bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
SYSTEM TRANSFORMATION IN CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND SUBJECTIVE WELL‐BEING
Authors: Macewicz Jakub J.
Published: November 2010

One of the vital questions connected with the system transformation in Poland and other former Soviet Bloc countries is whether the overthrow of the communist system was caused by the poor state of their economies or rather people's struggle for their civil rights. However, the “either/or nature” of this question is disturbed by another possibility: it might have been a relatively good state of the economy which made the overthrow possible. Moreover, there is no doubt that the introduction of free market and democracy resulted in many positive changes in people's lives: from the increase in life expectancy and subjective well‐being to the growth of civil liberty. Yet, economic development and (more broadly) modernity also produce extensively described negative effects which, at certain point, seem to “neutralise” their positive ones. Poland and other Central and Eastern European countries seem to follow this path.

Sistemos transformacija vidurio ir Rytų Europoje, ekonomikos plėtra ir subjektyvioji gerovė

Santrauka

Vienas svarbiausių klausimų, susijusių su sistemos transformacija Lenkijoje ir kitose buvusiose sovietinio bloko šalyse, yra toks – ar komunistinio režimo nuvertimas buvo sukeltas neturtingų valstybių ekonomikos, ar žmonių kovos dėl savo teisių? Kad ir kaip būtų, šio klausimo atsakymui „arba... arba“ trukdo kita galimybė: tai galėtų būti gera valstybė, kurios ekonomika sudarė palankias sąlygas nuversti minėtą režimą. Be to, nėra abejonių, kad laisvos rinkos ir demokratijos įvedimas sukėlė daug pozityvių pokyčių žmonių gyvenime – nuo didėjančių galimybių ir gerovės iki augančios pilietinės laisvės. Vis dėlto ekonomikos plėtra ir modernumas taip pat sukelia plačiai aprašytų negatyvių pasekmių, kurios tam tikrais atvejais naikina pozityviąsias. Lenkija ir kitos Vidurio bei Rytų Europos šalys eina šiuo keliu.
Y, X, Z KARTOS: PASAULIO BE SIENŲ IDĖJOS FORMAVIMAS NAUDOJANTIS SOCIALINIAIS TINKLAIS (LIETUVOS ATVEJIS)
Authors: Levickaitė Rasa
Published: November 2010

This article is based on sociological insight into the concept of up‐to‐date world without borders: technological impact and social networking. Generations X, Y and Z are discussed according to three categories: social, technological and historical environment. The survey results are provided representing the Lithuanian case. Six areas are analysed: 1) country of residence (a survey has been carried out among Lithuanians through social networks Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and MySpace); 2) age (generation) share; 3) number of social network connections ("friends"); 4) type of social network associates; 5) demand of physical meeting with social network associates; and 6) frequency of social networking. Out of 812 Lithuanians (social network users) who participated in a short survey the conclusion might be offered that they follow same digital trends and changes happening all over the world. Social networking may be part of every communication tool one uses; those tools in the very essence change how people interact with each other. In this case social networking loses categories of time and space providing the concept of the world without borders. Y, X, Z kartos: pasaulio be sienų idėjos formavimas naudojantis socialiniais tinklais (lietuvos atvejis) Santrauka Straipsnyje remiamasi sociologinėmis įžvalgomis, kaip socialiniai tinklai šiandien padeda formuoti pasaulio be sienų idėją. Straipsnyje aptariamos paskutinių penkiasdešimties metų X, Y ir Z kartos trimis aspektais: remiantis socialine, technologine ir istorine aplinka. Pateikiami tyrimo, atlikto Lietuvoje 2010 m., naudojant socialinius tinklus, rezultatai. Tyrimo metu aiškintasi šešios sritys: 1) gyvenamoji šalis (visi tyrime dalyvavę respondentai buvo lietuviai, klausimynas buvo platinamas per socialinius tinklus Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn ir MySpace); 2) pasiskirstymas pagal amžių; 3) kontaktų skaičius socialiniuose tinkluose; 4) kontaktų tipas socialiniuose tinkluose; 5) fizinio susitikimo poreikis su socialinių tinklų dalyviais; 6) dalyvavimo socialiniuose tinkluose dažnis. Iš 812 lietuvių, socialinių tinklų vartotojų, atsakymų matoma, kad Lietuvoje vyrauja pasaulio socialinių tinklų tendencijos, vyksta komunikacijos ir medijų pokyčiai. Socialiniai tinklai gali būti žmonių naudojamos komunikacijos priemonių dalis, kurios iš esmės keičia žmonių bendravimo įpročius. Remiantis
A BOOK ABOUT AN UNPROCLAIMED EMPIRE
Authors: Kačerauskas Tomas
Published: November 2010

"Book ‘A book about an unproclaimed empire’ review." LIMES: Cultural Regionalistics, 3(2), pp. 195-196
Factors Associated with Radiographic Progression in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis Who Were Treated with Methotrexate
Authors: WEINBLATT MICHAEL E. , KEYSTONE EDWARD C. , COHEN MARC D. , FREUNDLICH BRUCE , LI JUAN , CHON YUN , BAUMGARTNER SCOTT W.
Published: November 2010

Objective.

To identify factors associated with radiographic progression at 52 weeks in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) after 12 weeks of methotrexate (MTX) therapy.

Methods.

The study population consisted of patients from the MTX arm of the Trial of Etanercept and Methotrexate with Radiographic Patient Outcomes (TEMPO). Logistic regression analysis was used to identify clinical and laboratory assessments performed at Week 12 of MTX therapy that might be associated with Week 52 radiographic outcome (modified total Sharp score). Classification and regression tree (CART) modeling of the Week 12 assessments was used to determine the subgroups of patients with the best and worst radiographic outcomes.

