Particular Role (particular + role)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Spatially and temporally regulated expression of specific heparan sulfate epitopes in the developing mouse olfactory system

DEVELOPMENT GROWTH & DIFFERENTIATION, Issue 2 2010
Jun Takatoh
Heparan sulfate (HS) comprises a structurally diverse group of glycosaminoglycans present ubiquitously on cell surfaces and in the extracellular matrix. The spatially and temporally regulated expression of specific HS structures is essential for various developmental processes in the nervous system but their distributions in the mouse olfactory system have not been explored. Here, we examined the spatiotemporal distribution of particular HS species in the developing mouse olfactory system using three structure-specific monoclonal antibodies (HepSS-1, JM403 and NAH46). The major findings were as follows. (i) During olfactory bulb morphogenesis, the HepSS-1 epitope was strongly expressed in anterior telencephalic cells and coexpressed with fibroblast growth factor receptor 1. (ii) In early postnatal glomeruli, the JM403 epitope was expressed at different levels among individual glomeruli. The expression pattern and levels of the JM403 epitope were both associated with those of ephrin-A3. (iii) In the vomeronasal system, the JM403 epitope was expressed in all vomeronasal axons but became increasingly restricted to vomeronasal axons terminating in the anterior region of the accessory olfactory bulb by 3 weeks of age. Our results demonstrate that each HS epitope exhibits a unique expression pattern during the development of the mouse olfactory system. Thus, each HS epitope is closely associated with particular developmental processes of the olfactory system and might have a particular role in developmental events. [source]


Intracerebral large artery disease in Aicardi,Goutières syndrome implicates SAMHD1 in vascular homeostasis

DEVELOPMENTAL MEDICINE & CHILD NEUROLOGY, Issue 8 2010
VENKATESWARAN RAMESH
Aim, To describe a spectrum of intracerebral large artery disease in Aicardi,Goutières syndrome (AGS) associated with mutations in the AGS5 gene SAMHD1. Method, We used clinical and radiological description and molecular analysis. Results, Five individuals (three males, two females) were identified as having biallelic mutations in SAMHD1 and a cerebral arteriopathy in association with peripheral vessel involvement resulting in chilblains and ischaemic ulceration. The cerebral vasculopathy was primarily occlusive in three patients (with terminal carotid occlusion and basal collaterals reminiscent of moyamoya syndrome) and aneurysmal in two. Three of the five patients experienced intracerebral haemorrhage, which was fatal in two individuals. Post-mortem examination of one patient suggested that the arteriopathy was inflammatory in origin. Interpretation, Mutations in SAMHD1 are associated with a cerebral vasculopathy which is likely to have an inflammatory aetiology. A similar disease has not been observed in patients with mutations in AGS1 to AGS4, suggesting a particular role for SAMHD1 in vascular homeostasis. Our report raises important questions about the management of patients with mutations in SAMHD1. [source]


Calculating credibility: print culture, trust and economic figures in early eighteenth-century England1

ECONOMIC HISTORY REVIEW, Issue 4 2007
NATASHA GLAISYER
Credit in early modern England has been studied by both social historians of the market and historians of the book. The intersection of these literatures is explored by asking the question: how did producers of books about interest (which was closely connected to credit) convince readers that their books could be trusted? One particular book is considered: a palm-sized book of interest calculations by John Castaing. Most importantly, and unusually, many copies of this book contain his signature, which, it is argued, must be interpreted in the context of the particular role that signatures played in guaranteeing financial transactions. [source]


Tamm-Horsfall protein: a multilayered defence molecule against urinary tract infection

EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF CLINICAL INVESTIGATION, Issue 4 2005
M. D. Säemann
Abstract Urinary tract infection (UTI) is the most common nonepidemic bacterial infection in humans, representing a constant danger for the host. Both innate and adaptive components of the immune system as well as stromal cells including bladder epithelium are involved in the prevention and clearance of UTI. However, the particular properties of the urogenital tract, which does not comprise typical physical barriers like a mucus or ciliated epithelium, necessitate soluble mediators with potent immunomodulatory capabilities. One candidate molecule capable of both mediating direct antimicrobial activity and alerting immune cells is the evolutionary conserved Tamm-Horsfall protein (THP). Tamm-Horsfall protein is exclusively produced by the kidney in the distal loop of Henle; however, its definite physiological function remains elusive. Mounting evidence indicates that beyond a mere direct antimicrobial activity, THP exerts potent immunoregulatory activity. Furthermore, the genetic ablation of the THP gene leads to severe infection and lethal pyelonephritis in an experimental model of UTI. Recent data are provided demonstrating that THP links the innate immune response with specific THP-directed cell-mediated immunity. In light of these novel findings we discuss the particular role of THP as a specialized defence molecule. We propose an integrated model of protective mechanisms against UTI where THP acts by two principle nonmutually exclusive mechanisms involving the capture of potentially dangerous microbes and the ability of this peculiar glycoprotein to induce robust protective immune responses against uropathogenic bacteria. [source]


