Substantive Levels Research Articles

Detection of the human endogenous retrovirus ERV3-encoded Env-protein in human tissues using antibody-based proteomics

There is growing evidence to suggest that human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) have contributed to human evolution, being expressed in development, normal physiology and disease. A key difficulty in the scientific evaluation of this potential viral contribution is the accurate demonstration of virally expressed protein in specific human cells and tissues. In this study, we have adopted the endogenous retrovirus, ERV3, as our test model in developing a reliable high-capacity methodology for the expression of such endogenous retrovirus-coded protein. Two affinity-purified polyclonal antibodies to ERV3 Env-encoded protein were generated to detect the corresponding protein expression pattern in specific human cells, tissues and organs. Sampling included normal tissues from 144 individuals ranging from childhood to old age. This included more than forty different tissues and organs and some 216 different cancer tissues representing the twenty commonest forms of human cancer. The Rudbeck Laboratory, Uppsala University and Uppsala University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden. The potential expression at likely physiological level of the ERV3Env encoded protein in a wide range of human cells, tissues and organs. We found that ERV3 encoded Env protein is expressed at substantive levels in placenta, testis, adrenal gland, corpus luteum, Fallopian tubes, sebaceous glands, astrocytes, bronchial epithelium and the ducts of the salivary glands. Substantive expression was also seen in a variety of epithelial cells as well as cells known to undergo fusion in inflammation and in normal physiology, including fused macrophages, myocardium and striated muscle. This contrasted strongly with the low levels expressed in other tissues types. These findings suggest that this virus plays a significant role in human physiology and may also play a possible role in disease. This technique can now be extended to the study of other HERV genomes within the human chromosomes that may have contributed to human evolution, physiology and disease.

A genre-theoretic approach to financial reporting research

A genre is a category of texts marked out by the conventions employed in their production. A genre-theoretic approach draws out the complex, subtle and elusive nature of financial reporting as communication. It provides scope for examining the features of the reporting process that contribute to its complexities and subtleties in a systematic, comprehensive and integrated way, embracing both technical and social dimensions. This paper discusses aspects of genre theory, as employed in discourse analysis, and their application to financial reporting. Relevant features of the approach include financial statement composition as a challenging process; knowing users; an engaged discourse community; situated communication; intertextuality; and structural dynamism. A genre-based approach has a number of implications for financial reporting research, at both methodological and substantive levels, which are explored in the paper, and may ultimately offer the potential for integrating market-based and interdisciplinary work together with the best of the classical tradition.

Assuring academic achievement standards: from moderation to calibration

The course (module) grades entered on higher education academic records (transcripts) purportedly represent substantive levels of student achievement. They are often taken at face value and accepted as comparable across courses. Research undertaken over several decades has shown that the underlying standards against which student works are appraised are poorly understood and can vary widely from assessor to assessor. At the same time, it is commonly held that academic judgements should be respected and form the basis of any quality assurance scheme. This article is about some of the conceptual foundations relevant to a particular approach to assuring academic achievement standards. The final concept discussed is that of ‘calibrated' academics who are able to make grading judgements consistent with those which similarly calibrated colleagues would make, but without constant engagement in moderation. The overall aims are to achieve comparability of standards across institutions and stability of standards over time.

INTERGROUP BIAS AMONG JAKARTA'S ROAD USERS

The goal of this study is to examine intergroup bias among people who use roads in Jakarta. Intergroup bias refers to the tendency to prioritize, treat and perceive in-group members more favorable than out-groups. Three different groups of road users participated in this study: private drivers, motor riders, and public transportation drivers. Intergroup bias is measured as perception bias and attribution bias. The findings show that both forms of bias occur among the road users. Intergroup attribution bias that is found among the three groups are more in-group than out-group attribution bias. The private car drivers, motor riders, and public transportation drivers tend to attribute positive behavior of in-group to internal factor and negative behavior of in-group to external factors. Index of effect size in perception bias indicates substantive levels and represents large effect in the population.

