bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Where Was the Portrait of Ulugh Beg Painted?
Authors: Ashrafi M. M.
Published: July 2007

The fifteenth century was the golden age of miniature painting. This is strikingly illustrated by the survival both of written sources describing the development of the art and of the miniatures themselves.

Various Soviet Scholars including A. A. Semenov, G. A. Pugachenkova, V. G. Dolinskaya, O. I. Galerkina, N. V. Diakonova, O. F. Akimushkin, and A. A. Ivanov, as well as the present writer, have all worked on the problem of the development of the Central Asian miniature. Thanks to their studies, the outline of the Samarqand miniature, something unknown not long ago, has gradually begun to emerge. The issue of the Samarqand miniature has not yet been fully resolved and many problems still remain. These include the difficulties of access to the miniatures themselves which are kept in various libraries, museums, and private collections around the world and the fact that the vast majority have not been published.
The Role of Military Expenditures in Pre‐Revolutionary Iran's Economic Decline
Authors: Looney Robert E.
Published: July 2007

I told the Shah that if the Army budget were increased we could do little if any thing for agriculture, education or public health. He said, “Very well, then; we'll have to postpone those things.”

This incident occurred in 1943, a year after the Shah had succeeded his father and was recounted by A. C. Millspough, then financial advisor to the Iranian government.

By the 1970s, however, the Iranian government was denying the relevance of the “guns versus butter” tradeoff for the country. The Shah posed the problem differently, “What is the use of having an advanced industry in a country which could be brought to its knees when faced with any small asinine event?” Asked on a subsequent occasion whether the desire for maximum national power implicit in such defense expenditure was compatible with the efforts to achieve maximum economic development, he replied, “It is not only compatible but essential.
The Evolution of the Safavid Royal Guard
Authors: Haneda Masashi
Published: July 2007

Ever since Minorsky published his introduction and commentary on the Safavid manual of administration Tadhkirat al-Mulūk, which has become a classic in the field, scholars have come to agree on the tribal character of the state that was founded by Shah Esma`il. In fact, it is through the military force of the Turkmen tribes, the Qezelbash, that Shah Esma`il was able to accede to the throne, thus inaugurating a period of relative stability for Iran that lasted more than two centuries. Iran owed its ability to resist the recurring and alternating attacks by the Ottoman Empire and the Uzbegs to Qezelbash power as well.

Initially mobilized by religious fanaticism, the military strength of the Qezelbash became a double-edged sword for the Safavid rulers with the waning of unconditional Qezelbash devotion to the shah. Though they were indispensable to the defense of the empire's frontiers, the Qezelbash amirs, with their unbridled despotism and the resulting turmoil, never ceased to be a prime source of concern for the rulers.
The Study of History in Post-Revolutionary Iran: Nostalgia, Illusion, or Historical Awareness?
Authors: Amanat Abbas
Published: July 2007

Lo! thou the awareness-seeking heart, see by the sight,

Make the palace of Mada'in the mirror of your heart.

Khaqani's opening verse in his famous qaṣīda of Ivan-i Mada'in has a recognizable resonance in the works of many Persian writers, poets, and historians of pre-modern times who tried to make sense of the events and upheavals of the past. For them ‘ibrat, which in this context may loosely be translated as a grievous sense of historical consciousness, was the essence of the past. It made them see in the ruins of the once mighty empire, or the records of kings of bygone times, the never-ending cycle of the rise and fall of worldly powers. The Sassanian arch of the palace of Ctesiphon in the above verse was a powerful metaphor for the believer and the skeptic alike.

In modern Persian historical accounts, for all intents and purposes, this sense of ‘ibrat was lost to the multitudes, if not to a handful of the adept.
Allocation of Educational and Occupational Opportunities in the Islamic Republic of Iran: A Case Study in the Political Screening of Human Capital
Authors: Habibi Nader
Published: July 2007

The Iranian Revolution, while similar to other modern revolutions in many aspects, has resulted in several innovative social policies which have not been pursued as seriously by other revolutionary governments. In this paper we will study one political innovation that has significant consequences for economic development. Taking advantage of its near monopoly on higher education and complete control over public sector employment, the Iranian government has set up a complex system of political screening and filtering for admission to colleges and universities, as well public sector employment.

This filtering process is complemented by a quota system which further enables the government to control the accessibility of higher education and public sector employment to various social groups. As would be expected, public reactions to these discriminatory policies are diverse. The beneficiary social groups offer justifications for this policy while those who are damaged by it express resentment in private circles.
The Career of Mohammad Beg, Grand Vizier of Shah 'Abbas II (r. 1642-1666)
Authors: Matthee Rudi
Published: July 2007

La plus belle charge de la cour, c'est la faveur.

Safavid historiography has oscillated between admiration and vilification in its appraisal of Shah ‘Abbas II's reign (1642-1666). In the accounts of contemporary observers—for the most part European travelers—one finds favorable descriptions of the shah and his court as part of a positive assessment of the overall state of the country. Impressed by the hospitality they enjoyed at the court of Isfahan, these foreign visitors spoke highly of a magnanimous and tolerant monarch; moreover, the absence of rebellion and relatively secure roads prompted them to refer to Iran as a prosperous and stable country. Those who visited Iran within a generation after the shah's death corroborated this image; indeed, in their narratives one already finds an element of nostalgia for the days of ‘Abbas II.
Masterpieces of Persian Textiles from the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts Collection
Authors: Salam‐Liebich Hayat
Published: July 2007

The aim of this article is to introduce a fine and representative, but little-known, collection of Persian woven fabrics in the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. These superb specimens reflect both the chronological and technical range of textile production in Islamic Iran, from the provocative fabrics found at Rayy to the myriad of sumptuous weavings produced on Safavid looms.

