bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Safavid Literature: Progress or Decline
Authors: Yar-Shater Ehsan
Published: September 2011

“The literature of the Safavid period is usually regarded as a literature of decline.” So Jan Rypka begins his chapter on this literature. In 1911, in a letter to E.G. Browne, Mīrzā Muḥammad Qazvīnī, the noted Persian scholar, pronounced an even harsher judgment on this period: “Under this dynasty,” he wrote, “learning, culture, poetry, and mysticism completely deserted Persia….”

The first question we must face is whether this was, in fact, the case. Did Persian poetry and prose under the Safavids sink into literary doldrums, as so many critics have judged, or, rather, was this an age of positive literary merit? And if our response should be negative, how are we to account for the decline of literature in the face of the political strength and economic prosperity of Persia under the Safavids, and for the flourishing of other arts in this period?
The Royal Bazaar of Isfahan
Authors: Bakhtiar Ali
Published: September 2011

Between the Masjid-i Jāmiᶜ and the Maydān-i Shāh was a distance of several kilometers, dotted by minarets, mausoleums, mosques and bazaar areas which served the trade of the central plateau of Persia. They had been built over the intervening centuries since Sasanian times, the old town gradually expanding, some of the small clusters of the bazaar still remaining as satellite villages under Shāh ᶜAbbās’ reign. It was his genius which formed the new city, and it was his conception that linked the new with the old.

Today, the least known to the visitor but in many ways quite the most fascinating aspect of Isfahan is the region that lies between the great mosques: the bazaar. Built by Shāh ᶜAbbās, the entrance to the bazaar, the Qaysariyah, stands at the center of the north end of the Maydān-i Shāh. Set back from the main plaza in a fivesided recess, it forms a courtyard which once embraced a large pool.
Les Palais d'Isfahan
Authors: Galdieri Eugenio
Published: September 2011

Il est assez difficile de traiter le sujet des palais de l'époque safavide d'Isfahan, tout au moins sur le plan typologique. Il est bien connu, en effet, qu'en Iran--et à Isfahan en particulier--il est resté bien peu des édifices que nous sommes habitués à définir “palais,“ c'est-à-dire des demeures princières ou royales. Les exemples des édifices destinés à la “représentation” sont en réalité très peu nombreux et presque tous fortement modifiés; mais nous ne savons rien sur le côté intime et familial des ensembles royaux. A la différence de ce qui se produit en Europe, ou à peu près dans chaque ville et presque pour chaque famille noble on connaît ou on conserve les demeures, la Perse safavide (et pas elle seule) ne peut nous offrir aujourd'hui presque rien d'utile pour ce genre d'étude.
Painting and Patronage under Shah ᶜabbas I
Authors: Welch Anthony
Published: September 2011

The accession of Shāh ᶜAbbās I to the Safavid throne in 1587 does not mark an immediate, abrupt departure from earlier traditions of royal patronage. Instead, it is a culmination of forces at work throughout the second half of the sixteenth century which come together to alter both the nature of painting and of patronage during his reign. In part, these modifications of previous practice are due to the monarch's own aesthetics; in part, they are the result of the social and economic transformation of late sixteenth century Iran. In some ways the shah's patronage of painting would seem to be more catholic and less determined than that of his predecessors Ismaᶜīl I and Ṭahmāsp, and during his long reign it moves in several different directions and develops at least two divergent styles.
Safavid Metalwork: A Study in Continuity
Authors: Melikian‐shirvani A.S.
Published: September 2011

The history of Iranian metalwork has yet to be written. Published material is scanty compared with the number of pieces on record in public institutions, not to mention private collections. But no period has been so blatantly neglected as the Safavid period and the half century of Timurid rule during which the foundations of much of Safavid art were laid.

The first substantial body of material was if not published stricto sensu, at least illustrated in the Survey of Persian Art. Fourteen bronze, brass, and tinned copper vessels, plus a number of “steel” implements and weapons, a couple of bronze ensigns and astronomical instruments which will not be considered in this paper, were dealt with in a short text of general content. Alas not a few errors, which crept into the text as well as the brief captions, marred the reader's pleasure. There was no attempt to read the Persian and Arabic inscriptions except for dates.
Notes on the Economic Obligations of Peasants in Iran, 300–1600 A.D.
Authors: Nomani Farhad
Published: September 2011

In a previous paper, on the basis of the definition of feudalism as a mode of production, it was shown that the extra-economic obligations of Iranian peasants in the period between the fourth and the seventeenth centuries resembled those obtaining under feudalism, though these obligations exhibited, also, certain peculiarities that could be attributed to the specific conditions of Iranian history. In the present paper, I will examine the other aspect of the exploitative feudal relations in Iran for the same period, i.e., the economic obligations of peasants to landlords and the state in the form of feudal rent. I will examine, more specifically, the extent of and the forms in which rent was exacted from the peasants by the landowning class and the state during the period in question.
Sadeq Hedayat's “The Man who Killed his Passionate Self: A Critical Exposition
Authors: Kalouzian Homayoun
Published: September 2011

Sadeq Hedayat's life and works have been subjected to numerous comments and criticisms of both a general and particular nature. But, with the possible exception of The Blind Owl, there have been very few detailed studies of his individual short stories. This has created two major defects in the understanding of the man and his works: on the one hand, it has resulted in a serious neglect of many of Hedayat's stories which are well worth studying in their own right; and, on the other hand, it has contributed to an imbalance in the overall assessment of his socio-literary achievements. Indeed, it can be argued that a full appreciation of The Blind Owl itself is not quite possible without a careful study of Hedayat's earlier and--to some extent--later works.
Political Economy of Growth and Destruction: A Statistical Interpretation of the Iranian Case
Authors: Parvin Manoucher , Zamani Amir N.
Published: September 2011

The completion of this article preceded the triumph of the Revolution in Iran. During the previous regime, critical studies on the subject of political economy of Iran, either went unpublished or were sufficiently diluted to cause no alarm and thus no harm. We write from personal experience and from knowledge of the experiences of other colleagues.

