bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Synergistic Effects of Synthetic Adjuvants on the Humoral Immune Response
Authors: Hilgers L.A.T. , Snippe H. , Jansze M. , Willers J.M.N.
Published: August 2009

The effect of combinations of adjuvants on the humoral immune response to sheep red blood cells (SRBC) as antigen was investigated. Adjuvants belonging to two categories differing in physicochemical properties were used: surfactants (N, N-dioctadecyl-N′, N′-bis-(2-hydroyethyl)propanediamine (CP-20,961), dimethyldioctadecylammonium bromide (DDA), neutrally charged liposomes, polyol (L 101 and L 121) and polyanions [dextran sulfate (DXS), liquoid and suramine]. All adjuvants but suramine augmented humoral responses to 2 × 107 SRBC measured by the number of direct anti-SRBC plaque-forming cells (PFC) in the spleen. The response to 2 × 106 SRBC was enhanced considerably by L 121 and DXS but hardly or not at all by the other adjuvants. Combinations of two adjuvants were made at distinct ratios (1:3, 2:2, and 3:1) and injected intraperitoneally with 2 × 106 SRBC. Low responses (5 × 103 PFC per spleen) were induced by combinations of liquoid or suramine with DDA or DXS, and by combinations of CP-20,961 liposomes, L 101 or L 121 with DDA. Combinations of the surfactants DDA, CP-20,961, liposomes, L 101 or L 121 with DXS evoked responses which were significantly higher than the sum of responses supported by the single adjuvants. Ratios of 1:3 or 2:2 (surfactant: DXS) resulted in the most effective combinations. The data obtained suggest that only adjuvants derived from two different physicochemical groups are able to act synergistically.
Comparison of the Histamine-Releasing Action of Substance P on Mast Cells and Basophils from Different Species and Tissues
Authors: Ali H. , Leung K.B.P. , Pearce F.L. , Hayes N.A. , Foreman J.C.
Published: August 2009

The action of the neuropeptide substance P as a histamine-releasing agent has been compared in histamine-containing cells from a variety of different tissues and species. Peritoneal mast cells from rat, mouse and hamster but not human cells gave a concentration-dependent release of histamine in response to substance P. Release was greater in the absence than in the presence of calcium in the extracellular medium. Mast cells from rat mesentery, lung and heart released histamine in response to substance P, but heart mast cells responded only weakly. All guinea-pig mast cells and histamine-containing cells from human tissues did not give any substantial substance-P-induced release of histamine. The data provides further evidence for the functional heterogeneity of histamine-containing cells.
Analysis of Allergen Components in Grass Pollen Extracts using Immunoblotting
Authors: Haas H. , Becker W.-M. , Maasch H.J. , Schlaak M.
Published: August 2009

Sera of 60 allergic persons and 20 healthy RAST-negative control persons were examined using immunoblotting to establish the presence of grass pollen-specific antibodies. These antibodies were depicted by an enzymatic, immunoglobulin class-specific indicator system. Seven bands of the timothy pollen extract proved to be major allergens. One of the 4 grass pollen-specific monoclonal antibodies tested (Bo 1) recognized the 7 major allergen bands. The possibility of employing monoclonal antibodies for the isolation of allergens is discussed.
Binding of IgM Rheumatoid Factor to Group A, C and G Streptococci with IgG Fc Receptors
Authors: Schröder A.K. , Christensen P. , Svensson M.-L.
Published: August 2009

The possibility that IgM rheumatoid factors bind to streptococci was studied. Using a sequence of Sephadex G200 gel filtration, protein A-Sepharose CL-4B chromatography and preparatory electrophoresis, IgM was isolated from the sera of 2 patients with rheumatoid arthritis and then radiolabelled with 125I. There was significant binding of radiolabelled IgM to group-A streptococci types M1, M15 and M22, and to a group-C and a group-G strain, all expressing IgG Fc receptors, but none to Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli or to 11 other strains of streptococci without IgG Fc receptors. The radiolabelled IgM was separated by affinity chromatography on a column containing human IgG. Types M1 and M15 bound the fraction retained on the column, whereas M22 bound both this fraction and the non-retained fraction. Commercial human IgG, even at high concentrations, did not inhibit binding. The binding reaction, which is perhaps triggered either by the IgM rheumatoid factor or by IgG complexed with rheumatoid factor, could be a useful tool for removal of anti-immunoglobulin from the blood of patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
Comparison between Tuberculoproteins A and C in the Serodiagnosis of Tuberculosis by Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
Authors: Affronti Lewis F. , Taylor Robert , Hassan Effat M.
Published: August 2009

Tuberculoproteins A and C obtained from culture filtrate of Mycobacterium tuberculosis by alcohol fractionation were utilized in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to measure the amount of reactive IgG in the sera from advanced and moderately advanced tuberculosis patients, leprosy patients and normal individuals. The A-protein detected significant levels of IgG in the sera from both advanced and moderately-advanced tuberculosis patients and patients with leprosy as compared to the normal group. Employing the C-protein, only sera from the advanced tuberculosis patients group gave significantly positive results when compared with the normal control group. The data show that the A-protein is more potent than the C-protein and has a potential serodiagnostic value.
Evaluation of the Mechanisms Involved in Sodium Diethyl Dithiocarbamate-Induced Immunomodulation Using the Hydrophilic Analog, Sodium N-Methyl-D-Glucamine Dithiocarbamate
Authors: Neveu P.J. , Perdoux D.
Published: August 2009

