bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Syringopeptins, Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae phytotoxins, resemble syringomycin in closing stomata
Authors: DI GIORGIO D. , CAMONI L. , MOTT K. A. , TAKEMOTO J. Y. , BALLIO A.
Published: November 2003

The recent finding that syringomycin (SR) and syringotoxin (ST)‐producing isolates of Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae also synthesize syringopeptins (SPs), another class of phytotoxic lipodepsipeptides, prompted studies of the biological properties and comparisons of the activities of the two groups of metabolites. The present paper reports the effects of two forms of SP on stomatal movement in detached leaves of Xanthium strumarium and in epidermal strips of Vicia faba and shows that these phytotoxins, as does the previously investigated SR, promote stomatal closure. SPs are at least 10‐fold more efficient than SR in both tissues. In epidermal strips, the toxin‐induced closure was not reversed by fusicoccin, a fungal metabolite that reversed the closing effects of abscisic acid. As reported in previous papers, these amphiphilic toxins affect several functions of biological membranes. A marked decrease in the rate of photosynthesis recorded in X. strumarium leaves treated with SPs is consistent with effects on biological membranes.
Variation for virulence on Brassica napus L. amongst Plasmodiophora brassicae collections from France and derived single‐spore isolates
Authors: SOME A. , MANZANARES M. J. , LAURENS F. , BARON F. , THOMAS G. , ROUXEL F.
Published: November 2003

Variation for virulence was examined amongst 20 field collections of Plasmodiophora brassicae from France. Out of the 10 brassica lines tested, seven reacted differentially to inoculation; of these, two oilseed rape cultivars exhibited previously unreported differential responses. Some of the differential lines used previously to classify pathotypes of P. brassicae were susceptible to all collections, suggesting that pathogen populations in France may be different from those reported elsewhere. Good pathotype discrimination was obtained using a set of three cultivars of Brassica napus. Five pathotypes, P1, P2, P3, P4 and P5, were detected and their occurrence was unrelated to host type. Pathogenic variation amongst 17 single‐spore isolates derived from three field collections was studied, and five pathotypes were identified. Four isolates were classified as pathotype P1, pathogenic on all three differential hosts, and eight as pathotype P4, pathogenic on none of the three differentials. The five other isolates were classified as pathotypes P3, P6 and P7, the latter two expressing patterns of reaction not observed for field collections. The fractionation of different individual pathotypes from one original spore suspension confirmed the genetic heterogeneity of field populations of P. brassicae.
Role of acquisition and inoculation time in the expression of clonal variation for BYDV‐PAV transmission in the aphid species Rhopalosiphum padi
Authors: SADEGHI E. , DEDRYVER C. A. , GAUTHIER J. P.
Published: November 2003

Vector efficiency of 20 Rhopalosiphum padi clones, originating from Europe, North America and North Africa and exhibiting different types of life cycle, was evaluated by transmitting a French BYDV‐PAV isolate to barley plants under five different acquisition/inoculation sequences (AAP/IAP). Differences between clones in transmission efficiency were found only when a short AAP was followed by a long IAP (6 h/120 h) and, to some extent, when a long AAP (48 h) was followed by a short IAP (6 h), but no differences were found when the conditions for virus transmission were optimal, i.e. long AAP followed by long IAP (48 h/120 h). There were no differences in transmission rates by clones of different geographical origins and with different life cycles. As a consequence, clonal variation is probably of little importance in the vector aspects of the epidemiology of PAV serotypes transmitted by R. padi, but the availability of a range of clones exhibiting transmission differences under limiting AAP or IAP conditions could be of interest for studies of virus–vector relationships.
Splash dispersal of conidia of Mycocentrospora acerina in the field
Authors: EVENHUIS A. , VERDAM B. , ZADOKS J. C.
Published: November 2003

The dispersal of conidia of Mycocentrospora acerina was studied in caraway field trials. A Burkard spore trap, rotorods, inverted Petri dishes containing sucrose agar and rain gauges were used to trap conidia of M. acerina. Sporulation was stimulated by rainfall (2 mm) and moderate temperatures (around 15°C). Solar radiation had a negative effect on sporulation. Hardly any conidia were found in the spore traps on rainless days. Short distance (9 m) spread of M. acerina is mainly caused by splash dispersal of its conidia. Trap plants at 0, 0.1, 1 and 4 m from the inoculum source were readily infected under moist conditions. Beyond 9 m from an inoculum source no infection of caraway trap plants was found. Trap plants at 9 m from an inoculum source were infected in one out of three seasons only. Long distance (>9 m) spread could not be demonstrated by the techniques used in this study. The results suggest that, usually, a caraway field is infected by inoculum sources within that field.
Effects of intercropping and soil amendment with urea and calcium oxide on the incidence of bacterial wilt of tomato and survival of soil‐borne Pseudomonas solanacearum in Taiwan
Authors: MICHEL V. V. , WANG J.‐F. , MIDMORE D. J. , HARTMAN G. L.
Published: November 2003

