bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Internet Web Logs as Cultural Resistance: A Study of the SARS Arts Project
Authors: Gillett James
Published: November 2006

This article examines an Internet project — sarsart.org — that features digital artworks created in response to the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak in spring 2003. Qualitative methods including archival research, semiotic analysis, and interviews are used to examine the emergence and substance of this Internet project. The analysis identifies ways in which contributions by artists and bloggers (i.e., individuals with their own Internet site or Web log) contest institutional representations of SARS. The site challenges the representation of the outbreak on three levels: portrayals of citizens affected by SARS, portrayals of health professionals, and portrayals of the risk and panic associated with the outbreak. The argument is made that Internet projects such as sarsart.org can increase the capacity for cultural resistance by creating greater opportunities for the expression of political opposition to institutional authority.
Readers’ Advocates or Newspapers’ Ambassadors?
Authors: van Dalen Arjen , Deuze Mark
Published: November 2006

At the beginning of the 21st century, politicians, scholars and journalists want news media to be more accountable and transparent. The newspaper ombudsman is often considered an example of an accountability mechanism. Similarly to Japan, the US and elsewhere, newspapers in the Netherlands have introduced this function in the newsroom. A questionnaire and open-ended interviews with Dutch ombudsmen showed two different views of the function: on the one hand, they see themselves as the ‘readers’ advocate’, whose loyalty lies with the reader; on the other hand, they are the ‘paper’s ambassador’, who defends the paper’s interests. The ombudsman can be seen as an accountability mechanism, or as a way to strengthen the newspaper’s relationship with its readers.
A Prolegomena to the Study of the Romani Media in Eastern Europe
Authors: Gross Peter
Published: November 2006

Among the wealth of ethnic media outlets in Eastern Europe, the Romani media have grown faster than any others despite small audiences and the poverty, illiteracy and absence of social, political and linguistic cohesiveness of their natural constituency in the region. Yet, beyond their potential symbolic value, the growth of the Romani media appears to defy the customary expectations with regard to functions, roles and effects in a region where the ethnic media aid minority identity, cultural preservation and participation.
Tsunami Communication in Finland
Authors: Kivikuru Ullamaija
Published: November 2006

The tsunami disaster on 26 December 2004 was the biggest peacetime accident to affect the Scandinavian countries. The region hit by the tsunami is one of the most popular holiday destinations for Scandinavians. One hundred-and-seventy-nine Finnish lives were lost, and several hundreds injured. The immediate media coverage and reception were as expected. The volume of the coverage was huge, audiences rose by one-third, as did the use of web material. However, the main type of media used immediately after the catastrophe were the mobile phone and amateur-run discussion groups on the web, allowing for individual expression. But on closer examination, the overall picture is quite a traditional one. The media and public institutions were also providing top-down information via the web, both the media and the receivers focused on Finns alone, and the welfare state was seen as the culprit for not ensuring the security of its citizens.
Geographies of sexuality - a review of progress
Authors: Binnie Jon , Valentine Gill
Published: November 2006

This article examines the recent rapid growth of work on the geographies of sexuality. The authors argue that while sexuality has become an area of considerable interest within social and cultural geography, much remains to be done to tackle homophobia within the discipline as a whole. The article critiques the ease with which sexuality as an object of study has become assimilated into the discipline while homophobia remains deep seated. The authors discuss how feminist geography has been both supportive and restrictive in this respect. Reviewing the development of work on geographies of sexuality, the article argues we need to move away from a simple mapping of lesbian and gay spaces towards a more critical treatment of the differences between sexual dissidents. Finally, the authors argue for a greater forging of links with writers outside the discipline to consolidate work in this emerging area.
Interpretations of sustainable agriculture in the UK
Authors: Cobb Dick , Dolman Paul , O'Riordan Tim
Published: November 2006

With the advent of Agenda 21, the blueprint for the transition to sustainable development for every nation on the globe, the issue of what exactly is sustainable agriculture is now being addressed, certainly throughout Europe. The food chain as a whole is the ultimate framework for a scrutiny of sustainability. However, this review looks only at the changing policy setting for seeking to define and implement sustainable agricultural practice in the UK. It analyses the key documents, reviews the state of science and assesses policy developments in wildlife/habitat management and the enhancement of scenery, from individual farms to whole landscapes. It concludes that there is neither the scientific understanding nor the economic tools to define and justify self-reliant agriculture on a farm-by-farm basis. Rather, it is more advantageous to devise integrated agricultural management arrangements for whole landscapes, crossing the borders of individual holdings. To do this, it is necessary to involve key stakeholders in the determination of the final landscape design. Then there is the tricky issue of how this may be implemented. That will be a sign that a policy for sustainable agriculture has come of age.
Strategy and industrial restructuring
Authors: McGrath-Champ Susan
Published: November 2006

