Showing papers by "University of Nebraska Omaha published in 1998"
Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute1, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich2, Max Planck Society3, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust4, University of Würzburg5, University of Pavia6, International Agency for Research on Cancer7, Istituto Giannina Gaslini8, University of Nebraska Omaha9, University College London10, University of Oxford11, University of Paris12, University of Nebraska–Lincoln13
TL;DR: A gene, SH2D1A, is identified that is mutated in XLP patients and encodes a novel protein composed of a single SH2 domain that is expressed in many tissues involved in the immune system.
Abstract: X-linked lymphoproliferative syndrome (XLP or Duncan disease) is characterized by extreme sensitivity to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), resulting in a complex phenotype manifested by severe or fatal infectious mononucleosis, acquired hypogammaglobulinemia and malignant lymphoma. We have identified a gene, SH2D1A, that is mutated in XLP patients and encodes a novel protein composed of a single SH2 domain. SH2D1A is expressed in many tissues involved in the immune system. The identification of SH2D1A will allow the determination of its mechanism of action as a possible regulator of the EBV-induced immune response.
737 citations
TL;DR: The best validated and clinically most significant results pertain to transit tests; manometry may contribute importantly to the diagnostic process; and the significance of electrogastrography remains to be fully elucidated.
327 citations
TL;DR: The perception of face gender was examined in the context of extending “face space” models of human face representations to include the perceptual categories defined by male and female faces to achieve consistency with the hypothesis that both recognizability and gender classifiability depend on a face’s “distance” from the subcategory gender prototype.
Abstract: The perception of face gender was examined in the context of extending “face space” models of human face representations to include the perceptual categories defined by male and female faces. We collected data on the recognizability, gender classifiability (reaction time to classify a face as male/female), attractiveness, and masculinity/femininity of individual male and female faces. Factor analyses applied separately to the data for male and female faces yielded the following results. First, for both male and female faces, the recognizability and gender classifiability of faces were independent—a result inconsistent with the hypothesis that both recognizability and gender classifiability depend on a face’s “distance” from the subcategory gender prototype. Instead, caricatured aspects of gender (femininity/masculinity ratings) related to the gender classifiability of the faces. Second, facial attractiveness related inversely to face recognizability for male, but not for female, faces—a result that resolves inconsistencies in previous studies. Third, attractiveness and femininity for female faces were nearly equivalent, but attractiveness and masculinity for male faces were not equivalent. Finally, we applied principal component analysis to the pixel-coded face images with the aim of extracting measures related to the gender classifiability and recognizability of individual faces. We incorporated these model-derived measures into the factor analysis with the human rating and performance measures.
235 citations
TL;DR: Small bowel bacterial overgrowth should be aggressively evaluated in patients with short bowel syndrome who are not progressing in a normal manner and inadequate or incomplete response to antibiotic therapy is common.
Abstract: Background: Small bowel bacterial overgrowth is a common complication of short bowel syndrome, and although it is often controlled with antimicrobial therapy, alternative strategies may occasionally be needed. Methods: Six patients with bacterial overgrowth are described, who did not respond to antimicrobial therapy and required additional medical or surgical measures to control the overgrowth. Results: Recalcitrant bacterial overgrowth was successfully treated with periodic small bowel irrigation with a balanced hypertonic electrolyte solution, colonic flushes, encouraging frequent stooling, intestinal lengthening procedure, or probiotic therapy with Lactobacillus plantarum 299V and Lactobacillus GG. Conclusions: Small bowel bacterial overgrowth should be aggressively evaluated in patients with short bowel syndrome who are not progressing in a normal manner. Inadequate or incomplete response to antibiotic therapy is common, and several additional treatment possibilities are available.
189 citations
TL;DR: Results of preliminary human and animal studies suggest that patients with inflammatory diseases, and even irritable bowel syndrome, may benefit from probiotic therapy, although much investigation must be undertaken before their role in gastroenterology is clearly delineated.
Abstract: Probiotics appear to be useful in the prevention or treatment of several gastrointestinal disorders, including infectious diarrhea, antibiotic diarrhea, and traveler's diarrhea. Results of preliminary human and animal studies suggest that patients with inflammatory diseases, and even irritable bowel syndrome, may benefit from probiotic therapy. Probiotics represent an exciting therapeutic advance, although much investigation must be undertaken before their role in gastroenterology is clearly delineated. Questions related to probiotic origin, survivability, and adherence are all important considerations for further study. More important, each probiotic proposed must be studied individually and extensively to determine its efficacy and safety in each disorder for which its use may be considered.