Narrative 360° assessment and stakeholder analysis: How a powerful tool drives executive coaching engagements

GLOBAL BUSINESS AND ORGANIZATIONAL EXCELLENCE, Issue 6 2010
Richard Koonce
A process of in-depth targeted interviews and analysis goes where a traditional 360° assessment cannot, revealing cultural, political, and other subtle organizational and performance factors that can make or break an executive. Rich, real-time contextual feedback helps leaders and their coaches to focus on those areas most critical to performance in a particular role and organization. The author describes the process and instrument and illustrates its use and value through two case studies. He also examines the benefits of pairing the process with the concepts of social economics and social theater and with a number of other coaching tools. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source]


Monocarboxylate transporters in the central nervous system: distribution, regulation and function

JOURNAL OF NEUROCHEMISTRY, Issue 1 2005
Karin Pierre
Abstract Monocarboxylate transporters (MCTs) are proton-linked membrane carriers involved in the transport of monocarboxylates such as lactate, pyruvate, as well as ketone bodies. They belong to a larger family of transporters composed of 14 members in mammals based on sequence homologies. MCTs are found in various tissues including the brain where three isoforms, MCT1, MCT2 and MCT4, have been described. Each of these isoforms exhibits a distinct regional and cellular distribution in rodent brain. At the cellular level, MCT1 is expressed by endothelial cells of microvessels, by ependymocytes as well as by astrocytes. MCT4 expression appears to be specific for astrocytes. By contrast, the predominant neuronal monocarboxylate transporter is MCT2. Interestingly, part of MCT2 immunoreactivity is located at postsynaptic sites, suggesting a particular role of monocarboxylates and their transporters in synaptic transmission. In addition to variation in expression during development and upon nutritional modifications, new data indicate that MCT expression is regulated at the translational level by neurotransmitters. Understanding how transport of monocarboxylates is regulated could be of particular importance not only for neuroenergetics but also for areas such as functional brain imaging, regulation of food intake and glucose homeostasis, or for central nervous system disorders such as ischaemia and neurodegenerative diseases. [source]


Hypochondriacal Concerns and the Five Factor Model of Personality

JOURNAL OF PERSONALITY, Issue 4 2000
Eamonn Ferguson
Using data from two studies (Ns = 205 and 161), this article examines the associations between the domains of the five factor model of personality and hypochondriacal concerns (HCs). These associations are explored once covariation due to other related traits (somatosensory amplification) and comorbidity factors (anxiety, depression, and somatic symptom reporting) have been controlled. As predicted, emotional stability was associated with most criteria related to HCs and agreeableness was negatively associated with the perceived inadequacy of a physician's explanation. Conscientiousness was negatively associated with HCs. These associations remained after partialing the comorbidity factors and somatosensory amplification. The discussion focuses on the particular role of agreeableness and conscientiousness in relation to HCs. [source]


Energy Regulation and Aging: Recent Findings and Their Implications

NUTRITION REVIEWS, Issue 4 2000
Susan B. Roberts Ph.D.
Old age is a time of vulnerability to unintentional weight loss, a factor that is associated with increased morbidity and premature death. Many possible causes of weight loss in old age have been suggested. The so-called anorexia of aging may play a particular role, by either reducing food intake directly or reducing food intake in response to such adverse factors as age-associated reductions in taste and smell, poor dentition, use of multiple prescription medicines, and depression. Recent studies also raise the question of whether a reduction in dietary variety may be important. These findings emphasize the need for regular monitoring of body weight to detect unintentional weight loss in older individuals and suggest testable ways to minimize the impact of the anorexia of aging on body weight through improved dietary management. [source]


