bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Benchmark Study of Elaboration and Sourcing in Science Stories for Eight American Newspapers
Authors: Ramsey Shirley
Published: December 2011

A content analysis of science and technology stories in eight major newspapers in the United States shows conflict and depth in stories to be significantly related to predictor variable population rank, with depth and breadth significantly related to predictor variable time (years). Organizational spokespersons were used more as sources than scientists for 1991 to 1996, even though this sample of the New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Atlanta Constitution, Chicago Tribune, Boston Globe, and Christian Science Monitor showed depth in stories as significantly related to use of scientists, conferences, and research reports. Scientific labeling such as “cyberpaleontology” was significantly related to conflict and story depth; breadth was significantly related to use of cognitive cues, folio, and number of attributions.
Diversity versus Concentration in the Deregulated Mass Media Domain
Authors: Iosifides Petros
Published: December 2011

Whereas in the United States market forces have always been key ingredients in the development of the communications sector, in the European media industry diversity of opinions has traditionally been achieved through government regulation. Yet in Europe a mixture of technological, economic, and political factors paved the way in the 1980s for the introduction of market forces in the industry. Proponents of deregulation often argue that diversity might be achieved more “freely” under market mechanisms. Critics, however, are expressing concern that market forces have led to unprecedented levels of concentration in the media field, resulting in less diversity of access and diversity of choice. The primary objective of this article is to show that the range of opinions to which the consumer-citizen has access is being limited by current media (particularly broadcasting) market structures on both sides of the Atlantic.
The Influence of Layout on the Perceived Tone of News Articles
Authors: Middlestadt Susan E. , Barnhurst Kevin G.
Published: December 2011

Are design arguments just a matter of taste, or does layout affect how readers understand news stories? The question applies broadly to all media. This experiment measured whether respondents found horizontal layout more tranquil and whether their responses depended on the content. Horizontal layouts did relate to measures of comfort and human interest. Presented with a horizontal layout, respondents rated an article more comforting, pleasant, light, and so forth. The effects depended on the content, interacting with form in complex ways. The results show that design decisions matter and should be taken with care. In the media, form is content.
Effects of News Slant and Base Rate Information on Perceived Public Opinion
Authors: Gunther Albert C. , Christen Cindy T.
Published: December 2011

This research examines the hypothesis that people infer public opinion by relying on their own subjective assessments of media content, such as perceived news slant, coupled with their own presumptions about the effects of such content on others. The hypothesis was tested with an experimental design manipulating story slant and base rate information for two issues. Results supported the persuasive press inference, even when content included base rate information contrary to story slant. However, there was some evidence that for some types of news stories the projection of personal opinion might diminish the direct effect of slant.
Loud Tastes, Colored Fragrances, and Scented Sounds: How and When to Mix the Senses in Persuasive Communications
Authors: Nelson Michelle R. , Hitchon Jacqueline C.
Published: December 2011

Synesthetic, or cross-sensory, associations equate sense A to sense B and are prevalent in persuasive language in mass communication. Consider, for example, “Bright Crunch” (for Sun Crunchers cereal) and “the Loudest Taste on Earth” (for Doritos), which are examples of synesthetic advertising claims. Based on theory of synesthesia and of metaphor, this research tests whether the literal use of both senses A and B by the product inhibits our appreciation of synesthetic language and thus reduces its persuasive impact. Findings are discussed with respect to the underlying processes by which synesthetic metaphors persuade and the implications for sensory-rich media.
When Advertising and Public Relations Converge: An Application of Schema Theory to the Persuasive Impact of Alignment Ads
Authors: Schmidt Toni L. , Hitchon Jacqueline C.
Published: December 2011

Brand ads that incorporate social issues are becoming more prevalent. A subset of these messages can be referred to as alignment ads to reflect the organizational alignments that spawn them, often between the advertised brand and a charitable organization. This research applies schema theory to explore how viewers respond to these ads. Findings indicate that placing an issue in an ad offers important advantages for advertisers. Consistent with predictions from schema theory, congruent issue information elicits more positive affective and conative responses than incongruent issue information. Further, the inclusion of congruent issues in ads prompts greater recall of issue information. On the downside, however, results indicate that placing an issue in an ad may detract from information remembered about the brand. Finally, alignment ads performed similarly to publicity that linked a brand to an issue of social importance.
“Lynch-Mob Journalism” vs. “Compelling Human Drama”: Editorial Responses to Coverage of the Pretrial Phase of the O.J. Simpson Case
Authors: Hindman Elizabeth Blanks
Published: December 2011

This case study uses attribution theory to analyze mainstream newspaper editorials concerning media conduct during the pre-trial phase of the O.J. Simpson murder case. Three major conclusions arise. First, many newspapers acknowledged poor, even unethical, coverage in general, without taking responsibility themselves. Second, while admitting problematic coverage in general, many of the editorials shifted blame to external causes, namely Simpson himself, the legal teams on both sides, others involved in the case, and even the public. Third, while some newspapers defended coverage, to do so they were forced to re-define that coverage as part of their watchdog role.
The Nativist Press: Demonizing the American Immigrant
Authors: Streitmatter Rodger
Published: December 2011