This article examines ‘strategy’ as a key aspect of industrial restructuring. The notion of strategy has been largely underdeveloped in much of the geographical literature on restructuring. This article discusses a range of dimensions that are useful in grasping the nature of strategy rationality, consciousness, level of analysis, power, contingency, individual versus collective action and interaction with structure. It is argued that a joint concept which includes ‘deliberate’ and ‘emergent’ strategy helps in grasping the complexities of restructuring initiatives and effective implementation of restructuring policies. Labour management relations and corporate strategy are used as vehicles for discussing these fundamental concepts. The article contributes to establishing a more concrete, detailed articulation of concepts of strategy in industrial geography.
Geographies of environmental intervention in Africa
Authors: Schroeder Richard A.
Published: November 2006

This article analyses geographical assumptions underlying the latest in a long history of environmental interventions in Africa, including: 1) the distinct political problems of managing natural resources under the divergent ecological conditions of dearth and diversity; 2) the attempt by planners to resolve spatial conflicts arising in connection with land-use zoning strategies (protected areas, buffer zones, wildlife corridors); 3) the changed political ecological relationships resulting from the commodification of natural resources; and 4) the politics of scale embedded in environmental planning efforts.
The geographies and politics of globalization
Authors: Kelly Philip F.
Published: November 2006

Recent debates on globalization have tended to be polarized between those wishing to ‘unthink’ the broad set of economic, political and cultural processes it encompasses and those who enthusiastically embrace them. This article maps out the recent geographical literature on the politics of globalization as an idea, and suggests some of the directions in which less polarized and more sophisticated interpretations of globalization are heading. The focus of the article is on globalization as a political discourse, which is addressed through ideas on the production of scale. The problematic association of globalization with neoliberalism is also explored. Five ‘counterdiscourses’ of globalization are then identified which attempt to rethink the political orthodoxy of neoliberal globalization. The article concludes by arguing for a ‘relational’ view of scale and suggesting some of the promises, and pitfalls, of rethinking the global scale.
Spatializing commodity chains
Authors: Leslie Deborah , Reimer Suzanne
Published: November 2006

There has been a growing interest in connecting production and consumption through the study of commodity chains. We identify three distinct approaches to the chain and review debates concerning the merits of a ‘vertical’ rather than a ‘horizontal’ approach. Drawing upon the example of the home furnishings commodity chain, the article highlights the importance of including horizontal factors such as gender and place alongside vertical chains. We consider geographical contingencies which underpin commodity chain dynamics, the role of space in mediating relationships across the chain and the spatialities of different products.
Chinese Urban History
Authors: Haiyan Liu , Stapleton Kristin
Published: November 2006

This article surveys the development of Chinese urban history as a field of scholarly inquiry in China and the US and outlines some of the major research emphases in the study of late imperial and modern Chinese cities. In the People’s Republic of China, urban history has been institutionalized in academies of social science and universities. The primary emphasis is on the economic functions of cities and related topics, including the development of regional urban networks and the changes in the organization of commerce. In the US, Chinese urban history is not well grounded institutionally. Scholars there tend to focus on Chinese experiences of urban modernity, including technological, economic, political, social, and cultural transformation in the 20th century. The article introduces many of the most significant studies in Chinese urban history from the 1980s to the present.
From the Mountains and the Fields
Authors: Smart Alan , Zhang Li
Published: November 2006

This article critically reviews important developments in the anthropology of urban China. Although its primary focus is on works by China anthropologists, it addresses the interdisciplinary challenge and the increasingly ambiguous boundary between the “rural” and the “urban”. More specifically, the article analyzes major theoretical and pragmatic issues addressed by anthropologists in the following seven thematic areas: minority urbanization; urban economies and the influence of global capital; health; kinship and gender; migration; urban space and community; consumption and popular culture. Each section seeks to juxtapose competing arguments made by scholars and analyzes the larger implications of their findings. It further suggests three research directions that the anthropology of urban China could take in the future—a greater interdisciplinary approach to incorporate insights from other related fields, a larger comparative perspective that situates postreform urban China in relation to other formerly socialist countries and other developing cities in Latin America and Africa, and finally greater capabilities for integrating different levels of analysis by rescaling the levels at which social activities and institutions operate today.
The “Third Spring” of Urban Planning in China
Authors: Leaf Michael , Hou Li
Published: November 2006

Social and economic changes resulting from the introduction of market allocation processes in the post-Mao era have been enormously consequential in accelerating China’s urbanization. Central to such changes have been the fundamental reconceptualization of the role of the city vis-a-vis national development strategies and the consequent revitalization of the practice of urban spatial planning after years of disrepute and dissolution. This article examines the current state—the “third spring”—of urban planning practice relative to ongoing changes in urban China, particularly the rapid expansion of urban spatial economies and the local impacts of administrative and fiscal decentralization. Instead of seeing the new position of urban planning as indicative of a sharp discontinuity with past practices, we argue that the rise of professional planning should instead be understood in terms of its conceptual continuity with the past. Analysis of current developments in planning practice indicates growing tensions over questions of control, both between central and local states and with regard to the diversification of actors shaping the political economy of urbanization at local levels.
Choice of public or private health insurance: learning from the experience of Germany and the Netherlands
Authors: Thomson Sarah , Mossialos Elias
Published: November 2006

