bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Higher Frequencies of CD161+ Circulating T Lymphocytes in Allergic Rhinitis Patients Compared to Healthy Donors
Authors: Poggi Alessandro , Canevali Paolo , Contatore Miriam , Ciprandi Giorgio
Published: January 2012

Background:Th17 is a subset of T-helper lymphocytes that produce proinflammatory cytokines, mainly IL-17. Serum IL-17 is increased in allergic patients and relates to clinical severity. Recently, it has been reported that CD161 is a highly upregulated gene in Th17 clones and all IL-17-producing cells are contained in CD161+ T cells. This study aimed at comparing the frequency of peripheral CD161+ T cells in patients with allergic rhinitis (AR) and in healthy controls and at relating CD161 expression with symptom severity. Methods: Forty-four patients with AR and 29 healthy non-allergic subjects were evaluated. CD161 expression was evaluated on CD3+, CD4+ and CD8+ cells by double immunofluorescence staining and fluorescence activated cell sorter analysis. Symptom severity was assessed by the Visual Analogue Scale. Results: Allergic patients showed a significantly higher frequency of CD3+CD161+, CD4+CD161+ and CD8+CD161+ cells than healthy non-allergic subjects (p < 0.0001). Moreover, the expression of CD161 cells was significantly related to clinical severity. Conclusions: This study provides evidence that a higher frequency of CD161+ T cells is present in the peripheral blood of AR patients.
Magnetic Cryopreservation for Dental Pulp Stem Cells
Authors: Lee Sheng-Yang , Huang Guo-Wei , Shiung Jau-Nan , Huang Yen-Hua , Jeng Jiiang-Huei , Kuo Tzong-Fu , Yang Jen-Chang , Yang Wei-Chung Vivian
Published: January 2012

Magnetic cryopreservation has been successfully used for tooth banking with satisfactory implantation outcomes, suggesting that the method preserves human periodontal ligament cells and dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs). Therefore, magnetic cryopreservation may be applied for the preservation of DPSCs; however, this method has not been evaluated yet. A reliable cryopreservation method for live-cell preservation is important for the clinical applications of regenerative medicine. The conventional slow-freezing procedure with 10% dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) may not be appropriate for stem cell-based therapies because DMSO is cytotoxic. The objective of this study was to investigate whether magnetic cryopreservation can be applied for DPSC cryopreservation. Cells isolated from human dental pulp were subjected to magnetic cryopreservation. Postthawing cell viability, adhesion, proliferation, expression of markers for mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), differentiation ability of magnetically cryopreserved DPSCs and DNA stability were compared to those of cells subjected to the conventional slow-freezing method. The results indicated that a serum-free cryopreservation medium (SFM) containing 3% DMSO is optimal for magnetic cryopreservation. Post-thaw magnetically cryopreserved DPSCs express MSC markers, and perform osteogenesis and adipogenesis after induction similarly to fresh MSCs. No significant DNA damage was found in magnetically cryopreserved DPSCs. Magnetic cryopreservation is thus a reliable and effective method for storage of DPSCs. The smaller amount of DMSO required in SFM for cryopreservation is beneficial for the clinical applications of post-thaw cells in regenerative medicine.
Evaluation of the Anti-Inflammatory Effect of Milk Fermented by a Strain of IL-10-Producing Lactococcus lactis Using a Murine Model of Crohn’s Disease
Authors: del Carmen Silvina , de Moreno de LeBlanc Alejandra , Perdigon Gabriela , Bastos Pereira Vanessa , Miyoshi Anderson , Azevedo Vasco , LeBlanc Jean Guy
Published: January 2012

Interleukin-10 (IL-10) is the most important anti-inflammatory cytokine at intestinal level, and its absence is involved in inflammatory bowel diseases. However, oral treatment with IL-10 is difficult because of its low survival in the gastrointestinal tract and systemic treatments lead to undesirable side effects. The aim of this paper was to evaluate the anti-inflammatory effect of the administration of milks fermented by Lactococcus lactis strains that produce IL-10 under the control of the xylose-inducible expression system using a trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid-induced colitis murine model. Mice that received milks fermented by L. lactis strains producing IL-10 in the cytoplasm (Cyt strain) or secreted to the product (Sec strain) showed lower damage scores in their large intestines, decreased IFN-γ levels in their intestinal fluids and lower microbial translocation to liver, compared to mice receiving milk fermented by the wild-type strain or those not receiving any treatment. The results obtained in this study show that the employment of fermented milks as a new form of administration of IL-10-producing L. lactisis effective in the prevention of inflammatory bowel disease in a murine model.
Phylogenetic Characterization of Transport Protein Superfamilies: Superiority of SuperfamilyTree Programs over Those Based on Multiple Alignments
Authors: Chen Jonathan S. , Reddy Vamsee , Chen Joshua H. , Shlykov Maksim A. , Zheng Wei Hao , Cho Jaehoon , Yen Ming Ren , Saier, Jr. Milton H.
Published: January 2012