During the final decade of the nineteenth century, more than 100 nativist newspapers were published in the United States to oppose the surge in immigration and to preserve fundamental American values during a time when many people feared that those values were being eroded. This article looks at four representative nativist publications to illuminate common editorial themes manifested in this particular form of the dissident press.
Symbolic Politics: Congressional Interest in Television Violence from 1950 to 1996
Authors: Hoerrner Keisha L.
Published: December 2011

Drawing from sociological research, this study tested the relationship between social, economic, and political factors and congressional actions regarding television violence over forty-six years, and advanced a political science theory, symbolic politics, as an explanation for the relationship. Empirical analysis revealed Congress' actions are more symbolic than substantive. Taken together, the actions correlate with political and social factors. Significantly, congressional interest in television violence has no relationship to the amount of violence on television, suggesting legislators' moral outrage is questionable.
The Global Village in Atlanta: A Textual Analysis of Olympic News Coverage for Children in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Authors: Lester-Roushanzamir Elli P. , Raman Usha
Published: December 2011

Newspaper reporting aimed at children has proliferated yet children's news has seldom been the subject of study. This project begins to fill that void by examining the “News for Kids” (NFK) section of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. It examines international news reporting for children and specifically the representations of international others as they were portrayed in reporting on the centennial Olympic games. Does news for children structure the “other” into a hierarchy of difference from “us ?” Our findings suggest that powerful dominant discourses emerge which form a systematic strategy of representation. Since representation is one of the ways in which social meanings (e.g., preconditions for the functioning of social practices) are produced and circulated in society, this textual analysis helps break into over-determined discourses by identifying ideological constructions within the news reporting.
The Cow, the Cook, and the Quaker: Fifty Years of Spokes-Character Advertising
Authors: Phillips Barbara J. , Gyoerick Barbara
Published: December 2011

This study explores how spokes-characters in print ads have changed over time from the 1950s to the present. A content analysis of spokes-character ads in one men's and one women's magazine shows that spokes-character advertising is an important communication tool directed at both male and female audiences. Contrary to previous speculation, the use of spokes-characters in magazine ads does not appear to be increasing. Spokes-character ad styles have changed over time but no increase in female or non-white characters seems to have occurred since the 1950s. Differences between the types of spokes-characters used to appeal to male and female audiences are noted.
On the Problems and Promise of Research on Lethal Police Violence
Authors: Klinger David A.
Published: December 2011

We presently have little information about how frequently police officers shoot citizens or are involved in any sort of interaction in which citizens die. Despite this, however, researchers persist in using the limited data available on fatal police violence in various sorts of analyses. The current article outlines the liabilities in available counts of fatal police action, describes some of the problems posed by using such data, discusses why counting citizens killed by police bullets is not a sound way to measure deadly force, and offers some ideas for improving measurement of the use of deadly force and other police actions that lead to the death of citizens.
Mediation and Moderation of the Association Between Cynical Hostility and Systolic Blood Pressure in Low-Income Women
Authors: Versey H. Shellae , Kaplan George A.
Published: December 2011

Hostility may be related to risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD), such as blood pressure. However, the process by which hostility affects blood pressure is not fully understood. The current study sought to evaluate abdominal obesity (waist-to-hip ratio [WHR]) as a potential mediator and modifier of the relationship between cynical hostility and systolic blood pressure (SBP) in a group of disadvantaged women. Path analysis and multiple regression models were used to identify mediating and moderating pathways in the relationship between cynical hostility and SBP. Results indicate a significant interaction between WHR and cynical hostility. WHR was a partial mediator and significant moderator of the association between hostility and blood pressure. These findings highlight the potential importance of examining abdominal obesity and psychosocial factors as conjunctive determinants of CVD and risk factors for related metabolic conditions.
Music fandom online: R.E.M. fans in pursuit of the ultimate first listen
Authors: Bennett Lucy
Published: December 2011

This article explores the processes that occur when music fans reject the up-to-date flow and download culture of the internet in favour of a more traditional first experience of listening to an album. Examining a sub-group within an online community for fans of rock band R.E.M., this article discusses how these fans assume non-normativity, due to their activities evading spoilers concerning the then forthcoming album. Driven by a nostalgic aim to recapture the experience of buying a new album without prior knowledge other than official information, this research shows how fans endeavour to resist technology and restore the experience of listening to and purchasing a new album as a singular event. The analysis shows how this pursuit of pleasure resulted in their cultural distinctiveness from the community and how it enabled them to create a form of inverted fan cultural capital, positioning them as a different, albeit temporary, interpretive community.
Legislative negotiations in the European Parliament
Authors: Jensen Thomas , Winzen Thomas
Published: December 2011

