bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Status of Individuals and the Regulation of Force
Authors: Lubell Noam
Published: September 2010

This chapter delves into the content of the rules applicable to extraterritorial armed conflicts against non-state actors. Detailed attention is given to the status of individuals under international humanitarian law, and whether members of armed groups should be considered as civilians or combatants. This includes examination of the notions of direct participation in hostilities and unlawful combatants. Following this, the chapter examines challenges in the humanitarian law rules regulating force against non-state actors, in the context of both large scale and small scale operations.
Forfeiture in Scotland
Authors: Houston R. A.
Published: September 2010

Suicide was a crime punishable by forfeiture of goods to the crown and fiscal sources provide the best sources for analysing Scottish suicide. After assessing how other European countries enforced this punishment, the law and practice of forfeiture are explained. The crown in Scotland used forfeiture as an instrument of government by personal lordship, drawing suicide survivors into a relationship based on gifting and gratitude. The chapter covers formal and informal means of handling the often problematic aftermath of suicide. Topics covered include the law of forfeiture, its geography, how violent suicide was, and the financial effects on survivors. The chapter focuses on 1550–‐1700 and offers reasons for the rise and fall of suicide forfeiture that shed light on many social, legal, and political developments.
The Secularization of Suicide?
Authors: Houston R. A.
Published: September 2010

It is conventionally assumed that suicide became secularized in the eighteenth century as religious understandings gave way to medical ones. This chapter explains the origins of this assumption and charts the hybrid of religious and secular understandings of suicide's causes that co‐existed throughout the early modern period. It shows how little the Devil mattered to Calvinists, who instead stressed the positive side of suicidal thoughts for salvation. The distinctively different intellectual approaches of English and Scottish thinkers are shown in both sermons and philosophical writings. Enlightenment arguments in favour of suicide were marginal to most understandings, which remained firmly grounded in Christian morality.
The Metaphysics of Basic Acts I: The Existence of Actions
Authors: Moore Michael S.
Published: September 2010

Actions, being a species of events, suffer with events general scepticisms about the mind-independent existence of such items. Metaphysical realism about events is more difficult to accept for some theorists than is a like realism about physical objects. Reasons are given not to succumb to such scepticisms about actions and events.
The Normative Basis for theActus ReusRequirement
Authors: Moore Michael S.
Published: September 2010

The normative justifications for the actus reus requirement are usually gathered under one rubric, the so-called ‘principle of legality.’ ‘The’ principle is in reality an amalgam of nine legal doctrines overlappingly justified by four different values (fairness, equality, liberty, and democracy). These values collectively justify limiting punishments to acts clearly prescribed in advance by criminal legislation. They only provide a limited justification for why retributive justice is served by observing the formalities demanded by the principle.
The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms
Authors: Hiebert Janet L.
Published: September 2010

The adoption of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms in 1982 has been the most radical break ever made in the constitution and legal traditions of the nation. The Charter changed the basic governing principle upon which the Canadian political system was founded: the supremacy of Parliament. By including it into the Constitution, the legislations of federal and provincial governments which were then beyond judicial reproach are now under court review to determine the consistency of the legislations to the rule of law and to pinpoint breaches that would render the legislations invalid. However, the Charter also introduced a serious tension with the constitutional pillar of Canada: federalism. This article discusses the Charter's implications on the Canadian political system since its adoption in 1982. The intersection of the Charter with federalism provides a glimpse into the promotion of identities based on “Canadianness” at the expense of “competing regional loyalties,” the defederalization of political culture, and the homogenization of the legislation. The article also discusses the implications of the Charter for the parliamentary character of Canadian politics. Three of the sections of the Charter are examined here: the limitation clause of section 1, the notwithstanding clause of section 33, and the equality rights of section 15. All of these three sections have aided the framing of the kind of rights the Charter would represent and each has revealed the manner in which the Charter had influenced legislation and political behavior.
Political Parties and the Practice of Brokerage Politics
Authors: Carty R. Kenneth , Cross William
Published: September 2010

Political parties are significant to Canadian politics. They are central to the workings and the nature of the country. Despite their prominent role in the defining of the Canadian political life and in shaping the country's democratic processes, Canadian political parties are among the most organizationally weak and decentralized parties in an established democratic party system. Unregulated and underinstitutionalized, the political parties of Canada remain unchanged from the cadre-style structures of the mid-nineteenth century. The parliament and the electoral system with which they work has changed a little, but while they position themselves within a wider society and its governing institutions, Canadian political parties were forced to adapt to the social, economic, and demographic changes that continually reshaped Canadian society. This article discusses political parties in Canadian politics. It discusses the distinctive character of brokerage party politics by Canadian parties and the organizational structures they have developed. The article also discusses the internal life of the parties and their ability to perform functions demanded of them as principal institutions of democratic linkage.
Women in Canadian Politics
Authors: O'Neill Brenda , Young Lisa
Published: September 2010