Several European countries have considered introducing choice of public or private health insurance - usually by allowing people to ‘opt out’ of the statutory scheme - under the assumption that enhancing consumer choice and stimulating competition between insurers will be beneficial. This article examines the impact of opting out on equity and efficiency in European health systems. Focusing on Germany and the Netherlands - the only European countries where this type of choice has been available to significant population groups for a prolonged period (from 1970 to the present day in Germany, and from 1941 to 1986 in the Netherlands) - the analysis suggests that current policy debates may overstate the potential benefits of opting out. Due to market failures in health insurance and differences in the regulatory frameworks governing public and private insurers, choice of public or private coverage creates strong incentives for private insurers to select risks and leads to risk segmentation, thereby breaching equity in funding health care, heightening the financial risk borne by public insurers and lowering incentives for private insurers to operate efficiently. Measures can be taken to correct these negative effects, but some forms of regulation may be politically and technically difficult to implement.
Relative deprivation: a comparative analysis of Britain, Finland and Sweden
Authors: Halleröd Björn , Larsson Daniel , Gordon David , Ritakallio Veli-Matti
Published: November 2006

Our aim is to analyse both the incidence and distribution of economic hardship in three countries - Finland, Britain and Sweden - using measures of relative deprivation. The study represents a unique endeavour as our comparisons are based not on income data but on direct observations of consumption of goods and services. The method applied has been developed from the consensual poverty approach pioneered by Mack and Lansley (1985). Hence, what we will observe is the inability to consume socially perceived necessities, both goods and activities, because of lack of income. The preliminary results contradict, to a large degree, findings derived from more traditional studies based solely on income data. They also reveal a detailed picture of the way relative deprivation is structured within countries and the differences that prevail between the three countries. The analysis represents a first step in an effort to develop alternative tools when comparing poverty and economic well-being between countries.
Disorganized welfare mixes: voluntary agencies and new governance regimes in Western Europe
Authors: Bode Ingo
Published: November 2006

In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in - though an insufficient understanding of - changes in the governance of welfare and related governance regimes, with the latter being conceptualized as systems of multifaceted inter-agency relations and associated modes of coordination. Referring to evidence from France, Britain and Germany, the article explores these changes with an eye on the role of voluntary organizations within these regimes. It challenges widespread typologies of ‘welfare mixes’ as well as general assumptions about international variation. It argues that, throughout Western Europe, similar governance regimes emerged in the postwar settlement, materializing in an ‘organized welfare mix’. It then illustrates how these regimes currently undergo a process of permanent dis- and reorganization, again irrespective of international differences. Long- established patterns of a system-wide coordination via negotiated public-private partnerships turn into volatile configurations, with a growing albeit varying influence of the market rationale. Moreover, there is an increasing distance between voluntary provider organizations and both the welfare state and civil society, with this entailing precarious, but also more dynamic interrelations. Finally, civic action becomes more fluid, sporadic, dispersed but also more creative in many places. Hence, there is the paradox of the new welfare mixes exhibiting innovative dynamics and systematic organizational failure at the same time, with (more) output heterogeneity as an inevitable consequence.
Tax mixes and the size of the welfare state: causal mechanisms and policy implications
Authors: Ganghof Steffen
Published: November 2006

This paper questions the argument that strong and early reliance on ‘regressive’ taxes (consumption and payroll taxes) made it politically easier to build and maintain a large welfare state. It develops an alternative perspective which differs in two respects. First, a crucial ‘advantage’ of regressive taxes is that they imply moderate capital taxation, but this can also be achieved within income tax. Second, the direction of causality moves largely from high revenue needs to strong reliance on at least one of the two major regressive taxes, rather than the other way round. The paper aims to show that this alternative argument provides a better explanation of quantitative data patterns as well as the cases of Denmark, New Zealand, South Korea and the United Kingdom. Policy implications are also discussed: policymakers have good reason to defend the progressivity and revenue-raising potential of the income tax, and in so doing may require greater European tax coordination.
Globalization and the welfare state: the same strategies for similar problems?
Authors: Adelantado José , Cuevas Eduardo Calderón
Published: November 2006

This paper analyses the recent evolution of public expenditure, social protection expenditure, income inequality and the risk of poverty in the European Union. It argues that some of the pressures derived from globalization have been translated into a relative reduction on the efforts devoted to public expenditure and social protection expenditure compared to growth in the GDP, resulting in a negative impact both on income distribution in the low-income population, and on the risk of poverty. Our hypothesis is that this relative reduction in spending in welfare states has come about through a general dynamic of convergence, albeit with ‘deviant’ cases. The countries that used to allocate the most resources to public expenditure and social protection expenditure are those that have cut back the most, and where income inequality and the risk of poverty have increased the most. Conversely, the countries that used to allocate the fewest resources are those that have increased expenditure and where income inequality and the risk of poverty have fallen the most.
Language Politics and Regional Nationalist Mobilization in Galicia and Wales
Authors: van Morgan Sydney
Published: November 2006