Results.

A total of 169 patients were analyzed: 116 patients in the best radiographic outcome group and 53 patients in the worst radiographic outcome group. Logistic regression analysis showed that Week 12 C-reactive protein (CRP) level, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, tender joint count, swollen joint count (SJC), and Health Assessment Questionnaire scores were significantly associated with radiographic progression at Week 52 (p < 0.05 for each assessment). CART modeling showed that patients with Week 12 CRP > 0.67 mg/dl and SJC > 1 and patients with Week 12 CRP ≤ 0.67 mg/dl and SJC > 10 were likely to show the worst radiographic progression at Week 52. The CART model had a sensitivity of 85%, specificity of 60%, and overall classification accuracy of 68%.

Conclusion.

In patients with RA, measures of CRP and SJC after 12 weeks of MTX therapy emerged as the factors most associated with radiographic progression at Week 52.
Medication Use in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
Authors: BERNATSKY SASHA , PESCHKEN CHRISTINE , FORTIN PAUL R. , PINEAU CHRISTI A. , UROWITZ MURRAY B. , GLADMAN DAFNA D. , POPE JANET E. , HUDSON MARIE , ZUMMER MICHEL , SMITH C. DOUGLAS , ARBILLAGA HECTOR O. , CLARKE ANN E.
Published: November 2010

Objective.

To evaluate factors affecting therapeutic approaches used in clinical practice for the management of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), in a multicenter cohort.

Methods.

We combined data from 10 clinical adult SLE cohort registries in Canada. We used multivariate generalized estimating equation methods to model dichotomized outcomes, running separate regressions where the outcome was current exposure of the patient to specific medications. Potential predictors of medication use included demographic (baseline age, sex, residence, race/ethnicity) and clinical factors (disease duration, time-dependent damage index scores, and adjusted mean SLE Disease Activity Index-2K scores). The models also adjusted for clustering by center.

Results.

Higher disease activity and damage scores were each independent predictors of exposure to nonsteroid immunosuppressive agents, and for exposure to prednisone. This was not definitely demonstrated for antimalarial agents. Older age at diagnosis was independently and inversely associated with exposure to any of the agents studied (immunosuppressive agents, prednisone, and antimalarial agents). An additional independent predictor of prednisone exposure was black race/ethnicity (adjusted RR 1.46, 95% CI 1.18, 1.81). For immunosuppressive exposure, an additional independent predictor was race/ethnicity, with greater exposure among Asians (RR 1.39, 95% CI 1.02, 1.89) and persons identifying themselves as First Nations/Inuit (2.09, 95% CI 1.43, 3.04) than among whites. All of these findings were reproduced when adjustment for disease activity was limited to renal involvement.

Conclusion.

Ours is the first portrayal of determinants of clinical practice patterns in SLE, and offers interesting real-world insights. Further work, including efforts to determine how differing clinical approaches may influence outcome, is in progress.
A Randomized Controlled Trial of the Cost-Effectiveness of Ultrasound-Guided Intraarticular Injection of Inflammatory Arthritis
Authors: SIBBITT WILMER L. , BAND PHILIP A. , CHAVEZ-CHIANG NATALIA R. , DeLEA SUZANNE L. , NORTON HILLARY E. , BANKHURST ARTHUR D.
Published: November 2010

Objective.

We studied whether sonographic needle guidance affected the outcomes of intraarticular (IA) injection for inflammatory arthritis.

Methods.

Joints with inflammatory arthritis (n = 244; 76% rheumatoid arthritis, 3% small joints, 51% intermediate, and 46% large) were randomized to injection by conventional palpation-guided anatomic injection (120 joints) or sonographic image-guided injection enhanced with a 1-handed reciprocating procedure device mechanical syringe (124 joints). A 1-needle, 2-syringe technique was used. After IA placement and synovial space dilation were confirmed by sonography, a syringe exchange was performed, and triamcinolone acetonide was injected with the second syringe through the indwelling IA needle. Baseline pain, procedural pain, pain at outcome (2 weeks and 6 months), responders, therapeutic duration, reinjection rates, total cost, and cost per responder were determined.

Results.

Relative to conventional palpation-guided methods, sonographic guidance for injection of inflammatory arthritis resulted in an 81% reduction in injection pain (p < 0.001), 35% reduction in pain scores at outcome (p < 0.02), 38% increase in the responder rate (p < 0.003), 34% reduction in the non-responder rate (p < 0.003), 32% increase in therapeutic duration (p = 0.01), 8% reduction ($7) in cost/patient/year, and a 33% ($64) reduction in cost/responder/year for a hospital outpatient (p < 0.001).

Conclusion.

Sonographic needle guidance improves the performance, clinical outcomes, and cost-effectiveness of IA injections for inflammatory arthritis. (Clinical Trial IdentifierNCT00651625)
L'éthique de la finance après le virus brownien
Authors: Walter Christian
Published: November 2010

Résumé L’éthique financière ne peut ignorer l’impact des représentations mentales dans le fonctionnement du système de marché. Il est nécessaire d’examiner la question de la mesure mathématisée du risque. Le virus brownien est cette maladie de la pensée qui attaque nos conceptions de l’incertitude, nous amenant à croire que les risques sont maîtrisables, contrôlables, calculables et par suite annulables. C’est donc avant tout un problème cognitif . Il est extrêmement important de ne pas confondre problèmes mathématiques et problème d’hypothèses sur l’incertitude.
L'impôt, les riches, la crise et la justice fiscale...
Authors: Drezet Vincent
Published: November 2010