This article provides an overview of Canadian women's political orientations, and their collective action through feminism. It discusses the participation of women in politics as individual citizens and as voters. The article also discusses the formal political arena and traces the efforts to elucidate women's persistent numerical and substantive underrepresentation in Canadian legislatures. It concludes with an overview of public policies that affect women's social and economic equality.
Health Care
Authors: Marchildon Gregory P.
Published: September 2010

The political and administrative organization of health care in Canada is marked by inherent complexity and diversity. Health care in Canada is not characterized by a single health care system; rather, there are many health care systems operating within the country. All levels of government, from the federal, to the provincial, to the territorial, and to local government, are involved at varying degrees in the administration, financing, and delivery of public health care. The private sector has a dominant role in health care as well. This involvement of the public and private sectors in the delivery of public health care and the line between public and private sectors within health care have remained hotly disputed issues. Political parties that are conservative and market oriented emphasize individual responsibility, the impact of incentives on individuals, and the limits of government funding, as well as the administering and delivering of health care. Political parties who are marked by a more social–moral ethos, on the other hand, highlight the role of collective responsibility, the obstacles to access to health care due to patient fees, and the administrative efficiencies of a single-payer public administration. In addition, there has been a debate on the role of the central government in a federation where the provinces have considerable authority and responsibility under the current constitution and where the unrelenting threat of Quebec secession has pushed the federation for asymmetrical administrative arrangements. This article discusses the politics of health care in Canada. It discusses the political history of Canadian health care, the contemporary political organization of the nation's health care, and the federal–provincial collaboration and conflict on issues of health care.
Democratic Reform: The Search for Guiding Principles
Authors: Seidle F. Leslie
Published: September 2010

This article discusses the continuing efforts of Canada in reforming its political institutions to emulate a representative government and a democratized government. It discusses the objectives and principles underlying the pressures for the democratic reform of the nation. The core of the article is the analysis of the several measures taken by Canada to reform the senate, the electoral system, and the regulation of political finance and related matters. The article concludes with a discussion of why, despite considerable efforts, the changes sought have not come about in the first two areas.
Theories of Intelligence
Authors: Gill Peter
Published: September 2010

The discipline of intelligence studies to date has spent relatively little time on theorizing. In the practice of intelligence, theories are crucial in creating applications that address the agencies's core mandate: the protection of national security. This article discusses theories of intelligence, its structures and process, and its failures and successes. It identifies the key features of the current context for intelligence, determine some of the contributions of theory to the analysis of intelligence and its place within the contemporary government, specifically, what is required if intelligence is to facilitate rather than damage democracy. Apart from providing practical applications for the betterment of safeguarding national security, theories of intelligence have a crucial contribution to public education. There is a danger that people may come to believe that failures are not only inevitable but a permanent condition, hence, there is an indispensable obligation to elucidate complex matters in such a way that reason does not submit to security panics. For most of history, intelligence has been used to oppress, and in many parts of the world, it still is used in this way. Those who live in liberal democratic regimes with advanced intelligence systems, it is their obligation to ensure those systems catch up with the changing face of intelligence governance as well as in informing developments in nonliberal systems so that intelligence will provide security without sacrificing hard-won rights.
The Rise of the U.S. Intelligence System, 1917–1977
Authors: Warner Michael
Published: September 2010

Between 1917 and 1977, the United States created a massive and sophisticated intelligence establishment to inform the decisions of its leaders and facilitate the success of their policies. At the beginning, the nation's armed forces held crude notions of military intelligence. By 1977, the United States had the most sophisticated and expensive intelligence system. This rise of intelligence was the United States's response to three challenges: the growing willingness of states to hold non-combatants at risk for political ends; the startling increases in the ability of the states to wreak havoc; and the spiraling expenses in deterring enemies who possessed new powerful weapons. This article discusses the early development of the U.S. Intelligence in 1917 and its expansion to an “Intelligence Community” from 1977 onwards. It also discusses the influences on the development of American intelligence system and the political strains that come along with the development of the intelligence system.
Signals Intelligence in War and Power Politics, 1914–2010
Authors: Ferris John
Published: September 2010