The greatest number of these textiles entered the Museum's collection through the active efforts of a single person, F. Cleveland Morgan. A pioneering and avid collector, true connoisseur and art lover, Morgan founded the Museum's Decorative Arts department in 1917 and, during his fifty years’ association with the Museum, many objects found their way into the Montreal collection. Not only did he himself contribute many objects to develop then little appreciated fields, such as Islamic art, but he also encouraged other donors and advised potential patrons to follow his example. In a final act of generosity, Morgan bequeathed his own collection to the Museum, thus further enriching the department which he himself had created.
The Sufi Lords of Bahrabad: Sa‘d al-Din and Sadr al-Din Hamuwayi
Authors: Elias Jamal J.
Published: July 2007

The Seljuk and Khwarazmid periods witnessed a growing relationship between Sufism and the state in the central Islamic lands. This link grew even stronger during the Ilkhanid Mongol period when there was an immense rise in the influence of Sufi masters in court circles, so much so that, in many ways, some Sufi figures became the primary religious authorities in Ilkhanid Iran. At the same time, there also appears to have been a blurring of the philosophical line separating Sufism from Shi'ism.

The family of wealthy Sufi masters from Bahrabad in Khurasan has attracted the attention of modern scholars on account of their involvement with the highest levels of the Ilkhanid state machinery and their association with the Kubrawi order and its influential figures, such as Najm al-Din Kubra, Sayf al-Din Bakharzi, and ‘Ala’ al-Dawla Simnani.
Local Authorities, Tourism and Competition
Authors: Ball Rick , Stobart Jon
Published: July 2007

Tourism development has become a popular pursuit for local authorities seeking to generate new economic horizons. This requires the existence of some special attraction or package, something to distinguish an area from the basic diet of potentials that everywhere else can offer, or a strong competitive edge in what might be labelled as conventional markets. Unfortunately, new ways of nurturing tourism activity are increasingly hard to find and the tourism development scene is an increasingly competitive arena. Yet, competition is an unspoken word within the realms of tourism professionals, and a matter that is rarely confronted in any overt way by researcher
THE ROLES OF LIFE EVENTS AND SUPPORT NETWORKS IN THE AETIOLOGY OF FEMALE ALCOHOL DEPENDENCE
Authors: Holubowycz O.T.
Published: July 2007

Epidemiological research in medicine and psychiatry has recently illustrated the significance of life adjustment and adversity associated with life events in the development of illness.

The present paper reports findings from a study of the predisposing and precipitating factors of alcohol dependence in women. Quantitative measures of distress and life change associated with life events experienced by a group of alcohol‐dependent women and a group of age‐matched control women are presented. The life events are further analyzed according to their classification as controllable or uncontrollable. It is proposed that life events have some aetiological significance in the development of female alcohol dependence.

If it is assumed that some factors, such as a high level of distress and life change associated with life events, may predispose a woman to develop alcohol‐related problems, it must simultaneously be assumed that other factors may act to decrease the probability of the development of excessive drinking. One such factor that in more recent years has been recognized as an important mediator in the adjustment to distress is the existence of a social support network. This paper discusses the potential mediating role played by such networks.

The paper also provides a brief description of the research design of the study, as well as the methods used in gathering the data.
REFERRAL PATTERNS BETWEEN HOSPITALS AND A SPECIALIZED ADDICTION CLINIC
Authors: Stanhope J.M.
Published: July 2007

Patient records were surveyed for a two‐year period from 1 December 1980. Referrals between hospitals and the Langton Clinic numbered 561 of which 446 (80%) were referred for assessment/management of alcohol and drug‐related problems, and 44 were referred from the Clinic because they required base hospital care (24 patients) or acute psychiatric care (20 patients).

Such inter‐hospital referrals accounted for about 20% of all patient contacts with the Langton Clinic. The mutually supportive roles of the general, psychiatric and addiction hospitals are discussed.
THE LANGTON CLINIC CLIENTELE: SOCIAL & DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS OF ALCOHOL AND DRUG DEPENDENT PATIENTS
Authors: Stanhope John M.
Published: July 2007

One year's experience of patients admitted to the Langton Clinic for the first time in 1980–81 is reviewed. Alcohol was the principal or only drug abused by 388 patients, and was abused conjointly with other drugs by 58 patients; 188 patients abused other drugs, but not alcohol.

Various sub‐cultural groups were suspected from the distribution of drug used, sex, age, religion and country of birth. Patients were characterized by social, marital and employment difficulties rather than physical and psychiatric morbidity.
The Newcastle Experience
Authors: Foy Aidan
Published: July 2007

Abstract: The Newcastle medical curriculum, with its emphasis on a multidisciplinary, problem‐based learning approach, is suggested as being particularly appropriate for teaching drug and alcohol topics. Examples are given of the teaching methods used.
Predictors of Alcohol Dependence in a Sample of Women
Authors: Holubowycz O.T.
Published: July 2007

Abstract: Predictors of alcohol dependence were investigated in a clinical sample of 59 women in inpatient alcohol treatment in Adelaide and in a similar number of matched controls. The strongest statistical predictors of alcohol dependence were high depression, smoking, sex‐role identity conflict and non‐positive perception of mother's personality.
A Placebo Controlled Trial of Clonidine in the Outpatient Management of Heroin Withdrawal
Authors: Batey R. , Liddle C. , Craig P.
Published: July 2007