Sodium diethyl dithiocarbamate (DE-DTC) is a lipophilic low molecular weight sulphur compound previously demonstrated to be a potent immunomodulator but cytotoxic in vitro. In this work, we studied the effects on a hydrophilic analog of DE-DTC, sodium N-Methyl-D-glucamine dithiocarbamate (NMG-DTC) on immune responses to a hapten carrier conjugate and on mitogen-induced lymphoproliferation. NMG-DTC, in contrast to DE-DTC, did not modify the responses to a hapten-carrier conjugate. The immunomodulatory activity of DE-DTC appeared to be linked with its lipophilicity. NMG-DTC had a slight inhibitory effect on thymidine incorporation by lymphocytes stimulated by mitogens as compared to that of DE-DTC. DE-DTC was cytotoxic possibly at the cell membrane level; cytotoxicity was not related to the chelating properties of DE-DTC in the culture medium. On the other hand, NMG-DTC appeared to be a less cytotoxic molecule. Therefore it could be useful to study the effects of the dithiocarbamate moiety at the cellular level.
Comparison of the Arthritogenic Properties of Dietary Cow’s Milk, Egg Albumin and Soya Milk in Experimental Animals
Authors: Welsh C.J.R. , Hanglow A.C. , Conn P. , Coombs R.R.A.
Published: August 2009

The arthritogenic effect of dietary cow’s milk, egg albumin and soya milk were compared in Old English rabbits. The 12-week cow’s milk feeding regimen produced the highest incidence of significant joint lesions. Lesions were evident but mild at 5 weeks and the synovitis had resolved by 32 weeks. It is suggested that the transient nature of the synovitis may be due to the development of specific secretory IgA antibodies which were detectable in faecal pellet extracts. Sandy Lop rabbits were less susceptible to the arthritogenic effect than were Old English rabbits. Dietary ovalbumin was less arthritogenic than cow’s milk despite high titres of serum and synovial fluid antibodies and immune complexes. The rabbits were ‘tolerant’ to dietary soya due probably to pre-existing levels of soya protein in their diet. Lewis and Wistar strain rats, CBA, Balb/c and C57/BL6 mice fed on cow’s milk for 3 months did not develop serum antibodies or synovial lesions. It is suggested that this allergic synovitis is not a model for early rheumatoid joint disease because of the transience of the lesions and lack of stimulation of rheumatoid factor. It may well, however, be a model for the arthralgia seen in patients with certain food allergies.
Immunochemical Characterization of Saline-Extracted Antigens of Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Ra
Authors: Chawla T.C. , Atreyi M. , Jailkhani B.L.
Published: August 2009

The saline extract (SE) of Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Ra yielded four major fractions on Sephadex G-100, with average molecular weights of 48,000 (fraction I, FI), 32,000 (fraction II, FII), 15,000 (fraction III, FIII) and 5,000 (fraction IV, FIV). FI and FII gave single bands on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, showed complete immunological cross-reactivity with each other and were more potent in reacting with antibodies in patients’ (tuberculosis) sera than sonicate, SE, purified protein derivative, FIII and FIV when tested in a competition enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
Neurotensin Stimulates Histamine Release in in vivo Skin ‘Blisters’ in Rats: An Effect Inhibited by Cromolyn or Somatostatin
Authors: Cochrane David E. , Boucher William , Bibb Philip
Published: August 2009

Histamine release was directly measured in in vivo skin blisters in rats in response to the intradermal injection of the peptide neurotensin (NT). Histamine release increased as the concentration of NT was raised from 10––11 to 10––5M. This response was rapid in onset and was inhibited by disodium cromoglycate or the peptide somatostatin (SIRF). The inhibitory effect of SIRF was rapid and was evident from 10––12 to 10––8M SIRF. A similar inhibition was observed on isolated peritoneal mast cells. Histamine release in response to substance P was not inhibited by SIRF.
Histologic Identification of Cellular Differences That May Contribute to the Reduced Immunogenicity of Transplanted Neonatal versus Adult Skin Tissue
Authors: Kowolenko Michael , Carlo Jaime , Gozzo James J.
Published: August 2009

Neonatal epidermal sections obtained within 24 h after birth from C3H/He mice along with adult epidermis from the same strain were evaluated for the presence of epidermal dendritic cells (Langerhans cells) by three staining methods: immunofluorescence, gold sodium thiomalate and adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) activity. The results obtained indicate that Langerhans cells are present in both groups of tissue, but lack la antigen expression in the neonate. This lack of la antigen expression may contribute to the superiority of neonatal donor skin for transplantation over that from adult donors in the murine allograft model.
Measurement of Picogram Quantities of Rat IgE from in vitro Culture Supernatants of B Lymphocytes in Experimental Helminth Infections
Authors: Neyrinck J.L. , Dessaint J.P. , Auriault C. , Capron A.
Published: August 2009

A double-antibody liquid-phase radioimmunoassay was used to measure picogram quantities of rat IgE. The sensitivity of this method (approximately 10 pg/ml) allowed the determination of the production of IgE in in vitro culture supernatants of B lymphocytes of infected animals.
Immunological Studies in Patients with Alcoholic Liver Disease: Evidence for the in vivo Activation of Helper T Cells and of the Monocyte-Macrophage System
Authors: Spinozzi Fabrizio , Guerciolini Roberto , Gerli Roberto , Gernini Ivano , Rondoni Francesco , Frascarelli Antonio , Rambotti Pietro , Grignani Fausto , Davis Stephen
Published: August 2009