Transport proteins function in the translocation of ions, solutes and macromolecules across cellular and organellar membranes. These integral membrane proteins fall into >600 families as tabulated in the Transporter Classification Database (www.tcdb.org). Recent studies, some of which are reported here, define distant phylogenetic relationships between families with the creation of superfamilies. Several of these are analyzed using a novel set of programs designed to allow reliable prediction of phylogenetic trees when sequence divergence is too great to allow the use of multiple alignments. These new programs, called SuperfamilyTree1 and 2 (SFT1 and 2), allow display of protein and family relationships, respectively, based on thousands of comparative BLAST scores rather than multiple alignments. Superfamilies analyzed include: (1) Aerolysins, (2) RTX Toxins, (3) Defensins, (4) Ion Transporters, (5) Bile/Arsenite/Riboflavin Transporters, (6) Cation:Proton Antiporters, and (7) the Glucose/Fructose/Lactose superfamily within the prokaryotic phosphoenol pyruvate-dependent Phosphotransferase System. In addition to defining the phylogenetic relationships of the proteins and families within these seven superfamilies, evidence is provided showing that the SFT programs outperform programs that are based on multiple alignments whenever sequence divergence of superfamily members is extensive. The SFT programs should be applicable to virtually any superfamily of proteins or nucleic acids.
A Case Study of Conflict Management in Bonobos: How Does a Bonobo (Pan paniscus) Mother Manage Conflicts between Her Sons and Her Female Coalition Partner?
Authors: Legrain L. , Stevens J. , Alegria Iscoa J. , Destrebecqz A.
Published: January 2012

Female coalitions are an important part of the social organization of bonobos. The strength of the mother-son relationship is another essential part of this social structure. A bonobo mother is therefore facing a dilemma when a conflict arises between her sons and her female coalition partners. Will she take her coalition partner’s side and favour the social organization of the group or support her son in order to defend her offspring? In order to address this issue, we performed an observational study of the captive group at Planckendael (Belgium) and used social grooming and proximity to assess the relationship between individuals. As a case study, we focused on the relationships between Hortense, one of the group’s mothers, her 3 sons Redi, Vifijo and Zamba, and her coalition partner Hermien. Surprisingly, we observed that Hortense preferentially supported her female coalition partner. For Hortense’s social status in the group, it may be more important to maintain the strong relationship with her higher-ranking female coalition partner than to support her sons.
Aberrant Recruitment and Activation of T Cells in Diabetic Nephropathy
Authors: Moon Ju-Young , Jeong Kyung-Hwan , Lee Tae-Won , Ihm Chun-Gyoo , Lim Sung Jig , Lee Sang-Ho
Published: January 2012

Background/Aims: Recent evidence has shown that an inflammatory process is involved in the development and progression of diabetic nephropathy. This study examined the impact of activated intrarenal lymphocytes in this inflammatory process. Methods: We studied T cell recruitment in mice with streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes by flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry. The kidney biopsy specimens from patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and diabetic nephropathy were evaluated by immunohistochemistry. Results: In flow cytometry, intrarenal CD3+ T cells were significantly increased in proteinuric mice at 20 weeks after STZ injection. However, the population of T cells and B cells in diabetic spleen was not different from that of control mice. Immunohistochemistry also showed a marked infiltration of interstitial CD4+, CD8+ T cells in diabetic kidney. Interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) mRNA expression was significantly increased in diabetic mouse kidney compared with controls. Interestingly, flow cytometry analysis of kidney-derived mononuclear cells from diabetic mice showed significantly increased production of IFN-γ and TNF-α by CD3+ T cells. Type 2 diabetic patients also showed a marked increase in CD4+, CD8+ and CD20+ cells in interstitium, and the number of CD4+ and CD20+ cells correlated with the amount of proteinuria. Conclusion: Our results clearly showed that aberrant intrarenal infiltration and the activation of T cells in interstitium are the underlying immunopathological mechanisms of diabetic kidney injury.
Identification of Two Novel Reductases Involved in Equol Biosynthesis in Lactococcus Strain 20–92
Authors: Shimada Yoshikazu , Takahashi Masayuki , Miyazawa Norihiro , Ohtani Tadaaki , Abiru Yasuhiro , Uchiyama Shigeto , Hishigaki Haretsugu
Published: January 2012

Lactococcus strain 20–92 is a bacterium that produces equol directly from daidzein under anaerobic conditions. In this study, we reveal that the transcription of the gene encoding daidzein reductase in Lactococcus strain 20–92 (L-DZNR), which is responsible for the first stage of the biosynthesis of equol from daidzein, is regulated by the presence of daidzein. We analyzed the sequence surrounding the L-DZNR gene and found six novel genes, termed orf-US4, orf-US3, orf-US2, orf-US1, orf-DS1 and orf-DS2. These genes were expressed in Escherichia coli, and the resulting gene products were assayed for dihydrodaidzein reductase (DHDR) and tetrahydrodaidzein reductase (THDR) activity. The results showed that orf-US2 and orf-US3 encoded DHDR and THDR, respectively. DHDR in Lactococcus strain 20–92 (L-DHDR) was similar to the 3-oxoacyl-acyl-carrier-protein reductases of several bacteria and belonged to the short chain dehydrogenase/reductase family. THDR in Lactococcus strain 20–92 (L-THDR) was similar to several putative fumarate reductase/succinate dehydrogenase flavoprotein domain proteins. L-DHDR required NAD(P)H for its activity, whereas L-THDR required neither NADPH nor NADH. Thus, we succeeded in identifying two novel enzymes that are related to the second and third stages of the biosynthetic pathway that converts daidzein to equol.
Genetic Susceptibility to Dental Caries on Pit and Fissure and Smooth Surfaces
Authors: Shaffer J.R. , Wang X. , DeSensi R.S. , Wendell S. , Weyant R.J. , Cuenco K.T. , Crout R. , McNeil D.W. , Marazita M.L.
Published: January 2012