This article discusses signals intelligence in war and power politics. Signals intelligence is the most secretive and significant source of intelligence. It has many parts such as: the elint (electronic intelligence) which derives information from assessing electronic emissions and the communication intelligence which derives information from reading encrypted messages. Signal intelligence is relevant as it is highly reliable. Aside from its reliability, like other forms of intelligence, signal intelligence aids in the proper execution of policies, aids developing military tactics, and influences diplomatic bargaining. In this article, discussions include: the emergence of signals intelligence; open diplomacy and diplomatic codebreaking; Ultra and Enigma signals intelligence and the industrialization of signals intelligence through the introduction of computers that specializes in cryptology.
The Evolution of International Collaboration in the Global Intelligence Era
Authors: Clift A. Denis
Published: September 2010

This article discusses the evolution of the internal collaboration in procuring intelligence specifically in the global intelligence era. After the 9/11 attack and the passage of the 2004 Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act, the U.S. entered the era of national intelligence. This era is marked by the joining of domestic and foreign intelligence into national intelligence. The Director of National Intelligence (DNI) was formed and the DNI was tasked of ensuring that foreign intelligence and domestic law enforcement agencies worked together in ways never before with information needed to protect the U.S. citizen. In this new era, it has become apparent that U.S. intelligence alone cannot collect and analyze data, the information, and the intelligence necessary to meet its responsibilities and carry out its mandate of safe-guarding the nation. Sharing arrangements and international intelligence partnerships hence became significant and essential. Effective international collaboration has become a new standard which measured the effectiveness and the accountability of the Intelligence Community.
The Dilemma of Open Sources intelligence: Is OSINT Really Intelligence?
Authors: Hulnick Arthur S.
Published: September 2010

This article discusses the significance and the downside of Open Resources Intelligence (OSINT) to the American intelligence system. Before the 9/11 attack, the American intelligence system was always ambivalent towards intelligence material derived from open sources including media, journals, and other publicly available sources. However, in the wake of the September 11 bombing, OSINT found a new appreciation on the part of legislators and intelligence managers. This newfound interest on open sources resulted in the creation of a new office dedicated to Open Source which is under the direction of the Director of National Intelligence and which is managed by the CIA. Although in previous years, OSINT was seen as unnecessary to national intelligence due to the tendency of the low reliability of sources arising from the misinformation, secret messages, disinformation, and nonsense content of OSINT sources, the OSINT when properly used is believed to be as crucial as the most secretive and expensive aspects of intelligence collection. Together with other forms of intelligence collection, OSINT provides information about adversaries and enemies. Properly interpreted, OSINT can be just as enlightening as a well-informed secret agent, or an image from an unmanned spy aircraft. In the end, what is most significant is the system'S ability to give sound judgments to decision makers.
Decision Advantage and the Nature of Intelligence Analysis
Authors: Sims Jennifer E.
Published: September 2010

This article discusses intelligence analysis and the importance of an analyst equipped with critical thinking and sound reasoning in producing good intelligence analysis. Producing good intelligence analysis requires reasoning and critical thinking on the part of the analysts. In addition, they are also tasked with recognizing and coping with deception as well as influencing decision-makers without conveying preference on the choices available. This restraint in conveying preference should not, however, prevent the intelligence analyst from caring about his side of success or the outcomes of the policies they are supposed to inform. Successful intelligence provides advantages to decision-makers they would not otherwise have, so an analyst must know the frame of mind of the decision-maker and the strategy to help the policymaker to succeed. Intelligence is a building of the relationship of trust and collaboration between partners seeking wins for their team. Good intelligence is both subjective and objective and herein lies the essence of the analyst's conundrum: to be an expert and critical thinker, targeted for manipulation, legally denied relevant knowledge, responsible for advising, but prohibited from judging. The practice of intelligence analysis, the collection of information, the anticipation of an opponent's moves, the conveying of knowledge through assessments and estimates, and the collaboration and trust in the analyst and policymaker's relationship forms the focus of this article.
Intelligence Analysis in an Uncertain Environment
Authors: Nolte William M.
Published: September 2010

This article discusses intelligence analysis in an uncertain environment. It discusses the development of intelligence analysis and the challenges faced by the intelligence services at the end of the Cold War. While the Cold War ended one aspect of the national security environment, it was preceded by the information revolution. The duration of this transforming change, its pervasive impact, and its two-edged implications make this the center of any effort to renew twenty-first-century analysis and analytic methodology. The article also discusses the still ongoing information revolution. In this environment, information scarcity was the norm not the exception. In the twentieth century, with the rise of totalitarian regimes whose first order of business was information control in the service of state security, even the flows of information formerly available, were closed off. This development forced responses even from democratic states. One direct consequence was the development of better and more complex intelligence organizations to collect, evaluate, and analyze information. The other, slightly more indirect, was the increase in the emphasis on covertly acquired information, with the resulting devaluation of information openly acquired. This development, in the Second World War, accelerated in the Cold War, especially in what became a “golden age of technical intelligence”. Other topics included are: the fiduciary relationship between the analyst and client, the development of analytic research, and the ethics of twenty-first-century analysis.
The Policymaker-Intelligence Relationship
Authors: Lowenthal Mark M.
Published: September 2010