Immunologic parameters were evaluated in 22 patients with alcoholic liver disease (ALD). Patients with ALD had increased levels of circulating immune complexes (CIC) and serum immunoglobulins, particularly IgA. The classical complement pathway was preferentially activated in CIC-positive patients. There was no increase in total lymphocyte or total T lymphocyte counts, but a significant rise in both the helper/inducer population (OKT4) and helper/suppressor cell ratio (T4/T8) was noted. The presence of interleukin-2 receptors and HLA-DC/DS and HLA-DR antigens suggested in vivo activation of ALD patients’ T cells. The rate of differentiation of B cells to plasma cells was high in both pokeweed mitogen-stimulated and unstimulated cultures of ALD patients’ B cells, whereas plasma cell generation doubled when patient T lymphocytes were added to enriched normal B cells. The above data support a role for activated helper (T4+) T cells in the immune response initiated by alcoholic hepatitis. Serum angiotensin-converting enzyme levels and lysozyme levels were increased in ALD patients, and cultured adherent mononuclear cells from ALD patients secreted more lysozyme in vitro than normal cells, suggesting the presence of an activated monocyte-macro-phage system in ALD.
Characterization of an Idiotype-Binding Helper Cell Required for the Formation of Timothy Grass Pollen Antigen-B-Specific IgE
Authors: Malley Arthur
Published: August 2009

Experiments were conducted using an excess of biosynthetically labeled timothy grass pollen antigen-B-specific (AgB-specific) T helper factor (THF) with enriched T cells, enriched B cells, or normal spleen cells to determine the site of the THF action. These studies indicated that the labeled THF bound preferentially to T cells, and analysis of the cell surface characteristics suggested that these T cells were Lyt 123+ cells. A panning technique using partially purified AgB-specific THF-coated Petri dishes depleted a population of idiotype-binding T cells that appears to be required for the formation of AgB-specific IgE antibody.
Mast Cell Heterogeneity: Effect of Anti-Allergic Compounds on Neuropeptide-Induced Histamine Release
Authors: Shanahan Fergus , Lee T.D.G. , Bienenstock John , Befus Dean
Published: August 2009

Increasing evidence suggests that neuropeptides may be important stimuli for mast cell secretion. Neuropeptide-induced histamine secretion from rat mast cells was inhibited by a variety of clinical and experimental antiallergic agents. The profile of responsiveness to this panel of drugs exhibited by peritoneal (PMC) and intestinal mucosal mast cells (IMC) was similar to that previously reported when histamine release was immunologically induced. Thus, cromoglycate, theophylline and Ro 22–3747 inhibited peptide-induced secretion from PMC but not from IMC. In contrast, doxantrazole was effective against PMC and IMC. Differences between IMC and PMC could not be attributed to the IMC isolation procedure. The results confirm the heterogeneity of responsiveness to antiallergic drugs exhibited by these mast cell subpopulations and indicate that it is not limited to immunologically induced secretion but also occurs when a neuropeptide is the secretory stimulus.
Hemodynamic Response to Rapidly Infused 25% Albumin in Sheep: Blunting the Effects with Ibuprofen
Authors: Kay Jonathan , Traber Daniel L.
Published: August 2009

We document the hemodynamic deterioration in two patients given very rapid intravenous infusions of 25% albumin. We developed an animal model to further elucidate the mechanism involved. Seven sheep were instrumented for the measurement of cardiac index (CI), pulmonary artery pressure (PAP), mean arterial pressure (MAP), left atrial pressure (LAP) and given 0.5 g/kg of Hyland brand 25% albumin over 5 min. Systemic vascular resistance index (SVRI), pulmonary vascular resistance index and left and right ventricular stroke work index were calculated. Equal volumes of normal saline were given to the same sheep as controls. Albumin significantly (p <0.05) increased MAP, PAP, LAP and SVRI, while CI decreased over the 3–10-min interval. Ibuprofen (14 mg/kg) intravenously administered 15 min prior to albumin, blunted all the above responses. This implicates a prostanoid as the possible mediator of these changes.
Effect of Functional Stimulation on Ascorbate Content in Phagocytes under Physiological and Pathological Conditions
Authors: Oberritter H. , Glatthaar B. , Moser U. , Schmidt K.H.
Published: August 2009

Neutrophil polymorphonuclear leucocytes and macrophages contain 10–40 times increased intracellular ascorbate concentrations compared to plasma. A slight decrease of ascorbate content could be observed in total white blood cells and in monocytes upon stimulation with opsonized zymosan. These decreases were more pronounced in peritoneal and alveolar macrophages from rats. In patients with rheumatoid disease whose phagocytes are exposed to a constant challenge, significantly lowered intracellular ascorbate contents were found in neutrophils and mononuclear cells. Surgical and thermal trauma in rats depressed intracellular ascorbate levels in peritoneal macrophages. These results are indicative of an essential role ascorbic acid plays in phagocytic cells.
MPB59, a Widely Cross-Reacting Protein of Mycobacterium bovis BCG
Authors: Wiker Harald G. , Harboe Morten , Nagai Sadamu , Patarroyo Manuel E. , Ramirez Clara , Cruz Nancy
Published: August 2009

