bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Using intrinsically fluorescent proteins for plant cell imaging
Authors: Dixit Ram , Cyr Richard , Gilroy Simon
Published: January 2006

The intrinsically fluorescent proteins (IFPs), such as the green, cyan and yellow fluorescent proteins, have revolutionized how we can image the dynamics of cellular events. Intrinsically fluorescent proteins have been used as reporter genes to monitor transcriptional regulation, as targeted markers for organelles and subcellular structures, in fusion proteins to directly observe protein motility and dynamics, and in sensors designed to show changes in cellular environments ranging from pH to protein kinase activity. The IFPs hold tremendous potential to reveal the dynamic processes that underlie plant cell function; however, as with all technology there are artifacts and pitfalls inherent in their use. In this review, we highlight some of the practical issues in using IFPs for live cell imaging. These include choice of the appropriate IFP, dealing with autofluorescence, photobleaching and phototoxicity, and application of approaches such as fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET), fluorescence lifetime imaging (FLIM) and fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) to gain high‐resolution data about protein dynamics within the cell. We also discuss some of the more common artifacts associated with these fluorescence imaging approaches and suggest controls that should help both spot these problems and suggest their solutions.
Microarray analysis of the transcriptome as a stepping stone towards understanding biological systems: practical considerations and perspectives
Authors: Clarke Joseph D. , Zhu Tong
Published: January 2006

DNA microarrays have been used to characterize plant transcriptomes to answer various biological questions. While many studies have provided significant insights, there has been great debate about the general reliability of the technology and data analysis. When compared to well‐established transcript analysis technologies, such as RNA blot analysis or quantitative reverse transcription‐PCR, discrepancies have frequently been observed. The reasons for these discrepancies often relate to the technical and experimental systems. This review‐tutorial addresses common problems in microarray analysis and describes: (i) methods to maximize extraction of valuable biological information from the vast amount of microarray data and (ii) approaches to balance resource availability with high scientific standards and technological innovation with peer acceptability.
Polymorphism of HLA class II genes in Miao and Yao nationalities of Southwest China
Authors: Liu Y. , Liu Z. , Fu Y. , Jia Z. , Chen S. , Xu A.
Published: January 2006

In the present study, the polymorphism of human leucocyte antigen class II genes was investigated by the sequence‐based typing method in two Chinese populations: the Miaos (n = 85) from Guizhou province and the Yaos (n = 66) from Yunnan province. These two populations exhibited certain similarity in their allelic distributions. Among 24 DRB1 alleles detected, DRB1*150101, DRB1*140101, DRB1*160201 and DRB1*090102 in Miao and DRB1*120201, DRB1*140101, DRB1*150101 and DRB1*090102 in Yao were highly predominant. Sixteen DQB1 alleles in total were found in these two populations among which DQB1*050201, DQB1*060101/060103 and DQB1*030101/0309 in both Miao and Yao and DQB1*050301 in Yao were commonly observed. In the 13 DPB1 alleles detected, the most frequent allele was DPB1*0501 in Miao and Yao followed by DPB1*02 and DPB1*1301. Frequent comparisons with other Chinese populations suggested the southern Chinese feature for both the Miao and Yao nationalities.
NFκB1 gene does not affect type 1 diabetes predisposition in a Spanish population
Authors: Martínez A. , Santiago J. L. , De La Calle H. , Figueredo M. A. , Fernández‐Arquero M. , De La Concha E. G. , Urcelay E.
Published: January 2006

The chromosomal location of the NFκB1 gene on 4q, a region linked to type 1 diabetes (T1D), together with the observed resistance to T1D of NFκB1‐deficient mice, suggests its potential role as candidate gene increasing diabetes predisposition. Previous association studies in diverse populations yielded inconclusive results. Two polymorphisms in the promoter region of the NFκB1 gene have been studied: a functional −94ins/delATTG regulating the gene expression and a very informative CA‐repeat microsatellite. A strong association with the latter was reported in British population but could not be replicated in Danish families. No evidence of association was detected for those genetic markers in 270 Spanish T1D patients and 484 healthy ethnically matched controls. Therefore, it seems that this gene plays no major role in T1D predisposition.
HLA class II disease associations in southern Africa
Authors: Lombard Z. , Brune A. E. , Hoal E. G. , Babb C. , Van Helden P. D. , Epplen J. T. , Bornman L.
Published: January 2006

Southern Africa harbors several population groups representing a diversity of gene pool origins. This provides a unique opportunity to study genetic disease predisposition in these populations against a common environmental background. Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) association studies of these populations could improve knowledge on inter‐population variation and HLA‐related disease susceptibility. The aim of this paper is to review HLA class II disease associations reported for southern African population groups, compare them with findings in other populations and identify those unique to southern Africa. A number of HLA class II disease associations appear to be unique to southern African populations. These include DRB1*14011 association with insulin‐dependent diabetes mellitus susceptibility in the Xhosa and DRB1*10 and DQB1*0302 with rheumatoid arthritis susceptibility in the South African (SA) Indian and SA Coloreds, respectively. A noteworthy similarity in class II disease association was observed among southern African Caucasoid and their European parental populations. Unique HLA class II disease associations observed in southern Africa are consistent with the notion that unique environmental and natural selective factors have resulted in certain ethnic‐specific HLA class II disease associations, while common HLA class II disease associations found across different populations support the notion that common diseases are caused by common, ancient alleles present in indigenous African populations.
A lily pollen‐specific cDNA encoding the Cdc42/Rac‐interactive‐binding motif‐containing protein associated with pollen tube growth
Authors: Hsu Ssu‐Wei , Wang Co‐Shine
Published: January 2006