Antigone and Cassandra: Gender and Nationalism in German Literature

ORBIS LITERARUM, Issue 2 2000
Isabel Capeloa Gil
Stemming from an understanding of literature as a sub-text of culture, created through the circulation of social energies, this paper will discuss how the reception of the Antigone and Cassandra stories in German literature may help understand the nation-building process, particularly from Bismarck's "Grunderjahre" until 1990. Seen as female models in the Western tradition, Antigone and Cassandra derive their particular role in German literature, especially in the 20th century from the coming together of three factors: a sense of decay in the present which leads to the search for cultural models in the past, more specifically in Greek and Roman Antiquity; the "verspätete Nation" complex leading both to a cosmopolitan outlook on the nationality issue, as well as to an identity-reductive conception further represented by the "völkisch" ideology; and thirdly the ideological and utopian projection of the feminine as the "natural" representative of an alternative and purified existence. Since all identity is constructed across difference, this paper argues that Antigone and Cassandra function as gendered nation-building constructions and will show how in literary terms they were used to support and/or reject nationalist cohesion. [source]


Determinants of Human Rights Attitudes and Behavior: A Comparison and Integration of Psychological Perspectives

POLITICAL PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 4 2007
J. Christopher Cohrs
Following several political-psychological approaches, the present research analyzed whether orientations toward human rights are a function of right-wing authoritarianism (RWA), social dominance orientation (SDO), basic human values in the sense of Schwartz (1992), and political ideology. Three dimensions of human rights attitudes (endorsement, restriction, and enforcement) were differentiated from human rights knowledge and behavior. In a time-lagged Internet survey (N = 479), using structural equation modeling, RWA, universalism and power values, and political ideology (measured at Time 1) differentially predicted dimensions of human rights attitudes (measured at Time 2 five months later). RWA and universalism values also predicted self-reported human rights behavior, with the effects mediated through human rights endorsement. Human rights knowledge also predicted behavior. The psychological roots of positive and negative orientations toward human rights, consequences for human rights education, and the particular role of military enforcement of human rights are discussed. [source]


The Political Consequences of the Crash

POLITICAL STUDIES REVIEW, Issue 1 2010
Andrew Gamble
The financial crash of 2008 precipitated a major recession. It shattered the financial growth model that had dominated the previous twenty years and plunged the international economy into a period of economic and political restructuring of uncertain duration. The immediate origins of the crash lay in the lending practices associated with the sub-prime mortgages in the United States which produced the credit crunch in 2007, but the wider causes were the unbalanced character of growth in the international economy and the particular role played by finance. The crisis has been explained in a number of different ways, focusing on the behaviour of the financial markets, the institutional and policy conditions that made the boom possible and then undermined it, longer-term economic and policy cycles and the nature of uncertainty and risk in complex social systems. The political impact of the crash and the recession has not been uniform; it has been highly uneven, depending on the position of particular states in the international economy. The rapid interventions by governments to stave off financial collapse at the end of 2008 were successful, but at the cost of creating serious problems of adjustment for the future. The political debate around what were the causes, who should be blamed and what should be done is only just beginning, and the way this crisis comes to be understood will play a major part in determining how it is eventually resolved and how far-reaching will be the changes to the international economy and to domestic politics. [source]


Inquiry-based learning and technology,supporting institutional TEL within one pedagogical context

BRITISH JOURNAL OF EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY, Issue 3 2008
Sabine Little
Following the establishment of Centres for Excellence in Teaching and Learning in England and Northern Ireland in 2005, several institutions have used these to pursue specific pedagogical approaches at a strategic level, in line with and building on existing institutional strategic thinking. Technology-enhanced learning is often one of the vehicles to implement these pedagogical approaches, leading to institution-wide attempts to identify and support suitable technologies. This paper discusses the role of the educational developer in this process and what impact this particular role might have at strategic level, bearing in mind the numerous simultaneous developments that take place in an institution at any one time. [source]


The crystal structure of microtubule-associated protein light chain 3, a mammalian homologue of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Atg8

GENES TO CELLS, Issue 7 2004
Kenji Sugawara
Microtubule-associated protein light chain 3 (LC3), a mammalian homologue of yeast Atg8, plays an essential role in autophagy, which is involved in the bulk degradation of cytoplasmic components by the lysosomal system. Here, we report the crystal structure of LC3 at 2.05 Å resolution with an R-factor of 21.8% and a free R-factor of 24.9%. The structure of LC3, which is similar to those of Golgi-associated ATPase enhancer of 16 kDa (GATE-16) and GABAA receptor-associated protein (GABARAP), contains a ubiquitin core with two , helices, ,1 and ,2, attached at its N-terminus. Some common and distinct features are observed among these proteins, including the conservation of residues required to form an interaction among ,1, ,2 and the ubiquitin core. However, the electrostatic potential surfaces of these helices differ, implicating particular roles to select specific binding partners. Hydrophobic patches on the ubiquitin core of LC3, GABARAP and GATE-16 are well conserved and are similar to the E1 binding surface of ubiquitin and NEDD8. Therefore, we propose that the hydrophobic patch is a binding surface for mammalian Atg7 similar to a ubiquitin-like conjugation system. We also propose the functional implications of the ubiquitin fold as a recognition module of target proteins. [source]