Intercropping and soil amendment experiments were conducted to determine if they reduced populations of Pseudomonas solanacearum and bacterial wilt of tomato at the Asian Vegetable Research and Development Center (AVRDC) and at three other locations in Taiwan. At AVRDC, intercropping tomato with cowpea planted within the row significantly reduced bacterial wilt (P < 0.05) compared to when tomato was cropped alone. The P. solanacearum population in soil was not affected by intercropping with cowpea, soybean, or Welsh onion.At the same site, however, a preplanting soil amendment consisting of urea (200 kg ha−1 N) and CaO (5000 kg ha−1) significantly reduced the pathogen population and tomato bacterial wilt (P < 0.001). The effect of the soil amendment was not consistent when applied to soil from three other sites in Taiwan; in soil from two sites no reduction of the pathogen population occurred. At these sites, tomato bacterial wilt in the field was not reduced significantly after amending. In comparison with a non‐amended control, the addition of only CaO reduced the P. solanacearum population in AVRDC soil significantly (P < 0.05), but the reduction was significantly greater when the complete soil amendment was added. In contrast, urea alone did not affect the survival of P. solanacearum in the soil. In a greenhouse experiment with AVRDC soil, P. solanacearum was undetectable 2 weeks after soil amendment, but in the same treatment tomato yield was significantly reduced by 48% (P < 0.05) compared with non‐amended treatments. The suppressive effect of the soil amendment on the P. solanacearum population was probably due to the generation of one or several toxic substances during the transformation of urea in the presence of CaO.
Restoration of MHC Class I Surface Expression and Endogenous Antigen Presentation by a Molecular Chaperone
Authors: WELLS A. D. , RAI S. K. , SALVATO M. S. , BAND H. , MALKOVSKY M.
Published: November 2003

Presentation of cytosolic peptides in the context of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I antigen is crucial for immune recognition of virus‐infected and malignant cells. This process, which is often defective in cancer cells, involves a series of cellular events which may be facilitated by heat shock proteins (molecular chaperones). To address the influence of chaperone function on the presentation of cytosolic peptides, we have utilized B16 melanoma cells (H‐2b). These tumour cells are resistant to lysis by MHC class I‐restricted cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL), due to a very low level of surface MHC expression. The authors found that stably transfected clones of B16 expressing a heterologous heat shock protein (Hsp65) exhibit significantly increased levels of MHC class I antigens on their surface, and are effectively lysed by alloreactive CTL. These MHC class I molecules can form functional MHC‐peptide complexes which are recognized by virus‐specific CTL. Moreover, mice immunized with Hsp65‐expressing tumour cells, but not with control‐transfected tumour cells, display a significantly increased resistance to a subsequent challenge with live, wild‐type B16. Together, these results indicate that the suitable expression of a molecular chaperone can overcome a defect in MHC class I expression and antigen presentation, and suggest a novel approach to cancer immunotherapy.
The SH3 Domain of Bruton's Tyrosine Kinase Interacts with Vav, Sam68 and EWS
Authors: GUINAMARD R. , FOUGEREAU M. , SECKINGER P.
Published: November 2003

Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK) is a cytoplasmic protein tyrosine kinase which controls crucial steps of differentiation of B lymphocytes. Mutations affecting either the PH, SH3, SH2 or kinase domain of BTK all give rise to X linked agammaglobulinaemia (XLA) in humans. In this study, the authors report that the BTK‐SH3 domain binds to a set of proteins expressed in pro‐B, pre‐B and B cell lines. Three of them were characterized as Vav, Sam68 and EWS. The authors show that a Pro → Leu substitution in a region of the SH3 domain, which is deleted in an XLA patient, is sufficient to abolish BTK‐SH3 binding potential. The authors also report that several of the BTK‐SH3 binding proteins, including Sam68, EWS and Vav, are tyrosine phosphorylated in conditions that also promote BTK kinase activity. For EWS and Sam68 this tyrosine phosphorylation was cell cycle dependent.
Comparison of plasma and serum for antibody detection using DiaMed microtubes
Authors: Scott Y. , Parker P. , McArdle B. , Wallis J. P.
Published: November 2003