The MPB59 protein of Mycobacterium bovis BCG was purified to homogeneity from culture fluid of BCG substrain Tokyo, and characterized by biochemical and immunological techniques. The molecular weight was 28,000, determined by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and the pI value was 5.3. The N-terminal amino acid sequence was determined for 32 steps and showed no significant homology with MPB64, MPB70 or MPB80. By crossed immunoelectrophoresis, MPB59 was found to belong to the BCG antigen 85 complex and identified as corresponding to the 85B component of this complex. The protein cross-reacted extensively with other species of mycobacteria, and induced a marked humoral immune response in armadillos and monkeys during development of systemic mycobacterial infection after inoculation with Mycobacterium leprae.
The Development of a New Agent for the Treatment of Inflammatory/Allergic Conditions
Authors: Cairns H. , Orr T.S.C.
Published: August 2009

The search for new drugs for the treatment of reversible obstructive airways disease has been a major pursuit of the pharmaceutical industry for almost two decades. Little progress has been achieved. The acceptance that asthma is a multi-facetted disease state has led to the development of a new complex in vivo screen in the macaque monkey. This model is mediated through mast cells which stain positively with alcian blue/safranin. A new therapeutic agent, nedocromil sodium, was significantly more active than sodium cromoglycate in this primate model of airway disease. Extensive clinical trials have shown that this new agent is effective in the treatment of the reversible component of obstructive airways disease.
Antiasthmatic Effects of Onions
Authors: Dorsch Walter , Ettl Michael , Hein Guido , Scheftner Peter , Weber Jörg , Bayer Thomas , Wagner Hildebert
Published: August 2009

Lyophilized onion extract and ether extracts of onions were separated by chromatographic methods into several subfractions and tested for their effects on asthmatic reactions of guinea pigs to allergen, histamine, acetylcholine and platelet-activating factor (PAF) inhalation as well as on thromboxane biosynthesis of human platelets and lung fibroblasts. Onion oils are counteracting the bronchial obstruction due to PAF inhalation.
Application of Histamine-Induced Conjunctivitis to the Assessment of a Topical Antihistamine, Levocabastine
Authors: Feinberg G. , Stokes T.C.
Published: August 2009

In an animal model, topical application of levocabastine to the eye inhibits the inflammatory conjunctival response to topically applied histamine. This is so even at one-fourth the concentration at which levocabastine is normally dispensed. Total blocking of histamine response continues for 24 h and is then irregularly observable for an additional 72 h. Levocabastine may be absorbed through the conjunctiva to give systemically transmitted protection to the contralateral eye. Levocabastine is a potent competitor against histamine for conjunctival H1 receptors and should prove a useful, possibly long-acting drug for the reversal of inflammatory conjunctivitis and inhibition of its recurrence.
Adverse Effects of Acetylcysteine on Human and Guinea Pig Bronchial Asthma in vivo and on Human Fibroblasts and Leukocytes in vitro
Authors: Dorsch Walter , Auch Emma , Powerlowicz Peter
Published: August 2009

The term ‘allergen tachyphylaxis’ denotes decreasing bronchial reactivity to allergen after repeated allergen inhalation challenges. In guinea pig bronchial asthma this self-protecting mechanism depends on endogenous prostaglandin E biosynthesis and can be inhibited by certain thiols. Therefore, we tested the effect of acetylcysteine (AC), a secretolytic thiol, on allergen tachyphylaxis in 25 guinea pigs. We observed inhibition of allergen tachyphylaxis and prolongation of each single asthmatic reaction. A possible clinical relevance of this observation was tested by the following experiments: (1) Human lung fibroblasts (Wi-38) were stimulated with arachidonic acid and calcium ionophore and exposed to increasing amounts of AC. PgE biosynthesis was reduced from 2,408 pg/ml (control) to 84.2 pg/ml (0.6% AC) and 18.6 pg/ml (6% AC). (2) Histamine release (HR) from human peripheral leukocytes was induced by anti-IgE. AC (0.016, 0.16, 1.6%) augmented both spontaneous HR (0–51.8%) and anti IgE induced HR (23.5–57.9%, p <0.001). (3) Patients with isolated immediate bronchial reactions after allergen challenge inhaled 3 times a constant allergen dose. In few cases the reaction decreased from one test to another. This ‘allergen tachyphylaxis’ was inhibited by AC. We conclude that AC should be used with caution in patients suffering from bronchial asthma.
Platelet-Activating Factor in Late Asthmatic Response
Authors: Nakamura Tsuneyoshi , Morita Yutaka , Kuriyama Motoaki , Ishihara Keiko , Ito Koji , Miyamoto Terumasa
Published: August 2009

The role of platelet-activating factor (PAF) in the late asthmatic responses was studied. The concentrations of lyso-form of PAF in plasma were measured at 0 and 20 min, and 6 and 24 h after the antigen inhalation challenge among patients with bronchial asthma. PAF activities were measured by their aggregating ability of washed rabbit platelets after acetylation of lyso-PAF into the biological active form of PAF, when there were no detectable amounts of PAF in plasma. The concentrations of lyso-PAF were found to be significantly increased in patients with the late asthmatic response compared with patients with the single immediate response at 6 h after the antigen challenge. In contrast, lyso-PAF levels were not significantly different at 20 min after the antigen challenge between these two groups. PAF inactivator activity in plasma increased when there was a decrease in the lyso-PAF level. These results suggest that PAF may participate in the late asthmatic response and may provide a new insight into the pathogenesis and the treatment of bronchial asthma.
Long-Term Follow-Up of Histamine Turnover in Mastocytosis
Authors: Roupe Gösta , Granerus Göran
Published: August 2009