Abstract: We report the outcome of thirty‐one patients, entered in a double blind controlled trial of clonidine in the outpatient management of heroin withdrawal. All study patients were monitored on a daily basis and their treatment regime was modified to control symptoms experienced during withdrawal. Symptoms and signs were recorded daily. Clonidine was no more effective than placebo in achieving a successful withdrawal although symptoms were less severe in those patients who received the active drug. The study design engendered anxiety in all patients and this may have decreased the efficacy of the treatment regime. Further studies of clonidine in the management of heroin withdrawal in a variety of settings are warranted.
The WHO Project on Early Detection and Treatment of Harmful Alcohol Consumption
Authors: Saunders John B.
Published: July 2007

Abstract: The WHO Collaborative Project on the Detection and Treatment of Harmful Alcohol Consumption is described. Six centres from countries in both the developing and developed world are involved. The first phase of the project involved the development of a simple screening instrument for harmful alcohol consumption; the second phase involved the development and evaluation of methods of brief intervention applicable to primary health care settings.
Adaptation in Membrane Ca2+ Channels as a Basis for Alcohol‐Related Pathology
Authors: Littleton J.M. , Harper J.C. , Brennan C.H. , Guppy L.J.
Published: July 2007

Abstract: This paper is a review, based largely though not exclusively on work from the authors' research group, of the role of Ca2+ channels in the actions of ethanol. The position is taken that an important consequence of the presence of ethanol in the region of excitable cells is a reduction in voltage‐activation of membrane ion channels with a resulting decrease in cellular excitability. We suggest that excitable cells adapt to this effect by increasing the number of Ca2+ channels on the cell membrane. The channels are of a subtype which are inhibited by the dihydropyridine Ca2+ “antagonist” drugs. Although the mechanism of Ca2+ channel up‐regulation is an effective short‐term measure as adaptation against the acute effects of ethanol, we consider it may have detrimental longer term consequences including physical dependence and alcohol‐related pathology including the death of excitable cells.
Patients with Alcohol‐Related Brain Damage: Therapy and Outcome
Authors: Lennane K. Jean
Published: July 2007

Abstract: Australia has a very high incidence of alcohol‐related brain damage, and patients with this condition present particular problems in rehabilitation. A series of 104 patients admitted to the rehabilitation unit at Rozelle Hospital in 1983 was followed up for a mean of 16 months after discharge. At that stage, 51% of patients were stable and sober in the community, though none was fully independent. Eleven per cent were still in hospital, 5% were known to be dead, and 33% were lost to follow‐up. The more severely damaged on neuropsychological testing appeared to do better than the less severe, although those still in hospital at follow‐up were among the worst damaged of the series. The program is described, with suggested reasons for its success with particular patient groups, and implications for treatment of patients who are less overtly damaged.
Teenage drug use — a study of drug use patterns and attitudes of a subgroup of Sydney adolescents
Authors: Reilly Catherine J. , Homel Peter J.
Published: July 2007

Abstract: During October, 1986, a survey of the recreational drug using habits of 1,071 youths aged between 15 and 18 years was conducted in the streets of Sydney. To be included in the study, the youths had to have used at least one of the following drugs within the previous month: amphetamines, cocaine, hallucinogens, designer drugs, tranquillisers, barbiturates, opioids or inhalants. This paper reports upon the drug use behaviours, intentions and attitudes of these odolescents. Analyses indicated that clear subgroups of drug users exist: stimulant users, sedative users and opioid users. Furthermore, a concern with “controlled” drug use was evident amongst the sampled youths.
Alcoholism in Australia, the 1880s to the 1980s: from medical science to political science
Authors: Lewis Milton
Published: July 2007

Abstract: The disease concept of alcoholism has been central to the response to alcohol‐related problems in Australia. The history of alcoholism from colonial times to the present is discussed with reference to alcohol consumption, legislative action, inquiries by medical and other bodies, and services especially treatment services provided by government and non‐government organisations. In the 1980s the position of the disease concept perspective has been declining while a wider politico‐economic perspective has become established.
Issues in developing a community medication collection: An overview of medidump projects*
Authors: Wilks Jeffrey , Withers Christelle
Published: July 2007

Abstract: Each year hundreds of people are admitted to hospitals as a result of inappropriate ingestion of medications. Non‐compliance with prescription directions is a particular problem among the elderly. Young children are also at risk for accidental poisoning, especially when unused and out‐of‐date medications are not stored safely in the home. Many campaigns encouraging the public to dispose of old medications have been run by service clubs, government agencies and pharmacies. However, few Australian groups have documented their projects in any detail and most show little appreciation of the legal and ethical implications of such programs. This paper draws attention to some of the relevant issues involved and offers guidelines for conducting medication collections in the community.
Murine Chemokine CXCL2/KC Is a Surrogate Marker for Angiogenic Activity in the Inflammatory Granulation Tissue
Authors: BELO A. V. , LELES F. , BARCELOS L. S. , FERREIRA M. A. N. D. , BAKHLE Y. S. , TEIXEIRA M. M. , ANDRADE S. P.
Published: July 2007

Objectives:A wide range of compounds inhibit formation of new blood vessels in a variety of models, accompanied by decreases in pro‐angiogenic cytokines. The authors sought a surrogate marker for the complex process of neovascularization by correlating inhibition of cytokine production with anti‐angiogenic effect.