Carious lesions are distributed nonuniformly across tooth surfaces of the complete dentition, suggesting that the effects of risk factors may be surface-specific. Whether genes differentially affect caries risk across tooth surfaces is unknown. We investigated the role of genetics on two classes of tooth surfaces, pit and fissure surfaces (PFS) and smooth surfaces (SMS), in more than 2,600 subjects from 740 families. Participants were examined for surface-level evidence of dental caries, and caries scores for permanent and/or primary teeth were generated separately for PFS and SMS. Heritability estimates (h2, i.e. the proportion of trait variation due to genes) of PFS and SMS caries scores were obtained using likelihood methods. The genetic correlations between PFS and SMS caries scores were calculated to assess the degree to which traits covary due to common genetic effects. Overall, the heritability of caries scores was similar for PFS (h2 = 19–53%; p < 0.001) and SMS (h2 = 17–42%; p < 0.001). Heritability of caries scores for both PFS and SMS in the primary dentition was greater than in the permanent dentition and total dentition. With one exception, the genetic correlation between PFS and SMS caries scores was not significantly different from 100%, indicating that (mostly) common genes are involved in the risk of caries for both surface types. Genetic correlation for the primary dentition dfs (decay + filled surfaces) was significantly less than 100% (p < 0.001), indicating that genetic factors may exert differential effects on caries risk in PFS versus SMS in the primary dentition.
MIP-3α Expression in Macrophages Is NOD Dependent
Authors: Hausmann M. , Zeitler C. , Weber A. , Krebs M. , Kellermeier S. , Rosenstiel P. , de Vallière C. , Kosovac K. , Fried M. , Holler E. , Rogler G.
Published: January 2012

Background: The first identified susceptibility gene for Crohn’s disease, NOD2, acts as a sensor for the bacterial-wall peptidoglycan fragment muramyl dipeptide (MDP) and activates the transcription factor nuclear factor-ĸB (NF-ĸB). Upon NF-ĸB activation, intestinal macrophages (IMACs) induce expression of macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-3α to attract memory T lymphocytes. We therefore investigated the influence of NOD2 ligation of IMAC differentiation and functional MIP-3α induction. Methods: Human embryonal kidney HEK293 cells were transfected with NOD2 wild-type (NOD2WT) and the NOD2 SNP13 variant (NOD2L1007fsinsC) and stimulated with MDP. Recruitment of CD45R0+ and Th17 cells was determined by immunohistochemistry. Results: Endogenous NOD2 stimulation was followed by a dose-dependent increase in MIP-3α secretion in MONO-MAC-6 (MM6) cells. MIP-3α mRNA was also significantly (* p < 0.05) induced in HEK293 transfected with NOD2WT via MDP ligation. In vivo cell-cell contacts between IMACs and CD45R0+ memory T cells as well as recruitment of Th17 cells in patients of NOD2 variants were unchanged as compared to wild-type patients. Conclusion: Our data demonstrate a dose-dependent increase in MIP-3α secretion in the human myeloid cell line MM6 upon MDP. However, MIP-3α-driven recruitment of Th17 cells or CD45R0+ memory T lymphocytes is not affected in patients carrying heterozygous NOD2 variants.
Depletion of Macrophages and Dendritic Cells in Ischemic Acute Kidney Injury
Authors: Lu Lawrence , Faubel Sarah , He Zhibin , Andres Hernando Ana , Jani Alkesh , Kedl Ross , Edelstein Charles L.
Published: January 2012

Background: Inflammation is thought to play a role in ischemic acute kidney injury (AKI). We have demonstrated that macrophage and dendritic cell depletion, using liposome-encapsulated clodronate (LEC), is protective against ischemic AKI. Methods: To determine whether macrophages or dendritic cells or both play a role in ischemic AKI, we performed ischemic AKI in CD11b-DTR mice that have a diphtheria toxin (DT)-induced depletion of CD11b cells (macrophages) and CD11c-DTR mice that have a DT-induced depletion of CD11c cells (dendritic cells). Results: While LEC-treated animals had a significant functional protection from AKI, CD11b-DTR and CD11c-DTR mice were not protected against AKI despite a similar degree of renal macrophage and dendritic cell depletion. Proinflammatory cytokines are known to play a role in ischemic AKI. To determine the possible reasons for the lack of protection in CD11b-DTR and CD11c-DTR mice compared to LEC-treated mice, 32 cytokines/chemokines were measured in these mice. Of the cytokines/chemokines measured, IL-6, MCP-1, GMCSF, IL-1β and CXCL1 (also known as IL-8 in humans or KC in mice) showed significant differences in the LEC-treated, CD11b-DTR and CD11c-DTR mice. MCP-1 and CXCL1 (known mediators of AKI), and also GMCSF and IL-1β were increased in AKI and decreased in LEC-treated AKI but not AKI in CD11b-DTR or CD11c-DTR mice. Conclusions: These findings suggest that LEC-mediated protection from AKI is not simply mediated by depletion of renal macrophage or dendritic cell subpopulations. Protection against AKI in LEC-treated compared to CD11b-DTR or CD11c-DTR mice may be partially explained by differences in proinflammatory cytokine profiles.
Changes of the Nucleolus Architecture in Absence of the Nuclear Factor CTCF
Authors: Hernández-Hernández A. , Soto-Reyes E. , Ortiz R. , Arriaga-Canon C. , Echeverría-Martinez O.M. , Vázquez-Nin G.H. , Recillas-Targa F.
Published: January 2012