This study is not free from the effects of such constrictions since most available official data generated in Iran during the past regime were tampered with somewhat to satisfy political interests and concerns. The data at hand fail to reflect what we think of as the “economics of growth and destruction.” By using available data, reaching for alternative sources when possible, and pointing out the observed inconsistencies, we have uncovered a bleak picture, despite the distortions by authorities who, unwilling to reform the condition of life in Iran, kept reforming the data.
Professional Storytelling in Iran: Transmission and Practice
Authors: Page Mary Ellen
Published: September 2011

In this paper I shall describe briefly the background and setting of professional storytelling (naqqāli) in present-day Iran. Then I shall examine some aspects of how the craft of storytelling is transmitted, particularly with respect to how a young man becomes a storyteller and what aspects of storytelling are seen as important. Finally, I shall examine how this transmission relates to the way in which storytellers actually construct their performance.

There are two separate, but related, aims in the paper. Through a comparison of the stories told and the literary works used as their source, I shall demonstrate that the Iranian national legend remains creative today. More generally, I shall demonstrate that the abstract values expressed as important to a craft may disregard those very elements which make a craftsman successful and which breathe life into the craft.
Problems of Periodization and Terminology in Ukrainian Historiography
Authors: Horak Stephan M.
Published: September 2011

The late Mykola Chubatyi, a leading Ukrainian historian who resided in this country since 1939, recalled in one of his numerous writings (Ukrains'ka istorychna nauka i ii rozvytok ta dosiahnennia, Philadelphia, 1971) an event involving then Secretary of State Dean Rusk. Asked by one of his associates why he never mentions Ukraine, Rusk answered: “Ukraine is not a statenation and there never existed a Ukrainian state.” Reminded by an insisting friend that this is not the case, because Ukrainians have had their statehood in the Middle Ages and again during the seventeenth century and the Ukrainian SSR is after all a member of the United Nations, Rusk instantly and professorially fired back that Russia always had some problems in the South.
What next in Lisbon?
Authors: Smith Diana
Published: September 2011

In May last year we published two articles on the case of the Portuguese women writers popularly known as the ‘Three Marias’, who were then facing charges of ‘outraging the public morals and abusing the freedom of the press’. Before the issue was printed came the news of the overthrow of the Caetano regime, and we added a note on the acquittal of the Three Marias and their publisher, saying that, for the time being at least, censorship had been lifted.

Recent events have unfortunately given justification to the qualified tone of that statement. The political situation is a highly complex one and it would be rash to predict the final outcome. The fact remains that freedom of the press is once again in jeopardy, with the Communist Party wielding substantial control over what is printed or broadcast and what is not and with widespread State ownership of the media.

The long battle for the Socialist daily, República, has been extensively reported in the world press and is still unresolved at the time of writing. We intend to return to the subject of the Portuguese press in our next issue; today we print an article based on an interview with Francisco Pinto Balsemão, Editor of the successful independent mass-circulation weekly, Expresso, which was founded in 1973. The story seems highly significant in the present Portuguese context, showing the situation of the country's information media in a nutshell.
Reporting in Pretoria
Authors: Bernstein Peter
Published: September 2011

The author of this article is a young American at present studying in Cambridge. Last year he spent six months working as a reporter in South Africa. Here he gives an account of his experience in a country which has over 20 different laws restricting the freedom of the press and where ‘the journalists are mostly white, the newspapers mostly interested in the affairs of the white community, the capital behind the papers is white, the readership is white and, above all, the perspective is white’. Yet all this does not fully explain why the newspapers do not carry all the news that should be printed. Peter Bernstein reveals some of the complex problems behind South African censorship and self-censorship.
Personal view: Pressures in the USA
Authors: Mannes Marya
Published: September 2011

This is the second of a series of occasioned articles in which writers give a personal view of the country in which they live. While accepting Marya Mannes's comment that Index has neglected America, we hasten to point out that a series of three articles was devoted to the House Unamerican Activities Committee and its consequences (Index 1, 2 and 3/1973), and that in Index 1/1975 Richard Kostelanetz made some criticisms of America on somewhat different lines from Miss Mannes. We are aware of many omissions in this area and look forward to making them good as our American contacts (and readership) increase.
2. Bound, gagged and robbed
Authors: Preĉan Vilém
Published: September 2011

Dr Precan's letter was read out at the San Francisco conference by the German historian. Professor Winkler. Karel Kosík's letter to Jean-Paul Sartre follows on p.57. For Ludvík Vaculík's letter to UN Secretary General, Dr Waldheim, see p.12.
2. Seminar threatened
Authors: Azbel Mark
Published: September 2011