Résumé Dans la lutte contre les inégalités, l’impôt est outil sous-utilisé. Vincent Drezet revient sur l’évolution néolibérale récente de la fiscalité en France, et propose quelques pistes pour réformer l’impôt pour plus d’égalité et de justice fiscale. Il est temps, suggère-t-il, de reconsidérer une approche fiscale qui prendrait mieux en compte les inégalités de patrimoine dans une perspective de réhabilitation des impôts directs.
La « clause de Locke » au service de « l'égaliberté »
Authors: Flipo Fabrice
Published: November 2010

Résumé La clause de Locke, formulée par le célèbre philosophe anglais du XVII e  siècle, stipule que l’appropriation privée des ressources naturelles n’est légitime qu’à condition de préserver un égal accès pour tous à ces mêmes ressources, en même quantité et même qualité. Fabrice Flipo s’appuie sur cette formulation pour redessiner les exigences morales et politiques d’une meilleure répartition des ressources. L’égalité entre Nord et Sud, mais aussi entre les différents citoyens de chacune de ces régions du monde, se trouverait ainsi adossée non plus seulement sur des formules de redistribution, mais plus directement de répartition.
Le revenu maximum, un levier pour le changement
Authors: Kempf Hervé
Published: November 2010

Résumé En une trentaine d’années, les écarts de rémunérations ont explosé. Alors qu’un grand dirigeant d’entreprise, pendant les Trente glorieuses, gagnait environ 35 fois le salaire moyen de ses employés, le rapport peut aujourd’hui aller de 1 à 300. Face à un tel constat, l’idée d’un revenu maximum fait son chemin dans le débat public. Elle apparaît aussi comme un instrument essentiel d’une politique écologique.
L'impératif du salaire maximum : un point de vue outre-Atlantique
Authors: Blader Ruth Foxe , Castleton Edward
Published: November 2010

Résumé La crise économique et financière a révélé les failles d’un système qui se nourrit, particulièrement aux États-Unis, des inégalités matérielles qu’il engendre. Edward Castleton et Ruth Foxe Blader reviennent sur une chronologie récente qui aurait dû mettre l’argument d’un salaire maximum sur le devant de la scène.
Sarcophagidae (Diptera) atraídos a cadáveres de cochinillo, con nuevas citas para la fauna portuguesa
Authors: Prado e Castro C. , García M. D. , Arnaldos M. I. , González-Mora D.
Published: November 2010

No disponible
Anthropogenic CO2 in the Azores region
Authors: Pérez Fiz F. , Arístegui Javier , Vázquez-Rodríguez Marcos , Ríos Aida F.
Published: November 2010

The AZORES-I cruise was conducted in August 1998, spanning the length of three latitudinal large-scale sections at 22, 28 and 32ºW. The oceanic carbon system was oversampled by measuring total alkalinity, total inorganic carbon and pH. It is thus possible to estimate anthropogenic CO2 (CANT) and to investigate its relationship with the main water masses that are present. C CANT is calculated using the latest back-calculation techniques: φCTº and TrOCA methods. Although the two approaches produce similar vertical distributions, the results of the TrOCA method show higher CANT variability and produce higher inventories than those of the φCTº method. The large proportion of Mediterranean Water found in the northern part of the study area is the main cause of the observed increase northwards of C CANT inventories. Changes in C CANT inventories between 1981 and 2004 are evaluated using data from the TTO-NAS, OACES-93 and METEOR-60/5 cruises. According to the φCTº and TrOCA approaches, the average long-term rates of C CANT inventory change are 1.32±0.11 mol C m-2 y-1 (P=0.008) and 1.18±0.16 mol C m-2 y-1 (P=0.018), respectively. During the 1993-1998 a significant increase in the C CANT storage rate was detected by the φCTº method. It is thought that this stems directly from the enhanced Labrador Seawater formation after the increased advection observed at the time.
Coupling between the thermohaline, chemical and biological fields during summer 2006 in the northeast continental shelf of the Gulf of Cádiz (SW Iberian Peninsula)
Authors: Anfuso Eleonora , Ponce Rocio , Gonzalez Castro Carmen , Forja Jesús M.
Published: November 2010

The coupling between the thermohaline, chemical and biological variables on the northeast continental shelf of the Gulf of Cádiz was determined during the Emigas I survey in summer 2006. Samples were collected to chemically characterize the different water types and to analyze the chlorophyll a distribution. Four different water masses were identified: North Atlantic Central Water (NACW), Surface Atlantic Water (SAW), considered a modification of NACW, and South and North Surface Waters. The highest nutrient levels were found in subsurface NACW, while surface waters were almost nutrient-depleted except in the Guadalquivir region. The isopycnal level of 26.3 kg m-3 marked the limit between nutrient-rich NACW and nutrient-poor surface waters. At the offshore stations, the subsurface cholorophyll a maximum was located at the depth of nitracline and associated with the 26.3 kg m-3 isopycnal level rather than with the pycnocline depth. At the inshore stations, chlorophyll a maxima were observed at the bottom, except for the surface maximum in the River Guadalquivir region.
Seasonal and tidal influence on the variability of nitrous oxide in the Tagus estuary, Portugal
Authors: Gonçalves Célia , Brogueira Maria José , Camões Maria Filomena
Published: November 2010