CTCF is a multifunctional nuclear factor involved in many cellular processes like gene regulation, chromatin insulation and genomic organization. Recently, CTCF has been shown to be involved in the transcriptional regulation of ribosomal genes and nucleolar organization in Drosophila cells and different murine cell types, including embryonic stem cells. Moreover, it has been suggested that CTCF could be associated to the nucleolus of human erythroleukemic K562 cells. In the present work, we took advantage of efficient small hairpin RNA interference against human CTCF to analyze nucleolar organization in HeLa cells. We have found that key components of the nucleolar architecture are altered. As a consequence of such alterations, an upregulation of ribosomal gene transcription was observed. We propose that CTCF contributes to the structural organization of the nucleolus and, through epigenetic mechanisms, to the regulation of the ribosomal gene expression.
The Forkhead Gene Family in Medaka: Expression Patterns and Gene Evolution
Authors: Shen X. , Cui J. , Nagahama Y.
Published: January 2012

Using the genome sequence of the medaka, Oryzias latipes, we examined the genomic complement of Fox genes in this organism to gain insight into the evolutionary relationships and expression patterns of this gene family. We identified 31 Fox genes by searching for Forkhead domains in the medaka genome and by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using primers designed from protein alignments. All the medaka Fox genes are encoded in 18 subclasses as follows: 5 Fox genes in subclass D; 3 Fox genes in subclass O; 2 Fox genes in each of subclass A, B, E, F, G, I, P, and Q, respectively; 1 Fox gene in each of subclass C, H, J, K, M, N, and R. The gene structures and general features are also discussed. In addition, we examined the expression patterns of some of these genes in different adult tissues and during embryonic development in medaka using quantitative PCR and in situ hybridization. The present study shows that Forkhead transcription factors play an important role during early embryonic development in medaka, and the results will enhance our knowledge in terms of Fox family evolution in different taxa.
Thrombin inhibition profiles in healthy individuals and thrombophilic patients
Authors: Harbrecht Ursula , Fimmers Rolf , Oldenburg Johannes , Mayer Günter , Rühl Heiko , Müller Jens , Pötzsch Bernd
Published: January 2012

Inhibition of thrombin by endogenous inhibitors plays a central role in the spatiotemporal control of clot formation. A failure to adequately inactivate thrombin such as in antithrombin deficiency generates a strong prothrombotic phenotype. To study if and to what extent delayed thrombin inactivation rates beyond antithrombin deficiency contribute to the prothrombotic phenotype we measured thrombin inhibition profiles in plasma samples obtained from 16 healthy individuals and 39 thrombophilic patients, including 17 patients diagnosed positive for anti-prothrombin/phospholipid antibodies. To test thrombin inhibition, thrombin was added to plasma, and endogenous thrombin inhibition stopped by addition of the reversible thrombin inhibitor argatroban. Subsequently, the amount of argatroban-complexed thrombin was measured using an oligonucleotide-based enzyme capture assay. In normal human plasma thrombin at concentrations up to 4 ng/ml (109 pM) became inactivated with an average half-life time of 56.4 ± 4.7 seconds (s). In antithrombin-deficient plasma the thrombin half-life was prolonged to 168.2 ± 14.9 s. Among the thrombophilic patients, only one with mild antithrombin deficiency showed impaired thrombin inactivation rates, whereas all other patients including the antiphospholipid positive patients showed thrombin inhibiting capacities within the normal range. We conclude that thrombin added to normal human plasma at subthreshold levels of ∼100 pM or below becomes inactivated with a half-life time below 1 minute. Antiphospholipid antibodies do not prolong thrombin half-life times, making it unlikely that delayed thrombin inactivation contributes to the thrombotic phenotype of the antiphospholipid syndrome. In contrast, plasma levels of antithrombin falling below 80% of normal markedly prolong the thrombin half-life.
The So-called 'Jaunpur Stone Inscription of Īśānavarman'
Authors: Bakker Hans
Published: January 2012

An incomplete Sanskrit inscription found in the south gate of the Jami Masjid at Jaunpur has traditionally been ascribed to the Maukhari king of Kanauj Īśvaravarman (first half of 6th century). Collation of this inscription with another Maukhari inscription (the Haraha Stone Inscription of Īśānavarman) makes it clear that the Jaunpur inscription is to be ascribed to his son Īśānavarman or one of his successors. This collation is made possible by recovering the metrical structure of the very fragmentary Jaunpur inscription. The article edits the text of the Jaunpur inscription in its versified form, gives a translation, and presents a comparison with the Haraha Inscription in the annotation.
Sanskritisms or Orthographical Variants?
Authors: Norman
Published: January 2012

In Middle Indo-Aryan, Old Indo-Aryan consonant groups as a general rule assimilate to geminate groups or are resolved by a svarabhakti vowel. Some consonant groups in Pāli are neither assimilated nor resolved. Where they are identical with Sanskrit they are commonly called "Sanskritisms". Some are deliberate, e.g. brāhmana. Others are only apparent, and happen to have acquired in some way a shape which is identical with that expected in Sanskrit. Where they occur in verse, an analysis of the metre shows that the appearance of Sanskritisms may possibly be due to the reduction of the length of the svarabhakti vowel in an attempt to facilitate recitation. I would suggest that these are not attempts to make a text look more like Sanskrit. They are really examples of orthographic variation.
Divine Procreation
Authors: Hara Minoru
Published: January 2012