This work characterizes a pollen‐specific and desiccation‐associated transcript that encodes the CRIB (Cdc42/Rac‐interactive‐binding) motif‐containing protein in lily (Lilium longiflorum Thunb. cv. Snow Queen) pollen during development and stress. The transcript, designated LLP12‐2, encodes a gene product having a sequence of 222 amino acids, a calculated molecular mass of 24 kDa, and a calculated pI of 9.1. The protein contains a high content of glycine, serine, and proline (11–16%) with relatively high amounts (8%) of arginine and lysine. Sequence analysis revealed that the LLP12‐2 is a Rho of plants‐ interactive CRIB motif‐containing protein (RIC), sharing 40–41% identities with RIC6, RIC7, and RIC8, all of which belong to Group II RICs in Arabidopsis. Antiserum was raised against the overexpressed LLP12‐2 protein in Escherichia coli. Affinity‐purified LLP12‐2 antibodies were prepared from antiserum to investigate the specificity and distribution of the protein during development. The affinity‐purified LLP12‐2 antibodies recognized both the 32‐ and 35‐kDa pollen proteins, and the two polypeptides were immunologically related. Immunoblot analyses of total protein from floral and vegetative organs confirmed that LLP12‐2 proteins accumulated to detectable levels only in a discrete stage of anther development. The level of LLP12‐2 protein remained for 24 h during germination in vitro, and they were eventually degraded thereafter. Premature drying of developing pollen indicated that the accumulation of LLP12‐2 proteins was associated with desiccation. Subcellular fractionation of pollen proteins revealed that the LLP12‐2 was located in the cytosolic fraction, correlated to the observation of the overexpressed GFP‐LLP12‐2 in pollen tubes. Nevertheless, it is preferably associated with tube plasma membrane, particularly at the apical region of pollen tubes. Overexpression of GFP‐LLP12‐2 in lily pollen tubes causes distinct tip‐growth phenotypes.
Gender‐specific heat‐shock tolerance of hydrated leaves in the desert moss Syntrichia caninervis
Authors: Stark Lloyd R. , McLetchie David Nicholas
Published: January 2006

Female plants of the moss Syntrichia caninervis are more common than male plants and are found in more thermally stressful habitats than male plants. We hypothesized that this distribution pattern is due to a more favorable regeneration response of females to thermal stress compared to that of males. Hydrated leaves from four genotypes of both sexes of S. caninervis were exposed for 60 min under lighted conditions to temperatures of 20, 30, 35, 40, and 45°C. Leaves were allowed to regenerate on native sand under recovery conditions (12‐h photoperiod, 20°C lighted, and 8°C dark) for 56 days, and over this period, protonemal emergence, growth rate, and shoot production were assessed. Leaves exposed to higher heat shocks produced protonemata significantly later, exhibited significantly reduced growth rates over the course of the experiment, and produced fewer shoots but did not differ in the probability of producing a shoot. Males tended to produce protonemata earlier than females at the highest thermal stress, whereas females tended to produce protonemata earlier under control conditions. Female leaves regenerated at twice the rate of male leaves, producing twice the area of protonemal cover; this gender difference was lessened at the highest thermal stress. Female leaves regenerated significantly more shoots than males, with each sex exhibiting different peaks of shoot production depending on the thermal stress. No interaction effect was detectable between gender and stress treatment. While females had a more favorable regeneration response relative to males, thermal stress diminished this difference, thus suggesting that our hypothesis was not supported.
Cell‐cell adhesion in fresh sugar‐beet root parenchyma requires both pectin esters and calcium cross‐links
Authors: Marry Mazz , Roberts Keith , Jopson S. Juliet , Huxham I. Max , Jarvis Michael C. , Corsar Julia , Robertson Eoin , McCann Maureen C.
Published: January 2006

Multicellular plants depend for their integrity on effective adhesion between their component cells. This adhesion depends upon various cross‐links; ionic, covalent or weak interactions between the macromolecules of the adjacent cell walls. In sugar‐beet (Beta vulgarisL. Aztec) root parenchyma, cell‐cell adhesion is disrupted by successive extractions with a calcium‐chelating agent (imidazole) and a de‐esterifying agent (sodium carbonate) but not by the calcium‐chelating agent or the de‐esterifying agent alone. Cell‐cell adhesion in sugar‐beet parenchyma thus depends upon both ester and Ca2+cross‐linked polymers. Pectic polysaccharides are removed by these treatments. Both parallel‐electron energy‐loss spectroscopy (PEELS) and Image‐EELS show that calcium‐binding sites are removed from the wall by imidazole. Using a monoclonal antibody that recognizes a relatively unesterified epitope of homogalacturonan, JIM 5, we show that a subset of JIM 5‐reactive antigens remain in the middle lamella after Ca2+chelation and that this subset is removed by cold (4° C) Na2CO3‐induced breakage of ester bonds. Fourier transform infrared, nuclear magnetic resonance, and spectrophotometric assays show that methyl and feruloyl esters are removed from the wall by Na2CO3but acetyl esters remain. Sodium carbonate extraction at 20° C removes cell wall autofluorescence and most of the feruloylated moieties from the wall. We propose that the chelator‐resistant subset of ester‐linked JIM 5‐reactive pectins are important for cell‐cell adhesion.
Relation between photosynthetic capacity and cold hardiness in Scots pine
Authors: Repo Tapani , Leinonen Ilkka , Wang Kai‐Yun , Hänninen Heikki
Published: January 2006