In order to evaluate seasonal and tidal influence on the variability of dissolved nitrous oxide (N2O) in the Tagus estuary, Portugal, water sampling was carried out along the salinity gradient (May and November 2006) and during several tidal cycles (February and April 2007) at a fixed site. N2O and other relevant environmental parameters, temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen and inorganic nitrogen forms (nitrate, nitrite and ammonium) were measured. Dissolved N2O concentrations showed strong tidal and seasonal variability, with the highest values occurring in February 2007 (13.7 nM, spring tide) and November 2006 (18.4 nM, upper estuary), apparently related to major Tagus river discharge. The existence of N2O sources was noticed in middle estuary. During spring tide, the input from external sources may be augmented by water column nitrification, making this process a contributor to the enhancement of N2O concentration in the estuary. Estimated N2O air-sea fluxes to the atmosphere reached a maximum value of ~10.4 μmol m-2 d-1 in February 2007 during spring tide and in May 2006 in the upper and lower (left bank) estuary. Although the Tagus estuary behaves predominantly as a source of atmospheric N2O, it appears to be a weaker source than other, more eutrophic estuaries.
Estuary-ria exchange of cadmium, lead and zinc in the coastal system of the Ria of Vigo (NW Iberian Peninsula)
Authors: Prego Ricardo , Cobelo-García Antonio , Santos-Echeandía Juan , De Castro Maite , Ospina-Alvarez Natalia , García-Pérez Mar
Published: November 2010

Little research has been done on the land-sea exchange of trace elements, which is particularly applicable to ria coasts. In particular, trace metal enrichment in the inner part of the Ria of Vigo (the San Simon Inlet) has been observed from sediment studies but there is no information about Cd, Pb and Zn fluxes through the Rande Strait, which is the natural boundary of the estuary-ria water exchange. In order to assess metal exchanges in a ria-type system, six sampling cruises on board the R/V Mytilus (IIM-CSIC) were carried out. Water column profiles of salinity, temperature and tidal currents were obtained every 30 min. The water column for dissolved and particulate metals was sampled every two hours over a complete tidal cycle. Dissolved metal concentrations were 0.01–0.18 nM for Cd, 0.5-1.9 nM for Pb and 4-44 nM for Zn. Compared with Zn (16±12%) and especially with Cd (5.4±5.0%), particulate metal represented a significant fraction of the total concentration for Pb (41±21%). Net fluxes of dissolved Cd and Zn are higher than in the particulate phase, whereas for Pb an inverse situation was observed. The net metal exchange in the Vigo estuary-ria environment was not seasonally controlled. Dissolved Cd and Pb were driven by tidal ranges and particulate Pb by the Oitavén River flow. On the other hand, Zn did not show a defined trend. The budgets obtained for the Ria of Vigo, with the exception of Pb, were one or two orders of magnitude lower than those measured in other large European estuaries.
Trace metal concentrations in sediments from the southwest of the Iberian Peninsula
Authors: Blasco Julián , Gomes Tania , García-Barrera Tamara , Rodríguez-Romero Araceli , Gonzalez-Rey María , Morán-Roldán Fernando , Tromibini Chiara , Miotk Michal , Gómez-Ariza José Luis , Bebianno María Joao
Published: November 2010

Metal sediment concentrations (As, Cd, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb and Zn) in surface sediments (0 to 5 cm) from 11 sampling stations in the southwest of the Iberian Peninsula (the Ria Formosa and the Guadiana River, the Ría de Huelva and the Bay of Cadiz) were determined in two seasonal periods (autumn 2006 and spring 2007). No seasonal metal concentration pattern was identified, as similar values were found in both periods. The highest concentrations of copper, zinc, lead and cadmium were reported in the Ria of Huelva area, and those of mercury and nickel in the Bay of Cadiz. The hazard potential index (HPiM) was determined to assess the potential risk associated with metal contamination (Cu, Cd, Pb and Zn), taking into account extractable (presumed bioavailable) fractions of these metals and site-specific sediment quality values. When the HPiM is > 1 there is risk, and according to this index Ría de Huelva is polluted whereas the Bay of Cadiz is not.
Concentration, enrichment and distribution of heavy metals in surface sediments of the Tangier Bay, Morocco
Authors: Rodríguez-Barroso María Rocío , Benhamou Youssef , El Moumni Bouchta , Coello Dolores , García-Morales José Luis
Published: November 2010

The distribution, enrichment, and accumulation of heavy metals in the surface sediments of the Tangier Bay, Morocco, were investigated. Surface sediment samples from eleven locations in the Bay of Tangier were collected in 2007 and characterized for grain size, organic matter and metal content (e.g. Fe, Mn, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn and Cd). The evaluation of the heavy metal contamination status of the bay showed minor enrichment by the enrichment factors (EF) calculation, corroborated by the metal pollution index (MPI). The results of a Pearson correlation showed high positive correlations among organic carbon and most metals (0.788 < r < 0.939) and cluster analysis grouped the stations inside the harbour (stations 1, 10 and 9) and in the vicinity of the principal rivers in the bay (stations 3 and 11), which showed the highest concentrations of metal content. The main sources of contamination are domestic and industrial effluents, which arise due to the lack of sewage treatment. However, these areas could not be classified as polluted when the data were compared with sediment quality guidelines (USEPA, 1997).
Accumulation of phosphorus in coastal marine sediments: relationship to benthic and diffusive fluxes
Authors: Ponce Rocio , Ortega Teodora , Forja Jesús M. , Gómez-Parra Abelardo
Published: November 2010

Sedimentary phosphorus was characterized in sediment cores from 3 coastal ecosystems of the Gulf of Cadiz. High spatial variability was observed in total phosphorus (from 445 to 20291 μg g.sed-1) and in the other phosphorus phases studied. This variability correlates with the proximity of the 10 sampling stations to sources of urban and/or industrial effluent in the zone. The benthic and diffusive fluxes were measured concurrently with sediment collection at these stations. The measured values of benthic fluxes range between –14 and 6 mmol m-2 d-1. Generally, stations that showed increased interstitial phosphate concentrations with increasing depth were characterized by positive values in phosphate benthic fluxes and by high percentages of reactive forms of sedimentary phosphorus. Negative benthic fluxes were associated with stations receiving more anthropogenic matter, which showed progressively decreasing phosphate concentrations in the interstitial water with depth. In these anthropogenic areas, the non-reactive forms of phosphorus (those associated with ferric oxyhydroxide and authigenic carbonate fluorapatite) are abundant, and reach values exceeding 75% of total phosphorus in sediment.
Seasonal changes in the concentration of anionic surfactants in estuarine sediments from the River Guadalete (Cadiz, Spain)
Authors: Lara-Martín Pablo A. , Corada-Fernández Carmen , Gómez-Parra Abelardo , González-Mazo Eduardo
Published: November 2010