Marshaling original data from surveys and interviews with regional nationalist party activists, this article compares language politics in two ‘stateless’ European nations with strong regional identities: Galicia (Spain) and Wales (UK). In Galicia, where the regional language is widely spoken, the nationalist party places significant emphasis on language-related issues. Yet in Wales, despite the minority status of Welsh, the political arm of the nationalist movement assumes a restrained stance toward the regional language. What explains the apparent paradox that mobilization on language grounds is more pronounced where language is least threatened? The article concludes that Galicia and Wales differ in the way that language functions in society, which, in turn, conditions the possibilities for deploying language politically. It is more difficult for the nationalist party Plaid Cymru to mobilize on the Welsh question given the language’s recent revival and the current recruitment objectives of the party. In Galicia, not only are the recruitment needs of the comparable nationalist party, the Bloque, less complex than in the Welsh case, but the perception of threat to the regional language is far greater.
Discourse, Dominance and Power Relations
Authors: Tileaga Cristian
Published: November 2006

This article focuses on some of the issues that arise when examining social inequality and similar notions such as dominance or group superiority as participants’ concerns. It emphasizes the importance of understanding constructions of inequality in terms of how they are (1) situated, constructed and invoked in talk; and (2) oriented to and part of actions and ideological practices. These concerns are illustrated with an example from an interview with majority group members on ethnic issues. This shows how particular orientations to and descriptions of inequality are constructed and what they might be doing. Implications for the study of the discursive construction and representation of social inequality in talk and the nature of inequality as an object in interaction are discussed.
Cardiovascular Disease Risk Perception and Knowledge
Authors: McMahan Shari , Cathorall Michelle , Romero Devan R.
Published: November 2006

There are clear health conditions that disproportionately affect the Hispanic population. One hundred twenty-four (45%) Hispanic and 153 (55%) White college students completed a questionnaire on cardiovascular disease (CVD) awareness, knowledge, and perceptions of risk. Results indicated that Hispanic students rated themselves as poorer in health, more overweight, poorer in nutrition, and less knowledgeable about CVD risk than did White students. Practitioners would benefit from developing CVD prevention programs that targeted the Hispanic population.
Border Bicultural Personality Traits
Authors: Chavez Mary R. , Rudolph Bonnie A.
Published: November 2006

Personality traits of 178 Mexican American college students were surveyed to test applicability of the Five Factor Model of personality and to investigate gender differences within this bicultural group. Results revealed atypical gender differences on neuroticism. Men scored significantly higher than did women, which is opposite crosscultural trends. Alternate explanations for these findings are noted, including the differing impacts of acculturation for Mexican American men and women at the Texas border.
Controversial Issues in the Recruitment and Retention of Latino/a Faculty
Authors: Delgado-Romero Edward A. , Manlove Angela Nichols , Manlove Joshua D. , Hernandez Carlos A.
Published: November 2006

This article deals with controversial issues in recruitment of Latino/a faculty in higher education in the United States. The authors present a hypothetical faculty hiring case scenario that they follow throughout the manuscript. Through this case scenario, they examine aspects of Latino/a identity, Latino/a demographics in higher education, and the interaction of Latino/a faculty dimensions that interact with faculty search committee expectations. They highlight implications for hiring and retention.
Impact of Experiential Learning on Latino College Students' Identity, Relationships, and Connectedness to Community
Authors: Teranishi Christy S.
Published: November 2006

Using mixed methods of inquiry, this study examines the impact of experiential learning on Latino/a college students' development as they move away from home to study and do community service in another country. Journals reveal that students developed their identity, relationships, awareness of structural inequalities, and connectedness to community. Survey results indicate increased self-efficacy, civic participation, career preparedness, and understanding of diversity. Findings underscore the importance of experiential learning for future Latino/a educators and community leaders.
20 Years Later and Still at Risk
Authors: Polacek Georgia N. L. Johnston , Hicks Jennifer A. , Oswalt Sara B.
Published: November 2006

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection rates in the United States continue unabated among some groups, with young adults of color at greater risk than others. This study sought to determine college students' knowledge, perceptions, and behaviors related to HIV/AIDS. Undergraduate students ( N = 443) at a large, urban Hispanic-serving institution in south Texas were surveyed. Participants' self-reported knowledge of HIV transmission was moderate; significant differences exist between age and ethnic groups for some items. Implications for education and prevention campaigns are discussed.
Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities National Internship Program
Authors: Cuéllar Arturo , Vega Arturo
Published: November 2006

The U.S. government has long struggled with achieving a federal workforce that reflects the nation's diversity. This study evaluates the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities National Internship Program, which recruits Latino students for semester-long internship assignments with federal agencies. Having undergone the internship program, students are more likely to consider the federal government as a future employer than they were previously. Such internships offer the potential of improving Latino representation in the federal bureaucracy.
Comparison of the effects of antibody-coated liposomes, IVIG, and anti-RBC immunotherapy in a murine model of passive chronic immune thrombocytopenia
Authors: Deng Rong , Balthasar Joseph P.
Published: November 2006