This article focuses on the policymaker and intelligence analyst relationship which is central to intelligence. The article proceeds from three main points: the centrality of analyst relationship with the consumer; the notion that intelligence's meaningful function is to serve as a larger apparatus for policymakers; and the strict boundary between policymakers and intelligence officers where intelligence officers are expected to distance themselves from creating preferences and recommendations. In the policymaker-intelligence relationship, the relationship should be dominated by the policymakers who have contested and won an election. Policymakers have the right to govern, set budgets, make decisions, and order operations. Second, intelligence is a service provided to policymakers. Although intelligence is an important and useful part of the policy process, its role should be determined by the policymakers and not by the intelligence agencies.
On Uncertainty and the Limits of Intelligence
Authors: Jackson Peter
Published: September 2010

This article discusses the uncertainty and the limits of intelligence. Despite revolutionary changes in the practice of intelligence, the nature and the essence of intelligence work has not changed even in the most fundamental sense. Uncertainty and limits still dominate the intelligence system. Among the “enemies” and limitations of intelligence are: time and space constraints; organization boundaries; politicization; and cognitive limits and ideological preconceptions. Careful consideration of these issues point to the conclusion that not only will decision makers and policy formulators continue to operate in an environment of uncertainty, but also that levels of uncertainty are liable to increase in direct relation to the importance of the issues at stake.
Catching an Atom Spy: MI5 and the Investigation of Klaus Fuchs
Authors: Gibbs Timothy
Published: September 2010

This article focuses on M15 organization and Klaus Fuchs, a German-born physicist and Soviet “Atom Spy” who was arrested in 1950 and served fourteen years for offences related to atomic espionage. It examines how Fuchs was identified as an “Atom Spy” in 1949 and describes the MI5's investigation, which ended in the early 1950 with the successful arrest, prosecution, and imprisonment of this highly significant Cold War figure. Key issues discussed in this article include the difficulties encountered by MI5 and the budding British atomic program in the sphere of security. It also discusses the role of Signals intelligence (SIGINT) in the investigation of Fuchs, and the high-risk but ultimately successful approach taken by MI5's key interrogator, William Skardon. This case study highlights both the unparalleled level of international intelligence cooperation between the British agencies and their American counterparts, which made the resolution of this case possible, and some of the frailties in the Anglo-American alliance that were brought to the fore by the exposure of Fuchs as an Atom Spy.
Covert Action: Strengths and Weaknesses
Authors: Daugherty William J.
Published: September 2010

This article discusses the strengths and weaknesses of covert action as a tool for American foreign policy. It examines the strengths and weaknesses of covert action against the yardstick of success and against the yardstick of policy coherence. The succeeding section discusses other strengths and weakness of covert action programs. While the covert action program is marked by strengths and weaknesses, it will always remain as a tool for foreign policy. Whether it works in any given situation will continue to depend on many factors that are beyond the control of the president and of the intelligence professionals. Covert action is argued to work best when it is applied at the margins, when it provides an extra bit of “push” in the direction local events are already heading. It is most problematic when the program is intended to generate a major shift in the direction of events on the ground, or create a new direction in entirety. Smaller is cheaper, less noticeable and hence less threatening to the opposition government or security apparatus, and more secure in terms of the tradecraft required in recruiting and handling agents.
“A Very British Institution”: The Intelligence and Security Committee and Intelligence Accountability in the United Kingdom
Authors: Phythian Mark
Published: September 2010

This article discusses Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC) and intelligence accountability in the United Kingdom. It discusses the origins of intelligence oversight in the United Kingdom including ISC's independence, its ability to maintain secrets, its means of access to information, and its expertise and investigative powers. The article also discusses the reforms undertaken by the ISC to retain public confidence in the committee such as recognizing its limitations and imposing accountability.
The German Bundesnachrichtendienst (BND): Evolution and Current Policy Issues
Authors: Krieger Wolfgang
Published: September 2010

This article discusses German's foreign intelligence services through the context of the Bundesnachrichtendienst (BND). Unlike other intelligence services of other nations, Germany has no separate military intelligence. The BND serves as Germany's sole foreign and military espionage agency. It also does not have an acknowledged capacity of covert operations compared to the intelligence agencies of other nations. The BND was established in 1956 as part of the West German rearmament within the NATO framework; however, by the time of its establishment the Bonn government had already abandoned its previous efforts to build a military intelligence organization from scratch and with people of its own. Because of this, the BND was under American operational control during the Cold War and German intelligence professionals have served as mercenaries for the Americans over a period of ten years, giving Americans an unique intelligence asset inside the West German government. In this article, the discussions include the evolution of the BND and the current issues faced by the German intelligence services.
Regulatory Rationales Beyond the Economic: In Search of the Public Interest
Authors: Feintuck Mike
Published: September 2010