The seasonal changes in two of the photosynthetic parameters of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.), i.e. the light‐saturated assimilation rate (Amax) and the apparent quantum yield (α), were compared with the cold hardiness of needles throughout the course of a year. The data for the comparison were obtained from an experiment with close to ambient and elevated temperatures in open‐top chambers. The cold hardiness correlated with the photosynthesis parameters, but the relation was different in the cold acclimation and deacclimation phases, i.e. the same cold hardiness corresponded differently with Amax and α in the autumn and spring. The temperature treatment had a clear effect on the relation of α with cold hardiness in the dehardening phase but not during the hardening phase. The ecological significance of the seasonal changes in the photosynthetic capacity, i.e. in Amax and α, is discussed.
Identification and Pathogenicity of Rhizoctonia spp. Causing Wirestem of Betula nigra in China
Authors: Yang G.‐H. , Naito S. , Dong W. H.
Published: January 2006

During July 2004, wirestem was frequently observed on the seedlings of Betula nigra at Dehong district in Yunnan Province, China. Isolates of Rhizoctonia spp. consistently obtained from their diseased leaves, roots and stems were identified as belonging to binucleate Rhizoctonia anastomosis groups (AG) AG‐P and AG‐R, and R. solani AG‐I IB and AG‐4 HG‐I, based on cultural characteristics, nuclear staining, anastomisis reaction and analysis of their ITS rDNA region. The percentage of recovery of AG‐P, AG‐1, AG‐R and AG‐4 was 48%, 39%, 8% and 3%, respectively. This is the first report of wirestem of red birch cause by binucleate Rhizoctonia AG‐P and AG‐R, and R. solani AG‐1 IB and AG‐4 HG‐I in China.
Relationships between Tospovirus Incidence and Thrips Populations on Tomato in Mendoza, Argentina
Authors: de Borbón C. M. , Gracia O. , Píccolo R.
Published: January 2006

The objectives of this work were to estimate the capability of local populations of thrips as vectors of groundnut ringspot virus (GRSV) and tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV), and to determine the species composition of vectors in tomato crops. Transmission assays were performed. Incidence of tospoviruses was estimated in commercial crops. Random samples of flowers were taken from tomato for identification of thrips. Of the five species of thrips tested, Frankliniella gemina (first record), F. occidentalis and F. schultzei transmitted GRSV and TSWV. F. schultzei was a significantly more efficient vector of GRSV than F. occidentalis under controlled assay conditions. The thrips were identified on flowers from six surveyed tomato crops. F. occidentalis was the most frequently identified species (43.0%), followed by F. schultzei (35.6%) and Thrips tabaci (10.1%). The incidence of tospoviruses was low (1.1–2.8%) in crops planted during August–September and greater (9.5–61.1%) in crops planted in December. GRSV was prevalent (85%) over TSWV (11%).
Sensitivity of Clonostachys rosea and Trichoderma spp. as Potential Biocontrol Agents to Pesticides
Authors: Roberti R. , Badiali F. , Pisi A. , Veronesi A. , Pancaldi D. , Cesari A.
Published: January 2006

Clonostachys rosea 47 (CR47), Trichoderma atroviride 59 (TA59), T. atroviride 312 (TA312), Trichoderma harzianum 24 (TH24), Trichoderma longibrachiatum 9 (TL9), T. longibrachiatum 144 (TL144) and Trichoderma viride 15 (TV15) were tested to evaluate their in vitro sensitivity towards five fungicides (carboxin, guazatine, prochloraz, thiram and triticonazole) and four herbicides (chlorsulfuron, chlorotoluron, flufenacet and pendimethalin). All antagonists showed low sensitivity to carboxin and thiram and high sensitivity to prochloraz. For mycelial radial growth, TV15 was highly sensitive to guazatine, prochloraz and triticonazole and TH24 moderately insensitive to carboxin, guazatine and thiram. For conidial germination TL144 was the most sensitive to the fungicides, for mycelial radial growth and conidial germination CR47 was the least sensitive. None of the antagonists showed any mycelial radial growth inhibition in presence of the herbicides at field dose, except for TL144. Most antagonists did not show any conidial germination inhibition by the herbicides. The in vitro toxicity of prochloraz, guazatine and triticonazole towards the antagonists was confirmed by light and scanning electron microscope showing hyphal disruptions and extrusion of cytoplasmic content. A mixture of CR47 and/or TA312 with carboxin, thiram and triticonazole, applied to wheat seeds, was able to control Fusarium culmorum artificially inoculated to wheat seedlings in growth chambers. In the field, the antagonists applied along with triticonazole or thiram, at 1/10 of the field dose to seeds naturally infected by F. culmorum, gave a disease control comparable to that induced by triticonazole at full field dose. Our results demonstrate how an integration of microorganisms with pesticides makes the control of wheat foot rot possible.
Relatedness Among Agronomically Important Rusts Based on Mitochondrial Cytochrome b Gene and Ribosomal ITS Sequences
Authors: Grasso V. , Sierotzki H. , Garibaldi A. , Gisi U.
Published: January 2006