The present work evaluated antibody-coated liposomes as a new treatment strategy for immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) through the use of a mouse model of the disease. Effects of antimethotrexate antibody (AMI)–coated liposomes and intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG)–coated liposomes (15, 30, 60 μmol lipid/kg) were compared with the effects of IVIG (0.4, 1, 2 g/kg) and anti–red blood cell (anti-RBC) monoclonal antibody immunotherapy (TER119, 5, 15, 25, and 50 μg/mouse) on MWReg30-induced thrombocytopenia. Each treatment was found to attenuate thrombocytopenia in a dose-dependent manner and, consistent with previous work, IVIG was found to increase antiplatelet antibody clearance in a dose-dependent manner. TER119 demonstrated greater effects on thrombocytopenia relative to other therapies (peak platelet counts: 224% ± 34% of initial platelet counts for 50 μg TER119/mouse versus 160% ± 34% for 2 g/kg IVIG, 88% ± 36% for 60 μmol lipid/kg AMI-coated liposomes, and 80% ± 25% for 60 μmol lipid/kg IVIG-coated liposomes). However, the effects of TER119 were associated with severe hemolysis, as TER119 decreased RBC counts by approximately 50%. The present work demonstrated that antibody-coated liposomes attenuated thrombocytopenia in this model at a much lower immunoglobulin dose than that required for IVIG effects and, in contrast with TER119, antibody-coated liposomes increased platelet counts without altering RBC counts.
α-defensins block the early steps of HIV-1 infection: interference with the binding of gp120 to CD4
Authors: Furci Lucinda , Sironi Francesca , Tolazzi Monica , Vassena Lia , Lusso Paolo
Published: November 2006

α-defensins are antibiotic peptides that act as natural inhibitors of HIV-1 infection. However, the mechanisms of such inhibition are still unclear. Here we demonstrate that α-defensins block the earliest steps in the viral infectious cycle, as documented using an HIV-1 envelope-mediated cell-fusion assay. A broad-spectrum inhibitory activity was observed on primary and laboratory-adapted HIV-1 isolates irrespective of their coreceptor specificity and genetic subtype. A primary mechanism of such inhibition was identified as the ability of α-defensins to bind specifically both to the primary HIV-1 cellular receptor, CD4, and to the viral envelope glycoprotein, gp120. Moreover, treatment of CD4+ T cells with α-defensins caused a dramatic downmodulation of CD4 expression. By monoclonal antibody competition, the regions of interaction with α-defensins were mapped to the D1 domain of CD4 and to a surface contiguous to the CD4- and coreceptor-binding sites of gp120. Consistent with these findings, α-defensins inhibited the binding of gp120 to CD4. These data demonstrate that α-defensins specifically block the initial phase of the HIV infectious cycle and modulate the expression of CD4, a critical receptor in the physiology of T-cell activation.
Staphylococcal superantigen-like 5 binds PSGL-1 and inhibits P-selectin–mediated neutrophil rolling
Authors: Bestebroer Jovanka , Poppelier Miriam J. J. G. , Ulfman Laurien H. , Lenting Peter J. , Denis Cecile V. , van Kessel Kok P. M. , van Strijp Jos A. G. , de Haas Carla J. C.
Published: November 2006

Staphylococcus aureus secretes several virulence factors interfering with host-cell functions. Staphylococcal superantigen-like (SSL) proteins are a family of 11 exotoxins with structural homology to superantigens but with generally unknown functions. Recently, we described that chemotaxis inhibitory protein of Staphylococcus aureus (CHIPS31-121), a potent inhibitor of C5a-induced responses, is structurally homologous to the C-terminal domain of SSL5. Here, we identify P-selectin glycoprotein ligand-1 (PSGL-1), involved in the initial rolling of neutrophils along the endothelium, as a target for SSL5. SSL5 specifically bound to Chinese hamster ovary cells stably expressing PSGL-1 (CHO–PSGL-1), which was dependent of sulfation and sialylation. Furthermore, SSL5 bound to PSGL-1/Ig fusion protein immobilized on a biosensor chip. SSL5 affected binding of soluble P-selectin/Fc chimera, the principle ligand of PSGL-1, to CHO–PSGL-1 cells and inhibited adhesion of neutrophils to immobilized P-selectin under static conditions. Under flow conditions SSL5 strongly decreased neutrophil rolling on immobilized P-selectin/Fc and activated human endothelial cells. In conclusion, SSL5 interferes with the interaction between PSGL-1 and P-selectin, suggesting that S aureus uses SSL5 to prevent neutrophil extravasation toward the site of infection. This makes SSL5 a potential lead for the development of new anti-inflammatory compounds for disorders characterized by excessive recruitment of leukocytes.
Involvement of the fractalkine pathway in the pathogenesis of childhood hemolytic uremic syndrome
Authors: Ramos María Victoria , Fernández Gabriela C. , Patey Natasha , Schierloh Pablo , Exeni Ramón , Grimoldi Irene , Vallejo Graciela , Elías-Costa Christian , del Carmen Sasiain Maria , Trachtman Howard , Combadière Christophe , Proulx François , Palermo Marina S.
Published: November 2006