Nursing needs of acutely ill older people

JOURNAL OF ADVANCED NURSING, Issue 5 2003
Karen Hancock BSc PhD
Background., Investigating older acutely ill hospitalized patients' nursing needs and quality of care is paramount, given the growing pressure on nurses to provide increasingly intensive levels of care to a growing older population while at the same time working with reduced staffing levels. Aims., The aims of this study were to determine: (1) important aspects of nursing care as perceived by older patients, their family member/carer who observed care during hospitalization, and nurses; (2) satisfaction levels of patients, family/carers and nurses on nursing care received; and (3) mismatches between nursing care priorities and satisfaction with nursing care. Methods., Two hundred and thirty-two acutely ill patients aged over 65 years, 99 carers/family members and 90 nurses completed the Caregiving Activities Survey, which measures importance of and satisfaction with various aspects of nursing care. Qualitative data, which qualified responses to survey items, were also obtained from participants. Results., Patients, carers and nurses perceived that carrying out doctors' orders was the most important aspect of nursing care, followed by physical care, psychosocial care and discharge planning. Nurses and carers rated physical care, psychosocial care and discharge planning more highly than patients. Physical care was rated highly by patients in terms of importance, but rated moderately in terms of satisfaction. Carers' and patients' ratings of satisfaction with physical care were lower than nurses' ratings of opportunities to provide it. The importance of discharge planning was rated highly by nurses but all groups were only moderately satisfied with this aspect of care. Study limitations., The findings do not apply to acutely ill older patients with confusion, mental illness or more than early stage dementia. Conclusions., Patients, nurses and family/carers were generally in agreement about the relative importance of particular aspects of nursing care. Nurses may need to communicate more effectively with older patients and their family carers about the particular roles they will play during the patient's hospital episode, the expectations they have of patients in the process of healing and recovery, and the reasons for the actions they take in aiding this process. The findings are useful in making nurses more aware of the expectations and needs of older hospital patients and their carers. They provide evidence for developing both new models of nursing care for this patient group, and nursing education programmes. [source]


AUF1 and Hu proteins in the developing rat brain: Implication in the proliferation and differentiation of neural progenitors

JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE RESEARCH, Issue 6 2009
Dolores Hambardzumyan
Abstract Posttranscriptional events such as RNA stabilization are important for cell differentiation, but little is known about the impact of AU-rich binding proteins (AUBPs) on the fate of neural cells. Expression of destabilizing AUBPs such as AUF1 and neuronal-specific stabilizing proteins such as HuB, HuC and HuD was therefore analyzed in the developing central nervous system. Real-time RT-PCR indicated a specific developmental pattern in the postnatal cerebellum, with a progressive down-regulation of AUF1 from P1, whereas HuB was strongly up-regulated at about P7. These changes were accompanied by a progressive increase in AUF1p45 and the disappearance of one HuB isoform from P15, suggesting particular roles for these AUBPs in the developing cerebellum. AUF1 was detected in the three main cerebellar layers, whereas Hu proteins were found only in postmitotic neurons. A role for Hu proteins in the early stages of neuronal differentiation is further supported by arrest of cell proliferation following induction of HuB or HuD expression in a neural stem cell line. The decrease in nestin expression suggest that HuD, but not HuB, favors the transition of neural progenitors into early neuroblasts, but other factors are most probably required for their full differentiation into neurons, insofar as GAP-43 was not detected in HuD-transfected cells. These data suggest critical roles for HuB at the very earliest stages of neuronal differentiation, such as cell cycle exit, and HuD might also be involved in the transition of neural progenitors into early neuroblasts. Taken together, the present results strengthen the importance of AUBPs in brain ontogenesis. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]


What do you mean you want me to teach, do research, engage in service, and clinical practice?

JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF NURSE PRACTITIONERS, Issue 7 2009
Views from the trenches: The novice, the expert
Abstract The purpose of this column is to explicate two points of view,the novice and the expert nurse practitioner (NP) faculty member, highlighting the importance of mentoring new faculty NP members into the diverse faculty roles relating to both general academic requirements and those particular roles related to NP education. For example, arranging clinical placements is one of the most important and time-consuming responsibilities of NP faculty. Learning to juggle all the roles is a challenge to new faculty members. Such mentoring may help alleviate the phenomenon of young faculty members leaving academia and returning to full-time clinical practice. Mentoring is crucial to integrating new NP faculty members into academic life. [source]