To study the long-term histamine turnover in patients with mastocytosis, the urinary excretion of the main histamine metabolite tele-methylimidazoleacetic acid was measured. Eighteen patients, 10 with urticaria pigmentosa and 8 with systemic mastocytosis, were followed for several years (mean 4.2 years). Younger individuals (<30 years) had initially normal excretion or tended to normalize their excretion during follow-up, while older patients (>30 years) often had systemic manifestations and higher excretion values, which increased in some cases during the observation period.
Changes of House Dust Mite-Specific IgE, IgG and IgG Subclass Antibodies during Immunotherapy in Patients with Perennial Rhinitis
Authors: Nakagawa Takemasa , Kozeki Hiroo , Katagiri Junichi , Fujita Yosuke , Yamashita Naomi , Miyamoto Terumasa , Skvaril Frantisek
Published: August 2009

House dust mite-specific IgE, IgG and IgG subclass antibody responses were evaluated during immunotherapy in perennial allergic rhinitis patients. It was found that IgG4 antibodies steadily increased during treatment, while IgG and IgG1 antibodies reached a plateau 6 months after the initiation of immunotherapy. IgE antibodies also increased during treatment. It was also found that the good clinical outcome was associated with the rate of increase of IgG4 antibodies, but not with IgG, IgG1 or IgE antibodies.
Ectophospholipase A2 Activity of the Rabbit Peritoneal Neutrophil
Authors: Kennedy S.P. , Becker E.L.
Published: August 2009

Intact rabbit neutrophils were found to express phospholipase A2 activity against [14C]oleate-labeled autoclaved Escherichia coli. Cells obtained 12–14 h rather than 4h after intraperitoneal injection of glycogen had approximately threefold higher activity. The higher activity was due neither to contaminating mononuclear cells nor to the degranulation associated with the prolonged inflammatory response in the peritoneum. Of the phospholipase A2 activity of the intact 12-hour cells, approximately one half remained cell-associated, but the other half was released from the neutrophils during incubation. The cell-associated activity was not due to phagocytosis of substrate and subsequent release of [14C]fatty acid. The cell-associated activity was inhibited by the membrane-impermeant diazonium salt of sulfanilic acid. The results indicate that the cell-associated activity of intact neutrophils is due to an ectophospholipase A2.
Studies on Alternaria Allergens
Authors: Vijay H.M. , Young N.M. , Bernstein I.L.
Published: August 2009

The allergenic potencies of samples of two commercial Alternaria tenuis extracts stored under various conditions were compared at 3 months intervals over a period of 1 year. Aliquots of the extracts at 5.12 mg/ml were maintained in: (a) saline; (b) 50% glycerol-saline mixture; (c) 0.4% phenol-saline; (d) 0.4% phenol-saline containing 0.03% human serum albumin, and (e) samples were also kept in lyophilized form. The samples were stored at ––20, 4, 24, 37 and 56°C. Their potency was measured by radioallergosorbent inhibition assay and by mouse IgE passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA) tests. The lyophilized extracts fully maintained their activity at all temperatures for 12 months. Aqueous extracts with or without preservatives also maintained their potency if stored at ––20,4 and 24°C, but showed a significant loss of PCA activity at 56°C, after 3 months. A deleterious effect of phenol was observed in one of the extracts stored at ––20°C for 3 months, by PCA tests. The use of preservatives to retain potency over a period of 12 months is therefore unnecessary and may be deleterious. The results indicate that, while storage of A. tenuis in a lyophilized form is best at all temperatures, aqueous extracts are also remarkedly stable when stored at ––20, 4 and 24°C, over a 12-month period.
Increased Production of Antibodies to Spermatozoa and Seminal Fluid in Rabbits Used as Semen Donors
Authors: Wicher Victoria , Wicher Konrad , Gruhn Ronald F.
Published: August 2009

Sera of 20 male rabbits that were used as frequent donors of semen and age-matched normal male and female rabbit controls were examined by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), with sperm and seminal fluid as antigens. Five of the 20 semen donors developed an especially high humoral response to seminal fluid and spermatozoa, similar to that observed in some female breeders. The antibodies increased gradually during the 9 months of semen collection. The specificity of the antibodies was demonstrated by total or partial absorption with seminal fluid or spermatozoa. The antibodies were virtually all IgM and were directed against the acrosomal cap region of the spermatozoa, but variable fluorescence was also observed in the postnuclear region and tail.
Infectious Mononucleosis: Increase of High-Affinity E-Receptor-Bearing Lymphocytes
Authors: Næss A. , Talstad I. , Solberg C.O.
Published: August 2009