The presence and longitudinal and temporal distributions of the two main anionic surfactants, linear alkylbenzene sulfonates (LAS) and alkyl ethoxysulfates (AES), were monitored in surface sediments from the Guadalete estuary, located in the north of the Bay of Cadiz (SW of Spain). Seasonal samplings were performed for two years at three different stations; one of them located up-stream near the discharge outlet of a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). A control station was also sampled in a tidal channel within the boundaries of a natural park adjacent to the estuary. LAS and AES concentration values ranged from 196 to 2864 ng g-1 and from 147 to 557 ng g-1, respectively, the lowest values corresponding to the control station and the highest ones found near the WWTP outlet. A general decrease in the concentrations of both surfactants was found in summer, when degradation processes are faster, whereas the highest concentrations were detected during the wet months, when temperature decreases and rainwater exceeds the WWTP capacity, so untreated wastewater is discharged directly into the river. Due to differential sorption and degradation processes, the relative distribution of LAS homologues in sediments showed higher percentages for those having longer alkyl chains, whereas AES homologues with an even carbon unit number in the alkyl chain and AES ethoxymers with fewer ethylene groups were predominant. No hazard for aquatic organisms was foreseen at the concentrations found for both surfactants along the estuary.
Toxic effect of copper on marine picophytoplankton populations isolated from different geographic locations
Authors: Debelius Bibiana , Forja Jesús M. , DelValls Ángel , Lubián Luis M.
Published: November 2010

In an approach to understand more about copper toxicity effects on marine microalgae, 72-h growth inhibition toxicity tests were followed on natural picophytoplanktonic populations belonging to different coastal and oceanic geographic locations (Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean) covering, at an approximate longitude of 30ºW, latitudes from 32º14´S to 29º10´N. Analyses of samples established different predominant populations for different locations. Copper toxicity tests showed a group of cyanobacteria isolated from coastal samples that were the most sensitive, and a second group of picoeukaryotes collected from the Atlantic Ocean surface, which were more tolerant to copper. The use of flow cytometry for studying copper toxic effects provided a variety of information on cell parameters in addition to cellular density. In particular, an established increase in copper tolerance with increase of cell size was observed in cyanobacteria, but it was not clearly followed in picoeukaryotes. This study aims to relate copper tolerance to the geographic location sites of sampling collection. The results obtained establish that other factors such as cell size, proximity to the coast and copper concentration in situ are considered to have a greater influence than the fact of belonging to a determined location site.
Inflammatory Blood Monocytes Contribute to Tumor Development and Represent a Privileged Target To Improve Host Immunosurveillance
Authors: Augier Séverine , Ciucci Thomas , Luci Carmelo , Carle Georges F , Blin-Wakkach Claudine , Wakkach Abdelilah
Published: November 2010

Progressing tumors in humans and mice are frequently infiltrated by a highly heterogeneous population of inflammatory myeloid cells that contribute to tumor growth. Among these cells, inflammatory Gr-1+ monocytes display a high developmental plasticity in response to specific microenvironmental signals, leading to diverse immune functions. These observations raise the question of the immune mechanisms by which inflammatory monocytes may contribute to tumor development. In this study, we found that adoptive transfer of normal inflammatory Gr-1+ monocytes in tumor-bearing mice promotes tumor growth. In this tumoral environment, these monocytes can differentiate into tolerogenic dendritic cells (DCs) that produce IL-10 and potently induce regulatory T cell responses in vivo. Moreover, diverting the differentiation of Gr-1+ monocytes into tolerogenic DCs by forced expression of IL-10 soluble receptor and IL-3 in tumor cells improves host immunosurveillance by reducing the regulatory T cell frequency and by inducing immunogenic DCs in the tumor. As a consequence, tumor growth is strongly reduced. Our findings indicate that Gr-1+ monocytes represent a valuable target for innovative immunotherapeutic strategies against cancer.
Fine Tuning of the Threshold of T Cell Selection by the Nck Adapters
Authors: Roy Edwige , Togbe Dieudonnée , Holdorf Amy , Trubetskoy Dmitry , Nabti Sabrina , Küblbeck Günter , Schmitt Sabine , Kopp-Schneider Annette , Leithäuser Frank , Möller Peter , Bladt Friedhelm , Hämmerling Günter J. , Arnold Bernd , Pawson Tony , Tafuri Anna
Published: November 2010

Thymic selection shapes the T cell repertoire to ensure maximal antigenic coverage against pathogens while preventing autoimmunity. Recognition of self-peptides in the context of peptide-MHC complexes by the TCR is central to this process, which remains partially understood at the molecular level. In this study we provide genetic evidence that the Nck adapter proteins are essential for thymic selection. In vivo Nck deletion resulted in a reduction of the thymic cellularity, defective positive selection of low-avidity T cells, and impaired deletion of thymocytes engaged by low-potency stimuli. Nck-deficient thymocytes were characterized by reduced ERK activation, particularly pronounced in mature single positive thymocytes. Taken together, our findings identify a crucial role for the Nck adapters in enhancing TCR signal strength, thereby fine-tuning the threshold of thymocyte selection and shaping the preimmune T cell repertoire.
Inhibition of TLR4-Induced IκB Kinase Activity by the RON Receptor Tyrosine Kinase and Its Ligand, Macrophage-Stimulating Protein
Authors: Ray Manujendra , Yu Shan , Sharda Daniel R. , Wilson Caleph B. , Liu QingPing , Kaushal Naveen , Prabhu K. Sandeep , Hankey Pamela A.
Published: November 2010