In order to capitalize on its increasing legislative powers, the European Parliament (EP) has had to specialize internally. The scholarly literature has predominantly studied the structural manifestations of specialization, such as the allocation of committee seats among parliamentarians. This article sheds light on a second selection process: participation in legislative negotiations. For every given legislative dossier, parliamentarians have to decide whether and how strongly to participate in the negotiations. The literature on office allocation contains assumptions about the role of office-holders in negotiations. The first aim of this article is to test the validity of these assumptions. The second aim is to apply theories used in studies on office allocation to negotiations and gain insight into the following questions: Are actors with extreme preferences more active than others? What is the role of experts? How do party politics play out? Although we find effects of preferences and expertise on negotiations, the evidence is most compatible with the view that negotiations serve EP party groups to form and exchange policy positions.
The subjective experience of personhood in dementia care settings
Authors: Nowell Zoe C , Thornton Amanda , Simpson Jane
Published: December 2011

Within the social psychological understanding of dementia, individuals’ personhood is central. A respect for personhood has been linked to successful person-centred care, yet research exploring subjective personhood in dementia is scarce. This study aimed to understand personhood by exploring the subjective experiences of those with dementia. Seven individuals with dementia were interviewed and interpretative phenomenological analysis was used to identify themes across accounts. Themes identified were: (1) working out the system and adapting in order to survive it – the ‘peoplehood’ of the system; (2) using past and future roles and experiences to manage the present – the transient nature of personhood; (3) being both an individual and a member of a group − the conflict of a dual role. The themes highlighted showed that individuals with dementia supported their personhood by drawing on their own, others’ and the system’s resources. The findings are discussed and links with existing literature and clinical implications are considered.
“Thank You for Taking the Time to Read this”: Public Participation via New Communication Technologies at the FCC
Authors: Holman JoAnne , McGregor Michael A.
Published: December 2011

The Federal Communications Commission provides volumes of information about its processes on its web pages and invites the public to participate in rule making proceedings using electronicmail. Five FCC rule making proceedings-all of which generated significant response from the public via e-mail-were studied to determine the extent to which the e-mail comments were considered in the agency's decision making. Analysis of the rule making records reveals that while the Commission acknowledged receipt of the e-mail comments, there is little evidence that the comments were seriously considered by the Commission staff in making policyrecommendations. While the FCC can be congratulated forprovidingimportant information to thepublic on its Web site and for implementing new information and communication technologies to extend participation in its proceedings, it is unlikely that such participation is an important factor in the agency's formal decision making.
Constructing Race in Black and Whiteness: Media Coverage of Public Support for President Clinton
Authors: Brooks Dwight E. , Rada James A.
Published: December 2011

This study employs a framing analysis of media explanations regarding public support for President Clinton during the 1998 coverage of the Monica Lewinsky scandal. An analysis of broadcast, newspaper, and magazine stories during the scandal reveals that media coverage of support for the President focused exclusively on African Americans. Five discursive frames were used to explain African American support: morality, political pragmatism, distrust of the criminal justice system, forgiveness/redemption, and Clinton's rapport with African Americans. Although these frames construct blackness using a variety of characteristics seldom found in the media, they also construct the concept of blackness in near universal and essentialist terms. Media explanations of Black support at the expense of explanations of White support (or lack thereof) for the President reinforce a racial hierarchy whereby whiteness serves as an invisible racial norm.
Southern Journalists and Lynching: The Statesboro Case Study
Authors: Smith Reed W.
Published: December 2011

Historians who have studied the rampant lynching era in the Southern United States that spanned the years between the 1880s and the 1930s have speculated that newspapers actually encouraged the atrocities. This study examines the coverage of one of the more infamous lynchings of this era to determine if such conjecture holds up under closer scrutiny. In 1904, a white mob burned two black men at the stake in Statesboro, Georgia, for allegedly murdering a white family. While some of the previous assessments of journalistic activity are confirmed, this examination reveals that the relationship between journalists and those who participated in lynchings was more complex than previously depicted. It appears there was an active debate taking place among Georgia editors and readers concerning not only the efficacy of lynchings, but also the role newspapers were playing in the deadly activity.
Public Sphere and Communicative Rationality: Interrogating Habermas's Eurocentrism
Authors: Gunaratne Shelton A.
Published: December 2011

Habermas's critical theory of society and modernity, which he developed by reconstructing the concepts of public sphere/civil society and rationality, suffers from some of the same weaknesses attributed to the structural-functionalist modernization theory. Both theories lean solely on European historical experience despite their proponents' claim for “universalism.” The theory of communicative action, wherein Habermas has now implanted the public sphere, is the product of merging philosophy of history (or historical hermeneutics) and empirical social science—an attempt “to free historical materialism from its philosophical ballast,” according to Habermas, and “less a promise than a conjecture.” This monograph calls for a revision or “glocalization” of Habermas's theory to remove its lingering traces of “universalism” that promote domination through globalization—a euphemism for Eurocentric hegemony as we move from theory to practice. The aporetic presumptions of Habermasian theory do not necessarily match the ontological, epistemological, and historical reservoir of the non-West. Therefore, the project of provincializing “Europe” is in order.
“Pre-Modern” Online: Converging Discourses of Globalization and Development
Authors: Sosale Sujatha
Published: December 2011