This article contends that regulation in certain fields should incorporate and give emphasis to values beyond those of market economics. It is argued here that the frame of reference of the market is too narrow to encompass properly a range of social and political values which are established in liberal democracies and can be seen as constitutional in nature. Examples from fields such as environmental regulation and regulation of the media are used here to illustrate a range of non-economic values which have been, are, or should be reflected in regulatory theory and practice as a means of recognising and reflecting principles related to social justice. Such principles extend beyond, and may be antithetical to the practices, values, and outcomes of market-driven decision-making.
Self‐Regulatory Authority, Markets, and the Ideology of Professionalism
Authors: Rostain Tanina
Published: September 2010

This article describes the American legal profession's project to position itself between market and state. It offers a framework within which claims to self-regulatory authority can be understood and compared across different professions and different geographic locations. This article begins by articulating the logic that underlies professional self-regulation and ties it to professions' attempt to delineate an occupational space shielded from state control and competitive forces. It then turns to the American bar's organisational efforts to implement this logic at three institutional sites: the university based law school, bar associations, and the sphere of corporate practice. The last section of this article investigates how the dynamics between new regulatory initiatives and intensified market pressures have threatened the bar's traditional self-regulatory power. It describes how regulation of lawyers, particularly those in large firms, may be moving closer to models of regulation that have become familiar in the industrial and financial realms.
Global Regulation
Authors: Koenig‐Archibugi Mathias
Published: September 2010

There is nothing new about the insight that the regulation of economic and social life in a country can be profoundly affected by policies decided and implemented outside of the borders of that country. For instance, the preamble of the constitution of the International Labour Organisation, approved in 1919 as part of the Peace Treaty of Versailles, expressed clearly the implications of what later came to be known as regulatory competition. But the academic and public debates about economic, environmental, and cultural globalisation that burgeoned since the end of the Cold War have strengthened the interest in the question of the relative weight of ‘global’ and ‘local’ influences on regulatory policies. This article addresses some of the most intensely debated questions about the global factors that may be relevant to regulation, with a focus on how these questions have been asked and answered by political scientists.
Financial Services and Markets
Authors: Moloney Niamh
Published: September 2010

This article focuses on the particular challenges and risks raised by the regulation of financial services and markets. It reviews the traditional rationales for regulation and how regulation has experienced repeated reforms which are becoming increasingly transformative in their ambition. It suggests that what marks out this regulatory area is the significant level of risk involved in the regulatory project. It also considers how regulatory tools can be fine-tuned to mitigate the evolving risks of intervention. It considers the expanding domain of regulation as domestic markets have become closely inter-connected, the related risks, and the nature of the regulatory response. The traditional rationale for financial services and markets regulation is the correction of market failures related to asymmetric information and to externalities, notably systemic risks, in order to support market efficiency and efficient resource allocation.
Regulation and Competition Law in Telecommunications and Other Network Industries
Authors: Alexiadis Peter , Cave Martin
Published: September 2010

This article examines how regulation and competition law have been deployed to control the firms operating in the telecommunications sector, and how, in particular, regulation has been designed, particularly in the European Union, in such a way that it can be withdrawn in favour of the more widespread application of competition law. Examples are electricity generation, sewage treatment, long distance telecommunications services, and retailing. The question arises as to when traditional price regulation can give way to reliance on competition law. The trend in many countries, and especially in telecommunications in Europe, has been to move to ‘deregulate’ in this way. This article examines how such decisions are made and how well competition law works in such contexts.
Effects of Cumin and Ginger as Antioxidants on Dough Mixing Properties and Cookie Quality
Authors: Abdel‐Samie Mohamed Abdel‐Shafi , Wan Jingjing , Huang Weining , Chung Okkyung Kim , Xu Baocai
Published: September 2010