This article discusses the procreation of gods and sages in ancient India, which is contrasted to the ordinary way of procreation among human beings. It is sporadically mentioned in the classical Sanskrit literature, but more systematically in the commentary literature. The divine beings could dispense with sexual contact for bringing about their offspring and produce offspring by such acts as touching (śparsa), thinking (samkalpa), addressing (ullapana), smiling (upahasana), etc., some of which are also found in a list of the so-called dohadas of plants and trees for bringing about flowers (puspa).
Other People's Stories: Haribhadra and the Decapitation of Brahmā
Authors: Granoff Phyllis
Published: January 2012

This paper explores the relevance of Jain sources for an understanding of the development of Śaiva myths. It proposes that Haribhadra's Dhūrtākhyāna offers the earliest version of the popular story of Śiva decapitating Brahmā. Comparing the version in the Dhūrtākhyāna with those in two early Śaiva sources, the early Skanda Purāna and the Brahmayāmalatantra, the paper seeks to understand the role of Visnu in the story and the development of the myth as a sectarian Śaiva story.
Yati, a Structural Principle in Old Javanese Versification
Authors: Hunter Thomas
Published: January 2012

The principle of yati, divisions of the metrical arrangement of the quantitative meters of Sanskrit at line-end or at specified points internal to the line (pada), has often been likened to caesura in meters of the European tradition, and in the Indian tradition to a "break in recitation". However, in a principled study of the subject Pollock (1977) has shown that when line-internal yati is specified for one of the quantitative meters it is in fact linked to the arrangement of syntactic units within the line, and not to any suprasegmental aspect of versification, like intonation or the control of phrasing in terms of units of 'breath'. Based on this reasoning Pollock has been able to demonsrate a progression in the Indian tradition from "monotonic" uses of yati in Aśvaghosa, through the effects of "suspension" achieved by Kālidāsa and a movement towards "dissonance" in the works of later stylists like Bhavabhūti Rājaśekhara, Bhattanārāyana, Murāri and Bilhana, where a drive towards transcendence of the constraints of yati is very much in evidence. Given that the majority of meters of the Old Javanese kakawin genre are based on the quantitative meters of the Indian Kāvya, it is natural to suppose that line-internal yati may have been preserved in some of the Old Javanese quantitative meters. This study is devoted to an examination of this question for a selection of the Indian quantitative meters adopted for use in the kakawin, and for a further set of Indo-Javanese meters that follow the isosyllabic requirements of the Indian system, but were developed by Javanese stylists of the kakawin. Special attention is given to the meter Śārdūlavikrīdita, a meter important in Pollock's (1977) study of yati in the Indian tradition and also of great popularity in the Javano-Balinese tradition, and to the Indo-Javanese meter Jagaddhita.
Were Sa-pan and 'Jig-rten-mgon-po "Neoconservatives?" Utility and Futility of Source-Culture Alien Categories
Authors: Sobisch Jan-Ulrich
Published: January 2012

In his influential Tibetan Renaissance (publ. 2005), Ronald Davidson categorizes the two eminent masters of the late 12th and early 13th centuries, Sa-skya Pandita Kun-dga'-rgyal-mtshan and 'Bri-gung 'Jig-rten-mgon-po, as "neoconservatives," portraying them as having an un-Buddhist and inauthentic fixation on India, and as working to suppress any deviation from their norms. This paper critically investigates Davidson's general and specific interpretations of his categorization and raises the question of methodology.
Dragon Rouge: Left-Hand Path Magic with a Neopagan Flavour
Authors: Granholm Kennet
Published: January 2012

Dragon Rouge ist einer der einzigartigsten und interessantesten magischen Orden, die im Laufe der letzten zwanzig Jahren erschienen ist. Er ist auch die erste esoterische Bewegung, die erfolgreich aus Schweden exportiert wurde, sowie jemals der größte Orden des sogenannten Pfad zur linken Hand (Left-Hand Path).

In der ersten Hälfte des Artikels werde ich die Geschichte des Ordens ausführlich beschreiben, seine philosophischen Lehren und Praxis besprechen, und Auskunft über seine Demographie sowie die Organisations- und Einweihungstrukturen. In der zweiten Hälfte des Artikels werde ich die Hauptdiskurse besprechen, die der Philosophie, der Praxis und den Strukturen von Dragon Rouge unterliegen: der Vorrang der Natur, die Anziehungskraft der weiblichen Göttlichen und die Diskurse des Individualismus, der Selbstvergötterung, und des Antinomismus die den Pfad zur Linken Hand kennzeichnen.
THE HELLENISATION OF JUDAEO-CHRISTIAN FAITH OR THE CHRISTIANISATION OF HELLENIC THOUGHT?'
Authors: MARTIN LUTHER H.
Published: January 2012

 Abstract
In this article I explore the relationship between faith and reason among the early Christianities. The approach here favours the perspective of social history whereby the establishment of claims to a universal and absolute monotheism in Western society is viewed as an outcome of power relations - or an increasingly close alliance among certain of the early Christianities and between these and the state. In this sense, my thesis is that rather than understanding a Judaeo-Christian faith that became Hellenised, we might better speak of a tradition of Hellenic thought that increasingly became theologised under the dominant sway of Christian power. I explicate this thesis from the point of views or theories proposed by Max Weber and supported by Michel Foucault. As such, what follows is an overview of the conventional view of Christianity, an examination of Weber's view, which is followed by my critique of it, and some concluding remarks.
NETWORKS AND PARTNERSHIPS FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE? THE PRAGMATIC TURN IN THE RELIGIOUS SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT DEBATE IN SOUTH AFRICA1
Authors: SWART IGNATIUS
Published: January 2012