This study seeks to understand the ways in which global capitalist control and local empowerment in the context of development are acted out on the Internet, involving a venture based in the United States, and rural communities in developing regions. It entails analysis of the web site of the company Greenstar, which promotes environmentally conscious, sustainable development through new information and solar energy technologies in return for local cultural products (many in digital form) from these regions that are then sold on the Net by Greenstar. Its corporate approach to sustainable development and its ecommerce in cultural artifacts produced by rural communities have made the company a constituent of a new global cultural economy. Drawing from theories of development and globalization, and incorporating Giddens's idea of the third way, I constructed a conceptual framework within which to locate the Greenstar phenomenon. To understand the persuasive discourses in which Greenstar engages to inform its audience and influence its donors, I examined the Greenstar web site, its principal presence as a virtual company, using two modes of analyses. First, drawing from Jackson's recently proposed network analysis for web texts, I conducted a qualitative, critical analysis of the architecture of Greenstar's web site. I then employed frame analysis to examine the site's content.

The structural analysis indicated the corporation's domination over the site, though some suggestions of a more dispersed, satellite structure in the architecture of the web site were apparent. Mainly, a radial, branching structure positions the company at the center of gravity. Frame analysis yielded five competing frames - the commodity frame, the activist frame, the empowering frame, the developmentalist frame, and the culture-as-nature frame. It is evident from the company's self-representation on the web site that it is seeking a third way of doing development by connecting global capitalism to the grassroots, trying to mobilize it for the empowerment of rural communities in developing regions. The findings reveal a novel and persuasive approach to social change in developing societies. Simultaneously, they also suggest that such a path may not be able to avoid privileging and hierarchizing key aspects of global capitalist over local indigenous cultures.
Media Ethics in Education
Authors: Christians Clifford G.
Published: December 2011

Two major publications in 1980 established the most recent phase of media ethics history in the United States. The MacBride Commission's Many Voices, One World and the Hastings-Carnegie studies of professional ethics in the U.S. (Teaching of Ethics in Higher Education) were both published in 1980. This productive academic period from 1980 to the present revolves around five major areas: theory, social philosophy, religious ethics, technology, and truth. The history of scholarship in these five domains sets the agenda for the study of media ethics today.
Balancing Public Relations with Socioeconomic and Political Environments in Transition: Comparative, Contextualized Research in Colombia, Mexico, and Venezuela
Authors: Molleda Juan-Carlos , Moreno Ángeles
Published: December 2011

This comparative, contextualized research conducted between 2003 and 2004 summarizes and discusses the impact of the socioeconomic and political environments on the practice of public relations in Colombia, Mexico, and Venezuela. Sixty-one in-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with top-level professionals in the capital and main commercial cities in these three countries where the profession thrives but is also challenged. The main conclusion is that public relations professionals have a role to play in the transformation of countries toward globalized economies and more ethical participative, political systems in which everyone has a public platform to voice their interests and achieve full social development.
An Audience Interpretation of Corporate Communication in a Cause-Related Corporate Outreach Event: The Avon Breast Cancer 3-Day Walk
Authors: Edwards Heidi Hatfield , Kreshel Peggy J.
Published: December 2011

Drawing upon a cultural studies perspective, this study investigates the audience role in shaping corporate involvement in social issues – identified as cause-related corporate outreach. We assert that, more than consumer, voter, or passive receptor of corporate messages, the audience is an active participant in the communication process.

This case study of the Avon Breast Cancer 3-Day Walk, one of the most visible fitness-based fundraising events, examines the meaning individual participants construct during their involvement in the event. The study provides a context in which public relations practitioners and scholars alike can better understand the role corporate communication plays in defining and preserving community and social values. This understanding can help corporations build communication that resonates with specific publics and is more beneficial to all involved. The research also extends public relations theory. It develops a cultural understanding of the growing phenomenon of corporate involvement in social issues as it applies to a public's involvement, shifting the traditional public relations research focus from an effects-based approach to one informed by cultural studies. Emphasizing the active role of the audience, the study investigates the experiential relationships of that public as it engages in a cause-related, corporate-sponsored fundraising event.