Statement by Mark Azbel on KGB threats to institute criminal proceedings against him if he does not cease holding meetings of his scientific seminar.
I want to work
Authors: Chytilová Vêra
Published: September 2011

The following is the text of a letter from Vêra Chytilová, a leading Czech film director, to President Gustav Husák, written last autumn.
EMILIN1–α4/α9 integrin interaction inhibits dermal fibroblast and keratinocyte proliferation
Authors: Danussi Carla , Petrucco Alessandra , Wassermann Bruna , Pivetta Eliana , Modica Teresa Maria Elisa , Belluz Lisa Del Bel , Colombatti Alfonso , Spessotto Paola
Published: September 2011

EMILIN1 promotes α4β1 integrin–dependent cell adhesion and migration and reduces pro–transforming growth factor–β processing. A knockout mouse model was used to unravel EMILIN1 functions in skin where the protein was abundantly expressed in the dermal stroma and where EMILIN1-positive fibrils reached the basal keratinocyte layer. Loss of EMILIN1 caused dermal and epidermal hyperproliferation and accelerated wound closure. We identified the direct engagement of EMILIN1 to α4β1 and α9β1 integrins as the mechanism underlying the homeostatic role exerted by EMILIN1. The lack of EMILIN1–α4/α9 integrin interaction was accompanied by activation of PI3K/Akt and Erk1/2 pathways as a result of the reduction of PTEN. The down-regulation of PTEN empowered Erk1/2 phosphorylation that in turn inhibited Smad2 signaling by phosphorylation of residues Ser245/250/255. These results highlight the important regulatory role of an extracellular matrix component in skin proliferation. In addition, EMILIN1 is identified as a novel ligand for keratinocyte α9β1 integrin, suggesting prospective roles for this receptor–ligand pair in skin homeostasis.
Transmembrane segments of nascent polytopic membrane proteins control cytosol/ER targeting during membrane integration
Authors: Lin Pen-Jen , Jongsma Candice G. , Liao Shuren , Johnson Arthur E.
Published: September 2011

During cotranslational integration of a eukaryotic multispanning polytopic membrane protein (PMP), its hydrophilic loops are alternately directed to opposite sides of the ER membrane. Exposure of fluorescently labeled nascent PMP to the cytosol or ER lumen was detected by collisional quenching of its fluorescence by iodide ions localized in the cytosol or lumen. PMP loop exposure to the cytosol or lumen was controlled by structural rearrangements in the ribosome, translocon, and associated proteins that occurred soon after a nascent chain transmembrane segment (TMS) entered the ribosomal tunnel. Each successive TMS, although varying in length, sequence, hydrophobicity, and orientation, reversed the structural changes elicited by its predecessor, irrespective of loop size. Fluorescence lifetime data revealed that TMSs occupied a more nonpolar environment than secretory proteins inside the aqueous ribosome tunnel, which suggests that TMS recognition by the ribosome involves hydrophobic interactions. Importantly, the TMS-triggered structural rearrangements that cycle nascent chain exposure between cytosolic and lumenal occur without compromising the permeability barrier of the ER membrane.
Actin and microtubules drive differential aspects of planar cell polarity in multiciliated cells
Authors: Werner Michael E. , Hwang Peter , Huisman Fawn , Taborek Peter , Yu Clare C. , Mitchell Brian J.
Published: September 2011

Planar cell polarization represents the ability of cells to orient within the plane of a tissue orthogonal to the apical basal axis. The proper polarized function of multiciliated cells requires the coordination of cilia spacing and cilia polarity as well as the timing of cilia beating during metachronal synchrony. The planar cell polarity pathway and hydrodynamic forces have been shown to instruct cilia polarity. In this paper, we show how intracellular effectors interpret polarity to organize cellular morphology in accordance with asymmetric cellular function. We observe that both cellular actin and microtubule networks undergo drastic reorganization, providing differential roles during the polarized organization of cilia. Using computational angular correlation analysis of cilia orientation, we report a graded cellular organization downstream of cell polarity cues. Actin dynamics are required for proper cilia spacing, global coordination of cilia polarity, and coordination of metachronic cilia beating, whereas cytoplasmic microtubule dynamics are required for local coordination of polarity between neighboring cilia.
The p.Arg63Trp polymorphism controls Vav1 functions and Foxp3 regulatory T cell development
Authors: Colacios Céline , Casemayou Audrey , Dejean Anne S. , Gaits-Iacovoni Frédérique , Pedros Christophe , Bernard Isabelle , Lagrange Dominique , Deckert Marcel , Lamouroux Lucille , Jagodic Maja , Olsson Tomas , Liblau Roland S. , Fournié Gilbert J. , Saoudi Abdelhadi
Published: September 2011