182 citations
TL;DR: The authors examined gang affiliation in a multisite survey of 5,935 eighth grade students in 42 schools located in 11 cities across the United States and found that the demographic composition of gangs and the level of delinquent activity of gang members compared with nongang members.
Abstract: Most examinations of youth gangs have been limited to a single city or a single state. In this article we examine gang affiliation in a multisite survey of 5,935 eighth grade students in 42 schools located in 11 cities across the United States. We use this diverse sample to examine two related issues: the demographic composition of gangs and the level of delinquent activity of gang members compared with nongang members. Our findings call into question the validity of prevailing notions about the number of girls in gangs and their level of delinquency involvement, and the number of white youths active in gangs and the extent of their illegal activities.
175 citations
TL;DR: The mass movement in the Himalaya is scale-dependent, from the massive extension of whole mountain ranges (gravity tectonics), through the sackung failure of single peaks, to the smallest slope failures as mentioned in this paper.
138 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors describe gang membership in a general survey of eighth-grade students in a cross section of the United States and examine differences between boys' and girls' attitudes associated with gang membership.
Abstract: The nature and extent of female involvement in gangs has been a relatively neglected area of criminological inquiry. Even more rare have been investigations of explanations of female gang participation. This neglect can be attributed, in large part, to a perception that the phenomenon is statistically rare and the behavior substantively unimportant. Our objectives in this research are twofold: to describe gang membership in a general survey of eighth-grade students in a cross section of the United States and to examine differences between boys' and girls' attitudes associated with gang membership
134 citations
TL;DR: Suggestions for addressing issues in an effort to improve breast cancer screening rates through adopting a cultural relativistic approach are discussed.
128 citations
TL;DR: It is concluded that the A53T change described in the alpha-synuclein gene is a rare cause of PD or may even be a rare variant.
Abstract: A mutation in exon 4 of the human alpha-synuclein gene was reported recently in four families with autosomal dominant Parkinson's disease (PD). In order to examine whether mutations in this exon or elsewhere in the gene are common in familial PD, all seven exons of the alpha-synuclein gene were amplified by PCR from index cases of 30 European and American Caucasian kindreds affected with autosomal dominant PD. Each product was sequenced directly and examined for mutations in the open reading frame. No mutations were found in any of the samples examined. We conclude that the A53T change described in the alpha-synuclein gene is a rare cause of PD or may even be a rare variant. Mutations in the regulatory or intronic regions of the gene were not excluded by this study.
115 citations
TL;DR: Since the physical presence of the heterosexual partner reduced the physiological and behavioral effects of novel-cage housing, social attachments might function as homeostatic regulators of HPA function in marmosets.
TL;DR: The authors examined the dynamics of deviations from covered interest parity using daily data on the UK/US spot, forward exchange rates and interest rates over the period January 1974 to September 1993, and found that while the impulse response functions when inside the transaction costs band are nearly symmetric, those for the outside the bands are asymmetric.
Abstract: This paper examines the dynamics of deviations from covered interest parity using daily data on the UK/US spot, forward exchange rates and interest rates over the period January 1974 to September 1993. Like other studies we find a substantial number of instances during the sample in which the covered interest parity condition exceeds the transaction costs band, implying arbitrage profit opportunities. While most of these implied profit opportunities are relatively small, there is also evidence of some very large deviations from covered interest parity in the sample. In order to examine the persistence of these deviations, we estimated a threshold autoregression in which the dynamics behavior of deviations from covered interest parity is different outside the transaction costs band than inside them. We find that while the impulse response functions when inside the transaction costs band are nearly symmetric, those for the outside the bands are asymmetric-suggesting less persistence outside of the transaction costs band than inside the band.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors investigated the role of mass movement in denudation by glaciers and rivers in the western Himalaya and assessed its role in catastrophic floods and debris entrainment.
TL;DR: In this paper, a survey of selected manufacturing and service companies involved in TQM implementation is presented, and a framework of 19 TQMM dimensions is developed and, based on this framework, the studied companies are evaluated.
Abstract: Offers the view that TQM concepts apply equally to manufacturing and service industries and examines assertions through a survey of selected manufacturing and service companies involved in TQM implementation. To test the hypothesis a framework of 19 TQM dimensions is developed and, based on this framework, the studied companies are evaluated. It is shown that under varied environmental conditions the TQM tools and procedures may vary but the underlying concepts apply equally to both manufacturing and service companies. The differences in the studied dimensions between manufacturing and service companies signify slow dissemination of TQM knowledge among the service companies. Service operations are generally not sure whether the tested procedures in manufacturing companies will work equally well for them. As a result, commitment for a fully fledged TQM has been lacking in the service industries.