Methods:Three anti‐angiogenic compounds, clotrimazole (120 mg kg−1day−1), thalidomide (100 mg kg−1day−1), and rosiglitazone (10 mg kg−1day−1), were used to inhibit angiogenesis developing over 9 days, in sponges implanted subcutaneously in Swiss mice. Angiogenesis was assessed by hemoglobin content and by histology. Content of cytokines in implants was measured by specific immunoassays and accumulation of neutrophils or macrophages in implants by measuring myeloperoxidase orN‐acetylglucosaminidase activity, respectively.

Results:These compounds caused equal inhibition of angiogenesis (about 40%). However, implant levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), tumor necrosis factor (TNF‐α) or the macrophage chemoattractant cytokine, CCL2/MCP‐1/JE, and accumulation of macrophages were more variably inhibited. Only the neutrophil chemokine, CXCL2/KC, was inhibited equally by the three compounds, in this model.

Conclusions:Anti‐angiogenic effect was most clearly and closely correlated with levels of the chemokine KC. Thus, measurement of the chemokine KC might provide an adequate surrogate marker for the functional process of neovascularization in our model.
Angiogenesis and Microvascular Remodeling: A Brief History and Future Roadmap
Authors: SKALAK THOMAS C.
Published: July 2007

Angiogenesis and vessel remodeling determine the integrative control of the architectural structure and functional behaviors of the microcirculation over the lifetime of an organism. Vascular remodeling is the basis of promising therapeutic strategies, including vascularization of ischemic organs. The history of angiogenesis research is long—more than 250 years—and the Microcirculatory Society has been the birthplace of numerous techniques, assays, and scientific concepts that have stimulated massive research endeavors in the pharmaceutical and medical arena. At present, angiogenesis is a dynamic field in which the molecular genetic and proteomic components of the process are still being identified, while integrative systems approaches are once again being recognized as essential to understand microvascular assemblyin vivoacross multiple scales from cells to whole vessel networks. A short history of people and ideas in this field is presented, followed by discussion of emerging directions receiving intense attention today and major questions that remain unanswered. The primary conclusion is that the need for scientists trained in the integrative approaches nurtured by the Microcirculatory Society over the past 50 years has never been greater, as it is clear that a complete mechanistic understanding of vessel adaptation (based on genomic and proteomic supporting casts) will now require deeper studies of angiogenesis and microvascular remodeling in the exquisite complexity of the native microenvironment—the microcirculation.
Membrane Hyperpolarization Is Not Required for Sustained Muscarinic Agonist‐Induced Increases in Intracellular Ca2+ in Arteriolar Endothelial Cells
Authors: COHEN KENNETH D. , JACKSON WILLIAM F.
Published: July 2007

Objective: Hyperpolarization modulates Ca2+ influx during agonist stimulation in many endothelial cells, but the effects of hyperpolarization on Ca2+ influx in freshly isolated arteriolar endothelial cells are unknown. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to characterize agonist‐induced Ca2+ transients in freshly isolated arteriolar endothelial cells and to test the hypothesis that membrane hyperpolarization augments agonist‐induced Ca2+ influx into these cells.

Methods: Arterioles were removed from hamster cremaster muscles and arteriolar endothelial cells were enzymatically isolated. Endothelial cells were loaded with Fura 2‐AM and the Fura 2 ratio measured photometrically as an index of intracellular Ca2+. The cells were then stimulated with the muscarinic, cholinergic agonist, methacholine, and the resulting Ca2+ transients were measured.

Results: Methacholine (1 μ M) increased the endothelial cell Fura 2 ratio from a baseline of 0.81 ± 0.02 to an initial peak of 1.17 ± 0.05 (n = 17) followed by a sustained plateau of 1.12 ± 0.07. The plateau phase of the Ca2+ transient was inhibited by removal of extracellular Ca2+ (n = 12, p < .05), or the nonselective cation channel blockers Gd3+ (30 μ M; n = 7, p < .05) or La3+ (50 μ M; n = 7, p < .05) without significant effect on the baseline or peak (p > .05). The initial peak of methacholine‐induced Ca2+ transients was inhibited by the IP3‐receptor antagonist xestospongin D (10 μ M, n = 5, p < .05). The methacholine‐induced Ca2+ transients were accompanied by endothelial cell hyperpolarization of approximately 14–18 mV, as assessed by experiments using the potentiometric dye, di‐8‐ANEPPS as well as by patch‐clamp experiments. However, inhibition of hyperpolarization by blockade of Ca2+‐activated K+ channels with charybdotoxin (100 nM) and apamin (100 nM) (n = 5), or exposure of endothelial cells to 80 or 145 mM KCl (both n = 7) had no effect on the plateau phase of methacholine‐induced Ca2+ transients (p > .05).

Conclusions: Freshly isolated arteriolar endothelial cells display agonist‐induced Ca2+ transients. For the muscarinic agonist, methacholine, these Ca2+ transients result from release of Ca2+ from intracellular stores through IP3 receptors, followed by sustained influx of extracellular Ca2+. While these changes in intracellular Ca2+ are associated with endothelial cell hyperpolarization, the methacholine‐induced, sustained increase in intracellular Ca2+ appears to be independent from this change in membrane potential. These data suggest that arteriolar endothelial cells may possess a novel Ca2+ influx pathway, or that the relationship between intracellular Ca2+ and Ca2+ influx is more complex than that observed in other endothelial cells.
A Role for Hyaluronan in the Preservation of Interstitial Structure
Authors: COLEMAN PETER J.
Published: July 2007