Modulation of the metabolism of airborne pollutants by glucoraphanin-rich and sulforaphane-rich broccoli sprout beverages in Qidong, China

Epidemiological evidence has suggested that consumption of a diet rich in cruciferous vegetables reduces the risk of several types of cancers and chronic degenerative diseases. In particular, broccoli sprouts are a convenient and rich source of the glucosinolate, glucoraphanin, which can release the chemopreventive agent, sulforaphane, an inducer of glutathione S-transferases. Two broccoli sprout-derived beverages, one sulforaphane-rich (SFR) and the other glucoraphanin-rich (GRR), were evaluated for pharmacodynamic action in a crossover clinical trial design. Study participants were recruited from the farming community of He Zuo Township, Qidong, China, previously documented to have a high incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma with concomitant exposures to aflatoxin and more recently characterized with exposures to substantive levels of airborne pollutants. Fifty healthy participants were randomized into two treatment arms. The study protocol was as follows: a 5 days run-in period, a 7 days administration of beverage, a 5 days washout period and a 7 days administration of the opposite beverage. Urinary excretion of the mercapturic acids of acrolein, crotonaldehyde, ethylene oxide and benzene were measured both pre- and postinterventions using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. Statistically significant increases of 20-50% in the levels of excretion of glutathione-derived conjugates of acrolein, crotonaldehyde and benzene were seen in individuals receiving SFR, GRR or both compared with their preintervention baseline values. No significant differences were seen between the effects of SFR versus GRR. Intervention with broccoli sprouts may enhance detoxication of airborne pollutants and attenuate their associated health risks.

Decomposition of the technology of creation of commodity portfolio of a textile enterprise

In economics and management, classical single-factor study of an object is being pursued increasingly rarely. The results of multifactor studies can be presented explicitly in the form of scales and matrices of various dimensions. This article provides a classification of the technologies of creation of commodity portfolio of an enterprise in the form of two- and three-dimensional taxonomic (classification) space. Squares of matrices correspond to objects and methods of creation of a variety of products manufactured by the enterprise. Substantive, procedural, and innovation levels of the hierarchy of the technology of commodity portfolio creation are considered as the classification criteria.

Abstract LB-405: Modulation of the metabolism of air-borne pollutants by broccoli sprout beverages: Results of a short term, cross-over clinical trial in Qidong, People's Republic of China

Abstract Epidemiological evidence has suggested that consumption of a diet rich in cruciferous vegetables reduces the risk of several types of cancers and chronic degenerative diseases. In particular, broccoli sprouts are a convenient and rich source of the glucosinolate, glucoraphanin (GR) which can release the chemopreventive agent, sulforaphane (SF), an inducer of glutathione transferases. Two broccoli sprout-derived beverages, one glucoraphanin-rich (GRR) and the other sulforaphane-rich (SFR), were evaluated for SF bioavailability, tolerability and pharmacodynamic action. The GRR beverage relied on the conversion of GR to SF in the gut microflora whereas the SFR beverage was prepared by conversion of GR to SF with myrosinase from daikon sprouts prior to consumption. Study participants were recruited from the farming community of He Zuo Township, Qidong, People's Republic of China, previously documented to have a high incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma and more recently, exposures to substantive levels of air-borne pollutants including phenanthrene, acrolein, crotonaldehyde, benzene and ethylene oxide. Two hundred five individuals were screened at village clinics and 50 willing, healthy participants were randomized into two treatment arms. The study protocol was as follows: a 5-day run-in period, a 7-day administration of beverages, a 5-day washout period, and a 7-day administration of the opposite beverage. Bioavailability of SF, as indicated by excretion of GR, SF and SF-thiol conjugates in urine collected daily 12 hours after dosing, was measured by isotope dilution mass spectrometry. The urinary excretions of SF and its thiols were substantially greater in individuals receiving a SFR beverage compared to a GRR beverage. Determination of possible pharmacodynamic action of the SFR and GRR beverages has been assessed through measures of the urinary excretion of the mercapturic acids of acrolein, crotonaldehyde, ethylene oxide, benzene and 1,3-butadiene using liquid and gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. Statistically significant increases in the levels of excretion of glutathione-derived conjugates of acrolein, crotonaldehyde, and benzene were seen in individuals receiving SFR, GRR or both compared to their pre-intervention baseline values. Increases provoked by SFR were greater than for GRR, but the differences were not significantly different. Thus, chemopreventive intervention may attenuate risks to health associated with exposures to air-borne pollutants in addition to possible effects on aflatoxin exposures in this region. Supported by NIEHS grant P01 ES006052. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr LB-405. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-LB-405