Additionally, this study is methodologically expansive. It uses a variety of qualitative data-collection methods, including in-depth interviews, audio journals kept by walkers, participant observation, and post-walk focus groups to develop an audience-centered understanding of the walk experience and draw implications for public relations research and practice.
Seeing Themselves through the Lens of the Other: An Analysis of the Cross-Cultural Production and Negotiation of National Geographies “The Samurai Way” Story
Authors: Darling-Wolf Fabienne , Mendelson Andrew L.
Published: December 2011

More than any other publication, National Geographic magazine has taught Americans about the world around them. Recently, the magazine's view of the world has become more complex. Since 1995, the magazine has been producing editions published in languages other than English. This raises questions as to how international audiences negotiate these “glocalized” representations. By investigating how the National Geographic “The Samurai Way” story resonates with Japanese individuals, this study first addresses the cross-cultural reception of an American text not simply exported to another country, but an American text repackaged for a local foreign audience. It then returns to the process of production of the story in an effort to identify points of intersection and contradiction in the discourses emerging about the text from multiple positions.
Mass Communication and Identity Construction: Theory and a Case Study of Song-Recordings by a Popular Musician
Authors: Wolfe Arnold S. , Loy Mike , Chidester Phil
Published: December 2011

This study examines the role of mass communication in identity construction by focusing on song-recordings written and performed by John Mellencamp, a mass communicator who has consistently identified himself with the Midwest generally and rural Indiana particularly. This research argues that Mellencamp's album, Scarecrow, may be productively grasped as (1) communication that extends a tradition expounded by such Midwesterners as Mark Twain and Grant Wood and (2) as mythology. Focusing closely on two Scarecrow tracks, this study conceptualizes mythology as a “vital contemporary creator of meaning” (Campbell, 1991, p. 335). The tracks are then analyzed by attending to those musical details of each that either reinforce or contradict its linguistic/mythic meanings. While similar analyses of popular music are not unprecedented in communication research, no prior study has attempted to integrate mythological textual analysis and musicological analysis in an effort to advance understanding about how mixes of myth and music “foster cultural identification” (Sellnow & Sellnow, 2001, p. 396). A new rhetorical category of song is proposed.
Effectiveness of Cartoons as a Uniquely Visual Medium for Orienting Social Issues
Authors: Abraham Linus
Published: December 2011

Despite the perception in some quarters that cartoons constitute an important medium for framing social issues, they are often dismissed on the grounds of political absurdity and ideological insignificance. Cartoons are seen as offering just “passing chuckles” rather than any “deep reflection” on social issues. The perception may be related to the cartoon's discursive spatial limitation and its very nature as a visual mode of communication. Visual modes of communication are deemed deficient in performing analytical communication. By grounding cartoons within a theory of visual semiotics and visual persuasion, this paper attempts to address some of the concerns raised about the effectiveness of editorial cartoons. It attempts to find out how cartoons, as uniquely visual forms of communication, signify their meanings and manage to offer “deep reflection,” rather than just simple “passing chuckle” on social issues.
Air flow around the point of an arrow
Authors: Park James L , Hodge Michael R , Al-Mulla Salam , Sherry Michael , Sheridan John
Published: December 2011

The aerodynamic drag of an arrow is of importance in relation to the arrow’s drift in wind and to its down-range velocity. A significant contributor to that drag is the viscous drag from the arrow shaft, and consequently the nature of air flow over the arrow point and the location of the transition from laminar to turbulent flow are of interest.

In this paper the flow was investigated using a scale model in a water channel for two arrow point profiles and for circumferential gaps at the rear of the arrow point. The normal ‘bullet point’ was found to have laminar flow along the front of the shaft and transition at a Reynolds number of approximately 450,000, and that circumferential gaps did not affect the flow. The frequently used ‘short bulge point’ was found to have flow separation at the rear taper of the point and turbulent flow for the full length of the shaft, which would be expected to result in greater drag than for the bullet point or for a bulge point with less aggressive rear taper.
A Displaced Femoral Neck Stress Fracture in an Amenorrheic Adolescent Female Runner
Authors: Goolsby Marci A. , Barrack Michelle T. , Nattiv Aurelia
Published: December 2011

This case demonstrates the potential serious consequences of the female athlete triad and its effects on bone. Displaced femoral neck stress fractures cause significant morbidity, and this case highlights the preventable nature of this injury. The treatment was focused on improving low energy availability, and, although challenging, improvements were made. This injury could have been prevented if the signs and symptoms of her injury had been addressed and there had been better knowledge of her risk factors. This case highlights the need for further education in the sports and health communities.
High ERp5/ADAM10 expression in lymph node microenvironment and impaired NKG2D ligands recognition in Hodgkin lymphomas
Authors: Zocchi Maria Raffaella , Catellani Silvia , Canevali Paolo , Tavella Sara , Garuti Anna , Villaggio Barbara , Zunino Annalisa , Gobbi Marco , Fraternali-Orcioni Giulio , Kunkl Annalisa , Ravetti Jean-Louis , Boero Silvia , Musso Alessandra , Poggi Alessandro
Published: December 2011