CD4+ regulatory T cells (Treg cells) expressing the transcription factor Foxp3 play a pivotal role in maintaining peripheral tolerance by inhibiting the expansion and function of pathogenic conventional T cells (Tconv cells). In this study, we show that a locus on rat chromosome 9 controls the size of the natural Treg cell compartment. Fine mapping of this locus with interval-specific congenic lines and association experiments using single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) identified a nonsynonymous SNP in the Vav1 gene that leads to the substitution of an arginine by a tryptophan (p.Arg63Trp). This p.Arg63Trp polymorphism is associated with increased proportion and absolute numbers of Treg cells in the thymus and peripheral lymphoid organs, without impacting the size of the Tconv cell compartment. This polymorphism is also responsible for Vav1 constitutive activation, revealed by its tyrosine 174 hyperphosphorylation and increased guanine nucleotide exchange factor activity. Moreover, it induces a marked reduction in Vav1 cellular contents and a reduction of Ca2+ flux after TCR engagement. Together, our data reveal a key role for Vav1-dependent T cell antigen receptor signaling in natural Treg cell development.
Balancing Autonomy Rights and Protection: Children’s Involvement in a Child Safety Online Project
Authors: Ost Suzanne
Published: September 2011

Researchers who involve children in their research are faced with the challenge of choosing between differing theoretical approaches which can prioritise children’s autonomy rights or their ‘vulnerability’ and their need to be protected. Somewhat confusingly, ethical guidelines seem to reflect a combination of these approaches. Even when researchers have settled on their preferred approach, they may find that this then has to be modified in accordance with gatekeeper requirements. In the context of children’s involvement in a child safety online project, this paper highlights the difficulties encountered because of a tension between children’s autonomy rights, educational norms in a school setting and child protection concerns and considers whether an appropriate balance was achieved.
Extramammary Paget’s disease: Evaluation of the histopathological patterns of Paget cell proliferation in the epidermis
Authors: SHIOMI Tatsushi , YOSHIDA Yuichi , SHOMORI Kohei , YAMAMOTO Osamu , ITO Hisao
Published: September 2011

Extramammary Paget’s disease (EMPD) is a rare malignant skin neoplasm. The prototypical pattern of tumor cell proliferation in the epidermis includes single cells and/or nest arrangements, mainly in the lower epidermis. Although other patterns have been recognized, they have not previously been investigated in detail. We aimed to examine the patterns of tumor cell proliferation in the epidermis. Surgical specimens were obtained from 38 patients with primary EMPD. We defined six patterns, in addition to the prototypical one: (i) glandular; (ii) acantholysis‐like; (iii) upper nest; (iv) tall nest; (v) budding; and (vi) sheet‐like. There were 26 males and 12 females (mean age, 75.0 years). Lesions were located on the scrotum (26 cases) and vulva (12). There were 22 in situ EMPD and 16 invasive EMPD. The frequencies of the different proliferation patterns were: glandular, 36.8%; acantholysis‐like, 73.7%; upper nest, 68.4%; tall nest, 28.9%; budding, 47.4%; and sheet‐like, 23.7%. Upper nest pattern and the presence of more than three patterns were significantly more frequent in invasive EMPD than in situ EMPD (P < 0.05). We identified the histopathological patterns of Paget cell proliferation in the epidermis in EMPD, and suggest that the characteristic patterns and the diversity of patterns could be associated with progression and dermal invasion in EMPD.
Cutaneous leishmaniasis in a Japanese returnee from West Africa successfully treated with liposomal amphotericin B
Authors: ONO Misaki , TAKAHASHI Kenzo , TAIRA Kiyohito , UEZATO Hirosi , TAKAMURA Saori , IZAKI Seiichi
Published: September 2011

Leishmaniasis has been occasionally reported in returnees from endemic areas. Here, we report a case of cutaneous leishmaniasis in a 33‐year‐old Japanese man who presented with a skin nodule after returning from an 8‐year stay in West Africa including Burkina Faso. He was successfully treated with liposomal amphotericin B with no significant adverse effects. This is the first Japanese case of cutaneous leishmaniasis treated successfully with liposomal amphotericin B.
Expression of Concern: Hydroxychavicol, a Piper betle leaf component, induces apoptosis of CML cells through mitochondrial reactive oxygen species‐dependent JNK and endothelial nitric oxide synthase activation and overrides imatinib resistance
Authors: Chakraborty Jayashree B. , Mahato Sanjit K. , Joshi Kalpana , Shinde Vaibhav , Rakshit Srabanti , Biswas Nabendu , Choudhury (Mukherjee) Indrani , Mandal Labanya , Ganguly Dipyaman , Chowdhury Avik A. , Chaudhuri Jaydeep , Paul Kausik , Pal Bikas C. , Vinayagam Jayaraman , Pal Churala , Manna Anirban , Jaisankar Parasuraman , Chaudhuri Utpal , Konar Aditya , Roy Siddhartha , Bandyopadhyay Santu
Published: September 2011