 Abstract
This article offers a critical account of the turn in the religious social development debate in South Africa from its initial critical people-centred disposition to a preoccupation with pragmatic considerations, that is, its elaborated claim on the need for a formal religion-state partnership in the field of social development on the basis of the extensiveness and effectiveness of existing welfare and social development networks run by the religious sector. After presenting a brief overview of the initial social development debate, the article unpacks and discusses the essential shift in the debate and the respective support that it has found in the idea of social capital and a selective reading of an American case study to sustain its pragmatic argument. Finally, the article looks beyond the current limitations in the debate and concludes with an argument for renewed critical engagement by the religious sector in South Africa by which it would (1) advance a moral debate about social structure and direction, and (2) become a rigorous exponent itself of the social development paradigm on the level of actual implementation and empowerment 'from below.'
SHIFTING PERSPECTIVES ON THE COMPARATIVE PARADIGM IN (SOUTH) AFRICAN BIBLICAL SCHOLARSHIP
Authors: WEST GERALD
Published: January 2012

 Abstract
The comparative paradigmisthemostpervasiveinterpretive framework in Africanbiblical scholarship.Recent work hasattempted to chart the contours of this paradigm and tonote its historicalandhermeneutical development.This articlejoinsthediscussion, by locating SouthAfricanbiblicalscholarshipwithinthis paradigm and by offering an analysis of the comparativeparadigm interms ofits understandingof colonialism.The argument put forwardisthat amore nuancedand complexunderstandingof colonialism may provide new angles of analysis both of the comparative paradigm itself and of the task of African biblical scholarship.
Should the Best Qualified Be Appointed?
Authors: Segall Shlomi
Published: January 2012

The paper examines the view that individuals have a claim to the jobs for which they are the best qualified. It seeks to show this view to be groundless, and to offer, instead, a luck egalitarian account of justice in hiring. That account consists of three components: monism, non-meritocracy, and non-discrimination. To demonstrate the coherence of this view, two particular internal conflicts are addressed. First, luck egalitarian monism (the view that jobs are not special) may end up violating the non-discrimination requirement. Second, non-discrimination, it is often suggested, cannot be defined without reference to qualifications, thus violating the non-meritocracy requirement. The paper seeks to address these, as well as other, potential objections, and show that whereas meritocratic accounts are without basis, luck egalitarianism provides a coherent and attractive account of justice in hiring.
Equality and Non-discrimination in Hiring – Introduction
Authors: Gosseries Axel
Published: January 2012

In this introduction, the author briefly presents the way in which Clayton, Segall and Lippert-Rasmussen deal with what egalitarianism has to say about non-discrimination in hiring. Parallels and differences between their approaches are stressed.
Review Article
Authors: Kahn Leonard
Published: January 2012

Joseph Raz's new book, Between Authority and Interpretation, collects his most important papers in the philosophy of law and the theory of practical rationality from the mid-1990s to the mid-2000s. In these papers, Raz not only advances earlier theses but also breaks new ground in a number of areas. I focus on three of Raz's topics here: theories of law, separability and necessity, and the normativity of law. While I am generally sympathetic to Raz's thinking on these topics, I raise some room for doubt – especially with regard to his pessimism about finding a uniquely best theory of law and the relationship between law and morality.
Building Vladimir Dzhunkovskii's Memory Palace: The Curious Fate of His Archive and Memoir
Authors: Robbins Richard G.
Published: January 2012

This article traces the convoluted route by which Vladimir Dzhunkovskii's personal papers, originally deposited in Pushkinskii dom in the early 1920s, and his voluminous memoir, acquired by Vladimir Bonch-Bruevich for the State Literary Museum (GLM) in 1934, came to reside in what is now the State Archive of the Russian Federation (GARF). It also opens windows on little-known aspects of Dzhunkovskii's early life, examines his reasons for writing his memoirs, explores the question of his missing diary, and sheds light on Dzhunkovskii's contacts with Soviet authorities and his consultations for the OGPU. The article shows how Dzhunkovskii's papers, memoirs and persona became issues in the infamous Akademicheskoe delo in 1929 and figured in “museum politics” during the mid-1930s.
A Climatological Study of the Nocturnal Boundary Layer over a Complex-Terrain Station
Authors: Kumar M. Shravan , Anandan V. K. , Rao T. Narayana , Reddy P. Narasimha
Published: January 2012

Two years of Doppler sodar measurements are used to study the time–height structure of the nocturnal boundary layer (NBL), its seasonal variation, and the characteristics of different types of NBL. A total of 220 clear-sky nights during which the inversion layer is clearly visible on a sodar echogram are examined. The NBL depth estimated with sodar data using a wind maxima criterion matches reasonably well with radiosonde-based NBL depth estimates. The NBL exhibits clear seasonal variation with greater depths during the monsoon season. Shallow NBLs are generally observed in winter. The evolution of NBL height shows two distinctly different patterns (called type 1 and type 2), particularly in the second half of the night. Type 1 NBL depth is nearly constant and the wind speed in this type is generally weak and steady throughout the night, while type 2 is characterized by moderate to strong winds with considerable variations in NBL height. The local circulation generated by the complex topography is clearly seen in type 1 throughout the night, whereas it is seen only in the first half of the night in type 2. Type 1 NBLs seem to be more prevalent over Gadanki, India, with nearly 61% of total nights showing type 1 characteristics. Furthermore, type 1 NBL shows large seasonal variability with the majority of type 1 cases in winter. The type 2 cases are mostly observed in monsoon (~60%) followed by summer (39%). The surface meteorological parameters during type 1 and type 2 cases are examined. Differences between type 1 and type 2 NBL patterns are discussed in relation to the surface forcing.
Factors for the Simulation of Convectively Coupled Kelvin Waves
Authors: Seo Kyong-Hwan , Choi Jin-Ho , Han Sang-Dae
Published: January 2012