Thrombotic microangiopathy and acute renal failure are cardinal features of postdiarrheal hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). These conditions are related to endothelial and epithelial cell damage induced by Shiga toxin (Stx) through the interaction with its globotriaosyl ceramide receptor. However, inflammatory processes contribute to the pathogenesis of HUS by sensitizing cells to Stx fractalkine (FKN), a CX3C transmembrane chemokine expressed on epithelial and endothelial cells upon activation, is involved in the selective migration and adhesion of specific leukocyte subsets to tissues. Here, we demonstrated a selective depletion of circulating mononuclear leukocytes expressing the receptor for FKN (CX3CR1) in patients with HUS. We found a unique phenotype in children with HUS distinct from that seen in healthy, uremic, or infected controls, in which monocytes lost CX3CR1, down-modulated CD62L, and increased CD16. In addition, the CD56dim natural killer (NK) subpopulation was decreased, leading to an altered peripheral CD56dim/CD56bright ratio from 10.0 to 4.5. It is noteworthy that a negative correlation existed between the percentage of circulating CX3CR1+ leukocytes and the severity of renal failure. Finally, CX3CR1+ leukocytes were observed in renal biopsies from patients with HUS. We suggest that the interaction of CX3CR1+ cells with FKN present on activated endothelial cells may contribute to renal injury in HUS.
Donor cell leukemia: insight into cancer stem cells and the stem cell niche
Authors: Flynn Catherine M. , Kaufman Dan S.
Published: November 2006

Donor cell leukemia (DCL) is a rare complication of hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). Its incidence has been reported between 0.12% and 5%, although the majority of cases are anecdotal. The mechanisms of leukemogenesis in DCL may be distinct from other types of leukemia. Possible causes of DCL include oncogenic alteration or premature aging of transplanted donor cells in an immunosuppressed person. Although many studies have recently better characterized leukemic stem cells, it is important to also consider that both intrinsic cell factors and external signals from the hematopoietic microenvironment govern the developmental fate of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). Therefore, in cases of DCL, alteration of the microenvironment after HCT may increase the likelihood that some progeny of normal HSCs become leukemic. This complex intercommunication between cells, growth factors, and cytokines in the hematopoietic microenvironment are critical to balance HSC self-renewal, proliferation, and differentiation. However, this homeostasis is likely perturbed in the development of DCL, allowing unique insight into the stimuli that regulate normal and potentially abnormal hematopoietic development. In this article, we discuss the possible pathogenesis of DCL, its association with stem cells, and its likely dependence on a less-supportive stem cell niche.
Intensified 12-week CHOP (I-CHOP) plus G-CSF compared with standard 24-week CHOP (CHOP-21) for patients with intermediate-risk aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma: a phase 3 trial of the Dutch-Belgian Hemato-Oncology Cooperative Group (HOVON)
Authors: Verdonck Leo F. , Notenboom Annelise , de Jong Daphne D. , MacKenzie Marius A. , Verhoef Gregor E. G. , Kramer Mark H. H. , Ossenkoppele Gert J. , Doorduijn Jeanette K. , Sonneveld Pieter , van Imhoff Gustaaf W.
Published: November 2006

Optimal dose and timing of CHOP (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone) chemotherapy for aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) is still an unresolved issue. We assessed whether dose intensifications with cyclophosphamide and doxorubicin might improve outcome in younger patients with intermediate-risk aggressive NHL. Previously untreated patients were assigned to receive either 8 courses of standard CHOP (n = 239) or 6 courses of intensified (I)–CHOP (n = 238). Although there was a tendency in favor of I-CHOP for overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), and event-free survival (EFS), the differences were not significant. However, although these analyses were not planned, when the intermediate-risk group was divided into low-intermediate- and high-intermediate-risk patients according to the International Prognostic Index (IPI), low-intermediate-risk patients had improved 6-year OS (67% vs 52%; P = .05), DFS (58% vs 45%; P = .06), and EFS (41% vs 30%; P = .21) when they were treated with I-CHOP compared with standard CHOP. On the other hand, high-intermediate-risk patients seem to have no benefit from I-CHOP. Although clinically relevant side effects occurred more often in the I-CHOP arm, treatment-related mortality was similar. These data suggest that I-CHOP might be preferable to standard CHOP in younger patients with low-intermediate-risk aggressive NHL.
A novel human B cell subpopulation representing the initial germinal center population to express AID
Authors: Kolar Grant R. , Mehta Darshna , Pelayo Rosana , Capra J. Donald
Published: November 2006

We have identified a novel mature human B-cell subpopulation in the human tonsil that has characteristics of both naive B cells and germinal center B cells including the expression of activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID), which is essential for the process of immunoglobulin somatic hypermutation and class-switch recombination. These cells are clearly somatically hypermutated, albeit modestly. Their phenotype (IgD+CD38−CD23−FSChiCD71+) is unique and suggests they may be intermediate between both naive and germinal center cells. Morphologically they are also distinct from other B-cell subpopulations. The evidence presented suggests these cells may be the founder cells of the germinal center reaction (a pro-GC cell) and may be the normal counterpart of the mantle cell lymphoma cell.
Induction of Th2 type immunity in a mouse system reveals a novel immunoregulatory role of basophils
Authors: Oh Keunhee , Shen Tao , Le Gros Graham , Min Booki
Published: November 2006