Hydraulic resistance of interstitium is of major importance in body fluid distribution. In the synovial lining it is vital for the retention of intra‐articular fluid, and is attributed chiefly to the network of interstitial biopolymers occupying intercellular gaps in the tissue. Selective removal of synovial hyaluronan (HA) by protease‐free hyaluronate lyase results in an almost 10× increase in synovial hydraulic permeability from 0.48 ± 0.24 μ L min−1cm H2O (control) to 4.56 ± 0.40 μ L min−1 cm H2O (mean ± SD, n = 6 rabbits, p < .001, t test) leading to the hypothesis that hyaluronan plays a major role in the organization of interstitial matrix structure. To test whether removal of hyaluronan causes significant changes in synovial ultrastructure, morphometry of hyaluronidase‐treated synovium was carried out. Following hyaluronidase, the thickness of the synovial lining was reduced from 13.0 ± 1.6 μ m (control) to 10.6 ± 1.6 μ m (mean ± SD throughout, n = 50 measurements per rabbit, 6 rabbits. p < .001, t test). This was accompanied by a significant reduction of synovial interstitial volume fraction from 76.2 ± 20.6% (control) to 67.04 ± 24.94% (p < .001, t test), and an increase in collagen bundle volume as a fraction of interstitial volume from 40.75 ± 4.97% (control) tissue to 48.77 ± 11.72% (p < .0001, t test). The findings indicate that the removal of hyaluronan chains leads to morphological disruption. Thus, hyaluronan chains play a major role in the organization of synovial structure. The observed morphological changes are insufficiently large to explain fully the great rise in hydraulic permeability observed on HA removal. The latter is likely to be due to disruption of tertiary architecture at the molecular organization level.
A Step Change or a Step Back? The Thames Gateway and the Re-birth of the Urban Development Corporations
Authors: Raco Mike
Published: July 2007

The delivery of the government's Sustainable Communities: Building for the Future proposals in the Thames Gateway area will be spearheaded by two new Urban Development Corporations (UDCs). During the 1980s and 1990s, UDCs were at the forefront of property-led regeneration in Britain and their impacts were extremely controversial. For some they represented a necessary institutional form that successfully facilitated and delivered regeneration to areas with chronic social and economic problems. For others they embodied a broader Thatcherite programme that marginalised local authorities and local communities from the heart of development planning. This paper examines their reintroduction and compares and contrasts the new agencies with those that existed in earlier decades. It argues that although the new UDCs will have broadly similar powers, the political contexts in which they are being established differ markedly. They are now expected to embed themselves into regional and national strategic development agendas and work in development partnerships with local authorities and local communities. The paper outlines the possible political and practical impacts that they will have and what their emergence tells us about the nature of Labour's broader modernisation agendas for local governance.
Leadership for Improvement in Urban and Challenging Contexts
Authors: Chapman Christopher
Published: July 2007

This article reflects on lessons learnt from recent research and evaluation work in secondary schools operating in urban and challenging contexts in England. It is suggested that there is a common process that effective leaders follow in order to generate and sustain tangible improvements.
Central to this argument are the incremental devolution of autonomy and the sequential development of meaningful interpersonal relationships within the organisation. In conclusion this article speculates that successful leaders in schools facing challenging contexts have a highly developed
understanding of the necessity to achieve synergy between leadership approaches and the development phase of the organisation.
Gone before you know it: urban school reform and the short life of the Education Action Zone initiative
Authors: Franklin Barry M.
Published: July 2007

This essay explores the fluctuations in and short-lived nature of urban school reform through a study of the Education Action Zone (EAZ) programme of Britain's New Labour government. Using the notion of civic capacity as a theoretical framework, the essay looks at this reform from the
perspectives of its government proponents, critics outside of government and those who work within one such zone in an economically distressed borough of London given the pseudonym of North Upton. The essay concludes by looking at what our case study of North Upton tells us about the causes
of this problem and how it may be remedied.
Genome‐Wide Analysis of the Globin Gene Family of C. elegans
Authors: Hoogewijs David , Geuens Eva , Dewilde Sylvia , Moens Luc , Vierstraete Andy , Vinogradov Serge , Vanfleteren Jacques R.
Published: July 2007

The aim of our study was to annotate sequences for 35 putative globins from the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. All these proteins are expressed, but seven of these differ from the gene predictions in Wormbase. The entire polypeptide sequences for 31 genes and the core globin domain of four proteins were confirmed or corrected. All core globin domains were aligned manually following a procedure that was designed to fit the putative sequences to the crystal structure based alignment of 56 known globin crystal structures. Neighbor‐joining analysis of the resulting alignment showed that the majority of these globins are very divergent from each other, possibly suggesting a long evolutionary divergence. The surprisingly high number and low sequence conservation of putative globins in this small organism urges a detailed functional analysis.
IUBMB Life, 56: 697‐702, 2004
Molecular cloning of gaf2, A schizosaccharomyces pombe GATA factor, which has two zinc‐finger sequences
Authors: Hoe Kwang‐Lae , Won Mi‐Sun , Yoo Ook‐Joon , Yoo Hyang‐Sook
Published: July 2007

By low stringency screening of a λ‐Shizosaccharomyces pombe genomic library, we have cloned a GATA factor homologous gene, gaf2+, within a 3.1‐kb EcoRI fragment. The gaf2 ORF predicts a protein of Mr 61 kDa consisting of intronless 564 amino acids corresponding to 1,692 bp. Gaf2 has two zinc‐fingers as Urbs1 of Ustilago maydis, whereas most of fungal GATA factors have only one zinc‐finger. The separation between two zinc‐fingers of Gaf2 is rather long. In addition to gaf2, the sequence analysis revealed a Val‐tRNA gene in the 3′‐flanking region of gaf2. Northern blot analysis indicated that the gaf2 gene is transcribed constitutively irrespective of the nitrogen source in a medium.
A comparative study of the binding characteristics of ceftriaxone, cefoperazone and cefsudolin to human serum albumin
Authors: Nerli Bibiana , Farruggia Beatriz , Picó Guillermo
Published: July 2007