The RON receptor tyrosine kinase regulates the balance between classical (M1) and alternative (M2) macrophage activation. In primary macrophages, the ligand for Ron, macrophage-stimulating protein (MSP), inhibits the expression of inducible NO synthase, a marker of classically activated macrophages, whereas promoting the expression of arginase I, a marker of alternative activation. Ron−/− mice express increased levels of IL-12, a product of classically activated macrophages, after endotoxin administration, resulting in increased serum IFN-γ levels and enhanced susceptibility to septic shock. In this study, we demonstrate that MSP inhibits LPS-induced IL-12p40 expression, and this inhibition is dependent on the docking site tyrosines in Ron. To further define this inhibition, we examined the effect of Ron on signaling pathways downstream of Ron. We found that MSP does not inhibit the MyD88-independent activation of IFN regulatory factor 3 and production of IFN-β in response to LPS, nor does it inhibit MyD88-dependent TGF-β–activated kinase phosphorylation or MAPK activation in primary macrophages. However, the induction of IκB kinase activity, IκB degradation, and DNA binding of NF-κB after LPS stimulation is delayed in the presence of MSP. In addition, Ron inhibits serine phosphorylation of p65 and NF-κB transcriptional activity induced by LPS stimulation of TLR4. Finally, MSP inhibits the NF-κB–dependent upregulation of the nuclear IκB family member, IκBζ, a positive regulator of secondary response genes including IL-12p40. LPS also induces expression of Ron and an N-terminally truncated form of Ron, Sf-Ron, in primary macrophages, suggesting that the upregulation of Ron by LPS could provide classical feedback regulation of TLR signaling.
Prediction of Reactivity to Noninherited Maternal Antigen in MHC-Mismatched, Minor Histocompatibility Antigen-Matched Stem Cell Transplantation in a Mouse Model
Authors: Araki Mariko , Hirayama Masahiro , Azuma Eiichi , Kumamoto Tadashi , Iwamoto Shotaro , Toyoda Hidemi , Ito Mitsue , Amano Keishiro , Komada Yoshihiro
Published: November 2010

The immunologic effects of developmental exposure to noninherited maternal Ags (NIMAs) are quite variable. Both tolerizing influence and inducing alloreaction have been observed on clinical transplantation. The role of minor histocompatibility Ags (MiHAs) in NIMA effects is unknown. MiHA is either matched or mismatched in NIMA-mismatched transplantation because a donor of the transplantation is usually limited to a family member. To exclude the participation of MiHA in a NIMA effect for MHC (H-2) is clinically relevant because mismatched MiHA may induce severe alloreaction. The aim of this study is to understand the mechanism of NIMA effects in MHC-mismatched, MiHA-matched hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Although all offsprings are exposed to the maternal Ags, the NIMA effect for the H-2 Ag was not evident. However, they exhibit two distinct reactivities, low and high responder, to NIMA in utero and during nursing depending on the degree of maternal microchimerism. Low responders survived longer with less graft-versus-host disease. These reactivities were correlated with Foxp3 expression of peripheral blood CD4+CD25+ cells after graft-versus-host disease induction and the number of IFN-γ–producing cells stimulated with NIMA pretransplantation. These observations are clinically relevant and suggest that it is possible to predict the immunological tolerance to NIMA.
Ultraviolet Irradiation of Mice Reduces the Competency of Bone Marrow-Derived CD11c+ Cells via an Indomethacin-Inhibitable Pathway
Authors: Ng Royce L. X. , Bisley Jacqueline L. , Gorman Shelley , Norval Mary , Hart Prue H.
Published: November 2010

Direct UV irradiation of dendritic cells and Langerhans cells reduces their Ag presenting ability. However, the effects of UV on CD11c+ cells located distally to the point of irradiation are poorly understood. Three days after UV irradiation (8 kJ/m2) of BALB/c mice, bone marrow cells were isolated and cultured for 7 d with IL-4 and GM-CSF for the propagation of CD11c+ cells. Bone marrow-derived CD11c+ cells from UV-irradiated or nonirradiated mice were loaded with dinitrobenzene sulfonic acid and injected into the ear pinnas of naive BALB/c mice. After 7 d, the ears were painted with 2,4-dinitro-1-fluorobenzene and the ear swelling determined 24 h later. A reduced contact hypersensitivity response was found in mice injected with CD11c+ cells from the UV-irradiated animals compared with those injected with cells from the nonirradiated animals. Further, a long-lasting suppression of the memory response to 2,4-dinitro-1-fluorobenzene was created. This suppressed response corresponded to increased IL-10 and PGE2 secretion by freshly isolated bone marrow cells from UV-irradiated mice, and to increased myelopoiesis. The reduction in competence of bone marrow-derived CD11c+ cells from UV-irradiated mice was not due to delayed maturation, as it was maintained upon LPS exposure prior to CD11c+ cell purification. The UV-induced effect was reversed by the administration of indomethacin to mice prior to UV irradiation and could be reproduced by s.c. PGE2. These results show that UV irradiation of mice can affect the function of bone marrow-derived CD11c+ cells via a mechanism inhibitable by indomethacin; this pathway is likely to contribute to systemic UV-induced immunosuppression.
Chondroitin Sulfate A-Adhering Plasmodium falciparum-Infected Erythrocytes Express Functionally Important Antibody Epitopes Shared by Multiple Variants
Authors: Barfod Lea , Dobrilovic Tina , Magistrado Pamela , Khunrae Pongsak , Viwami Firmine , Bruun Jonas , Dahlbäck Madeleine , Bernasconi Nadia L. , Fried Michal , John Davis , Duffy Patrick E. , Salanti Ali , Lanzavecchia Antonio , Lim Chwee Teck , Ndam Nicaise Tuikue , Higgins Matthew K. , Hviid Lars
Published: November 2010