05 Jun 1998
TL;DR: This article reviewed the literature on religious and spiritual content in social work education, report the results of a study of the development of spirituality-related courses in M.S.W. programs, and discuss the implications of this research for curriculum development.
Abstract: Summary. Recognition is growing of the relevance of spirituality to social work practice, which has led to recommendations that spiritual and religious content be included in the M.S.W. curriculum. This article will review the literature on religious and spiritual content in social work education, report the results of a study of the development of spirituality‐related courses in M.S.W. programs, and discuss the implications of this research for curriculum development.
TL;DR: Testing the hypothesis that scent from female common marmosets contains chemical cues that permit discrimination between dominant females in the peri‐ovulatory versus luteal phase of the ovarian cycle and females holding dominant versus subordinate status found that it does.
Abstract: Social peer groups of callitrichid monkeys [marmosets and tamarins] exhibit intrasexual dominance hierarchies in captivity. This laboratory study employed two-choice behavioral discrimination bioassys to test the hypothesis that scent from female common marmosets contains chemical cues that permit discrimination between dominant females in the peri-ovulatory versus luteal phase of the ovarian cycle and females holding dominant versus subordinate status. When scent from only dominant females was presented, marmosets directed significantly greater amounts of investigatory behavior toward peri-ovulatory scent versus scent collected during the luteal phase of the ovarian cycle. Animals of both sexes demonstrated significant discriminatory behavior between scent deposited by dominant versus subordinate females, but only when the dominant female was in the peri-ovulatory phase of the ovarian cycle. Test animals directed equal amounts of investigative behavior toward scent from luteal-phase dominant females and subordinate females. Female test subjects deposited significantly more scent marks over presented scents than did male subjects, particularly when the scent had been donated by a peri-ovulatory female. Chemical odors specific to the peri-ovulatory and luteal phases of the ovarian cycle may play a role in mediating behavioral interactions among marmosets. Am. J. Primatol. 46:265–284, 1998. © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors explored the relationship between the offender's employment status and sentence severity and found that unemployment had a direct effect on the decision to incarcerate or not only in Kansas City, and directly affected sentence length only in Chicago.
Abstract: This study explores the relationship between the offender's employment status and sentence severity. We use data on felony offenders sentenced in 1993 in Chicago and in Kansas City to test a number of hypotheses concerning the effect of unemployment on the likelihood of incarceration and the length of the prison sentence. Our analyses reveal a complex relationship between unemployment and sentence severity: Unemployment had a direct effect on the decision to incarcerate or not only in Kansas City, and directly affected sentence length only in Chicago. In addition, unemployment interacted with other offender characteristics. The offender's employment status had no effect on either measure of sentence severity in either jurisdiction if the offender was white. In Chicago, unemployment increased the odds of incarceration for young males and for young Hispanic males, and increased the length of the sentence for males, young males, and black males. In Kansas City, unemployment had no effect on sentence length f...
TL;DR: The presence of this Osmunda species in the Triassic demonstrates stasis of frond morphology, both fertile and vegetative, for the genus.
Abstract: Compressed specimens of the fern Osmunda are described from the Triassic of the Allan Hills, Antarctica. The specimens consist of a once pinnate, deeply pinnatifid fertile frond as well as several sterile specimens. Six pinnae are present on the partial fertile rachis, with two sterile pinnae above four fertile pinnae. Both sterile and fertile specimens are virtually identical to the modern species Osmunda claytoniana. Entire fronds are fragmentary; the longest is 21 cm in length. Sterile pinnae are alternate and deeply pinnatifid, with slightly toothed pinnules and dichotomous venation. Fertile pinnae are 1-1.3 cm long, once pinnate, and lack vegetative lamina. Sporangia are clustered, each 300-375 um in diameter, and possess a transverse annulus 6-8 cells long; dehiscence is by a vertical slit. Fronds arise from a rhizome 4 cm long by 1 cm wide; two croziers are present on the rhizome. Two frond segments up to 6 cm long and three deeply pinnatifid pinnae are present on the uppermost part of one rachis. Pinnules are ~4 mm long and 2-3 mm wide. The presence of this Osmunda species in the Triassic demonstrates stasis of frond morphology, both fertile and vegetative, for the genus.