While production of cytokines such as IL-12 by activated dendritic cells supports development of Th1 type immunity, a source of early IL-4 that is responsible for Th2 immunity is not well understood. We now show that coculture of basophils could promote a robust Th2 differentiation upon stimulation of naive CD4 T cells primarily via IL-4. Th2 promotion by basophils was also observed even when naive CD4 T cells were stimulated in a Th1-promoting condition or when fully differentiated Th1 phenotype effector CD4 T cells were restimulated. IL-4–deficient basophils failed to induce Th2 differentiation but suppressed Th1 differentiation. It was subsequently revealed that the IL-4–deficient basophils must engage cell-to-cell contact to exert the inhibitory effect on Th1 differentiation. Stimulation of naive CD4 T cells within an in vivo environment of increased basophil generation supported development of Th2 type immunity. Taken together, our results suggest that basophils may provide an important link for the development of Th2 immunity.
Human transmissible spongiform encephalopathies in eleven countries: diagnostic pattern across time, 1993–2002
Authors: de Pedro-Cuesta Jesús , Glatzel Markus , Almazán Javier , Stoeck Katharina , Mellina Vittorio , Puopolo Maria , Pocchiari Maurizio , Zerr Inga , Kretszchmar Hans A , Brandel Jean-Philippe , Delasnerie-Lauprêtre Nicole , Alpérovitch Annick , Van Duijn Cornelia , Sanchez-Juan Pascual , Collins Steven , Lewis Victoria , Jansen Gerard H , Coulthart Michael B , Gelpi Ellen , Budka Herbert , Mitrova Eva
Published: November 2006

Background

The objective of this study was to describe the diagnostic panorama of human transmissible spongiform encephalopathies across 11 countries.

Methods

From data collected for surveillance purposes, we describe annual proportions of deaths due to different human transmissible spongiform encephalopathies in eleven EUROCJD-consortium countries over the period 1993–2002, as well as variations in the use of diagnostic tests. Using logistic models we quantified international differences and changes across time.

Results

In general, pre-mortem use of diagnostic investigations increased with time. International differences in pathological confirmation of sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, stable over time, were evident. Compared to their counterparts, some countries displayed remarkable patterns, such as: 1) the high proportion, increasing with time, of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in the United Kingdom, (OR 607.99 95%CI 84.72–4363.40), and France (OR 18.35, 95%CI 2.20–152.83); 2) high, decreasing proportions of iatrogenic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in France, (OR 5.81 95%CI 4.09–8.24), and the United Kingdom, (OR 1.54 95%CI 1.03–2.30); and, 3) high and stable ratios of genetic forms in Slovakia (OR 21.82 95%CI 12.42–38.33) and Italy (OR 2.12 95%CI 1.69–2.68).

Conclusion

Considerable international variation in aetiological subtypes of human transmissible spongiform encephalopathies was evident over the observation period. With the exception of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease and iatrogenic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in France and the United Kingdom, these differences persisted across time.
High yield recombinant penicillin G amidase production and export into the growth medium using Bacillus megaterium
Authors: Yang Yang , Biedendieck Rebekka , Wang Wei , Gamer Martin , Malten Marco , Jahn Dieter , Deckwer Wolf-Dieter
Published: November 2006

Background

During the last years B. megaterium was continuously developed as production host for the secretion of proteins into the growth medium. Here, recombinant production and export of B. megaterium ATCC14945 penicillin G amidase (PGA) which is used in the reverse synthesis of β-lactam antibiotics were systematically improved.

Results

For this purpose, the PGA leader peptide was replaced by the B. megaterium LipA counterpart. A production strain deficient in the extracellular protease NprM and in xylose utilization to prevent gene inducer deprivation was constructed and employed. A buffered mineral medium containing calcium ions and defined amino acid supplements for optimal PGA production was developed in microscale cultivations and scaled up to a 2 Liter bioreactor. Productivities of up to 40 mg PGA per L growth medium were reached.

Conclusion

The combination of genetic and medium optimization led to an overall 7-fold improvement of PGA production and export in B. megaterium. The exclusion of certain amino acids from the minimal medium led for the first time to higher volumetric PGA activities than obtained for complex medium cultivations.
Haloperidol treatment induces tissue- and sex-specific changes in DNA methylation: a control study using rats
Authors: Shimabukuro Morihiro , Jinno Yoshihiro , Fuke Chiaki , Okazaki Yuji
Published: November 2006

Background

We previously found that there is a subtle difference in the global methylation state of blood leukocyte DNA between male subjects with and without schizophrenia. The aim of the current study was to determine whether this difference was a primary effect of the disease state, or a secondary effect of antipsychotics administered to these patients.

Methods

We examined the methyl cytosine (mC) content of DNA from the leukocytes, brain, and liver of rats using high performance liquid chromatography. A total of 40 male and female rats received for 21 days daily injection of haloperidol or vehicle solution alone.

Results

In control rats injected with buffer only, there was a sex-dependent difference in mC content in leukocyte DNA (male > female;P= 0.028, n = 10), similar to our previous observations in human peripheral leukocytes. No difference in mC content between the sexes was observed in the brain or liver in buffer-treated animals. Haloperidol treatment slightly decreased the mC content of leukocytes in male rats, but unexpectedly, increased the mC content of leukocytes in females. We observed a trend toward a higher level of mC in the liver in both sexes following haloperidol treatment, compared to buffer-treated animals. In contrast, haloperidol treatment resulted in a decrease in mC content in the brain in females, and this difference was statistically significant (P= 0.026).

