Testis structure, spermatogenesis, and spermatocytogenesis were compared in 13 species of cichlid fishes, belonging to the subfamilies Haplochrominae and Tilapinae. The species studied were either mouth brooders, in which fertilization occurs mostly inside the mouth of the brooding fish, or substrate brooders, whose eggs adhere to a substrate over which the sperm is ejaculated. In this study, the embryogenesis of testes anlagen and sperm production was followed in embryos and in fish up to 15 years old, as well as in hybrids of the two subfamilies. In cichlids, the testes are of the unrestricted type and primary spermatogonia develop along the entire length of the developing sperm tubule. The first primary spermatogonia are observed in the testes anlagen 2,5 days after fertilization and they continue to develop in cysts formed by the enveloping Sertoli cells and the intertubular elements. The dimensions of such primary and secondary spermatocysts are correlated with the number of spermatogonia they contain and the corresponding number of mitotic multiplications. The largest mature cysts attained 300 ,m, and contained 2,200,2,400 spermatids in the mouth-brooding species and 2,600,3,200 in the substrate-brooding species. Despite the fact that in such cysts cytoplasmic bridges connect only the isogamete spermatids, the maturation of all cells and consequent spermiation is synchronized. Meristic characters distinguish the sperm of mouth brooders from those of substrate brooders, especially in the number of mitochondria and length of the flagellum. In older fish and hybrids, various changes can be seen in the gametogenic epithelium and intertubular cells. These include thickening of the connective tissue, formation of "yellow" groups of Leydig cells, cell apoptosis and degeneration, and, especially, formation of large spermatogonia, with large, electron-dense nucleoli, that have the cytological characteristics of oocytes. The intra- and interspecific variability of sperm dimensions in the studied cichlids poses an interesting question in the context of sperm competition. J. Morphol. 256:285,300, 2003. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Breeding of Pleurotus florida (oyster mushroom) for phenotypic pigmentation and high yield potentialJOURNAL OF THE SCIENCE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE, Issue 15 2008Jatinder Kaur Abstract BACKGROUND: Cross-hybridisation is a technique for exchange of genetic material between two compatible nuclei to develop a recombinant genome with a probable expression for a desirable trait. This technique as an example of classical genetics has been applied in a heterothallic bifactorial/tetrapolar fungus Pleurotus florida. It has worked successfully during this study in a small number of experiments. RESULTS: Fruit bodies from the Pleurotus florida PAU-5 were allowed to shed their basidiospores on filter paper under aseptic conditions. Forty-nine monokaryons were isolated from three spore prints, namely Ja, Jb and K. Three hundred and fifty-six crosses were laid to result in five compatible reactions (PFJ4, PFJ9, PFJ11, PFJ13 and PFJ14). The fruit bodies of the hybrid dikaryon PFJ4 were found to show grey pigmentation. The hybrid dikaryons PFJ11 and PFJ14 grew faster in wheat straw substrate to take 39 and 41 days, respectively, for complete mycelial impregnation as compared to the parent, PAU-5 (48 days). The dikaryon PFJ11 out-yielded the parent by giving 34.2% biological efficiency compared to 29.8% for the parent. CONCLUSION: Through cross-hybridisation various changes at the genetic level are possible, showing altered phenotypic expression of the characters, such as change in fruiting efficiency and variability in fruit body characteristics (e.g., pileus shape and pigmentation). This technique can also be applied to other crops to improve their yield potential and bring about desirable phenotypic changes. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry [source] How Can the United States Take the Initiative in the Current North Korean Nuclear Crisis?PACIFIC FOCUS, Issue 2 2005Jin H. Pak On September 19, 2005, the last day of the fourth round of six-party talks, a deal was announced in which North Korea pledged to end its nuclear program in return for a number of concessions. Within 24 hours of that announcement, North Korea clarified its position by stating that the United States "should not even dream" it would dismantle its nuclear weapons until it receives a light-water nuclear reactor. Despite four rounds of six-party talks over a three year period, it seems that almost no real progress has been made, except for North Korea; US intelligence officials estimate that North Korea could have made as many as 8 or 9 nuclear weapons already. So it seems North Korea has cleverly increased its bargaining position vis-à-vis the United States. As lengthy negotiations over the provision of a Light Water Reactor (LWR) will undoubtedly ensue, it can use that time to steadily increase its nuclear deterrent. Why did the United States agree to this sub-optimal outcome? Why was it so difficult for the United States to exert more influence on North Korea and the other countries in the six-party talks? The answer to these questions lies in the changing trends affecting Northeast Asian security dynamics. For various reasons that this article will explain, these trends affect the ability of the United States to take the initiative in the ongoing North Korean nuclear crisis. As long as the United States fails to account for various changes in Northeast Asian regional dynamics, its strategy will to deter North Korea from continuing its nuclear program will not succeed. [source] Faster clearance of omeprazole in mutant Nagase analbuminemic rats: possible roles of increased protein expression of hepatic CYP1A2 and lower plasma protein bindingBIOPHARMACEUTICS AND DRUG DISPOSITION, Issue 3 2009Dae Y. Lee Abstract It is well known that there are various changes in the expression of hepatic and intestinal CYPs in mutant Nagase analbuminemic rats (NARs). It has been reported that the protein expression of hepatic CYP1A2 was increased, whereas that of hepatic CYP3A1 was not altered, and it was also found that the protein expression of the intestinal CYP1A subfamily significantly increased in NARs from our other study. In addition, in this study additional information about CYP changes in NARs was obtained; the protein expression of the hepatic CYP2D subfamily was not altered, but that of the intestinal CYP3A subfamily increased in NARs. Because omeprazole is metabolized via hepatic CYP1A1/2, 2D1, 3A1/2 in rats, it could be expected that the pharmacokinetics of omeprazole would be altered in NARs. After intravenous administration of omeprazole to NARs, the Clnr was significantly faster than in the controls (110 versus 46.6 ml/min/kg), and this could be due to an increase in hepatic metabolism caused by a greater hepatic CYP1A2 level in addition to greater free fractions of the drug in NARs. After oral administration of omeprazole to NARs, the AUC was also significantly smaller (80.1% decrease) and F was decreased in NARs. This could be primarily due to increased hepatic and intestinal metabolism caused by greater hepatic CYP1A2 and intestinal CYP1A and 3A levels. In particular, the smaller F could mainly result from greater hepatic and intestinal first-pass effect in NARs than in the controls. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] | ||||||||||||||||