Journal Article•
TL;DR: This study outlines the important contribution of rural emphasis and training in family practice residency programs and suggests future studies should explore rural, procedural, and obstetrical training interventions and examine gender, minority, and program location issues.
Abstract: Background and Objectives: Family practice residency programs graduate about 600 rural physicians each year Increases in resident positions have not increased the numbers who choose rural practice This study examines the relationship between program characteristics and the graduation rate of rural physicians Methods: From 1994‐1996, we sent an annual survey to the directors of all nonmilitary family practice residency programs; 353 programs (96% response rate) returned questionnaires Weighted least-squares regression was used to analyze the relationship between program factors and the percentage of graduates who chose practices in 1992, 1993, and 1994 in towns of less than 25,000 not adjacent to a larger metropolitan area Results: Family practice residency programs that graduated more rural physicians had more required rural and obstetrical training months, had a full or partial rural mission, were located in more rural states, had the program director as the rural contact, had a procedural emphasis, had fewer residents who were minorities or female, and used fewer types of other major graduate programs for rotations Conclusions: This study outlines the important contribution of rural emphasis and training in family practice residency programs Future studies should explore rural, procedural, and obstetrical training interventions and examine gender, minority, and program location issues
TL;DR: This paper examined the relationship between acculturation and familism in a samnple of 182 Hispanics of Puerto Rican descent, using exploratory factor analysis to establish the multidimensionality of each construct.
Abstract: The goal of this study was to examine the relationship between acculturation and familism in a samnple of 182 Hispanics of Puerto Rican descent. Exploratory factor analysis was used to establish the multidimensionality of each construct. Consistent with earlier studies, three dimensions of acculturation and familism were identified. Each dimension offamilism was then regressed on a set of explanatory variables that included three dimensions of acculturation. For two dimensions offamilism (familial obligations and support from relatives), acculturation was positively related to familism; for the other dimension (family as referents), the relationship was nonsignificant. In explaining variance in attitudinal familism, the results suggest that acculturation may be better represented as a single, second-orderfactor In interpreting the findings in the context of previous research, however; it is useful to treat acculturation as a multidimensional construct.
TL;DR: The cavum septi pellucidi serves as a significant marker of cerebral dysfunction manifested by neurodevelopmental abnormalities while the cavum vergae alone does not identify individuals at risk for cognitive delays.
Abstract: Recent studies have shown that the persistence of the cavum septi pellucidi beyond the neonatal period is a marker of cerebral dysgenesis. It has been suggested that the finding of a persistent cavum vergae is also a marker of disturbed brain development. In order to investigate this hypothesis we reviewed 161 brain magnetic resonance imaging scans from normal individuals for the presence of cavum septi pellucidi or cavum vergae, or both. In the 34 prospectively obtained normal adults, there were no individuals with either a cavum septi pellucidi or cavum vergae. In the "defined" normal subjects 3 of 127 individuals (2.4%) had a cavum septi pellucidi whereas a cavum vergae was noted in 26 of 127 (20.5%). We next reviewed the neuroimaging studies of 249 children and adults evaluated for mental retardation or developmental delay. A cavum septi pellucidi was found in 38 of 249 (15.3%) and a cavum vergae in 48 of 249 (19.3%) of these patients. A cavum septi pellucidi and cavum vergae were found together in 19 of 249 (7.6%). We interpret these data as showing that the cavum septi pellucidi is rarely seen in normal individuals although the cavum vergae is seen with the same frequency in normal and retarded populations. Thus we conclude that the cavum septi pellucidi serves as a significant marker of cerebral dysfunction manifested by neurodevelopmental abnormalities while the cavum vergae alone does not identify individuals at risk for cognitive delays.
TL;DR: It is concluded that older-appearing faces are less attractive, but more distinctive and memorable than younger-appearance faces, those closer to the average face.
Abstract: A standard facial caricature algorithm has been applied to a three-dimensional (3-D) representation of human heads, those of Caucasian male and female young adults. Observers viewed unfamiliar faces at four levels of caricature—anticaricature, veridical, moderate caricature, and extreme caricature—and made ratings of attractiveness and distinctiveness (experiment 1) or learned to identify them (experiment 2). There were linear increases in perceived distinctiveness and linear decreases in perceived attractiveness as the degree of facial caricature (Euclidean distance from the average face in 3-D-grounded face space) increased. Observers learned to identify faces presented at either level of positive caricature more efficiently than they did with either uncaricatured or anticaricatured faces. Using the same faces, 3-D representation, and caricature levels, O'Toole, Vetter, Volz, and Salter (1997, Perception 26 719–732) had shown a linear increase in judgments of face age as a function of degree of caricatu...