The effects of cumin and ginger as antioxidants on dough mixing properties and cookie quality were evaluated. Antioxidant activities in cookies were estimated by total phenolic compounds (TPC) contents and free radical scavenging activities. The cookie dough development was evaluated using Mixolab equipment which showed that addition of cumin did not change dough stability and C2, but decreased C3 and C4. While the addition of 5% ginger decreased dough stability (from 8.4 in the control sample to 6.7 min with 5% ginger addition), C2 (from 0.49 in the control sample to 0.31 N·m with 5% ginger addition), C3, and C4. Cookies formulated with addition of cumin and ginger had increased spread ratios, were softer, and had lower L* and b* values (were darker) than the control. Sensory analysis showed that cookies with cumin and ginger additions had overall acceptability similar to that of the the control with a slightly darker appearance, as confirmed by color determination. Using cumin and ginger significantly increased TPC contents from 78.5 in the control to 93.0 and 109.8 mg of gallic acid equivalent/100 g, respectively. Similar results were observed in the antioxidant activity measured by 1,1‐diphenyl‐2‐picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), which increased from 41.0% in the control to 51.5% and 64.6%, respectively, for cookies with 5% addition of cumin and ginger.
Effect of Health Information on Consumer Acceptability of Bread Fortified with β‐Glucan and Effect of Fortification on Bread Quality
Authors: Moriartey Stephanie , Temelli Feral , Vasanthan Thava
Published: September 2010

Fortifying bread with β‐glucan reduces bread sensorial properties, though fortification using β‐glucan concentrates of low solubility under the conditions of dough preparation has not been investigated. This study investigated the consumer acceptability and purchase intent of bread fortified with a less soluble β‐glucan concentrate at levels corresponding to 0, 0.75, and 1.5 g β‐glucan/serving bread in relation to the provision of health information, gender, and whole wheat bread consumption. The effect of β‐glucan concentration on the physical properties of the bread produced under pilot plant settings was also investigated. β‐Glucan addition decreased (P < 0.05) loaf volume, increased firmness, and produced a darker, redder bread (P < 0.05), though fortification at 1.5 g β‐glucan/serving bread decreased height as well (P < 0.05). Consumer evaluation (n = 122) revealed that health information increased liking of appearance, flavor, and overall acceptability of the 1.5 g/serving bread to levels similar to or exceeding that of the control. Liking of the 1.5 g β‐glucan/serving bread appearance increased more in women than in men and for consumers who regularly consumed whole wheat bread for perceived health benefits when β‐glucan health information was provided. The provision of β‐glucan health information may be the key to increasing consumer acceptability of bread fortified with β‐glucan.
Chromatin-dependent binding of the S. cerevisiae HMGB protein Nhp6A affects nucleosome dynamics and transcription
Authors: Dowell Noah L. , Sperling Adam S. , Mason Michael J. , Johnson Reid C.
Published: September 2010

The Saccharomyces cerevisiae protein Nhp6A is a model for the abundant and multifunctional high-mobility group B (HMGB) family of chromatin-associated proteins. Nhp6A binds DNA in vitro without sequence specificity and bends DNA sharply, but its role in chromosome biology is poorly understood. We show by whole-genome chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) and high-resolution whole-genome tiling arrays (ChIP–chip) that Nhp6A is localized to specific regions of chromosomes that include ∼23% of RNA polymerase II promoters. Nhp6A binding functions to stabilize nucleosomes, particularly at the transcription start site of these genes. Both genomic binding and transcript expression studies point to functionally related groups of genes that are bound specifically by Nhp6A and whose transcription is altered by the absence of Nhp6. Genomic analyses of Nhp6A mutants specifically defective in DNA bending reveal a critical role of DNA bending for stabilizing chromatin and coregulation of transcription but not for targeted binding by Nhp6A. We conclude that the chromatin environment, not DNA sequence recognition, localizes Nhp6A binding, and that Nhp6A stabilizes chromatin structure and coregulates transcription.
A functional genomic screen in planarians identifies novel regulators of germ cell development
Authors: Wang Yuying , Stary Joel M. , Wilhelm James E. , Newmark Phillip A.
Published: September 2010

Germ cells serve as intriguing examples of differentiated cells that retain the capacity to generate all cell types of an organism. Here we used functional genomic approaches in planarians to identify genes required for proper germ cell development. We conducted microarray analyses and in situ hybridization to discover and validate germ cell-enriched transcripts, and then used RNAi to screen for genes required for discrete stages of germ cell development. The majority of genes we identified encode conserved RNA-binding proteins, several of which have not been implicated previously in germ cell development. We also show that a germ cell-specific subunit of the conserved transcription factor CCAAT-binding protein/nuclear factor-Y is required for maintaining spermatogonial stem cells. Our results demonstrate that conserved transcriptional and post-transcriptional mechanisms regulate germ cell development in planarians. These findings suggest that studies of planarians will inform our understanding of germ cell biology in higher organisms.
Interactions between Hedgehog proteins and their binding partners come into view
Authors: Beachy Philip A. , Hymowitz Sarah G. , Lazarus Robert A. , Leahy Daniel J. , Siebold Christian
Published: September 2010