Acquired protection from Plasmodium falciparum placental malaria, a major cause of maternal, fetal, and infant morbidity, is mediated by IgG specific for the P. falciparum erythrocyte membrane protein 1 variant VAR2CSA. This protein enables adhesion of P. falciparum-infected erythrocytes to chondroitin sulfate A in the intervillous space. Although interclonal variation of the var2csa gene is lower than that among var genes in general, VAR2CSA-specific Abs appear to target mainly polymorphic epitopes. This has raised doubts about the feasibility of VAR2CSA-based vaccines. We used eight human monoclonal IgG Abs from affinity-matured memory B cells of P. falciparum-exposed women to study interclonal variation and functional importance of Ab epitopes among placental and peripheral parasites from East and West Africa. Most placental P. falciparum isolates were labeled by several mAbs, whereas peripheral isolates from children were essentially nonreactive. The mAb reactivity of peripheral isolates from pregnant women indicated that some were placental, whereas others had alternative sequestration foci. Most of the mAbs were comparable in their reactivity with bound infected erythrocytes (IEs) and recombinant VAR2CSA and interfered with IE and/or VAR2CSA binding to chondroitin sulfate A. Pair-wise mAb combinations were more inhibitory than single mAbs, and all of the mAbs together was the most efficient combination. Each mAb could opsonize IEs for phagocytosis, and a combination of the eight mAbs caused phagocytosis similar to that of plasma IgG-opsonized IEs. We conclude that functionally important Ab epitopes are shared by the majority of polymorphic VAR2CSA variants, which supports the feasibility of VAR2CSA-based vaccines against placental malaria.
Effector Function-Deficient Memory CD8+ T Cells Clonally Expand in the Liver and Give Rise to Peripheral Memory CD8+ T Cells
Authors: Su Yu-Chia , Lee Chen-Cheng , Kung John T.
Published: November 2010

Upon adoptive transfer into histocompatible mice, naive CD8+ T cells stimulated ex vivo by TCR+IL-4 turn into long-lived functional memory cells. The liver contains a large number of so formed memory CD8+ T cells, referred to as liver memory T cells (Tlm) in the form of cell clusters. The CD62Llow expression and nonlymphoid tissue distribution of Tlm cells are similar to effector memory (Tem) cells, yet their deficient cytotoxicity and IFN-γ inducibility are unlike Tem cells. Adoptive transfer of admixtures of TCR+IL-4–activated Vβ8+ and Vβ5+ CD8+ T cells into congenic hosts reveals Tlm clusters that are composed of all Vβ5+ or Vβ8+, not mixed Vβ5+/Vβ8+ cells, indicating that Tlm clusters are formed by clonal expansion. Clonally expanded CD8+ T cell clusters are also seen in the liver of Listeria monocytogenes-immune mice. Tlm clusters closely associate with hepatic stellate cells and their formation is IL-15/IL-15R–dependent. CD62Llow TLM cells can home to the liver and secondary lymphoid tissues, remain CD62Llow, or acquire central memory (Tcm)-characteristic CD62Lhi expression. Our findings show the liver as a major site of CD8+ memory T cell growth and that Tlm cells contribute to the pool of peripheral memory cells. These previously unappreciated Tlm characteristics indicate the inadequacy of the current Tem/Tcm classification scheme and help ongoing efforts aimed at establishing a unifying memory T cell development pathway. Lastly, our finding of Tlm clusters suggests caution against interpreting focal lymphocyte infiltration in clinical settings as pathology and not normal physiology.
Downstream of Tyrosine Kinase 1 and 2 Play Opposing Roles in CD200 Receptor Signaling
Authors: Mihrshahi Robin , Brown Marion H.
Published: November 2010

The CD200 receptor (CD200R) negatively regulates myeloid cells by interacting with its widely expressed ligand CD200. CD200R signals through a unique inhibitory pathway involving a direct interaction with the adaptor protein downstream of tyrosine kinase 2 (Dok2) and the subsequent recruitment and activation of Ras GTPase-activating protein (RasGAP). Ligand engagement of CD200R also results in tyrosine phosphorylation of Dok1, but this protein is not essential for inhibitory CD200R signaling in human myeloid cells. In this paper, we show that CD200R-induced phosphorylation of Dok2 precedes phosphorylation of Dok1, and that Dok2 and Dok1 recruit different downstream proteins. Compared with Dok2, Dok1 recruits substantially less RasGAP. In addition to binding RasGAP, Dok2 recruits the adaptor molecule Nck in response to ligand engagement of CD200R. CD200R-induced phosphorylation of Dok1 results in the recruitment of CT10 sarcoma oncogene cellular homologue-like (CrkL), whereas the closely related CT10 sarcoma oncogene cellular homologue interacts constitutively with Dok1. Knockdown of Dok1 or CrkL expression in U937 cells resulted in increased Dok2 phosphorylation and RasGAP recruitment to Dok2. These data are consistent with a model in which Dok1 negatively regulates Dok2-mediated CD200R signaling through the recruitment of CrkL.
The prognostic value of electroencephalography in epilepsy: a long-term follow-up study
Authors: Gatzonis Stylianos , Triantafyllou Nikolaos , Kateri Maria , Siatouni Anna , Angelopoulos Elias , Kimiskidis Vassilios
Published: November 2010