The increase of T lymphocytes in infectious mononucleosis (IM) is shown to be due to an increase of ‘active’ (early erythrocyte rosette-forming) T cells: 67.2 ± 18.3% of IM lymphocytes were ‘active’ versus 34.7 ± 14.9% of control lymphocytes. IM was also associated with an increase of lymphocytes demonstrating E receptors at 20°C (E20-R)·This phenomenon was not related to the heterophile antibody titre and could not be demonstrated with ox or rabbit erythrocytes. Patients with other lymphoproliferative diseases did not show an increase of E20-R-positive cells or of ‘active’ erythrocyte rosette-forming cells (E-RFC). Re-rosetting experiments indicated that E20-R and ‘active’ E-RFC belong to overlapping populations of cells. A double-gradient separation technique was shown to be superior to the conventional Ficoll-Isopaque method for the demonstration of ‘active’ and total T cells. A high proportion of T lymphocytes were also recovered in the granulocyte layer by this technique, indicating a selective loss of these cells by the conventional technique.
Did Rabbinic Culture Conceive of the Category of Folk Narrative?
Authors: Hasan-Rokem Galit
Published: August 2009

The article addresses the question whether the late Antique Rabbinic texts disclose an awareness of the categories of folklore and folktale. Initially, the parallel and varied emergence of these categories in various intellectual traditions of modernity and post-modernity is presented with special reference to a new conceptual framework correlating the categories of magic, miracle and sorcery. Subsequently, the narrative traditions recounting the tales of Hanina ben Dosa and especially the chain of tales from the third chapter of the Babylonian Talmud tractate Ta'anit are presented and analyzed referring to earlier scholarship, manuscript variations and the conceptual framework of folk narratives and folklore. By analytically pointing out formal as well as contextual elements, a meta-folkloric awareness of the rabbis is argued.
Mediation in Marital Discord in Islamic Law: Legislative Foundation and Contemporary Application
Authors: Shah Sayed Sikander
Published: August 2009

Mediation as a method of marriage conflict resolution has recently emerged as one of the most workable institutionalized techniques in Western jurisdictions. In Islamic law, although ipso facto, it was given legislative recognition centuries ago under the principle of tahkim; its potential as a viable reconciliation technique was somewhat obscured by juridical technicalities. Indisputably, mediation was the underlying ratio legis for the institution of hakam (arbitration). In practice, however, mediation was not the sole prerogative of the arbitration. It was instituted and carried out through numerous culturally specific methods, both formal and informal. In the Malaysian scene, mediation in family dispute is part of the ongoing daily job of Shari'ah lawyers, judges and officers in religious departments. However, critiques believe that neither the agents under traditional hakam nor Shari'ah practitioners of Shari'ah bodies have the necessary training and soft skills to act as effective go-betweens in resolving marital conflicts in the contemporary setting. The alternative, therefore, is to create a body such as a “Conciliatory Committee” using the pattern for a Western mediation model. Thus this paper, while agreeing with this idea, proposes an integrated method of doing this within the hybrid framework of both arbitration and modern mediation techniques consistent with Islamic legal methodology.
Developing an Online Information System Prototype for Global Satellite Precipitation Algorithm Validation and Intercomparison
Authors: Liu Zhong , Rui Hualan , Teng William , Chiu Long , Leptoukh Gregory , Kempler Steven
Published: August 2009

Over the decades, significant progress has been made in satellite precipitation product development. In particular, temporal resolution and timely availability have been improved by blended techniques. The resulting products, including near-real-time precipitation products, are widely used in various research and applications. However, the lack of support for user-defined areas or points of interest poses a major obstacle to quickly gaining knowledge of product quality and behavior on a local or regional scale. Current online operational intercomparison and validation services have not addressed this issue adequately. This paper describes an ongoing work to develop an online information system prototype for global satellite precipitation algorithm validation and intercomparison, to overcome current shortcomings by providing dynamic and customized information to users on the expected bias and accuracy of the products, and to give algorithm developers a better understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of different algorithmic approaches and data sources. An example is provided to illustrate the functionality and capabilities of the system, and future plans are discussed. The system being developed complements and accelerates the existing and ongoing validation activities in the community and contributes to the current NASA Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission and the future NASA Global Precipitation Mission.
Estimating the Diapycnal Transport Contribution to Warm Water Volume Variations in the Tropical Pacific Ocean
Authors: Brown Jaclyn N. , Fedorov Alexey V.
Published: August 2009

Variations in the warm water volume (WWV) of the equatorial Pacific Ocean are considered a key element of the dynamics of the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phenomenon. WWV, a proxy for the upper-ocean heat content, is usually defined as the volume of water with temperatures greater than 20°C. It has been suggested that the observed variations in WWV are controlled by interplay among meridional, zonal, and vertical transports (with vertical transports typically calculated as the residual of temporal changes in WWV and the horizontal transport divergence). Here, the output from a high-resolution ocean model is used to calculate the zonal and meridional transports and conduct a comprehensive analysis of the mass balance above the 25 kg m−3 σθ surface (approximating the 20°C isotherm). In contrast to some earlier studies, the authors found that on ENSO time scales variations in the diapycnal transport across the 25 kg m−3 isopycnal are small in the eastern Pacific and negligible in the western and central Pacific. In previous observational studies, the horizontal transports were estimated using Ekman and geostrophic dynamics; errors in these approximations were unavoidably folded into the estimates of the diapycnal transport. Here, the accuracy of such estimates is assessed by recalculating mass budgets using the model output at a spatial resolution similar to that of the observations. The authors show that errors in lateral transports can be of the same order of magnitude as the diapycnal transport itself. Further, the rate of change of WWV correlates well with wind stress curl (a driver of meridional transport). This relationship is explored using an extended version of the Sverdrup balance, and it is shown that the two are correlated because they both have the ENSO signal and not because changes in WWV are solely attributable to the wind stress curl.
Spatial Patterns of NDVI Variation over Indonesia and Their Relationship to ENSO Warm Events during the Period 1982–2006
Authors: Erasmi Stefan , Propastin Pavel , Kappas Martin , Panferov Oleg
Published: August 2009