Hedgehog (Hh) proteins are secreted signaling molecules that mediate essential tissue-patterning events during embryonic development and function in tissue homeostasis and regeneration throughout life. Hh signaling is regulated by multiple mechanisms, including covalent lipid modification of the Hh protein and interactions with multiple protein and glycan partners. Unraveling the nature and effects of these interactions has proven challenging, but recent structural and biophysical studies of Hh proteins and active fragments of heparin, Ihog, Cdo, Boc, Hedgehog-interacting protein (Hhip), Patched (Ptc), and the monoclonal antibody 5E1 have added a new level of molecular detail to our understanding of how Hh signal response and distribution are regulated within tissues. We review these results and discuss their implications for understanding Hh signaling in normal and disease states.
Ephrin-B1 forward signaling regulates craniofacial morphogenesis by controlling cell proliferation across Eph–ephrin boundaries
Authors: Bush Jeffrey O. , Soriano Philippe
Published: September 2010

Mutations in the X-linked humanEPHRIN-B1gene result in cleft palate and other craniofacial anomalies as part of craniofrontonasal syndrome (CFNS), but the molecular and developmental mechanisms by which ephrin-B1 controls the underlying developmental processes are not clear. Here we demonstrate thatephrin-B1plays an intrinsic role in palatal shelf outgrowth in the mouse by regulating cell proliferation in the anterior palatal shelf mesenchyme. Inephrin-B1heterozygous mutants, X inactivation generates ephrin-B1-expressing and -nonexpressing cells that sort out, resulting in mosaic ephrin-B1 expression. We now show that this process leads to mosaic disruption of cell proliferation and post-transcriptional up-regulation of EphB receptor expression through relief of endocytosis and degradation. The alteration in proliferation rates resulting from ectopic Eph–ephrin expression boundaries correlates with the more severe dysmorphogenesis ofephrin-B1+/−heterozygotes that is a hallmark of CFNS. Finally, by integrating phosphoproteomic and transcriptomic approaches, we show that ephrin-B1 controls proliferation in the palate by regulating the extracellular signal-regulated kinase/mitogen-activated protein kinase (ERK/MAPK) signal transduction pathway.
High-Throughput Confocal Imaging of Intact Live Tissue Enables Quantification of Membrane Trafficking in Arabidopsis
Authors: Salomon Susanne , Grunewald Dorit , Stüber Kurt , Schaaf Sebastian , MacLean Dan , Schulze-Lefert Paul , Robatzek Silke
Published: September 2010

Membrane compartmentalization and trafficking within and between cells is considered an essential cellular property of higher eukaryotes. We established a high-throughput imaging method suitable for the quantitative detection of membrane compartments at subcellular resolution in intact epidermal tissue. Whole Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) cotyledon leaves were subjected to quantitative confocal laser microscopy using automated image acquisition, computational pattern recognition, and quantification of membrane compartments. This revealed that our method is sensitive and reliable to detect distinct endomembrane compartments. We applied quantitative confocal laser microscopy to a transgenic line expressing GFP-2xFYVE as a marker for endosomal compartments during biotic or abiotic stresses, and detected markedly quantitative adaptations in response to changing environments. Using a transgenic line expressing the plasma membrane-resident syntaxin GFP-PEN1, we quantified the pathogen-inducible extracellular accumulation of this fusion protein at fungal entry sites. Our protocol provides a platform to study the quantitative and dynamic changes of endomembrane trafficking, and potential adaptations of this machinery to physiological stress.
Pea Chloroplast DnaJ-J8 and Toc12 Are Encoded by the Same Gene and Localized in the Stroma
Authors: Chiu Chi-Chou , Chen Lih-Jen , Li Hsou-min
Published: September 2010

Toc12 is a novel J domain-containing protein identified in pea (Pisum sativum) chloroplasts. It was shown to be an integral outer membrane protein localizing in the intermembrane space of the chloroplast envelope. Furthermore, Toc12 was shown to associate with an intermembrane space Hsp70, suggesting that Toc12 is important for protein translocation across the chloroplast envelope. Toc12 shares a high degree of sequence similarity with Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) DnaJ-J8, which has been suggested to be a soluble protein of the chloroplast stroma. Here, we isolated genes encoding DnaJ-J8 from pea and found that Toc12 is a truncated clone of one of the pea DnaJ-J8s. Protein import analyses indicate that Toc12 and DnaJ-J8s possess a cleavable transit peptide and are localized in the stroma. Arabidopsis mutants with T-DNA insertions in the DnaJ-J8 gene show no defect in chloroplast protein import. Implications of these results in the energetics and mechanisms of chloroplast protein import are discussed.
The Influence of Fruit Load on the Tomato Pericarp Metabolome in aSolanum chmielewskiiIntrogression Line Population
Authors: Do Phuc Thi , Prudent Marion , Sulpice Ronan , Causse Mathilde , Fernie Alisdair R.
Published: September 2010