Assessing the Interpersonal Circumplex Model in Late Childhood

The authors developed the Interpersonal Behavior Questionnaire for Children with the aim of assessing the constructs of the interpersonal circumplex model, that is, Dominance and Love and their possible combinations, via third- to fifth-grade children's self- and peer reports. In the three studies presented herein, the authors examined several psychometric properties of the questionnaire. Results demonstrated that children's ratings along the questionnaire yielded the hypothesized circumplex structure of the interpersonal variables; that they reached significant association levels with external criteria; and that they were reliable. Specifically, interrater correlations were shown to reach substantive levels when inspected in older children, when scores were aggregated over raters, and when dominant behaviors were evaluated. Overall, the findings demonstrated the tenability of the circumplex model in young ages via children's ratings. The authors suggest that both personality assessment and personality development research may take advantage from using children's evaluations, in addition to adults' ratings of their children's personality.

The International Criminal Court and the Darfur crimes: The dilemma of peace and supra-national criminal justice

ABSTRACT The supra-national criminal prosecution by the International Criminal Court (ICC) of the alleged crimes committed in Darfur raises critical legal and conceptual issues. This article addresses the dilemma of peace, justice and reconciliation from a legal perspective, as well as the justice options that are available. The article also assesses the Sudan's criminal and military laws (both at the substantive and procedural levels) in terms of the country's ability to prosecute international crimes such as war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide. In this respect, the article argues that these laws fall short of international criminal law standards and principles – particularly the amendments introduced after the United Nations Security Council referred the Darfur situation to the ICC. The article critically examines the Sudan government's policy of non-engagement, which ultimately led to supra-national criminal prosecution (represented by the ICC intervention under the complementarity principle of the Rome Statute). Finally, the article interrogates the report issued by the African Union High-Level Panel on Darfur (AUPD), and evaluates the strengths and weaknesses of its recommendations.

THE CONTRIBUTION OF THE EUROPEAN COURT OF JUSTICE TO THE AREA OF FREEDOM, SECURITY AND JUSTICE

ABSTRACTThe aim of this article is to provide an overview of the European Court of Justice's (‘ECJ’) past and present contribution— both procedurally and substantively—to the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice. While it is too early to speculate what the ECJ's contribution to this area will be under the provisions of the Treaty of Lisbon, which entered into force on 1 December 2009, the latter's modifications to the ECJ's jurisdiction merit close attention. After describing how the procedural limitations that were imposed on the ECJ's jurisdiction by ex Title IV of Part Three of the EC Treaty and by ex Title VI of the old EU Treaty have been almost entirely eliminated by the Treaty of Lisbon, this article posits that not only does the latter Treaty improve significantly the judicial protection of private individuals, but it also facilitates the dialogue between the Union and the national judiciaries in the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice. Next, the article briefly explores the special ECJ procedures which may be followed in the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice in cases where time is of the essence. There, it is argued that, when having recourse to these procedures, the ECJ strives to strike the right balance between, on the one hand, swift judging and, on the other hand, the preservation of a qualitative and fair judicial procedure. As to substantive issues, drawing on examples from the fields of judicial cooperation in civil matters, asylum and judicial cooperation in criminal matters, it is argued that the ECJ's contribution to this area is largely grounded in the protection of fundamental rights. Finally, a brief conclusion supports the contention that the ECJ's contribution to the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice has favoured a ‘mutual borrowing’ of concepts and principles as between this area and other fields in relation to which the EU has competences, such as the internal market and competition. The Treaty of Lisbon having entered into force, an unprecedented level of coordination between different areas of EU law on both the procedural and substantive levels is to take place. Respect for fundamental rights will definitely be a unifying factor binding them all together.

On artefacts and middlemen: a musician's note on the economics of copyright

This article approaches some concrete examples of the economic analysis involving cultural expressions and the ability of intellectual property to respond to economic demands, particularly with regard to the reproductive models in the markets. This analysis appears not to be linked to the substantive levels of the expressive production but rather to the changing role of mediators in such production operating as intermediaries between creators and consumers. New technologies over the time had not only allowed an incredible reduction of costs related to the dissemination of works, but also a qualitative change in the economics of expressive production. From this standpoint, the author recalls the importance of the scholarly debate on the legal and economic perspectives of expressive production.