The present study is based on the assumption that vegetation in Indonesia is significantly affected by climate anomalies that are related to El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) warm phases (El Niño) during the past decades. The analysis builds upon a monthly time series from the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) gridded data from the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) and two ENSO proxies, namely, sea surface temperature anomalies (SSTa) and Southern Oscillation index (SOI), and aims at the analysis of the spatially explicit dimension of ENSO impact on vegetation on the Indonesian archipelago. A time series correlation analysis between NDVI anomalies and ENSO proxies for the most recent ENSO warm events (1982–2006) showed that, in general, anomalies in vegetation productivity over Indonesia can be related to an anomalous increase of SST in the eastern equatorial Pacific and to decreases in SOI, respectively. The net effect of these variations is a significant decrease in NDVI values throughout the affected areas during the ENSO warm phases. The 1982/83 ENSO warm episode was rather short but—in terms of ENSO indices—the most extreme one within the study period. The 1997/98 El Niño lasted longer but was weaker. Both events had significant impact on vegetation in terms of negative NDVI anomalies. Compared to these two major warm events, the other investigated events (1987/88, 1991/92, 1994/95, and 2002/03) had no significant effect on vegetation in the investigated region. The land cover–type specific sensitivity of vegetation to ENSO anomalies revealed thresholds of vegetation response to ENSO warm events. The results for the 1997/98 ENSO warm event confirm the hypothesis that the vulnerability of vegetated tropical land surfaces to drought conditions is considerably affected by land use intensity. In particular, it could be shown that natural forest areas are more resistant to drought stress than degraded forest areas or cropland. Comparing the spatially explicit patterns of El Niño–related vegetation variation during the major El Niño phases, the spatial distribution of affected areas reveals distinct core regions of ENSO drought impact on vegetation for Indonesia that coincide with forest conversion and agricultural intensification hot spots.
Evidence for Two Distinct Modes of Large-Scale Ocean Circulation Changes over the Last Century
Authors: Dima Mihai , Lohmann Gerrit
Published: August 2009

Through its nonlinear dynamics and involvement in past abrupt climate shifts the thermohaline circulation (THC) represents a key element for the understanding of rapid climate changes. The expected THC weakening under global warming is characterized by large uncertainties, and it is therefore of significant importance to identify ocean circulation changes over the last century. By applying various statistical techniques on two global sea surface temperature datasets two THC-related modes are separated. The first one involves relatively slow adjustment of the whole conveyor belt circulation and has an interhemispherically symmetric pattern. The second mode is associated with the relatively fast adjustment of the North Atlantic overturning cell and has the seesaw structure. Based on the separation of these two patterns the authors show that the global conveyor has been weakening since the late 1930s and that the North Atlantic overturning cell suffered an abrupt shift around 1970. The distinction between the two modes provides also a new frame for interpreting past abrupt climate changes.
Impacts of Ocean Surface on the Northward Propagation of the Boreal Summer Intraseasonal Oscillation in the NCEP Climate Forecast System
Authors: Wang Wanqiu , Chen Mingyue , Kumar Arun
Published: August 2009

Impacts of the ocean surface on the representation of the northward-propagating boreal summer intraseasonal oscillation (NPBSISO) over the Indian monsoon region are analyzed using the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) coupled atmosphere–ocean Climate Forecast System (CFS) and its atmospheric component, the NCEP Global Forecast System (GFS). Analyses are based on forecasts of five strong NPBSISO events during June–September 2005–07.

The inclusion of an interactive ocean in the model is found to be necessary to maintain the observed NPBSISO. The atmosphere-only GFS is capable of maintaining the convection that propagates from the equator to 12°N with reasonable amplitude within the first 15 days, after which the anomalies become very weak, suggesting that the atmospheric internal dynamics alone are not sufficient to sustain the anomalies to propagate to higher latitudes. Forecasts of the NPBSISO in the CFS are more realistic, with the amplitude of precipitation and 850-mb zonal wind anomalies comparable to that in observations for the entire 30-day target period, but with slower northward propagation compared to that observed. Further, the phase relationship between precipitation, sea surface temperature (SST), and surface latent heat fluxes associated with the NPBSISO in the CFS is similar to that in the observations, with positive precipitation anomalies following warm SST anomalies, which are further led by positive anomalies of the surface latent heat and solar radiation fluxes into the ocean.