A fragment of the mitochondrial cytochrome b (cyt b) gene of 13 agronomically important plant pathogenic Basidiomycetes was sequenced, including several Puccinia spp., Uromyces appendiculatus, Phakopsora pachyrhizi, Hemileia vastatrix and Rhizoctonia solani. The deduced amino acid sequences (residues 142–266) were used to study the relatedness of these pathogens as compared to other species of the Basidiomycetes, Ascomycetes and Oomycetes. The relatedness was also studied at nuclear level using the Internal Transcribed Spacers (ITS) in the ribosomal DNA. Phylogenic trees were constructed with the maximum parsimony (MP) and the neighbour‐joining (NJ) methods. On the basis of both cytochrome b and ITS sequences, the Puccinia species pathogenic to graminaceous crop plants, such as Puccinia recondita f. sp. tritici, Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici, Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici, Puccinia coronata f. sp. avenae, Puccinia hordei, P. recondita f. sp. secalis and Puccinia sorghi, together with Puccinia horiana from Chrysanthemum, were very closely related to each other, whereas Puccinia arachidis (from peanut) was closely related to U. appendiculatus (from beans) but more distant from the other Puccinia species. Both rusts on soybean (P. pachyrhizi) and coffee (H. vastatrix) were outside the Puccinia cluster. All rusts were separated from other Basidiomycetes such as R. solani and the strobilurin producing species Strobilurus tenacellus and Mycena galopoda. Our results demonstrate that the amino acid sequence of the mitochondrial cytochrome b is a valid tool to study phylogenic relatedness among plant pathogenic Basidiomycetes and supports taxonomic grouping based on morphological structures and host specificity. Because of their high variability, ITS sequences were able to discriminate Puccinia species, which were identical on the basis of the cytochrome b amino acid sequence. Thus, ITS sequences could better show differences among species or within a species, whereas cytochrome b is more suitable than ITS for phyologenic inference at family or genus level. In addition, the sequence data obtained during this study represent essential information for easy isolation of the cyt b gene and detection of point mutations conferring resistance to Qo Inhibitor fungicides that eventually may evolve.
Integration through Distinction: German‐Jewish Immigrants, the Legal Profession and Patterns of Bourgeois Culture in British‐ruled Jewish Palestine1
Authors: SELA‐SHEFFY RAKEFET
Published: January 2006

Abstract  This article examines the encounter of the German Jewish immigrants with the crystallizing of local Jewish community in British‐ruled Palestine during the 1930s and 1940s. It argues that their accepted image as cultural aliens, based on their allegedly incompatible European‐like bourgeois life‐style, was propagated by both parties in this encounter, causing their marginalization and at the same time serving them as an important socio‐cultural resource. Focusing on the field of the legal profession, it analyses the 1930's and the already emerging and highly‐accepted patterns of a local middle‐class civic culture (despite its rejection by the political discourse), which facilitated the advancement of an elite group of German‐born lawyers in this field.
Social Upheaval and Transformation of Elite Structures: The Case of Finland
Authors: Ruostetsaari Ilkka
Published: January 2006

The purpose of this study is to ascertain how certain important changes in Finnish society in the 1990s altered the national elite structures and affected democracy. We examine how the patterns of recruitment, interaction and cohesiveness among the elites changed in the period 1991–2001. The data for the study were drawn mainly from postal surveys conducted among the elites and a sample of the population in 1991 and 2001. The first research task was to establish how recruitment to various elites has altered in terms of social stratification and education. The second was to analyse changes in patterns of interaction between various elites as far as physical contacts and attitudes were concerned. The third was to study the relationship between the elites and the general population on the basis of attitudinal affinity. The conclusions were based on theoretical models characterising various elite structures and their interconnections with democracy. The concept of a responsive elite is developed on the grounds of the theory of democratic elitism. The changes in the Finnish elite structure have meant a passage towards an inclusive structure compatible with democracy rather than towards an exclusive elite configuration. Finnish elites have become more open and more diverse.
The Social Policies Presidents Make: Pre-Emptive Leadership under Nixon and Clinton
Authors: Béland Daniel , Waddan Alex
Published: January 2006