The binding to human serum albumin of three cephalosporins of pharmacological interest: cefoperazone, ceftriaxone and cefsulodin was studied by ultrafiltration and differential scanning calorimetry methods. The identification of the binding sites in albumin was also performed using probes for the so‐called sites I, II, bilirubin and fatty acids binding sites. Albumin showed two types of binding sites for cefoperazone and ceftriaxone, while for cefsulodin it showed a single type of binding site. The affinity values were: 5.6 104 M‐1 and 3.1 104 M‐1 for cefoperazone and ceftriaxone respectively, while cefsulodin showed low affinity (3.8 102 M‐1). It was found that only cefoperazone interacted in a slight way with site I on serum albumin, while site II and the bilirubin binding site have capacity of binding the three cephalosporins assayed. Ceftriaxone and cefoperazone showed capacity to bind to the fatty acids binding site on albumin. These cephalosporins increased the thermal stability of the protein, suggesting that these ligands are favouring the compact structure of the native form of the protein more than the unfolded form.
A novel method for purification of catalytic antibodies toward DNA from sera of patients with lymphoproliferative diseases
Authors: Kozyr A. V.
Published: July 2007

A novel highly efficient method of purification of DNA‐hydrolyzing antibodies from sera of patients with lymphoproliferative diseases was developed. The method suggests purification of serum sample using Cibacron Blue 3GA, ion exchange chromatography on DEAE‐Sepharose FF, PrG affinity chromatography and selection of the DNA‐binding fraction on DNA‐Sephacryl. The application of the method allows to obtain the stable and active polyclonal preparation with increased content of DNA‐hydrolyzing antibodies characterized by specific binding constant determined using heteropolymeric oligonucleotide substrate. The unusual properties of anti‐DNA catalytic antibodies in respect to their interactions with DEAE ion exchanger are discussed.
Binding properties of human immunodeficiency virus type‐2 (HIV‐2) rna corresponding to the packaging signal to its nucleocapsid protein
Authors: Tsukahara Tomonori , Komatsu Hiroyoshi , Kubo Makoto , Obata Fumiya , Tozawa Hideki
Published: July 2007

The nucleocapsid (NC) protein of human immunodeficiency virus type‐1 (HIV‐1) contains two zinc finger motifs (ZFMs), and binds specifically to the packaging signal which is located in the 5′ leader sequence of the viral genomic RNA between the first splice donor and the gag initiator codon (AUG). In this study, we analyzed the specificity of the binding of the corresponding region of HIV‐2 (Region 3) to its NC protein (NCp8), by performing a competitive ultraviolet (UV) cross‐linking assay using in vitro‐synthesized 32P‐labeled and unlabeled RNAs corresponding to a sequence between the primer binding site and the gag AUG (Region 1). Binding of 32P‐labeled Region 1 RNA to NCp8 was inhibited specifically by adding unlabeled Region 1 and 3 RNAs and no specific binding was detected using deletion mutant peptides of NCp8. These findings suggest that the region(s) which bind(s) specifically to HIV‐2 NCp8 lie(s) between the first splice donor and the gag AUG in the 5′ leader sequence and that NCp8 is the minimum binding region responsible for the specific binding of the region downstream of the first splice donor site of HIV‐2 RNA.
Effects of metabolic inhibitors and lectins on the menadione‐dependent generation of H2O2 by rat thymocytes
Authors: Timoshenko A. V. , Loiko E. N. , Cherenkevich S. N. , Gabius H. ‐J.
Published: July 2007

The capacity of oxidative metabolism and its regulation is an important factor in disease control. Using scopoletin as a fluorescent substrate of peroxidase the extent of menadione‐dependent production of H2O2 by rat thymocytes was determined. The reaction was inhibited by 2,4‐dinitrophenol, papaverine, nordihydroguaiaretic acid and iodacetamide. The membrane‐penetrating SH reagent N‐ethylmaleimide primed the reaction, probably due to an inhibition of glutathione peroxidase. To delineate an influence of cell‐surface protein‐carbohydrate interactions by exogenous lectins, the impact of cell binding was analyzed for several plant lectins, namely concanavalin A, phytohemagglutinin, the lectins from Triticum vulgaris and from Sambucus nigra. Except for the α‐NeuNAc(2‐6)gal/galNAc‐binding agglutinin, the other three plant proteins with specificities to different parts of N‐linked oligosaccharides primed the reaction. This activity of lectins did not coincide with their ability to aggregate cells. The given results indicate that biosignaling pathways triggered by lectins are involved in the regulation of the intracellular reduction of menadione.
Inactivation of aconitase in yeast exposed to oxidative stress
Authors: Murakami Keiko , Yoshino Masataka
Published: July 2007