Alcoholic extract of Piperbetle (Piper betle L.) leaves was recently found to induce apoptosis of CML cells expressing wild type and mutated Bcr‐Abl with imatinib resistance phenotype. Hydroxychavicol (HCH), a constituent of the alcoholic extract of Piper betle leaves, was evaluated for anti‐CML activity. Here, we report that HCH and its analogues induce killing of primary cells in CML patients and leukemic cell lines expressing wild type and mutated Bcr‐Abl, including the T315I mutation, with minimal toxicity to normal human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. HCH causes early but transient increase of mitochondria‐derived reactive oxygen species. Reactive oxygen species‐dependent persistent activation of JNK leads to an increase in endothelial nitric oxide synthase‐mediated nitric oxide generation. This causes loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, release of cytochrome c from mitochondria, cleavage of caspase 9, 3 and poly‐adenosine diphosphate‐ribose polymerase leading to apoptosis. One HCH analogue was also effective in vivo in SCID mice against grafts expressing the T315I mutation, although to a lesser extent than grafts expressing wild type Bcr‐Abl, without showing significant bodyweight loss. Our data describe the role of JNK‐dependent endothelial nitric oxide synthase‐mediated nitric oxide for anti‐CML activity of HCH and this molecule merits further testing in pre‐clinical and clinical settings. (Cancer Sci 2012; 103: 88–99)
An IκB kinase 2 inhibitor IMD‐0354 suppresses the survival of adult T‐cell leukemia cells
Authors: Uota Shin , Zahidunnabi Dewan Md. , Saitoh Yasunori , Muto Susumu , Itai Akiko , Utsunomiya Atae , Watanabe Toshiki , Yamamoto Naoki , Yamaoka Shoji
Published: September 2011

Adult T‐cell leukemia (ATL) is a fatal T‐cell malignancy associated with human T‐cell leukemia virus type I infection. The aberrant expression of nuclear factor‐κB (NF‐κB) is considered to contribute to the malignant phenotype and chemo‐resistance of ATL cells. Because of the poor prognosis of ATL, the development of new therapeutic strategies is direly needed. In the present study, we show that an IκB kinase 2 (IKK2) inhibitor, IMD‐0354, efficiently inhibits the survival of CD4+ CD25+  primary ATL cells and prevents the growth of or induces apoptosis of patient‐derived ATL cell lines. Assays of transcription with integrated forms of reporter genes revealed that IMD‐0354 suppresses NF‐κB‐dependent transcriptional activity. Moreover, the daily administration of IMD‐0354 prevents the growth of tumors in mice inoculated with ATL cells. Our results suggest that targeting IKK2 with a small molecule inhibitor, such as IMD‐0354, is an attractive strategy for the treatment of ATL. (Cancer Sci 2012; 103: 100–106)
Ancient diversity of splicing motifs and protein surfaces in the wild emmer wheat (Triticum dicoccoides) LR10 coiled coil (CC) and leucine‐rich repeat (LRR) domains
Authors: SELA HANAN , SPIRIDON LAURENTIU N. , PETRESCU ANDREI‐JOSE , AKERMAN MARTIN , MANDEL‐GUTFREUND YAEL , NEVO EVIATAR , LOUTRE CAROLINE , KELLER BEAT , SCHULMAN ALAN H. , FAHIMA TZION
Published: September 2011

In this study, we explore the diversity and its distribution along the wheat leaf rust resistance protein LR10 three‐dimensional structure. Lr10 is a leaf rust resistance gene encoding a coiled coil–nucleotide‐binding site–leucine‐rich repeat (CC–NBS–LRR) class of protein. Lr10 was cloned and sequenced from 58 accessions representing diverse habitats of wild emmer wheat in Israel. Nucleotide diversity was very high relative to other wild emmer wheat genes (π= 0.029). The CC domain was found to be the most diverse domain and subject to positive selection. Superimposition of the diversity on the CC three‐dimensional structure showed that some of the variable and positively selected residues were solvent exposed and may interact with other proteins. The LRR domain was relatively conserved, but showed a hotspot of amino acid variation between two haplotypes in the ninth repeat. This repeat was longer than the other LRRs, and three‐dimensional modelling suggested that an extensive α helix structure was formed in this region. The two haplotypes also differed in splicing regulation motifs. In genotypes with one haplotype, an intron was alternatively spliced in this region, whereas, in genotypes with the other haplotype, this intron did not splice at all. The two haplotypes are proposed to be ancient and maintained by balancing selection.
Bet v 1‐like pollen allergens of multiple Fagales species can sensitize atopic individuals
Authors: Hauser M. , Asam C. , Himly M. , Palazzo P. , Voltolini S. , Montanari C. , Briza P. , Bernardi M. L. , Mari A. , Ferreira F. , Wallner M.
Published: September 2011

Background

In the temperate climate zone of the Northern hemisphere, Fagales pollen allergy represents the main cause of winter/spring pollinosis. Among Fagales trees, pollen allergies are strongly associated within the Betulaceae and the Fagaceae families. It is widely accepted that Fagales pollen allergies are initiated by sensitization against Bet v 1, the birch pollen major allergen, although evidence is accumulating that the allergenic activity of some Bet v 1‐like molecules has been underestimated.

Objective

To investigate the allergenic potential of the clinically most important Fagales pollen allergens from birch, alder, hazel, hornbeam, hop‐hornbeam, oak, beech and chestnut.

Methods

To obtain the full spectrum of allergens, the three previously unavailable members of the Bet v 1‐family, hop‐hornbeam Ost c 1, chestnut Cas s 1 and beech Fag s 1, were identified in the respective pollen extracts, cloned and produced as recombinant proteins in E. coli. Together with recombinant Bet v 1, Aln g 1, Car b 1, Cor a 1 and Que a 1, the molecules were characterized physicochemically, mediator release assays were performed and IgE cross‐reactivity was evaluated by ELISA and Immuno Solid‐phase Allergen Chip (ISAC) IgE inhibition assays.