Grounded in Stephen Skowronek's typology of presidential leadership, this paper furthers our understanding of ‘pre-emptive leadership’ through a comparative analysis of the welfare and Social Security reforms pursued by US presidents Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton. Although not identical, their experience in these areas provides valuable insight into the difficulty of wielding power in an inhospitable political environment. The paper starts with a brief presentation of Skowronek's typology before discussing the electoral strategies employed by both presidents as they attempted to frame political identities that would allow them to compete successfully in unfavourable ideological and political circumstances. The paper then specifically focuses on the politics of welfare and Social Security reform as the two presidents used these issues as part of their efforts to craft distinctive political images and attract wider electoral support. This comparative analysis reinforces the concept of ‘pre-emption’ as a valuable tool in understanding presidential behaviour. However, it also underlines the limits of pre-emptive leadership. Pre-emptive strategies can be effective at election time, but they are less likely to succeed in the legislative arena. This reality complicates the presidential search for genuine policy legacies.
Locke and the Politics and Theology of Toleration
Authors: Stanton Timothy
Published: January 2006

Locke's theory of toleration has been understood to rest on the claim that persecution was insufficient to instil either (i) true or (ii) sincere belief in people. Although Locke did indeed make both these claims, neither was fundamental to his theory. Locke was principally concerned to deny that persecution was necessary to instil true or sincere belief; its insufficiency to those ends he, and his contemporaries, took for granted. His denial of the necessity of persecution presupposed that human beings were, in principle, naturally adequate to the discovery of God's wants for them. The same presupposition, which derives from natural theology, underwrote the views in politics and revealed theology that complete his theory and supplied its moral content. Contemporary theories of toleration purposing to proceed on Lockean assumptions are morally and philosophically impoverished by their failure to see the requirements laid on an adequate theory of toleration by genuinely Lockean terms.
Public Preferences for Parliamentary Representation in the UK: An Overlooked Link?
Authors: Carman Christopher Jan
Published: January 2006

Representation, both as a normative concept and a political process, has generated a rich literature across several national contexts. To develop our understanding of representational systems, scholars tend to assess the degree of policy congruence between parliamentarians and constituents as well as the role orientations adopted by elected parliamentarians and legislators. This paper contends that in order to have a complete understanding of representational systems, we must consider not only the representational roles adopted by parliamentarians, but also the publics’ preferences regarding parliamentary representation. Specifically, I posit that individuals have attitudes about the type and degree of relationship that they believe should exist between elected parliamentarians, parties and constituents. Using data from a 2003 survey of the British public, I test the related hypotheses that individuals have meaningful and predictable preferences for the representational relationship they share with their members of parliament (MPs) and that these representational preferences in turn influence how individuals evaluate MPs. Finding support for both hypotheses, I argue that developing an understanding of normative public preferences for political representation is an important and overlooked component in advancing models of public support of both elected officials and governing institutions.
International Organisation as Coordination in N-Person Games
Authors: Lane Jan-Erik , Maeland Reinert
Published: January 2006

One major problem in global governance is the specification of decision-making rules for international and regional organisations to coordinate the states of the world. Various organisations use different decision-making rules, and the properties of these rules may be compared systematically in terms of the power index approach. The power index solution concept of N-person games may be employed to display a basic problem in global governance, namely, the fundamental trade-off between state veto on the one hand and the capacity of the organisation or groups of states to act, meaning its decisiveness, on the other hand. Thus, when states coordinate through the setting up and running of international organisations, they then face a trade-off between their own control over the organisation and the capacity of the organisation to act. States make this trade-off in different ways depending upon the nature of the international or regional organisation as they reflect upon what is most important, to wit, own control or the capacity of the group to act.
The Impact of Family Functioning on African American Males’ Academic Achievement: A Review and Clarification of the Empirical Literature
Authors: Mandara Jelani
Published: January 2006

This article reviews and clarifies many inconsistencies and misconceptions in the research literature on the effects of family functioning on African American male academic achievement. It was concluded that when parents use an African American version of authoritative parenting, teach children about their cultural heritage and personal power to achieve in spite of barriers, and are actively involved by monitoring homework and limiting counterproductive time, the odds of African American boys succeeding in school are greatly increased. Implications for parenting interventions, educational policy, and future research are also discussed.
Hiring Practices of African American Males in Academic Leadership Positions at American Colleges and Universities: An Employment Trends and Disparate Impact Analysis
Authors: Jackson Jerlando F. L.
Published: January 2006

This study examined the status of African American males in academic leadership positions at American colleges and universities in comparison with other males (e.g., Asian). Guided by disparate impact theory, descriptive trend analyses and impact ratios were computed using the 1993 and 1999 National Study of Postsecondary Faculty (NSOPF). These national-level data demonstrated that, although White males continue to hold the overwhelming majority of academic leadership positions, African American males have made modest advancements in upper level administrative positions at specific types of higher and postsecondary education institutions (e.g., 2-year and private institutions). More specifically, these results suggested that a disparate impact exists between the hiring of African American males and White males in academic leadership positions.
The European Social Contract and the European Public Sphere
Authors: Bredt Stephan
Published: January 2006