Yes to Local Government, No to Participatory Democracy: The Local Governance Reform Dilemma in Trinidad, St. Lucia and St. Vincent

In the Commonwealth Caribbean countries of St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Trinidad and Tobago, local government reform has been and continues to remain on the agenda. The proposals are all based on the philosophy that there should be elected local government, which in turn should facilitate substantive levels of participatory democracy and citizen involvement. But whilst there is general acceptance of this philosophy, central governments are seemingly reluctant to implement any reforms which would return power to the people. Citizen involvement and participatory democracy has thus become the bug-bear in the process, and has led to the stalling of local government reform in all three countries. With reforms having stalled, one wonders whether the next step will be the dissolution of systems of local government in these states.

Tight junction composition is altered in the epithelium of polycystic kidneys

Kidney cysts in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) undergo progressive enlargement together with luminal fluid secretion. This involves active, uphill transcellular Cl(-) transport which drives passive Na(+) and water secretion. Implicit in this mechanism is the assumption that the paracellular permeability of the cyst epithelium to Cl(-) must be very low. Claudins are tight junction (TJ) transmembrane proteins that determine the ion selectivity of paracellular barriers. The aim of this study was to determine the expression and localization of claudins within renal cysts in a mouse hypomorphic model of ADPKD and in human patients. We found that the majority of cysts were of collecting duct origin. Claudins normally expressed in collecting duct (3, 4, 7, 8, and 10) were found in small cysts. However, only claudin-7 persisted at substantive levels in the dedifferentiated epithelium of large, presumably late-stage cysts, where it was localized both at the TJ and basolaterally. The constitutively expressed TJ proteins, ZO-1 and occludin, were also abundantly expressed and correctly localized, suggesting that the basic infrastructure of the TJ is preserved. A previous study suggested that claudin-7 may function as a paracellular Cl(-) barrier. We postulate that the role of claudin-7 in ADPKD is to seal the paracellular route in Cl(-)-secreting cyst epithelium, preventing backleak of Cl(-), and that it thereby plays a permissive role in fluid secretion and cyst growth.

Setting Health Priorities Across Nations: More Convergence than Divergence?

Recently, various theories of convergence of health care systems have been presented. This review of several dimensions of health priority setting in nine countries sheds light on the interrelationship between convergence and embeddedness. It reconfirms that within a co-existence of convergence and divergence, there are clusters of convergence, primarily at the ideational and social value levels. However, our findings suggest that the variation across different substantive levels is less clear cut than suggested by others. Moreover, the variation between different procedural aspects of convergence appears more significant. Certain ideas involving the need for rationing, the role of market mechanisms, and cost containment have gained recognition by health policy makers across countries, but this has not guaranteed their adoption. Our analysis demonstrates that despite these signs of a convergence at the conceptual level, policy content and the preferred policy instruments for implementing such policy continue to vary widely across these countries.

Evaluation and Communication

This article identifies a surprising dearth of studies that explicitly link communication and evaluation at substantive, theoretical, and methodological levels. A three-fold typology of evaluation studies referring to communication is proposed and examples given. The importance of organizational communication in program delivery is stressed and illustrative studies reviewed. It is proposed that organizational communication should be considered in all program evaluations and that this should be approached through communication audit. Communication audits are described with particular reference to established survey questionnaire instruments. Two case studies exemplify the use of such instruments in the evaluation of educational and social programs.

Sigmoidal curve-fitting redefines quantitative real-time PCR with the prospective of developing automated high-throughput applications

Quantitative real-time PCR has revolutionized many aspects of genetic research, biomedical diagnostics and pathogen detection. Nevertheless, the full potential of this technology has yet to be realized, primarily due to the limitations of the threshold-based methodologies that are currently used for quantitative analysis. Prone to errors caused by variations in reaction preparation and amplification conditions, these approaches necessitate construction of standard curves for each target sequence, significantly limiting the development of high-throughput applications that demand substantive levels of reliability and automation. In this study, an alternative approach based upon fitting of fluorescence data to a four-parametric sigmoid function is shown to dramatically increase both the utility and reliability of quantitative real-time PCR. By mathematically modeling individual amplification reactions, quantification can be achieved without the use of standard curves and without prior knowledge of amplification efficiency. Combined with provision of quantitative scale via optical calibration, sigmoidal curve-fitting could confer the capability for fully automated quantification of nucleic acids with unparalleled accuracy and reliability.