Additional experiments with the atmosphere-only GFS are performed to examine the impacts of uncertainties in SSTs. It is found that intraseasonal SST anomalies 2–3 times as large as that of the observational bulk SST analysis of Reynolds et al. are needed for the GFS to produce realistic northward propagation of the NPBSISO with reasonable amplitude and to capture the observed phase lag between SST and precipitation. The analysis of the forecasts and the experiments suggests that a realistic representation of the observed propagation of the oscillation by the NCEP model requires not only an interactive ocean but also an intraseasonal SST variability stronger than that of the bulk SST analysis.
Limitation of One-Dimensional Ocean Models for Coupled Hurricane–Ocean Model Forecasts
Authors: Yablonsky Richard M. , Ginis Isaac
Published: August 2009

Wind stress imposed on the upper ocean by a hurricane can limit the hurricane’s intensity primarily through shear-induced mixing of the upper ocean and subsequent cooling of the sea surface. Since shear-induced mixing is a one-dimensional process, some recent studies suggest that coupling a one-dimensional ocean model to a hurricane model may be sufficient for capturing the storm-induced sea surface temperature cooling in the region providing heat energy to the hurricane. Using both a one-dimensional and a three-dimensional version of the same ocean model, it is shown here that the neglect of upwelling, which can only be captured by a three-dimensional ocean model, underestimates the storm-core sea surface cooling for hurricanes translating at <∼5 m s−1. For hurricanes translating at <2 m s−1, more than half of the storm-core sea surface cooling is neglected by the one-dimensional ocean model. Since the majority of hurricanes in the western tropical North Atlantic Ocean translate at <5 m s−1, the idealized experiments presented here suggest that one-dimensional ocean models may be inadequate for coupled hurricane–ocean model forecasting.
Contention Resolution for Transmission Control Protocol over Optical Burst-Switching Networks Using Random Segment Dropping
Authors: Abdallah Walid , Hamdi Mohamed , Boudriga Noureddine , Obaidat Mohammad S.
Published: August 2009

Optical burst switching (OBS) is a promising method for data transfer in photonic networks based on a Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM) technology. Transmission control protocol (TCP)-based applications generate the majority of data traffic in the Internet; thus, understanding and improving the performance of TCP over OBS networks is critical. In this paper, we develop a novel burst-dropping strategy to improve the quality of service provided by TCP over OBS networks. Our approach relies on random-segment dropping according to the capacity of a special optical component, called the optical virtual memory, which is used for buffering purposes within the optical switches. The core node predicts incipient congestion by computing the average blocking duration in the optical virtual memories. When this size exceeds a threshold, segments are randomly dropped. Simulation results show that the proposed method performs better than common techniques in terms of burst loss probability and transmission delay.
Out of Time: Work, Temporal Synchrony and Families
Authors: Thomas Michelle , Bailey Nicholas
Published: August 2009

Drawing on data from in-depth interviews with seafarers and their partners, this article examines the impact of routine absence on couple and family relations. Using the lens of time, we identify how work patterns and extended absence lead to temporal desynchrony and fragmentation of the life course. We examine how seafarers' lives are both continuous and fractured and often out of step with lives at home.Temporal desynchrony was exemplified in reduced opportunities for couples jointly to produce temporal markers and share in significant calendar events. This lack of temporal harmony posed a challenge to family relations.These findings draw attention to the need for further research that embraces a more multifaceted understanding of time in the context of work and family life.
Ethno-Ecological Identity and the Restructuring of Political Power in Bolivia
Authors: Healey Susan
Published: August 2009

On January 22, 2006, history was made in Bolivia when Evo Morales was sworn in as Bolivia's president, becoming the first indigenous leader of a rural-based social movement to govern a Latin American country. An exploration of the historical roots and contemporary sources of the decades-long struggle through which Bolivia's marginalized campesino and indigenous population succeeded in gaining the most powerful voice in the national political arena reveals the significance of identity politics combined with the institutional benefits provided by the organized campesino movement. The concept of ethno-ecological identity—a sociopolitical identity shaped by the unique human-environment relationships and struggles of highland and lowland peoples—is key to understanding the dominant political alliances in Bolivia today and visions for the future.
The Politics of the MST
Authors: Vergara-Camus Leandro
Published: August 2009

Examination of the politicization of landless people in the encampments and settlements of the Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais Sem-Terra (Landless Rural Workers' Movement—MST) in Brazil suggests that the movement's success rest on the fact that it generates relatively autonomous rural communities organized around autonomous political structures that facilitate mobilization. These communities persist because their members, by protecting their right to land from full commoditization, ensuring an adequate production of food, and avoiding the full monetarization of their subsistence needs, are able to mitigate the effects of the market. In addition, in order to secure the survival and development of its settlements, the MST has integrated participation in institutional politics into its mobilization strategy. However, because of the nature of President Lula's policies, the continuity of the traditional alliance between the MST and the Workers' Party is bound to become a major issue.
The Relation of Maternal Sensitivity to Children’s Internalizing and Externalizing Problems Within the Context of Maternal Depressive Symptoms
Authors: Garai Emily Priscilla , Forehand Rex L. , Colletti Christina J. M. , Reeslund Kristen , Potts Jennifer , Compas Bruce
Published: August 2009

Maternal depression has been linked to deficits in parenting that contribute to youth’s development of externalizing and/or internalizing problems. Maternal sensitivity has been implicated within the infant literature as a foundational aspect of parenting contributing to a child’s adjustment. This study examines the main and moderating effects of a construct labeled maternal sensitivity, within the context of depressive symptoms, on youth externalizing and internalizing problems in a sample of 65 mothers with a history of depression and their 84 children ages 9-15 years. Sensitivity was related to child externalizing problems. Although two-way interactions were not significant, exploratory moderation analyses indicated a significant three-way interaction among maternal depressive symptoms, maternal sensitivity, and youth gender for internalizing problems: among girls only, high depressive symptoms, low sensitivity, and the combination of these two variables were each associated with high levels of internalizing problems.