Abstract:  The possible existence of a European democracy does not depend on the prerequisite of a homogeneous public sphere but on the understanding of the relationship between the normative basis of a European democracy—here a social contract—the structure of the European public sphere and the corresponding institutions. The normative concept of democracy as expressed in social contract theory is neither bound to the city‐state nor the nation‐state, but can be transferred to the European level. To realise the normative aims of the social contract the democratic institutions have to be—and were in the city—and the nation state—adapted to the structure of the respective public sphere. Two institutional characteristics of the democratic European polity could correspond to the heterogeneous European public sphere: (1) a cooperation of institutions with clearly separated and limited competences—contrary to the ideal‐type sovereign institutions with broad competences in the nation‐state, and (2) the policy field‐oriented structure—contrary to the more uniform and functional structure of democratic institutions in the nation states.
The Non‐Subversive Function of European Private Law: The Case of Harmonisation of Family Law
Authors: Marella Maria Rosaria
Published: January 2006

Abstract:  This article challenges the widely diffuse view of family law as peripheral to private law. It aims to the de–marginalisation of family legal issues, by showing their ties to the market realm and freedom of contract. In this theoretical framework, the article analyses the process of family law harmonisation in Europe. In particular, it focuses on three steps or aspects in respect to which the presumed peculiarity of family law is proclaimed and reveals, at the same time, its groundlessness: the status/contract dichotomy as a reflection of the family/market divide which seems to influence future developments of the harmonisation of law in Europe; the presumed political character of family law, which represents the leitmotiv in most recent harmonisation projects; and the subsequent strictly national character of family law, which makes EC institutions much more cautious in intervening in these matters than in any other field of private law.
Smuggling of Migrants, Trafficking in Human Beings and Irregular Migration on a Comparative Perspective
Authors: McCreight Matilde Ventrella
Published: January 2006

Abstract:  The European Union aims to develop a European criminal justice to combat cross‐border crimes of smuggling of migrants and trafficking in human beings. This article focuses its attention on European Community/European Union (EC/EU) law and on two Member States, Italy and the United Kingdom (UK). The findings show that there are diversities and ambiguities in the definition of irregular migration. On the contrary, the EU and Member States should concentrate their efforts on the two crimes of smuggling of migrants and trafficking in human beings rather than criminalising irregular migration.
Estimating the ECB Policy Reaction Function
Authors: Carstensen Kai
Published: January 2006

This paper estimates the policy reaction function of the European Central Bank in the first four years of EMU using an ordered probit model which accounts for the fact that central bank rates are set at multiples of 25 basis points. Starting from a baseline model which mimics the Taylor rule, the impacts of different economic variables on interest rate decisions are analysed. It is concluded that the monetary growth measure which was announced by the ECB as the first pillar of their monetary strategy does not play an outstanding role for the actual interest rate decisions. More sophisticated measures like the money overhang which uses information from both pillars are better suited. Overall, it is concluded that the revision of the monetary policy strategy in May 2003 which implied a downgrading of the first pillar will not induce any observable changes in monetary policy decisions.
Some Observations on the Great Depression in Germany
Authors: Weder Mark
Published: January 2006

This paper evaluates the role of preference shocks during the Great Depression in Germany. From Euler equation residuals, I am able to identify a series of contractionary shocks that struck the German economy from 1929 to 1932. I apply the sequence of these taste innovations to a dynamic general-equilibrium model and find that the size and the order of shocks can generate a pattern that can explain the lion’s share of the decline in economic activity. The artificial economy also predicts a swift recovery after 1932, thereby questioning any significant effects of Nazi economic policy.
The distribution of intermediate‐conductance, calcium‐activated, potassium (IK) channels in epithelial cells
Authors: Thompson‐Vest Nichola , Shimizu Yasutake , Hunne Billie , Furness John B.
Published: January 2006

Intermediate‐conductance, calcium‐activated, potassium (IK) channels were first identified by their roles in cell volume regulation, and were later shown to be involved in control of proliferation of lymphocytes and to provide a K+current for epithelial secretory activity. Until now, there has been no systematic investigation of IK channel localization within different epithelia. IK channel immunoreactivity was present in most epithelia, where it occurred in surface membranes of epithelial cells. It was found in all stratified epithelia, including skin, cornea, oral mucosa, vaginal mucosa, urothelium and the oesophageal lining. It occurred in the ducts of fluid‐secreting glands, the salivary glands, lacrimal glands and pancreas, and in the respiratory epithelium. A low level of expression was seen in serous acinar cells. It was also found in other epithelia with fluid‐exchange properties, the choroid plexus epithelium, the ependyma, visceral pleura and peritoneum, bile ducts and intestinal lining epithelium. However, there was little or no expression in vascular endothelial cells, kidney tubules or collecting ducts, lung alveoli, or in sebaceous glands. It is concluded that the channel is present in surface epithelia (e.g. skin) where it has a cell‐protective role against osmotic challenge, and in epithelia where there is anion secretion that is facilitated by a K+current‐dependent hyperpolarization. It was also in some epithelial cells where its roles are as yet unknown.
The superior colliculus of the camel: a neuronal‐specific nuclear protein (NeuN) and neuropeptide study
Authors: Mensah‐Brown E. P. K. , Garey L. J.
Published: January 2006