Herein we describe that in classic Hodgkin lymphomas (cHL, n = 25) the lymph node (LN) stroma displayed in situ high levels of transcription and expression of the disulfide-isomerase ERp5 and of the disintegrin-metalloproteinase ADAM10, able to shed the ligands for NKG2D (NKG2D-L) from the cell membrane. These enzymes were detected both in LN mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) and in Reed-Sternberg (RS) cells; in addition, MIC-A and ULBP3 were present in culture supernatants of LN MSCs or RS cells. NKG2D-L–negative RS cells could not be killed by CD8+αβT or γδT cells; tumor cell killing was partially restored by treating RS cells with valproic acid, which enhanced NKG2D-L surface expression. Upon coculture with LN MSCs, CD8+αβT and γδT cells strongly reduced their cytolytic activity against NKG2D-L+ targets; this seems to be the result of TGF-β, present at the tumor site, produced in vitro by LN MSCs and able to down-regulate the expression of NKG2D on T lymphocytes. In addition, CD8+αβT and γδT cells from the lymph nodes of cHL patients, cocultured in vitro with LN MSCs, underwent TGF-β–mediated down regulation of NKG2D. Thus, in cHL the tumor microenvironment is prone to inhibit the development of an efficient antitumor response.
The streptococcal collagen-like protein-1 (Scl1) is a significant determinant for biofilm formation by group a Streptococcus
Authors: Oliver-Kozup Heaven A , Elliott Meenal , Bachert Beth A , Martin Karen H , Reid Sean D , Schwegler-Berry Diane E , Green Brett J , Lukomski Slawomir
Published: December 2011

Background

Group AStreptococcus(GAS) is a human-specific pathogen responsible for a number of diseases characterized by a wide range of clinical manifestations. During host colonization GAS-cell aggregates or microcolonies are observed in tissues. GAS biofilm, which is anin vitroequivalent of tissue microcolony, has only recently been studied and little is known about the specific surface determinants that aid biofilm formation. In this study, we demonstrate that surface-associated streptococcal collagen-like protein-1 (Scl1) plays an important role in GAS biofilm formation.

Results

Biofilm formation by M1-, M3-, M28-, and M41-type GAS strains, representing an intraspecies breadth, were analyzed spectrophotometrically following crystal violet staining, and characterized using confocal and field emission scanning electron microscopy. The M41-type strain formed the most robust biofilm under static conditions, followed by M28- and M1-type strains, while the M3-type strains analyzed here did not form biofilm under the same experimental conditions. Differences in architecture and cell-surface morphology were observed in biofilms formed by the M1- and M41-wild-type strains, accompanied by varying amounts of deposited extracellular matrix and differences in cell-to-cell junctions within each biofilm. Importantly, all Scl1-negative mutants examined showed significantly decreased ability to form biofilmin vitro. Furthermore, the Scl1 protein expressed on the surface of a heterologous host,Lactococcus lactis, was sufficient to induce biofilm formation by this organism.

Conclusions

Overall, this work (i) identifies variations in biofilm formation capacity among pathogenically different GAS strains, (ii) identifies GAS surface properties that may aid in biofilm stability and, (iii) establishes that the Scl1 surface protein is an important determinant of GAS biofilm, which is sufficient to enable biofilm formation in the heterologous hostLactococcus. In summary, the GAS surface adhesin Scl1 may have an important role in biofilm-associated pathogenicity.
Phylogenetic analysis and classification of the Brassica rapa SET-domain protein family
Authors: Huang Yong , Liu Chunlin , Shen Wen-Hui , Ruan Ying
Published: December 2011

Background

The SET (Su(var)3-9, Enhancer-of-zeste, Trithorax) domain is an evolutionarily conserved sequence of approximately 130-150 amino acids, and constitutes the catalytic site of lysine methyltransferases (KMTs). KMTs perform many crucial biological functions via histone methylation of chromatin. Histone methylation marks are interpreted differently depending on the histone type (i.e. H3 or H4), the lysine position (e.g. H3K4, H3K9, H3K27, H3K36 or H4K20) and the number of added methyl groups (i.e. me1, me2 or me3). For example, H3K4me3 and H3K36me3 are associated with transcriptional activation, but H3K9me2 and H3K27me3 are associated with gene silencing. The substrate specificity and activity of KMTs are determined by sequences within the SET domain and other regions of the protein.

Results

Here we identified 49 SET-domain proteins from the recently sequenced Brassica rapa genome. We performed sequence similarity and protein domain organization analysis of these proteins, along with the SET-domain proteins from the dicot Arabidopsis thaliana, the monocots Oryza sativa and Brachypodium distachyon, and the green alga Ostreococcus tauri. We showed that plant SET-domain proteins can be grouped into 6 distinct classes, namely KMT1, KMT2, KMT3, KMT6, KMT7 and S-ET. Apart from the S-ET class, which has an interrupted SET domain and may be involved in methylation of nonhistone proteins, the other classes have characteristics of histone methyltransferases exhibiting different substrate specificities: KMT1 for H3K9, KMT2 for H3K4, KMT3 for H3K36, KMT6 for H3K27 and KMT7 also for H3K4. We also propose a coherent and rational nomenclature for plant SET-domain proteins. Comparisons of sequence similarity and synteny of B. rapa and A. thaliana SET-domain proteins revealed recent gene duplication events for some KMTs.