Predicting the evolution of epilepsy is of obvious importance for patients and their families. Value of electroencephalography (EEG) is extensively used in the diagnosis of epilepsy yet its role as a prognostication method remains unclear. The aim of the present retrospective study is to investigate the relationship between serial EEG recordings and long-term clinical and social outcomes in a cohort of patients with epilepsy. Thirty-nine epileptic patients were monitored clinically and with repeat EEG recordings for more than 15 years. All patients who initially had epileptiform discharges ended up with poor or moderate seizure control whereas more than half of the patients with normal initial recordings had good clinical outcomes and satisfactory social adjustment. Deterioration of the recordings over time was associated with unfavourable results in a significant proportion of patients (90 %), while stable or improved EEG findings predicted a favourable outcome. It is concluded that serial EEG recordings can be used in the prognostic evaluation of epilepsy.
The unveiling of life: Liturgy and the lure of kitsch
Authors: Cilliers Johan
Published: November 2010

This article probes the classic definition of religious aesthetics as related to the notions of beauty, goodness and truth. The phenomenon of kitsch, understood as simulation (or inversion) of beauty, goodness and truth, is taken cognisance of, especially in the light of contributions by Milan Kundera, Umberto Eco and Jean Baudrillard. The article briefly reflects on the liturgical consequences when kitsch manifests itself as simulated ‘beauty’, ‘goodness’ and ‘truth’ and concludes with some considerations regarding the characteristics of kitsch.
The relative roles of coastal and oceanic processes in determining physical and chemical characteristics of an intensively sampled nearshore system
Authors: Pfister Catherine A. , Wootton J. Timothy , Neufeld Christopher J.
Published: November 2010

We compared the extent to which offshore and remote‐sensing measurements of sea surface temperature (SST), upwelling, and chlorophyll a (Chl a) were concordant with in situ measurements of temperature, Chl a, and water nutrients at Tatoosh Island, Washington for the past 8 yr. Offshore SSTs were significantly correlated with water temperatures at Tatoosh, though consistently 2°C to 3°C warmer. Sea‐viewing wide field‐of‐view sensor Chl a estimates were poor predictors of Chl a at Tatoosh Island measured with an anchored fluorometer. Nitrate and phosphorus estimates at Tatoosh Island were positively correlated with an upwelling index and negatively correlated with SST, as would be expected from an upwelling source. In contrast, ammonium and nitrite were uncorrelated with the upwelling index or SST and showed elevated levels immediately adjacent to Tatoosh Island, suggesting strong local effects of marine invertebrates, birds, and mammals on nutrient dynamics and cycling in coastal ecosystems.
The physicochemical speciation of dissolved iron in the Bering Sea, Alaska
Authors: Buck Kristen N. , Bruland Kenneth W.
Published: November 2010

The physicochemical speciation of dissolved iron (Fe) across natural dissolved Fe gradients in the oceanic and shelf domains of the southeastern Bering Sea was examined in surface and subsurface samples using competitive ligand exchange‐adsorptive cathodic stripping voltammetry with the added ligand salicylaldoxime. Two ligand classes were measured in all samples, a stronger L1 ligand class and a weaker L2 ligand class. Conditional stability constants for both ligand classes were comparable between surface and subsurface samples, with mean log KcondFeL1,Fe0 = 11.5 ± 0.3 and mean log KcondFeL2,Fe0 = 10.3 ± 0.3 in surface samples, and mean log KcondFeL1,Fe0 = 11.4 ± 0.2 with a weaker ligand and mean log KcondFeL2,Fe0 of 10.2 ± 0.2 in subsurface samples. The concentrations of dissolved Fe were strongly correlated with ambient stronger L1 ligand concentrations for all samples with dissolved Fe concentrations greater than 0.2 nmol L−1. In samples with dissolved Fe concentrations less than 0.2 nmol L−1, large and variable excesses of L1 ligand concentrations were measured, coincident with observed Fe stress or limitation on the ambient phytoplankton. These observations suggest that the phytoplankton community is readily able to access dissolved Fe from the FeL1 complex, resulting in excess L1 in these waters. The available speciation data from other sources indicate that a significant correlation exists between dissolved Fe and L1 ligand concentrations in samples with intermediate dissolved Fe, and this is a seemingly ubiquitous feature of dissolved Fe cycling in the marine environment.
Energy reserves and metabolism as indicators of coral recovery from bleaching
Authors: Rodrigues Lisa J. , Grottoli Andréa G.
Published: November 2010

With reduced zooxanthellae, chlorophyll a (Chl a), or both, concentrations, bleached corals rely on some combination of energy reserves (i.e., lipid, carbohydrate, protein) and heterotrophy to survive and recover. To understand the dynamics of energy reserves and metabolism during long‐term recovery, Porites compressa and Montipora capitata corals were experimentally bleached in outdoor tanks for 1 month (treatment corals). Additional corals were maintained in separate tanks at ambient temperatures (control corals). Recovery occurred on the reef for 0, 1.5, 4, or 8 months. At 0 months all treatment corals were white in color, with lower Chl a, lipid, carbohydrate, protein, tissue biomass, and photosynthesis than control corals. During recovery, P. compressa replenished energy reserves and tissue biomass at 8 mo, long after photosynthesis and Chl a had recovered at 1.5 and 4 months, respectively. M. capitata replenished energy reserves at 1.5 months, despite decreased Chl a and photosynthesis levels. P. compressa depends on photosynthetically fixed carbon for recovery from bleaching, whereas M. capitata does not. Overall, M. capitata had a faster recovery rate than P. compressa for all measured variables except Chl a concentration. With intensifying bleaching, coral diversity on future reefs may favor species with faster recovery rates.