Inactivation of aconitase by oxidative stress was analyzed under the in vivo and in situ conditions of yeast cells. Treatment of yeast cells with paraquat caused a specific inactivation of aconitase without affecting the activity of other citric acid cycle enzymes. Addition of copper plus ascorbic acid to permeabilized yeast cells also inactivated aconitase, but did not affect other TCA cycle‐related enzymes. Inactivation of aconitase was suggested to be due to the superoxide and hydroxyl radicals produced from the reaction of 02 with paraquat and by Fenton reaction with copper and ascorbic acid under the in vivo and in situ conditons of yeast, respectively. Citrate the substrate of aconitase effectively protected aconitase from the oxidative inactivation. Toxicity of oxygen to yeast cells can be explained by the specific inactivation of aconitase by oxygen radicals. Increased concentrations of citrate can act as a defense mechanism against oxidative inactivation of aconitase under the exposure of aerobically grown yeast to oxidative stress.
Endogenous superoxide‐like species and antioxidant activity in ocular tissues detected by luminol luminescence
Authors: Trevithick John R. , Dzialoszynski Tomasz
Published: July 2007

A new luminescent method was used to detect the reactive oxygen species in aqueous and vitreous humors and in homogenates of the lens and retina of laboratory rats. Superoxide‐like activity per μg protein increased in all tissues with weight of the rat, a good indicator of animal age. Superoxide dismutase, centrophenoxine, soluble vitamin E (D‐α‐tocopherol (polyethlyene glycol 1000) succinate, and N′‐diphenyl‐p‐phenylenediamine (DPPD) reduced the luminescence. Catalase had no effect. These results are consistent with the detected species being superoxide‐like.
Hydroxyl and superoxide anion radical scavenging activities of natural source antioxidants using the computerized JES‐FR30 ESR spectrometer system
Authors: Noda Yasuko , Anzai Kazunori , Mori Akitane , Kohno Masahiro , Shinmei Masashi , Packer Lester
Published: July 2007

Free radical scavenging activities of water‐soluble extracts from some natural sources, health foods, and antioxidant substances were measured using the JES‐FR30 JEOL spectrometer. The objective was to develop a standardized method whereby comparison could be made between the radical scavenging activities of complex mixtures.

Scavenging of hydroxyl radical was determined using DMPO. Activity was calibrated using a standard material, L‐ascorbic acid 2‐[3,4‐dihydro‐2,5,7,8‐tetramethyl‐2‐ (4,8,12‐trimethyltridecyl)‐2H‐1‐benzopyran‐6yl‐hydrogen phosphate] potassium salt (EPC‐K1), an analog of vitamin C and vitamin E which is water soluble and stable at room temperature. The order of greatest hydroxyl radical scavenging activity was green tea extract, pine bark extract (Pycnogenol), Ginkgo Biloba extract (EGb 761), a flavonoid blend of several fruit and vegetable extracts (GNLD), and Bio‐Normalizer (Sun‐O Corp). Activity was determined after treatment of samples with ascorbic acid oxidase. This treatment revealed the presence of ascorbate in some natural extracts and commercial preparations. The pine bark extract was the most heat resistant and had ascorbate‐like activity in the preparations.

Scavenging of superoxide anion was determined using the spin trap, 5,5‐dimethyl‐1‐pyrroline‐N‐oxide (DMPO), and analyzed by comparison with a standard curve made with superoxide dismutase. Comparison of the water solubilized components of natural source antioxidants showed that filtrates fractionated using centrifuge type Millipore filter tubes (M.W.<100,000; M.W.<10,000) also had almost the same SOD‐like activity. Samples were also treated with ascorbate oxidase or by heating (100δC for 10min). The order of activity, from greatest to least, was Ginkgo biloba extract EGb 761, pycnogenol, β‐catechin, tea and BioNormalizer.
Expression of soluble, active human macrophage colony stimulating factor in Escherichia coli
Authors: Jiang Xueyuan , Zhou Aiwu , Cen Bo , Qiu Qifeng , Dong Xueyin , Xu Xianxiu
Published: July 2007

Human macrophage colony stimulating factor (M‐CSF) has been successfully overexpressed in Escherichia coli AD494 (DE3) with an expression level of approximate 26 % of the total cellular proteins. The truncated human M‐CSF gene encoding the amino‐terminal 149 amino acids was subcloned into the prokaryotic expression vector pET11d under the control of the inducible T7 promoter. Nearly 40 % of the recombinant protein was in the soluble fraction which showed obvious stimulating effects on mouse macrophage colony formation and had an M‐CSF specific activity of ≈︁1×106 units/mg soluble protein.
Expression of bone morphogenetic proteins of human neoplastic epithelial cells
Authors: Hatakeyama Setsuko , Gao Yu‐Hao , Ohara‐Nemoto Yuko , Kataoka Hiroaki , Satoh Masanobu
Published: July 2007

Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) are crucial factors of osteogenesis. We investigated the expressions of BMP subtypes in human salivary adenocarcinoma cell line (HSG‐S8), tongue squamous cell (HSC‐4) and gingival squamous cell (Ca9‐22) carcinoma cell lines, gastric poorly differentiated adenocacinoma cell (MNK45) and signet ring cell (KATOIII) carcinoma cell lines, rectal adenocarcinoma (RCM‐1, RCM‐2, and RCM‐3), and thyroid (8505C) and bladder (T24) carcinoma cell lines by reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR). RT‐PCR disclosed that BMP‐1 was expressed in all cell lines examined, and BMP‐2 was amplified in almost all cells except MKN45. Two squamous cell carcinomas, HSC‐4 and Ca9‐22, and KATOIII expressed only BMP‐1 and BMP‐2. MKN45 did not express BMP‐2, but expressed BMP‐7 and weakly BMP‐4 and BMP‐5. In addition to the expression of BMP‐1 and BMP‐2, three rectal adenocarcinoma cell lines commonly expressed BMP‐7, and HSG‐S8 expressed BMP‐6. These findings indicated that the neoplastic epithelial cells possessed a rather great potency to express BMP mRNAs. On the other hand, among these carcinoma cells, HSG‐S8 solely induced bone in nude mouse tumors, and HSC‐4 and KATOIII contained many calcified masses in tumors while the rest did not induce either.
Regulation of androgen receptor (AR) and prostate specific antigen (PSA) expression in the androgen‐responsive human prostate LNCaP cells by ethanolic extracts of the Chinese herbal preparation, PC‐SPES
Authors: Hsieh Tze‐chen , Chen Sophie S. , Wang Xuhui , Wu Joseph M.
Published: July 2007