Conclusion

This study provides the first characterization of the SET-domain KMT proteins of B. rapa. Phylogenetic analysis data allowed the development of a coherent and rational nomenclature of this important family of proteins in plants, as in animals. The results obtained in this study will provide a base for nomenclature of KMTs in other plant species and facilitate the functional characterization of these important epigenetic regulatory genes in Brassica crops.
Molecular analysis of hepatitis B virus (HBV) in an HIV co-infected patient with reactivation of occult HBV infection following discontinuation of lamivudine-including antiretroviral therapy
Authors: Costantini Andrea , Marinelli Katia , Biagioni Giulia , Monachetti Alessia , Ferreri Monica L , Butini Luca , Montroni Maria , Manzin Aldo , Bagnarelli Patrizia
Published: December 2011

Background

Occult hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection (OBI) is characterized by HBV DNA persistence even though the pattern of serological markers indicates an otherwise resolved HBV infection. Although OBI is usually clinically silent, immunocompromised patients may experience reactivation of the liver disease.

Case presentation

We report the case of an individual with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and anti-HBV core antibody positivity, who experienced severe HBV reactivation after discontinuation of lamivudine-including antiretroviral therapy (ART). HBV sequencing analysis showed a hepatitis B surface antigen escape mutant whose presence in an earlier sample excluded reinfection. Molecular sequencing showed some differences between two isolates collected at a 9-year interval, indicating HBV evolution. Resumption of ART containing an emtricitabine/tenofovir combination allowed control of plasma HBV DNA, which fell to undetectable levels.

Conclusion

This case stresses the ability of HBV to evolve continuously, even during occult infection, and the effectiveness of ART in controlling OBI reactivation in HIV-infected individuals.
Detection of human bocavirus from children and adults with acute respiratory tract illness in Guangzhou, southern China
Authors: Liu Wen-Kuan , Chen De-Hui , Liu Qian , Liang Huan-Xi , Yang Zi-Feng , Qin Sheng , Zhou Rong
Published: December 2011

Background

Human bocavirus (HBoV) is a newly discovered parvovirus associated with acute respiratory tract illness (ARTI) and gastrointestinal illness. Our study is the first to analyze the characteristics of HBoV-positive samples from ARTI patients with a wide age distribution from Guangzhou, southern China.

Methods

Throat swabs (n=2811) were collected and analyzed from children and adults with ARTI over a 13-month period. The HBoV complete genome from a 60 year-old female patient isolate was also determined.

Results

HBoV DNA was detected in 65/2811 (2.3%) samples, of which 61/1797 were from children (<18 years old) and 4/1014 from adults (≥18 years old). Seasonal peaks of 4.8% and 7.7% were detected in May and June, respectively. 28 of 65 (43.1%) HBoV-positive samples were co-detected with 11/16 other potential pathogens.Mycoplasma pneumoniaehad the highest frequency of 16.9% (11/65). Upper and lower respiratory tract illness were common symptoms, with 19/65 (29.2%) patients diagnosed with pneumonia by chest radiography. All four adult patients had systemic influenza-like symptoms. Phylogenetic analysis of the complete genome revealed a close relationship with other HBoVs, and a more distant relationship with HBoV2 and HBoV3.

Conclusions

HBoV was detected from children and adults with ARTI from Guangzhou, southern China. Elderly people were also susceptive to HBoV. A single lineage of HBoV was detected among a wide age distribution of patients with ARTI.
An outbreak of coxsackievirus A6 hand, foot, and mouth disease associated with onychomadesis in Taiwan, 2010
Authors: Wei Sung-Hsi , Huang Yuan-Pin , Liu Ming-Chih , Tsou Tsung-Pei , Lin Hui-Chen , Lin Tsuey-Li , Tsai Chen-Yen , Chao Yen-Nan , Chang Luan-Yin , Hsu Chun-Ming
Published: December 2011

Background

In 2010, an outbreak of coxsackievirus A6 (CA6) hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) occurred in Taiwan and some patients presented with onychomadesis and desquamation following HFMD. Therefore, we performed an epidemiological and molecular investigation to elucidate the characteristics of this outbreak.

Methods

Patients who had HFMD with positive enterovirus isolation results were enrolled. We performed a telephone interview with enrolled patients or their caregivers to collect information concerning symptoms, treatments, the presence of desquamation, and the presence of nail abnormalities. The serotypes of the enterovirus isolates were determined using indirect immunofluorescence assays. The VP1 gene was sequenced and the phylogenetic tree for the current CA6 strains in 2010, 52 previous CA6 strains isolated in Taiwan from 1998 through 2009, along with 8 reference sequences from other countries was constructed using the neighbor-joining command in MEGA software.

Results

Of the 130 patients with laboratory-confirmed CA6 infection, some patients with CA6 infection also had eruptions around the perioral area (28, 22%), the trunk and/or the neck (39, 30%) and generalized skin eruptions (6, 5%) in addition to the typical presentation of skin eruptions on the hands, feet, and mouths. Sixty-six (51%) CA6 patients experienced desquamation of palms and soles after the infection episode and 48 (37%) CA6 patients developed onychomadesis, which only occurred in 7 (5%) of 145 cases with non-CA6 enterovirus infection (p < 0.001). The sequences of viral protein 1 of CA6 in 2010 differ from those found in Taiwan before 2010, but are similar to those found in patients in Finland in 2008.