Conclusion

These results indicate that haloperidol can affect DNA methylation states in the brain, as well as in certain other tissues, and raise the possibility that antipsychotic drugs play a role in the observed disparity in mC content in male subjects with and without schizophrenia.
Layered Hybrid Thin Film of Molybdenum Trioxide with Poly(2,5-dimethylaniline) for Gas Sensor Sensitive to VOC Gases in ppm Level
Authors: Itoh Toshio , Matsubara Ichiro , Shin Woosuck , Izu Noriya
Published: November 2006

A layered organic/inorganic hybrid thin film consisting of MoO3 with a double-methylated polyaniline derivative, poly(2,5-dimethylaniline), showed a distinctly increasing resistivity as a response to ppm levels of aldehydic gases, and its sensitivity to acetaldehyde is higher than that to formaldehyde, which can be explained by solubility parameter theory.
Tributylphosphane-catalyzed Condensation of Alcohol and Carboxylic Acid with DCC Directed toward Rotaxane Synthesis
Authors: Makita Yoshimasa , Kihara Nobuhiro , Takata Toshikazu
Published: November 2006

Tributylphosphane (TBP) was found to act as an effective catalyst for direct condensation of carboxylic acid and alcohol with dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DCC). Condensation using a DCC–TBP system was successfully applied in the preparation of rotaxanes.
Effects of Vacuum Ultraviolet Light Illumination on the Residual Stress in Sol–Gel-derived Titanium Dioxide Films
Authors: Arimitsu Naoki , Nakajima Akira , Saito Keisuke , Kameshima Yoshikazu , Okada Kiyoshi
Published: November 2006

This study investigated effects of vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) illumination on the residual stress of sol–gel-derived titanium dioxide (TiO2) films. After firing at 500 °C, VUV pre-illumination to TiO2 precursor film decreases residual stress more than 30%. This effect is explained by the great shrinkage that occurs during VUV illumination.
A Novel Self-aggregates of Phthalocyanine Based on Zn–O Coordination
Authors: Huang Xin , Zhao Fuqun , Li Zhongyu , Huang Lei , Tang Yingwu , Zhang Fushi , Tung Chen-Ho
Published: November 2006

α-Aryl/alkoxy-substituted phthalocyanines (Pcs) were synthesized and the formation of J-type self-aggregation for zinc phthalocyanines has been observed in organic non-coordinating solvents. The mechanism of the formation of this self-assembly was studied by UV–vis spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy and MALDI-TOF MS, which revealed that it was stabilized by Zn–O self-coordination.
Aza-Prins Reaction Promoted by Titanium Tetraiodide and Iodine
Authors: Shimizu Makoto , Baba Toru , Toudou Shingo , Hachiya Iwao
Published: November 2006

In the presence of titanium tetraiodide and iodine, olefins and acetylenes underwent aza-Prins reaction to give 1,3-iodoamines in good yields.
Colorimetric Assay for Evaluating Glycosyl Fluoride-hydrolyzing Activity of Glycosidase by Using Alizarin Complexon Reagent
Authors: Shoda Shin-ichiro , Shintate Keiko , Ishihara Masaki , Noguchi Masato , Kobayashi Atsushi
Published: November 2006

A novel enzyme assay for screening glycosidases has been developed by using glycosyl fluorides. The method is based on the color change caused by the complex formation of fluoride ion and lanthanum–alizarin complexon (La3+–ALC). The assay showed higher sensitivity compared with the conventional method using p-nitrophenyl glycoside as screening substrate. A quantitative study on the hydrolysis of β-lactosyl fluoride catalyzed by a purified cellulase has been demonstrated, indicating that the present method can also be employed for enzyme kinetics.
Synthesis of an Enantiopure syn-Benzocyclotrimer through Regio-selective Cyclotrimerization of a Halonorbornene Derivative under Palladium Nanocluster Conditions
Authors: Higashibayashi Shuhei , Sakurai Hidehiro
Published: November 2006

An enantiopure syn-benzocyclotrimer 1 was selectively synthesized from an enantiopure halonorbornene 2 through regio-selective cyclotrimerization catalyzed by palladium nanoclusters. The yield of 1 was dependent on the stability of the palladium clusters, which was ascertained from the appearance and TEM images of the reaction mixtures. The thus-prepared enantiopure benzocyclotrimer will serve as a key intermediate for the synthesis of C3v symmetric chiral buckybowls.
Polyoxometalate-assisted One-step Fabrication of Porous Nanorods of β-FeOOH and the Facile Transition to Hematite
Authors: Mao Baodong , Kang Zhenhui , Wang Enbo , Tian Chungui , Zhang Zhiming , Wang Chunlei , Li Siheng
Published: November 2006

Uniform porous β-FeOOH nanorods of 10–20 nm have been controllably fabricated by direct hydrothermal treatment of FeCl3 and dilute tungstophosphoric acid H3PW12O40 (PW12) solution. N2 adsorption–desorption properties of the nanorods were studied. Hematite nanorods with the same morphologies and interesting weak ferromagnetic properties were obtained by annealing these β-FeOOH nanorods.