This study investigates the major factors for the realistic simulation of convectively coupled Kelvin waves (CCKWs) using the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) Climate Forecast System (CFS) models. CFS simulations employing relaxed Arakawa–Schubert (RAS; hereafter CTRL) and simplified Arakawa–Schubert (SAS) cumulus parameterization schemes show that the former generates the observed Kelvin wave signature more realistically than the latter does. For example, the space–time spectral signal, eastward propagation, and tilted (and second baroclinic mode) vertical structures in convection, temperature, moisture, and circulation anomalies associated with CCKWs in CTRL are more comparable to observations than in the SAS simulation. CTRL and observations demonstrate the characteristic evolution and vertical heating profile associated with CCKWs similar to those seen in mesoscale convective systems in the tropics: shallow convection, followed by deep convection and then stratiform cloudiness, and resulting in a top-heavy diabatic heating profile. Five additional experiments demonstrate that the effects of convective downdrafts, subgrid-scale convective rain evaporation, and large-scale rain evaporation on CCKWs are assessed to be insignificant in CTRL, possibly due to a more humid environment than observation. However, the Kelvin wave signals are reduced by ~40% when shallow convection is disabled. More importantly, the removal of convective detrainment at the cloud top results in the greatest reduction in Kelvin wave activity (by more than 70%). Therefore, the preconditioning of the atmosphere by shallow convection and detrainment of water vapor and condensate from convective updrafts to the environment and subsequent stratiform heating (grid-scale condensational heating)/precipitation processes are the two most crucial factors for the successful simulation of CCKWs.
On the Inconsistent Relationship between Pacific and Atlantic Niños*
Authors: Lübbecke Joke F. , McPhaden Michael J.
Published: January 2012

The tropical Atlantic wind response to El Niño forcing is robust, with weakened northeast trade winds north of the equator and strengthened southeast trade winds along and south of the equator. However, the relationship between sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies in the eastern equatorial Pacific and Atlantic is inconsistent, with El Niño events followed sometimes by warm and other times by cold boreal summer anomalies in the Atlantic cold tongue region. Using observational data and a hindcast simulation of the Nucleus for European Modeling of the Ocean (NEMO) global model at 0.5° resolution (NEMO-ORCA05), this inconsistent SST relationship is shown to be at least partly attributable to a delayed negative feedback in the tropical Atlantic that is active in years with a warm or neutral response in the eastern equatorial Atlantic. In these years, the boreal spring warming in the northern tropical Atlantic that is a typical response to El Niño is pronounced, setting up a strong meridional SST gradient. This leads to a negative wind stress curl anomaly to the north of the equator that generates downwelling Rossby waves. When these waves reach the western boundary, they are reflected into downwelling equatorial Kelvin waves that reach the cold tongue region in late boreal summer to counteract the initial cooling that is due to the boreal winter wind stress response to El Niño. In contrast, this initial cooling persists or is amplified in years in which the boreal spring northern tropical Atlantic warming is weak or absent either because of a positive North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) phase or an early termination of the Pacific El Niño event.
Development of CO2 emission model of an acid gas incinerator using Nelder–Mead least squares support vector regression
Authors: Pathmanathan Elangeshwaran , Ibrahim Rosdiazli , Asirvadam Vijanth Sagayan
Published: January 2012

This paper aims to develop a CO2 emission model of an acid gas incinerator using Nelder–Mead least squares support vector regression (LS-SVR). The Malaysia Department of Environment is actively imposing the Clean Air Regulation to mandate heavy industries to comply with emission limits. One of the latest measures is to mandate the installation of analytical instrumentation known as a continuous emission monitoring system (CEMS) to report the emission level online to the Department of Environment office. As a hardware-based analyser, CEMS is expensive, maintenance intensive and often unreliable. Therefore, software predictive techniques are often preferred and considered a feasible alternative to replace the CEMS for regulatory compliance. The LS-SVR model is built based on the emissions from an acid gas incinerator that operates in a liquefied natural gas complex. Simulated annealing is first used to determine the initial hyper-parameters, which are further optimized based on the performance of the model using a Nelder–Mead simplex algorithm. The LS-SVR model is shown to outperform a benchmark model based on back-propagation neural networks in both training and testing data.
On the general second-order consensus protocol in multi-agent systems with input delays
Authors: Rong Lina , Xu Shengyuan , Zhang Baoyong
Published: January 2012

In this paper we study a general consensus protocol for directed networks of double integrators with input delays. A necessary and sufficient condition is provided, under which not only the consensus is guaranteed but also the agents’ states are not exponentially diverging. Based on this condition, the delay robustness of the general protocol is analyzed. The maximal allowable upper bound of the input delay is obtained; the analysis is constructively given and different consensus modes can be regarded as special cases with different parameters. Simulation results are presented to illustrate the effectiveness of the theoretical results.
Do Dietary Supplements Have Beneficial Health Effects in Industrialized Nations
Authors: Marik Paul E. , Flemmer Mark
Published: January 2012