Results

All allergens showed the typical Bet v 1‐like secondary structure elements, and they were all able to bind serum IgE from Fagales allergic donors. Strong IgE binding was observed for Betuloideae and Coryloideae allergens, however, cross‐reactivity between the two subfamilies was limited as explored by inhibition experiments. In contrast, IgE binding to members of the Fagaceae could be strongly inhibited by serum pre‐incubation with allergens of the Betuloideae subfamily.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance

The data suggest that Bet v 1‐like allergens of the Betuloideae and Coryloideae subfamily might have the potential to induce IgE antibodies with different specificities, while allergic reactions towards Fagaceae allergens are the result of IgE cross‐reactivity.
Increases in muscle blood flow after a mixed meal are impaired at all stages of type 2 diabetes
Authors: Lambadiari Vaia , Mitrou Panayota , Maratou Eirini , Raptis Athanassios , Raptis Sotirios A. , Dimitriadis George
Published: September 2011

Objective  In type 2 diabetes, although the impairment of postprandial muscle blood flow response is well established, information on the effect of this impairment on glucose uptake and lipid metabolism is controversial.

Design  Postprandial forearm blood flow responses and metabolic parameters were assessed in a cross‐sectional study of subjects at various stages of insulin resistance.

Patients  Eleven healthy subjects (CONTROLS), 11 first‐degree relatives of type‐2 diabetics (RELATIVES), 10 patients with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), 10 diabetic patients with postprandial hyperglycaemia (DMA), and 13 diabetic patients with both fasting and postprandial hyperglycaemia (DMB).

Measurements  All subjects received a meal. Blood was drawn from a forearm deep vein and the radial artery at specific time‐points during a period of 360 min for measurements of glucose, insulin, triglycerides and nonesterified‐fatty acids. Forearm muscle blood flow was measured with strain‐gauge plethysmography. Glucose uptake and ISI Index were calculated.

Results  Peak‐baseline muscle blood flow was higher in CONTROLS (3·32 ± 0·4) than in RELATIVES (0·53 ± 0·29), IGT (0·82 ± 0·2), DMA (1·44 ± 0·34), DMB (1·23 ± 0·35 ml/min/100 ml tissue), P < 0·001. Glucose uptake (AUC0−360,μmol/100 ml tissue) was higher in CONTROLS (1023 ± 132) than in RELATIVES (488 ± 42), IGT (458 ± 43), DMA (347 ± 63), DMB (543 ± 53), P < 0·001. ISI index, postprandial triglycerides and nonesterified‐fatty acids behaved in a similar way. Peak‐baseline muscle blood flow correlated positively with glucose uptake (r = 0·440, P = 0·001) and ISI index (r = 0·397, P = 0·003), and negatively with postprandial triglycerides (r = −0·434, P = 0·001) and nonesterified‐fatty acids (r = −0·370, P = 0·005).

Conclusions  These results suggest that increase in muscle blood flow after a meal is impaired at all stages of type‐2 diabetes. This defect influences glucose uptake and is associated with impaired lipid metabolism in the postprandial state.
Trade‐off between drag reduction and light interception of macrophytes: comparing five aquatic plants with contrasting morphology
Authors: Bal Kris D. , Bouma Tjeerd J. , Buis Kerst , Struyf Eric , Jonas Schoelynck , Backx Hans , Meire Patrick
Published: September 2011

1. Macrophytes in running waters experience an often dynamic and harsh environment. To avoid breakage, plants have to reduce the experienced drag force. However, by reducing leaf area, photosynthetic production is less. Aquatic plants therefore have to find a balance between reducing drag and maintaining photosynthetic capacity.

2. In the experiments in this study, we assessed to what extent different morphological strategies (emergent vs. submerged) were able to minimize drag while maximizing leaf area.

3. From our measurements, it is clear that with increasing water velocities, emergent plant species have a drag value three to four times higher than submerged species.

4. To test the versatility of leaves, leaves were removed and their effect on drag and bending was investigated. Almost 60% of the drag is contributed by the leaves, and stems bend less when leaves are removed.

5. Because high submerged leaf area increases not only plant drag but also photosynthetic yield, a trade‐off between both parameters was investigated in the function of stream velocity. Emerged species had a more favourable trade‐off at low stream velocities. However, with increasing stream velocity, submerged species could reduce their drag more in comparison with blunt objects. Within these submerged species, a clear distinction was seen between those (Potamogeton natans) concentrating their leaf area on or just beneath the water surface (Stuckenia pectinata) and those with more or less evenly distributed biomass (Callitriche platycarpaandRanunculus penicillatus).

6. These results indicate that aquatic plants with an emergent strategy are able to take better advantage of zones with reduced hydraulic forces than submerged plants. Additionally, this plant occurrence will be determined by the relationship between total plant drag and root strength.
Gregarious flowering and death of understorey bamboo slow litter decomposition and nitrogen turnover in a southern temperate forest in Patagonia, Argentina
Authors: Austin Amy T. , Marchesini Victoria A.
Published: September 2011

1. The massive synchronized flowering and subsequent mortality of understorey bamboo species occur in infrequent and unpredictable intervals in temperate and subtropical forests around the world. Because of the sporadic occurrence of these flowering episodes and the long intervals between events, very little is known about their consequences on biogeochemical cycling in natural ecosystems.