In this study we examined the superior colliculus of the midbrain of the one‐humped (dromedary) camel, Camelus dromedarius, using Nissl staining and anti‐neuronal‐specific nuclear protein (NeuN) immunohistochemistry for total neuronal population as well as for the enkephalins, somatostatin (SOM) and substance P (SP). It was found that, unlike in most mammals, the superior colliculus is much larger than the inferior colliculus. The superior colliculus is concerned with visual reflexes and the co‐ordination of head, neck and eye movements, which are certainly of importance to this animal with large eyes, head and neck, and apparently good vision. The basic neuronal architecture and lamination of the superior colliculus are similar to that in other mammals. However, we describe for the first time an unusually large content of neurons in the superior colliculus with strong immunoreactivity for met‐enkephalin, an endogenous opioid. We classified the majority of these neurons as small (perimeters of 40–50 µm), and localized diffusely throughout the superficial grey and stratum opticum. In addition, large pyramidal‐like neurons with perimeters of 100 µm and above were present in the intermediate grey layer. Large unipolar cells were located immediately dorsal to the deep grey layer. By contrast, small neurons (perimeters of 40–50 µm) immunopositive to SOM and SP were located exclusively in the superficial grey layer. We propose that this system may be associated with a pain‐inhibiting pathway that has been described from the periaqueductal grey matter, juxtaposing the deep layers of the superior colliculus, to the lower brainstem and spinal cord. Such pain inhibition could be important in relation to the camel's life in the harsh environment of its native deserts, often living in very high temperatures with no shade and a diet consisting largely of thorny branches.
In vivo fibreoptic confocal imaging (FOCI) of the human ocular surface
Authors: Wells A. P. , Wakely L. , Birchall W. , Delaney P. M.
Published: January 2006

Recent developments in the miniaturization of confocal imaging technology have resulted in the development of a hand‐held confocal microscope probe. There are many structures of interest in the human eye that are within reach of a fluorescence‐mode confocal microscope; this study assessed the feasibility of in vivo human ocular imaging. Safety analysis was undertaken to ensure that the laser light applied to the ocular surface structures constituted no threat to patient safety. A fibreoptic confocal imaging (FOCI) probe using an illumination wavelength of 488 nm was applied to the ocular surface of four volunteers after topical administration of sodium fluorescein. Stabilization of the probe on the ocular surface was difficult, but movement artefacts could be minimized to a satisfactory level in most subjects by a variety of procedures. High‐quality images of conjunctival epithelial and goblet cells, lamina propria structures, accessory lacrimal glands, lacrimal ducts and superficial sclera were obtained. Lateral resolution was 1–1.5 µm and axial resolution was approximately 30 µm; individual erythrocytes could be seen in conjunctival vessels. The rete ridges and intervening epithelial components, including the probable location of corneal limbal stem cells, could be viewed, although it was not possible to distinguish cell subgroups. The study showed that fluorescence‐mode imaging of the ocular surface is a viable and promising tool for assessment of diseases and processes involving superficial ocular structures. Refinement of equipment and techniques, particularly probe stabilization, is necessary to realize fully the potential of FOCI for ocular use.
Immunohistochemical localization of G protein βγ subunits in the lateral wall of the rat cochlea
Authors: Khan Khalid M. , Sarfaraz Noorjehan , Siddiqui Sammer , Nawaz Haq
Published: January 2006

The role of G protein‐mediated signal transduction in the production of endolymph, an extracellular fluid of unusual ionic composition, is beginning to be understood. The identity of Gα subunits in the stria vascularis and the spiral ligament of the lateral wall of the cochlear duct is well established. However, little is known about the presence of βγ subunits. This study used immunohistochemistry to investigate the distribution of G protein βγ subunits in the lateral wall of the cochlea. Temporal bones of 6‐ to 8‐week‐old rats were fixed in 4% paraformaldehyde and 0.1% glutaraldehyde and processed for embedding in paraffin wax. The dewaxed, midmodiolar sections of the cochlea were incubated with subunit‐specific polyclonal antibodies. The results show that the pattern of immunoreactivity varies for the G protein β1–4 and γ1–3, 5 and 7 subunits in the stria vascularis and spiral ligament. In the stria vascularis, immunoreactivity was detected for β2, β3, β4, γ1, γ2 and γ7 subunits. All five types of fibrocytes in the spiral ligament exhibited positive staining for γ2 and γ7. However, immunoreactivity for β1–4 subunits was variable. Immunoreactivity for γ3 and γ5 subunits was not detected in the lateral cochlear wall. The expression pattern of G protein βγ subunits in lateral wall provides a basis for interpreting the functions of G protein‐coupled receptors in cochlear fluid homeostasis.
New Approaches to Bourgeois Resistance in Germany and Austria, 1933–1945
Authors: Kurlander Eric
Published: January 2006

Middle class Protestants and Catholics constituted the largest single constituency in the Third Reich, inclusive of Austria. Yet few historians in recent years have examined the role of bourgeois resistance. Rather, contemporary scholarship tends to emphasize the willingness of the German middle classes to accommodate National Socialism (Anpassung), focusing almost exclusively on working class, women's and minority opposition (ResistenzorVerweigerung). The purpose of this article is to offer some fruitful lines of inquiry that might help us to reassess the role of the German and Austrian middle classes in resisting the Third Reich.
Technology and the World the Slaves Made
Authors: Gudmestad Robert
Published: January 2006