Gene therapy of melanoma pulmonary metastasis by intramuscular injection of plasmid DNA encoding tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-1.

Tumor cell invasion and metastasis are a complex multistep process that involves the degradation of extracellular matrix proteins by matrix metalloproteinases. Tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) acts as a negative regulator of matrix metalloproteinases and thus prevents tumor cell invasion and metastasis by preserving extracellular matrix integrity. In the present study, we investigated whether increasing serum TIMP-1 levels by gene transfer would decrease experimental pulmonary metastasis of melanoma in C57BL/6 mice. Female animals bearing B16F10 melanoma pulmonary metastasis were injected intramuscularly twice per week with 100 microg of plasmid DNA encoding the human TIMP-1 cDNA (TIMP-1pDNA). Substantive levels of serum human TIMP-1 were observed 3 days after single injection and were found for 6 days thereafter. Pulmonary metastasis was significantly reduced in the mice following 4 weeks of TIMP-1 treatment as compared to the controls that were treated with the plasmid DNA vector alone. Further reduction of pulmonary metastasis and increase in survival were realized by intraperitoneal injection of 1000 U of IL-2 twice per week in combination with TIMP-1 treatment. In a parallel in vitro study, a 3-fold increase in TIMP-1 expression was observed in NIH3T3 cells after IL-2 treatment. Therefore, up-regulation of TIMP-1 expression by IL-2 likely contributed to the additive effect of IL-2 and TIMP-1 in reducing metastatic disease in the animal model. In conclusion, our findings support the potential of TIMP-1 gene therapy for the prevention of metastatic melanoma.

A Comparative Analysis of American and French Financial Reporting Philosophies: The Case for International Accounting Standards

ABSTRACT Two very dominant financial reporting systems compete today in the international accounting arena: the Anglo-Saxon model of financial reporting and the continental European model. Adopted and extended by the American financial reporting system, the Anglo-Saxon model is riding the wave of world market globalization and it is consolidating its presence on the international scene. On the other hand, the European model, at least in its Latin-German school, strives to maintain its own international position and tries even hardly to grow beyond its own traditional boundaries. Both models, rooted in a rich history and a strong cultural environment, differ at both substantive and philosophical levels. The impact of the industrial revolution and the protestant thinking is more visible in the Anglo-Saxon financial model, while the impact of law and the major wars is more noticeable in the continental European model. This paper uses the American financial reporting model to represent the Anglo Saxon model and the French reporting model to represent the dominant European model. It questions the ability of either of these models to respond to the needs of international users for financial information and advocates that the most viable alternative to these models lies in a strong commitment to worldwide standards.

Industrial development and international cooperation

A long road to substantive levels of industrialization still lies ahead of most developing countries. The challenges facing policy-makers and industrialists in these countries are enormous. What role should the international community play in the second half of the '90s to support these countries' economic development endeavours?

Density-dependent injury in larval salamanders.

The effects of initial larval density, food level, and pond drying regime on intraspecific aggression of larval Ambystoma talpoideum were studied in an artificial pond experiment. Aggression was measured by the frequency of injury of feet, limbs, tail, and the extent of tail loss. Initial larval density had a significant effect on the frequency of foot, limb, and tail loss but not on the extent of tail loss. More larvae reared at medium and high densities sustained injuries than larvae reared at low densities but injuries were not more extensive. Food level had no effect on the four measures of injury. Pond drying regime had no effect on foot loss, limb loss, or extent of tail loss but more larvae reared in constant water level ponds had tail loss than in drying ponds. The frequency of limb and tail loss was negatively correlated to density-dependent survival which was the result of intraspecific predation or cannibalism. These results indicate that substantive levels of body injury, particularly tail loss, can occur at high natural larval densities and may result in a subsequent reduction of growth and survival.