2. In 2001, a synchronized flowering and dieback of the native bamboo,Chusquea culeouE. Desv., occurred, covering more than 200 000 ha in the north‐west region of Patagonia, Argentina. We explored the impacts of this gregarious flowering event on litter decomposition and nitrogen turnover in an old‐growth southern beech forest for 3 years after the flowering event.

3. Bamboo litter decomposed significantly slower than overstorey tree litter, and decomposition in flowered patches overall was significantly reduced compared to remnant live understorey patches. In addition, soil mineral nitrogen was reduced in flowered patches, and nitrogen transformations were altered, most notably in the third year after the flowering event.

4. This infrequent phenomenon of gregarious flowering could have consequences for carbon and nutrient cycling, as low‐quality standing dead biomass is gradually incorporated into soil organic matter pools. This study demonstrates that large biotically mediated perturbations of understorey vegetation can impact biogeochemical cycles in temperate forest ecosystems by reducing carbon turnover and altering nitrogen availability and transformations, even in the absence of physical disturbance.
No evidence for the evolution of thermal or desiccation tolerance of eggs among populations of Manduca sexta
Authors: Potter Kristen A. , Woods H. Arthur
Published: September 2011

1. Populations within species often occur across divergent habitats and, under the right conditions, can adapt to local conditions. For adult and larval insects, local adaptation in tolerance traits, e.g. thermoregulation and water conservation, is well documented. Eggs of insects are immobile, non‐feeding and relatively small, and therefore may be at greater risk from abiotic threats. Selection, therefore, may favour strategies that allow embryos to be robust to desiccation and thermal stresses. In particular, the canteen hypothesis predicts that eggs in hot and dry environments contain more water, and this extra water protects them from elevated rates of water loss.

2. This study tests the canteen hypothesis by (i) examining geographic patterns of egg size and water content and (ii) measuring egg and neonate performance across a range of manipulated temperatures and humidities. We focused on eggs of the hawkmoth, Manduca sexta (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae). Manduca eggs are larger in xeric regions of the United States – e.g. the southwestern deserts – compared with M. sexta eggs from eastern, mesic regions.

3. Specifically, we asked: do eggs from warmer or drier regions (i) contain more water, (ii) perform better in dry conditions and (iii) tolerate higher temperatures? We also assessed whether desiccation during the egg stage affects subsequent growth of larvae. We tested M. sexta eggs from three environments: Arizona (warm, dry), North Carolina (cool, humid) and a laboratory strain (cool, dry).

4. Although M. sexta eggs from warmer and drier populations were larger and contained more water, these changes did not protect them better from abiotic stress. Eggs from all populations were similarly tolerant of high heat and low humidity. Desiccation during the egg stage also had no long‐term effects on hatchling growth rate.

5. Our results provided little support for local adaptation in abiotic stress physiology via the canteen hypothesis. However, low humidity and delayed hatching suggest a different mechanism for desiccation resistance: embryos may modify eggshell conductance in response to internal water status. The geographic cline in egg size may instead arise from selection on any of the three subsequent life stages or may reflect other evolutionary pressures on number‐size trade‐offs.
Combined magnetic, electromagnetic and resistivity study over a highly conductive formation in Orrivaara, Northern Sweden
Authors: Persson Lena , Lundin Ildikó Antal , Pedersen Laust B. , Claeson Dick
Published: September 2011

Different geophysical methods were used to determine the characteristics of a highly conductive structure in Northern Sweden, first discovered on airborne data. Airborne electromagnetic (very low frequency) data indicate a high conductivity structure coincident with low magnetic patterns. The airborne data were processed in different ways to enhance various structures/features. In particular we introduce a new transformation to current density that is suitable for delineating conductive structures. Ground measurements of the total magnetic field, radiomagnetotelluric measurements and resistivity imaging provided valuable information that was used in the compilation of a new bedrock map over the area. The results of our measurements indicate that the conducting structure consists of metasedimentary rocks containing thin horizons of pyrrhotite and graphite.
Scalar, vector, tensor magnetic anomalies: measurement or computation?
Authors: Munschy Marc , Fleury Simon
Published: September 2011

Magnetic surveys for geophysical interpretation will most usefully furnish estimates of the three components of the magnetic field vector. We review methods for obtaining this information based on scalar and tensor magnetic field measurements and point out the advantages of fluxgate vector measurements. Fluxgate vector magnetometers can be powerful instruments in magnetic mapping. The main problems in using fluxgate magnetometers arise from calibration errors and drift but these can be overcome using a quick and simple method of calibration. This method also has the advantage of compensating permanent and induced magnetic fields generated by the airplane. This is illustrated by a new aeromagnetic survey flown in the Vosges area (France). Measurement accuracy is shown to be similar to that obtained with scalar magnetometers. We take advantage of this accuracy to calculate in the Fourier domain other magnetic functions from the total‐field anomaly, in particular, the magnetic gradient tensor is obtained without using any superconducting quantum devices. A similar approach is used to introduce a new magnetic anomaly tensor that is the equivalent of the pseudo‐gravity tensor. Maps presented in the last sections serve as an example to illustrate the various functions, the goal of the paper being to obtain magnetic vector data from the observations without first postulating the detailed nature of the sources.
Deterioration ofNorway spruce vitality despite a sharp decline in acid deposition: a long‐term integrated perspective
Authors: Jonard Mathieu , Legout Arnaud , Nicolas Manuel , Dambrine Etienne , Nys Claude , Ulrich Erwin , van der Perre Raphaele , Ponette Quentin
Published: September 2011