TL;DR: In this paper, a large Batura Glacier in Pakistan is investigated to determine if spectral variability can be quantified and used to characterize glacier surfaces, and spectral variability from fields of ice seracs can exhibit fractal characteristics, although most surface features on the glacier exhibit a change in the fractal dimension over different ranges in scale.
TL;DR: It is suggested that Zn 2+ plays a significant structural role in addition to its catalytic role in Zn2+-protease activity of type A botulinum neurotoxin.
Abstract: Zn2+-protease activity of botulinum neurotoxin causes the blockage of neurotransmitter release resulting in botulism disease. We have investigated the role of Zn2+ in the biological activity of type A botulinum neurotoxin by removing the bound Zn2+ by EDTA treatment, followed by monitoring its structure in terms of secondary and tertiary folding (second derivative UV, FT-IR, and circular dichroism spectroscopy) and function in terms of its effect on the release of norepinephrine from PC12 cells. The single Zn2+ bound to each neurotoxin molecule was reversibly removed by EDTA treatment, whereas the biological activity of the neurotoxin was irreversibly lost. Based on the Amide III IR spectral analysis, the α-helical content of neurotoxin increased from 29% to 42% upon removal of Zn2+, which reverted to 31% upon treatment with 1:5 molar excess of exogenous Zn2+. Second derivative UV spectroscopy revealed no change in surface topography of Tyr residues with removal of Zn2+. However, near-UV circular dichrois...
TL;DR: Metcalf et al. as mentioned in this paper made a survey of the Muslim space in North America and Europe, focusing on Islam in the US and Europe with a focus on Islamophobia.
Abstract: Making Muslim Space in North America and Europe. Barbara Daly Metcalf. ed. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1996. xix. 264 pp., Illustrations, notes, works cited, contributors, Index.
TL;DR: Diligent surveillance for prostate cancer in this population using periodic digital rectal examination, serum prostate-specific antigen, and prostate needle biopsy as needed will ensure earlier cancer detection and allow for definitive therapeutic intervention.
TL;DR: This article examined the relationship between communication apprehension and learning style preference in order to describe the learning style needs of high communication apprehensives (HCAs) and low communication apprehensive (LCA) women.
Abstract: This study examined the relationship between communication apprehension (CA) and learning style preference in order to describe the learning style needs of high communication apprehensives (HCAs). When the participants (N = 436) were separated by sex, results indicated that trait and context CA are significantly correlated with learning style preference for women, but not for men. HCA women prefer the Hands‐on Experimenter and the Analytical Evaluator learning styles. Low communication apprehensive (LCA) women prefer the Innovative Explorer learning style. CA is not correlated with age, sex, or self reported grade‐point average (GPA), but learning style preference is correlated with GPA and sex. Instructional implications are discussed.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors evaluate foreign direct investment (FDI) in the Czech Republic and its regional development consequences after the collapse of state socialism and identify two types of FDIs: cross border export-oriented investments and market capture investments.
Abstract: This paper evaluates foreign direct investment (FDI) in the Czech Republic and its regional development consequences after the collapse of state socialism. Two types of FDIs are identified: cross border export-oriented investments and market capture investments. The cross border export-oriented investments exploit low cost labor in the service of external markets and are typically concentrated in peripheral areas, mostly along the former West German border. This type of FDI is not likely to contribute to durable regional economies. The market capture investments involve both servicing the Czech market and integrating activities within a larger, multinational corporate network. This type of investment may create more durable sources of regional economic activity. A case study of the Volkswagen/Skoda joint venture is used to examine market capture investments and their consequences for regional development. This paper is based on interviews with plant managers and trade union leaders in companies with forei...
TL;DR: In this paper, it is shown that several classes of nonlinear functions, known in complementarity theory or other domains, are functions without exceptional family of elements and consequently the corresponding complementarity problem is solvable.
Abstract: In Ref. 1, Isac, Bulavski, and Kalashnikov introduced the concept of exceptional family of elements for a continuous function f: Rn→Rn. It is known that, if there does not exist an exceptional family of elements for f, then the corresponding complementarity problem has a solution. In this paper, we show that several classes of nonlinear functions, known in complementarity theory or other domains, are functions without exceptional family of elements and consequently the corresponding complementarity problem is solvable. It is evident that the notion of exceptional family of elements provides an alternative way of determining whether or not the complementarity problem has a solution.