Estrogen Receptor Alpha in the Medial Preopic Area Mediates Male Rat Sexual Responses to Estrogen

Male rat sexual behavior requires aromatization of testosterone (T) to estradiol (E2) in the medial preoptic area (MPO) where estrogen receptors (ER) exist in two isoforms, ERα and ERβ. We hypothesized that E2 acts through estrogen receptor α (ERα) in the MPO to promote male mating behavior. Four groups of male rats were castrated, administered DHT s.c. and bilateral MPO implants delivering either: cholesterol, E2, propyl pyrazole triol (PPT, ERα agonist), diarylpropionitrile (DPN, ER β agonist), or 1-methyl-4-phenyl pyridinium (MPP, ERα antagonist). Additional gonadally intact males received bilateral MPO DPN implants. PPT maintained sexual behavior equally as well as E2, whereas mating was not maintained by cholesterol or DPN MPO implants. Exogenous T did not reinstate mating in animals that received MPP MPO implants. These findings indicate that, in the MPO, ERα is necessary and sufficient to promote copulatory behavior in male rats and ERβ is not sufficient for mating

Current Information Technology Infrastructure for E-Business

The e-business application can be considered as a new generation of computer information systems in the Internet era that needs the support from a solid information technology infrastructure including strategic objectives, physical components, and operational management. A survey was conducted to investigate some current practices and its implications of the information technology infrastructure existed in thirty organizations from ten different industries located in California. These organizations reported that they have implemented two or more e-business applications using the different types of the network operating systems and network security protections. The most used e-business development method is still the traditional in-house development method that offers the best management planning and controlling strategy to align the overall business and information technology objectives together. The system integration, e-mail system management, and customer relation management have gained their importance in the routine operating functions at the information technology department

Response of Setaria faberii to High Lime Soils

Setaria faberii (giant foxtail) was observed to grow poorly in some calcareous soils or upon the addition of calcium carbonate to some acid soils. The data suggest that liming might be a feasible and practical tool in the control of this major weed pest

Law of Bargaining: The Law of Bargaining

This brief essay, written for a symposium on The Emerging Interdisciplinary Cannon of Negotiation, describes three categories of rules which comprise the law of bargaining. First, common law limitations govern virtually all negotiators: the doctrines of fraud and misrepresentation limit the extent to which negotiators may deceive, and the doctrine of duress limits the extent to which bargainers can use superior bargaining power to coerce agreement. Second, context-specific laws sometimes circumscribe negotiating behavior in specific settings when general rules are less restrictive. Third, the conduct of certain negotiators is constrained by professional or organizational regulations inapplicable to the general public. These categories are discussed in turn. The final section of the essay reflects on constraints on negotiator behavior in the absence of law

The Law of Bargaining

This brief essay, written for a symposium on The Emerging Interdisciplinary Cannon of Negotiation, describes three categories of rules which comprise the law of bargaining. First, common law limitations govern virtually all negotiators: the doctrines of fraud and misrepresentation limit the extent to which negotiators may deceive, and the doctrine of duress limits the extent to which bargainers can use superior bargaining power to coerce agreement. Second, context-specific laws sometimes circumscribe negotiating behavior in specific settings when general rules are less restrictive. Third, the conduct of certain negotiators is constrained by professional or organizational regulations inapplicable to the general public. These categories are discussed in turn. The final section of the essay reflects on constraints on negotiator behavior in the absence of law

Recruiting Ethnically Diverse Participants into Qualitative Health Research: Lessons Learned

The inclusion of ethnically diverse populations in health research is crucial for addressing ethnic disparities in health status and care. Despite this need, non - dominant ethnic groups continue to be under - represented in health studies. The reasons may be at least partly du e to the difficulties inherent in recruiting such groups for research. In this article, we attempt to assist researchers , who are seeking to conduct inclusive qualitative health research , by sharing some of the lessons we learned in the process of recruiting ethnically diverse immigrant women for a qualitative study on the experience of developing weight - related concerns. Specifically, we discuss issues such as engaging gatekeepers, using cultural insiders, developing culturally - sensitive recruitment materials, offering payment, and developing trust with participants and their communities. We conclude the article by presenting practical strategies for addressing these issues based on our experience and the available literature on the recruitment of non - dominant research participant

Community Capacity-Building in Schools: Parents’ and Teachers’ Reflections From an Eating Disorder Prevention Program

A pilot research study to examine the effect of a wellness-based intervention on improving students’ body image, personal attitudes, and eating behaviors highlighted the importance of a healthy school environment. Parent and teacher focus groups were conducted to explore the perceived influences of wellness-based interventions designed for parents, teachers, and students. Results support movement toward wellness-based programming and suggest that school-community capacity-building may be a worthwhile framework for continued study in relation to programming to prevent eating disorders. Excerpts from focus group data illustrate key themes in relation to change and demonstrate the importance of capturing both the content of the wellness-based interventions and the process of interaction in the schools. This pilot study found that interventions in schools that focus on wellness and target parents, teachers, and students are effective in terms of building capacity for promoting positive change in students’ attitudes and behaviors.Une étude pilote sur l’effet d’une intervention reposant sur l’amélioration de l’image de soi des élèves, d’attitudes personnelles et de comportements liés à l’alimentation a souligné l’importance d’un milieu scolaire sain. Des sessions avec des groupes de discussion impliquant des parents et des enseignants ont permis d’évaluer les perceptions quant aux influences des interventions reposant sur le mieux-être et visant les parents, les enseignants et les élèves. Les résultats appuient les efforts pour établir une programmation reposant sur le mieux-être et permettent de conclure que le développement de ressources scolaires et communautaires pourrait s’avérer un cadre utile pour poursuivre l’étude et y incorporer une programmation destinée à empêcher les troubles de l’alimentation. Des extraits provenant des discussions de groupe illustrent des thèmes-clés par rapport aux changements et démontrent l’importance d’exploiter tant le contenu des interventions visant le mieux-être que l’interaction dans les écoles. Cette étude pilote a permis de conclure que les interventions scolaires visant le mieux-être et impliquant les parents, les enseignants et les élèves constituent un moyen efficace de développer des ressources qui favorisent des changements positifs dans les attitudes et les comportements des élèves

E-Government and Lessons from E-Commerce: A Preliminary Study

As businesses become more involved and savvy with electronic commerce (e-commerce), electronic government (e-government) can learn many lessons from them. The tremendous growth in e-commerce will spur many governments to launch comparable e-government services. The recent passage of federal law in the US has institutionalized e-government. Thus, many government bodies will become greatly involved with the Internet and its associated technologies in providing an array of government services that were once confined to brick and mortar operations. However, in deciding which applications will be most effective in serving their constituents and given their limited resources, governments might learn from the practices of businesses. As in the case of business to business (B2B) e-commerce, the exchange of information within and between government agencies will comprise the bulk of interactions or transactions. The results of a preliminary e-commerce survey suggest several areas that may prove to be more effective for e-government Extranet and Intranet applications