Conclusions

HFMD patients with CA6 infection experienced symptoms targeting a broader spectrum of skin sites and more profound tissue destruction, i.e., desquamation and nail abnormalities.
Antioxidant, Anti-inflammatory and Cytotoxicity of Phaleria macrocarpa (Boerl.) Scheff Fruit
Authors: Hendra Rudi , Ahmad Syahida , Oskoueian Ehsan , Sukari Aspollah , Shukor M Yunus
Published: December 2011

Background

Phaleria macrocarpa (Scheff.) Boerl (Thymelaceae) originates from Papua Island, Indonesia and grows in tropical areas. The different parts of the fruit of P. macrocarpa were evaluated for antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and cytotoxic activities.

Methods

Phaleria macrocarpa fruit were divided into pericarp, mesocarp and seed. All parts of the fruit were reflux extracted with methanol. The antioxidant activity of the extracts were characterized in various in vitro model systems such as FTC, TBA, DPPH radical, reducing power and NO radical. Anti-inflammatory assays were done by using NO production by macrophage RAW 264.7 cell lines induced by LPS/IFN-γ and cytotoxic activities were determined by using several cancer cell lines and one normal cell line

Results

The results showed that different parts (pericarp, mesocarp, and seed) of Phaleria macrocarpa fruit contain various amount of total phenolic (59.2 ± 0.04, 60.5 ± 0.17, 47.7 ± 1.04 mg gallic acid equivalent/g DW) and flavonoid compounds (161.3 ± 1.58, 131.7 ± 1.66, 35.9 ± 2.47 mg rutin equivalent/g DW). Pericarp and mesocarp showed high antioxidant activities by using DPPH (71.97%, 62.41%), ferric reducing antioxidant power (92.35%, 78.78%) and NO scavenging activity (65.68%, 53.45%). Ferric thiocyanate and thiobarbituric acid tests showed appreciable antioxidant activity in the percentage hydroperoxides inhibitory activity from pericarp and mesocarp in the last day of the assay. Similarly, the pericarp and mesocarp inhibited inducible nitric oxide synthesis with values of 63.4 ± 1.4% and 69.5 ± 1.4% in macrophage RAW 264.7 cell lines induced by LPS/IFN-γ indicating their notable anti-inflammatory potential. Cytotoxic activities against HT-29, MCF-7, HeLa and Chang cell lines were observed in all parts.

Conclusions

These results indicated the possible application of P. macrocarpa fruit as a source of bioactive compounds, potent as an antioxidant, anti inflammatory and cytotoxic agents.
Enhancement of antimicrobial activities of whole and sub-fractionated white tea by addition of copper (II) sulphate and vitamin C against Staphylococcus aureus; a mechanistic approach
Authors: Holloway Andrew C , Gould Simon WJ , Fielder Mark D , Naughton Declan P , Kelly Alison F
Published: December 2011

Background

Enhancement of antimicrobial plant products e.g. pomegranate extract by copper (II) sulphate is known. Such combinations have applications in various settings, including the identification of novel compositions to study, treat and control infection.

Methods

A combination of white tea (WT) (made allowing 10 minutes infusion time at 100°C) was combined with 4.8 mM copper (II) sulphate and tested for antimicrobial effect on the viability of Staphylococcus aureus NCTC 06571. Comparisons were made with green (GT) and black (BT) teas. A WT sub-fraction (WTF < 1000 Da) was tested with copper (II) sulphate and 4.8 mM vitamin C. pH measurements of samples were taken for controls and to observe any changes due to tea/agent interaction. Catalase was used to investigate hydrogen peroxide release. UV-vis. was used to compare WT and WTF.

Results

A 30 minute incubation at room temperature of copper (II) sulphate alone and combined with WT reduced the viability of S. aureus NCTC 06571 by c.a 1 log10 cfu mL-1. GT and BT with copper (II) sulphate negated activity to buffer values. Combined with copper (II) sulphate, vitamin C, WTF and, vitamin C plus WTF all reduced the viability of S. aureus NCTC 06571 by c.a. 3.5 log10 cfu mL-1. Independent experiments showed the results were not due to pH effects. Adding WT or WTF to copper (II) sulphate resulted in increased acidity. Copper (II) sulphate alone and combined with WT required c.a 300 μg mL-1 (final concentration) catalase to restore S. aureus viability, WTF with copper (II) sulphate and added vitamin C required c.a 600 μg mL-1. WT and WTF UV-visible spectra were similar.

Conclusions

WT showed no efficacy in the combinations tested. WTF was enhanced with copper (II) sulphate and further with vitamin C. WT and WTF increased acidity of copper (II) sulphate possibly via the formation of chemical complexes. The difference in WT/WTF absorbance possibly represented substances less concentrated or absent in WTF. Investigations to establish which WTF component/s and in what proportions additives are most effective against target organisms are warranted.