Background: Dietary supplements are regularly used by at least half of the American population, yet the health benefits of these agents are unclear. Objective: A systematic review to determine the benefits and risks of dietary supplements in Westernized societies. Data Sources: MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Register of Controlled Trials and citation review of relevant articles. Study Selection: Randomized, placebo‐controlled clinical trials in non‐pregnant Westernized adults that evaluated clinical outcomes of nutritional supplements. Data Extraction: Data were abstracted on study design, study size, study setting, patient population, dietary intervention and clinical outcomes. The outcome of each study was classified as non‐beneficial, beneficial or harmful according to whether theend‐point(s) of interest reached statistical significance. Data Synthesis: Sixty‐three studies met the criteria for our systematic review. No benefit was recorded in 45 studies, with 10 of these showing a trend towards harm and with two showing a trend towards benefit. Four studies reported harm with increased cancer deaths (n=2) and increased fractures (n=2). Two studies reported both a harmful as well as a beneficial outcome. A beneficial outcome was reported in 12 studies; 6 which studied vitamin D and three which investigated omega‐3 fatty acids. While a benefit was reported in one study each which investigated Vitamin E, folic acid and Ginkgo biloba this benefit was not confirmed by larger and more adequately powered studies. Conclusions: With the possible exceptions of Vitamin D and omega‐3 fatty acids there is no data to support the widespread use of dietary supplements in Westernized populations; indeed, many of these supplements may be harmful.
Anti–Tumor Necrosis Factor–α Monoclonal Antibody Alleviates Parenteral Nutrition–Associated Liver Disease in Mice
Authors: Li Jing , Gong Yi‐ming , Wu Jiang , Wu Wen‐jie , Cai Wei
Published: January 2012

Background: The authors aimed to investigate the role of anti–tumor necrosis factor (TNF)–α monoclonal antibody treatment in a mouse model of parenteral nutrition–associated liver disease (PNALD). Methods: C57BL/6J male mice (aged 6–8 weeks) were randomly assigned to 3 groups: parenteral nutrition (PN), PN with anti–TNF‐α monoclonal antibody treatment (PN + mAb), and controls. A central venous catheter was inserted for intravenous infusion of a PN solution (PN and PN + mAb groups) or saline (controls) for 7 days. Liver pathology, hepatic biochemical indicators, and serum TNF‐α concentrations were analyzed. Levels of hepatic bsep, mdr1a/mdr1b, mdr2, and mrp2 mRNA were also evaluated in each group. Results: The PN group showed significant increases in serum transaminase, direct bilirubin, and bile acids relative to the control group (P < .05). Histopathological changes in this group were consistent with early stage cholestasis. The pathological score and serum alanine aminotransferase, total bilirubin, and direct bilirubin levels were improved in the PN + mAb group relative to the PN group (P < .05). The PN group showed significantly lower hepatic bsep, mdr1a/mdr1b, mdr2, and mrp2 mRNA expression than the controls (P < .05), but these were significantly increased compared to the PN group (P < .05). Conclusions: Infliximab administered at a single dose of 5 mg/kg body weight ameliorated the progression of PNALD and improved the expression of hepatic ABC transporter genes. Therefore, anti–TNF‐α monoclonal antibody may be a beneficial therapy for patients with PNALD.
Pharmacist Specialty Certification
Authors: Durfee Sharon M.
Published: January 2012

Nutrition support is a pharmacy specialty in which pharmacists work with prescribers, conduct order review, and either perform or oversee compounding of these complex parenteral nutrition formulations. Pharmacists should be certified in this specialty, and the options for certification are outlined in this article.
A comprehensive plan for differentiating the training of teachers of the gifted online at the state, district and university levels in Florida, USA
Authors: Eriksson Gillian , Weber Christine , Kirsch Lauri
Published: January 2012

The training of teachers for a meaningful use of all that contemporary technology offers to developing curriculum requires constant vigilance, experimentation, innovation, revision and updating. The lifestyle of today’s gifted students includes a range of ever-unfolding technologies, such as text messaging, blogging, social networking, personal webpages, video pods, streamed television, online textbooks, online knowledge base, web searching, presentation tools, desktop publishing, graphics infused in word processing, simulations and complex gaming. At the same time, the technology literacy of most teachers is in ‘catch-up mode’ with constant retraining about how to provide curricula that includes webquests, virtual field trips, virtual passports, interactive maps (Google Earth) and webliography (TrackStar), presented in diverse formats.

The following questions will be examined in this paper: How do you cross regional boundaries and local educational administration to provide a comprehensive state-wide teacher training system in gifted education? How do you differentiate teacher training in gifted education that uses appropriate methods, strategies and best practices in teaching gifted students? How do you incorporate the daily technology needs and uses of gifted students into training their teachers? How can you provide teacher training that is independent of time and space to reach teachers beyond their classroom yet make it directly applicable? How do you structure a system of accountability that meets state and national standards for gifted education?

In the state of Florida, USA, a three-tiered comprehensive approach provides online training and certification to teachers at the state level, through the WOGI (Working on Gifted Issues) project, at the district level that builds on Florida State Training Modules for local relevance, and at the university level that can be incorporated into a graduate Master’s degree with a specialization in gifted education.