The study of American slavery is a crowded field and each year the historical profession witnesses the publication of several new books. Despite this steady onslaught of scholarship, significant gaps remain in our understanding of slavery and its influence on the South. One area that has lacked sustained attention is the nexus of slavery and technological development. Several new books demonstrate that changes in technology profoundly altered the lives and labor of slaves. Historians have approached the presence of technology in a slave society from several different traditions. Some scholars argued that plantation development and mechanical progress were difficult to wed together, while others noted the progressive nature of southern agricultural production, but discussions of white attitudes and behavior overshadowed the effects of machinery on the lives of slaves. An innovative approach has emphasized the employment of slaves in factories, but such works have done little to provide insight into how technological innovation influenced plantation slaves. Several new studies have reversed these trends and promise to lead us in important directions. Examinations of the cotton gin, steamboats, sugar plantations, and clocks have revealed that technology brought enormous change to the bulk of slaves, not just those living in urban areas or working in factories. Patterns and practices of work, opportunities for autonomy, and time away from the master's unstinting gaze, all changed because of mechanical innovation. Taken together, these new works also provide clues to the making and remaking of the southern economy and society.
Exsolution textures of orthopyroxene and clinopyroxene in high‐grade BIF of the Voronezh Crystalline Massif: evidence of ultrahigh‐temperature metamorphism
Authors: FONAREV V. I. , PILUGIN S. M. , SAVKO K. A. , NOVIKOVA M. A.
Published: January 2006

Archaean banded iron formation (BIF) of the Voronezh Crystalline Massif (VCM) contains coexisting clino‐ and orthopyroxenes with exsolution textures. The pyroxene in the VCM BIF is found in two generations, with only the first generation containing such textures. Clinopyroxene contains large (up to 5–10 μm) (0 0 1) orthopyroxene (Opx1L) lamellae in a host clinopyroxene (Cpx1H). This host Cpx, in turn, exsolves into thin (∼1 μm) (1 0 0) lamellae of orthopyroxene (Opx2L) and clinopyroxene (Cpx2H). Orthopyroxene exhibits similar exsolution textures with large (up to 50 μm) (0 0 1) clinopyroxene (Cpx1L) lamellae developed in a host orthopyroxene (Opx1H). This clinopyroxene Cpx1L shows further exsolution of thin (1 0 0) Opx2LL lamellae and clinopyroxene (Cpx2LH). Point microprobe analysis, raster‐mode microprobe analysis, and microprobe element mapping of mineral grains with a large number of point analysis were used to determine the composition of the exsolution products and the primary chemistry of the coexisting clinopyroxene (CaO = 14.86–17.26 wt%) and pigeonite (CaO = 4.45–6.23 wt%). These pyroxenes crystallized during the peak of metamorphism, and application of the Lindsley geothermometer suggested that they formed at extremely high temperatures of about 1000 °C. Primary very dense CO2‐rich fluid inclusions (ρ = 1.152 g cm−3,Th = −49.2 °C) were discovered for the first time in these BIF. With these data, the metamorphic pressure was estimated as 10–11 kbar (depth 36–40 km). Such ultrahigh temperature–high pressure (UHT–HP) conditions for the regional metamorphism of the Precambrian BIF have previously been reported only for Archaean meta‐ironstone from the Napier Complex (Enderby Land, Antarctica). They give an insight into the peak metamorphic conditions of the BIF of the VCM, their burial under thickened continental crust during this period of Earth evolution and suggest a more complicated multistage metamorphic and tectono‐thermal history for the region than has previously been postulated.
Haplotypes of the Human RET Proto‐oncogene Associated with Hirschsprung Disease in the Italian Population Derive from a Single Ancestral Combination of Alleles
Authors: Lantieri F. , Griseri P. , Puppo F. , Campus R. , Martucciello G. , Ravazzolo R. , Devoto M. , Ceccherini I.
Published: January 2006

The RET proto‐oncogene is the major gene involved in the complex genetics of Hirschsprung disease (HSCR), or aganglionic megacolon, showing causative loss‐of‐function mutations in 15–30% of the sporadic cases. Several RET polymorphisms and haplotypes have been described in association with the disease, suggesting a role for this gene in HSCR predisposition, also in the absence of mutations in the coding region. Finally, the presence of a functional variant in intron 1 has repeatedly been proposed to explain such findings. Here we report a case‐control study conducted on 97 Italian HSCR sporadic patients and 85 population matched controls, using 13 RET polymorphisms distributed throughout the gene, from the basal promoter to the 3′UTR. Linkage disequilibrium and haplotype analyses have shown increased recombination between the 5′ and 3′ portions of the gene and an over‐representation, in the cases studied, of two haplotypes sharing a common allelic combination that extends from the promoter up to intron 5. We propose that these two disease‐associated haplotypes derive from a single founding locus, extending up to intron 19 and successively rearranged in correspondence with a high recombination rate region located between the proximal and distal portions of the gene. Our results suggests the possibility that a common HSCR predisposing variant, in linkage disequilibrium with such haplotypes, is located further downstream than the previously suggested interval encompassing intron 1.