As part of the study on the potential use of natural product‐based combination therapy for treating prostate cancer, we have investigated the effects of a “HPLC standardized” herbal preparation, PC‐SPES, on the prostate LNCaP cell line. Proliferation of the LNCaP cells was inhibited by a 4‐6 day incubation with ethanolic extracts of PC‐SPES. Decrease of cell growth was accompanied by a 60‐70 % down‐regulation of the proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and level of secreted PSA. A smaller and more variable decrease (20‐40%) in the level of intracellular PSA was also observed. The PC‐SPES‐modulated PSA changes occurred concurrently with the decrease of AR expression, based on Western blot analysis and binding to the radioactive ligand [3H]R1881. A 60% decrease in R1881 binding occurred after a 24 h incubation with PC‐SPES. These results suggest that PC‐SPES negatively affects cell growth in part through its ability to modulate changes in PCNA, and may decrease PSA levels indirectly by suppressing AR expression.
Inhibition of glycohydrolase enzymes by aqueous extracts of Chinese medicinal herbs in a microplate format
Authors: Collins R. A. , Ng T. B. , Fong W. P. , Wan C. C. , Yeung H. W.
Published: July 2007

A microplate assay, for use with a variety of glycohydrolase enzymes, was developed to aid the screening of Chinese medicinal herb extracts for the presence of potential anti‐viral and anti‐lymphoma compounds. The microplate assay method described offers greater convenience, speed and reproducibility over existing methods. The enzymes tested were α‐glucosidase, β‐glucosidase and β‐glucuronidase. The assay can be easily adapted for use with other glycohydrolase enzymes. Of the 12 herb extracts examined four did not inhibit any of the enzymes (<50% inhibition), one inhibited α‐glucosidase only (>50% inhibition), six inhibited β‐glucuronidase only, and one inhibited both α‐glucosidase and β‐glucuronidase. None of the extracts were capable of inhibiting β‐glucosidase to any significant extent.
Carbohydrate moeity of Plasmodium falciparum glycoproteins: The nature of the carbohydrate‐peptide linkage in the MSP‐2 glycoprotein
Authors: Khan Abbas H. , Qazi Aamir M. , Hoessli Daniel C. , Torred‐Duarte Armida P. , Senaldi Giorgio , Qazi Mahmood H. , Walker‐Nasir Evelyne
Published: July 2007

Metabolic labelling of Plasmodium falciparum parasites with [3H]GIcN, [3H]Man, [3H]Gal and [3H]ethanolamine, and subsequent purification by SDS‐PAGE of the labelled material provided effective labelling of the MSP‐1, 195 kDa, and MSP‐2, 42‐53 kDa, glycoproteins. Reductive β‐elimination of the MSP‐2 released from the gel consisted of glycopeptides containing labelled sugars. Processing of the eliminated components and identification of the sugar residues demonstrated the presence of N‐acetylglucosaminitol and N‐acetylgalactosaminitol amongst other labelled sugars. Reductive β‐elimination with sodium hydroxide‐sodium borotritide‐borohydride showed the presence of glucosaminitol and alanine in the hydrolysis products. The MSP‐2 was retained on solid phase wheat‐germ agglutinin and was released from the lectin by treatment with GIcNAc. Upon treatment with O‐glycanase the MSP‐2 glycoprotein released lablled amino sugar, and derived oligosaccharides on treatment with exoglycosidases released labelled components corresponding to the metabolically incorporated sugars. Labelled Gal was incorporated into the MSP‐2 glycoprotein using [3H]UDP‐Gal and galactosyltransferase. The galactosylated glycoprotein released labelled Gal upon treatment with β‐galactosidase. The results of the present study suggest that the carbohydrate chains of the MSP‐2 glycoprotein are attached to the protein backbone via GlcNAc‐ and GalNAc‐sedne/threonine in O‐glycosyl linkage and the glycoprotein has terminal GlcNAc and Gal residues. The carbohydrate moieties of MSP‐2, glycoprotein consist mainly of short chains linked to the protein core.
Identification of an “alcohol dehydrogenase‐activating” protease in grass carp hepatopancreas as A chymotrypsin
Authors: Lau King‐kwan , Chan Elaine Yee‐man , Fong Wing‐ping
Published: July 2007

Previous investigation [Tsui et al. (1996) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1269: 41‐46] showed that two active forms of alcohol dehydrogenase can be purified from grass carp. The use of a protease inhibitor and the results of SDS‐PAGE analysis of the enzymes suggest that one form (ADH‐C) is a proteolytic product of the other (ADH‐I). In this study, the protease responsible for the cleavage was purified. The cleavage enzyme had a subunit molecular weight of 28 kDa. An inhibitor study identified it as a serine protease. It exhibited a strong chymotrypsin activity in both esterase and amidase assays with a pH optimum in the range 7.5‐8.5. The purified chymotrypsin also cleaved the intact grass carp ADH‐I into the two‐fragment ADH‐C, with an accompanying increase in enzyme activity. A similar effect was not found using horse liver alcohol dehydrogenase.