Since the late 1970s, several long‐term ecological studies were conducted to better understand the biogeochemical functioning ofNorway spruce stands in theArdennes as these nutrient‐poor ecosystems were subject to high levels of acid deposition and exhibited symptoms of tree health decline. Between 1978 and 2009, acid deposition declined sharply, especially sulfur and to a lesser extent nitrogen deposition. The aim of this study was (i) to determine if theNorway spruce stands recovered after the reduction of acid deposition and (ii) to explain why such a recovery occurred or not. Therefore, we collected data from different projects carried out in theArdennes to characterize the long‐term temporal trends in soil solution chemistry, foliar nutrition, and crown condition. In parallel, a model describing the nutrient cycling in forests (NuCM) was calibrated and used to check the consistency of the observed temporal trends and to explain them. The soil solution concentration of most of the elements decreased between 1978 and 2002, which was ascribed to a decrease in atmospheric deposition. For potassium, a decline in the exchangeable pool was also showed based on the simulation carried out with NuCM. As nitrogen (N) deposition remained at an elevated level,Norway spruce stands were progressively saturated in N and mineral nutrition became more and more unbalanced. Except the foliar N and Al concentration that remained constant and increased respectively, the foliar concentration of all other nutrients decreased between 1993 and 2009, which can be explained by the decrease in ion concentration in solution. These nutritional disorders weakened trees and were probably exacerbated during the 2003 summer drought, after which symptoms of vitality loss progressively appeared. In these N‐saturated ecosystems, the N cycle was disrupted by this health decline, which increasedNO3−leaching reinforcing soil acidification and risk of aluminum (Al) toxicity.
Global change belowground: impacts of elevated CO2, nitrogen, and summer drought on soil food webs and biodiversity
Authors: Eisenhauer Nico , Cesarz Simone , Koller Robert , Worm Kally , Reich Peter B.
Published: September 2011

The world's ecosystems are subjected to various anthropogenic global change agents, such as enrichment of atmospheric CO2 concentrations, nitrogen (N) deposition, and changes in precipitation regimes. Despite the increasing appreciation that the consequences of impending global change can be better understood if varying agents are studied in concert, there is a paucity of multi‐factor long‐term studies, particularly on belowground processes. Herein, we address this gap by examining the responses of soil food webs and biodiversity to enrichment of CO2, elevated N, and summer drought in a long‐term grassland study at Cedar Creek, Minnesota, USA (BioCON experiment). We use structural equation modeling (SEM), various abiotic and biotic explanatory variables, and data on soil microorganisms, protozoa, nematodes, and soil microarthropods to identify the impacts of multiple global change effects on drivers belowground. We found that long‐term (13‐year) changes in CO2 and N availability resulted in modest alterations of soil biotic food webs and biodiversity via several mechanisms, encompassing soil water availability, plant productivity, and – most importantly – changes in rhizodeposition. Four years of manipulation of summer drought exerted surprisingly minor effects, only detrimentally affecting belowground herbivores and ciliate protists at elevated N. Elevated CO2 increased microbial biomass and the density of ciliates, microarthropod detritivores, and gamasid mites, most likely by fueling soil food webs with labile C. Moreover, beneficial bottom‐up effects of elevated CO2 compensated for detrimental elevated N effects on soil microarthropod taxa richness. In contrast, nematode taxa richness was lowest at elevated CO2 and elevated N. Thus, enrichment of atmospheric CO2 concentrations and N deposition may result in taxonomically and functionally altered, potentially simplified, soil communities. Detrimental effects of N deposition on soil biodiversity underscore recent reports on plant community simplification. This is of particular concern, as soils house a considerable fraction of global biodiversity and ecosystem functions.
Changes in aquatic vegetation and fish communities following 5 years of sustained low water levels in coastal marshes of eastern Georgian Bay, Lake Huron
Authors: Midwood Jonathan D. , Chow‐Fraser Patricia
Published: September 2011

Aquatic vegetation in the relatively pristine coastal wetlands of eastern Georgian Bay provides critical habitat for a diverse fish community. Declining water levels in Lake Huron over the past decade, however, have altered the wetland plant assemblages in favour of terrestrial (emergent and meadow) taxa and have thus reduced or eliminated this important ecosystem service. In this study, we compared IKONOS satellite images for two regions of eastern Georgian Bay (acquired in 2002 and 2008) to determine significant changes in cover of four distinct wetland vegetation groups [meadow (M), emergent (E), high‐density floating (HD) and low‐density floating (LD)] over the 6 years. While LD decreased significantly (mean −2995.4 m2), M and HD increased significantly (mean +2020.9 m2 and +2312.6 m2, respectively) between 2002 and 2008. Small patches of LD had been replaced by larger patches of HD. These results show that sustained low water levels have led to an increasingly homogeneous habitat and an overall net loss of fish habitat. A comparison of the fish communities sampled between 2003 and 2005 with those sampled in 2009 revealed that there was a significant decline in species richness. The remaining fish communities were also more homogeneous. We suggest that the observed changes in the wetland plant community due to prolonged low water levels may have resulted in significant changes in the fish communities of coastal wetlands in eastern Georgian Bay.