It has been recently demonstrated, utilizing interspecific introgression lines of tomato, generated from the cross between Solanum lycopersicum and the wild species Solanum pennellii, that the efficiency of photosynthate partitioning exerts a considerable influence on the metabolic composition of tomato fruit pericarp. In order to further evaluate the influence of source-sink interaction, metabolite composition was determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry in a different population. For this purpose, we used 23 introgression lines resulting from an interspecific cross between S. lycopersicum and the wild species Solanum chmielewskii under high (unpruned trusses) and low (trusses pruned to one fruit) fruit load conditions. Following this strategy, we were able to contrast the metabolite composition of fruits from plants cultivated at both fruit loads as well as to compare the network behavior of primary metabolism in the introgression line population. The study revealed that while a greater number of metabolic quantitative trait loci were observed under high fruit load (240) than under low fruit load (128) cultivations, the levels of metabolites were more highly correlated under low fruit load cultivation. Finally, an analysis of genotype × fruit load interactions indicated a greater influence of development and cultivation than genotype on fruit composition. Comparison with previously documented transcript profiles from a subset of these lines revealed that changes in metabolite levels did not correlate with changes in the levels of genes associated with their metabolism. These findings are discussed in the context of our current understanding of the genetic and environmental influence on metabolic source-sink interactions in tomato, with particular emphasis given to fruit amino acid content.
The Entry Draft in the National Hockey League: Discrimination, Style of Play, and Team Location
Authors: Lavoie Marc
Published: September 2010

The study shows that French Canadians continue to suffer from entry discrimination in the National Hockey League. At the time of the draft, the future offensive performance of French Canadian (and European) players is underestimated. The addition of various measures of robustness and defensive play makes no difference. This study also takes into account the location of the teams that drafted the players. It seems that American teams discriminate against French Canadian players, while English Canada teams discriminate against Europeans. The teams from the Province of Quebec did not appear to discriminate in favour of French Canadians.
A Reexamination of How Athletic Success Impacts Graduation Rates: Comparing Student‐Athletes to All Other Undergraduates
Authors: Rishe Patrick James
Published: September 2010

Past research has found conflicting evidence concerning whether higher levels of athletic success positively or negatively impact college graduation rates. This paper intends to improve on past research by separating the graduation rate of student‐athletes from all other undergraduates. Results using generalized least squared estimation and paired t‐tests from a sample of Division I schools suggest that neither the graduation rate for student‐athletes nor the graduation rate for all other undergraduates is sensitive to the level of a school's athletic success. However, the graduation gap between student‐athletes and all other undergraduates is sensitive to various measures of a school's athletic success. Women have higher graduation rates than men in general, and this gender graduation gap is exacerbated when focusing on student‐athletes at schools with the most prominent athletic programs.
Measuring Urban Well‐Being: Race and Gender Matter
Authors: Mapalad‐Ruane Maria Claret M. , Rodriguez Carolyn B.
Published: September 2010

Studies attempting to measure social well‐being that focus attention at national levels fail to provide insights into the actual conditions that are present at subnational levels. With increased attention being focused on the conditions of urban areas, the need for subnational evaluation is becoming more apparent. The growing diversity of the population and the increase in female‐headed households leave researchers without resources for evaluating the conditions of these groups in smaller regional settings, in part due to the scarcity of well‐being measurements at these levels. This study hopes to fill in the gap for measuring well‐being at subnational levels by estimating indexes at the county level. Exactly how the level of urbanization and social well‐being are related is the subject of our inquiry. Our estimations will focus on urban counties, with particular emphasis on the 50 largest counties. We aim to evaluate the well‐being of the general population in metropolitan areas, comparing it to those for female heads of households and people of color.
31. Growth of the Brain in the Rhesus Monkey.
Authors: Zuckerman S. , Fisher R. B.
Published: September 2010

There is no significant growth in the brain of the male and female Rhesus Monkey after the permanent incisors and the second molars are in place. In the preceding period that intervenes between the eruption of these teeth and the first molars the brain increases 10 per cent, or more in weight.

 There is a significant correlation of body‐weight and brain‐weight during, but not after, the period in which the brain grows.

 The mean weight of the fully‐grown brain of the male Rhesus (89.45 gm.) is significantly greater than that of the female (82.03 gm.). There is also a significant sexual difference in adult body‐weight.