Atypical antibody detection in DiaMed microtubes using a low‐ionic‐strength saline (LISS) indirect antiglobulin technique (IAT) was assessed using both serum and plasma. During the first period of the study all atypical antibodies originally detected in serum were also detected in EDTA plasma with comparable reaction strengths. Two of 73 antibodies were not detected in citrated plasma.  During the second period of the study all routine antibody screens were performed in both serum and EDTA plasma. More clinically significant antibodies were detected in EDTA plasma than in serum. More false positives and non‐specific antibodies were also detected in EDTA plasma. It is concluded that EDTA plasma is a suitable medium for antibody detection using LISS IAT in DiaMed gel microtubes.
Basal cell carcinomas of covered and unusual sites of the body
Authors: Betti Roberto , Bruscagin Cinzia , Inselvini Elena , Crosti Carlo
Published: November 2003

Background The concept of unusual site for a basal cell carcinoma (BCC) has to be defined because there is much confusion about it. Basal cell carcinomas of covered areas of the body are sometimes considered as unusual because of their location. In this study an attempt is made to define what is an unusual site for a BCC according to experience and the problems encountered are briefly discussed.

Methods A total of 1050 histologically‐confirmed primary BCCs were studied. Age, sex and site of presentation were considered.

Results Eighteen cases were recorded, localized on hand, axilla, areola or nipple, buttock, perineal, and genital regions.

Conclusions Unusual location has been arbitrarily defined in the past according to the incidental percentage, to a mathematical index of density, to the literature reports. All these criteria suffer more or less from some discrepancy, but in our opinion all these should be considered for a definition. Our results, moreover, suggest that only the above described sites should be considered.
Granuloma faciale: successful treatment of nine cases with a combination of cryotherapy and intralesional corticosteroid injection
Authors: Dowlati Bijan , Firooz Alireza , Dowlati Yahya
Published: November 2003

Background Granuloma faciale is a rare disorder characterized by asymptomatic papules, nodules, and plaques on the face. Although the exact pathogenesis of this disease is unclear, it is considered a variant of leukocytoclastic vasculitis confined to the skin. Several medical and surgical methods have been used to treat it with variable results.

Case reports We report nine cases of granuloma faciale treated with a combination of cryotherapy with liquid nitrogen and intralesional injection of corticosteroids.

Results The lesions cleared completely in all of the patients without any side‐effects. No recurrences have been observed.

Conclusions Cryotherapy with liquid nitrogen, followed by intralesional injection of corticosteroids, is a safe and effective method to treat granuloma faciale.
Characterization and cDNA cloning of a clofibrate‐inducible microsomal epoxide hydrolase in Drosophila melanogaster
Authors: Taniai Kiyoko , Inceoglu Ahmet B. , Yukuhiro Kenji , Hammock Bruce D.
Published: November 2003

In order to understand the roles of the epoxide hydrolases (EHs) in xenobiotic biotransformation in insects, we examined the induction of EHs by exogenous compounds in Drosophila melangaster third instar larvae. Among the chemicals tested, clofibrate, a phenoxyacetate hypolipidermics drug, increased EH activity towards cis‐stilbene oxide approximately twofold in larval whole‐body homogenates. The same dose of clofibrate also induced glutathione S‐transferase activity. The effect of clofibrate on EH induction was dose‐dependent and the highest activity occurred with a 10% clofibrate application. Three other substrates conventionally used in EH assays (trans‐stilbene oxide, trans‐diphenylpropene oxide and juvenile hormone III) were poorly hydrolysed by larval homogenates, with or without clofibrate administration. Because the increased EH activity was localized predominantly in the microsomal fraction, we synthesized degenerate oligonucleotide primers with sequences corresponding to conserved regions of known microsome EHs from mammals and insects in order to isolate the gene. The 1597 bp putative cDNA of D. melanogaster microsomal EH (DmEH) obtained from a larval cDNA library encoded 463 amino acids in an open reading frame. Northern blot analysis showed that the transcription of DmEH was increased in larvae within 5 h of clofibrate treatment. Recombinant DmEH expressed in baculovirus hydrolysed cis‐stilbene oxide (23 nmol·min−1·mg protein−1) and was located mainly in the microsomal fraction of virus‐infected Sf9 cells. There was no detectable EH activity toward juvenile hormone III. These observations suggest that DmEH is involved in xenobiotic biotransformation, but not in juvenile hormone metabolism, in D. melanogaster.
Effect of the vehicle on the amount of stratum corneum removed by tape stripping
Authors: Jacobi Ute , Meykadeh Nuschin , Sterry Wolfram , Lademann Jürgen
Published: November 2003

Background: The penetration of topically applied substances into the stratum corneum can non‐invasively be studied using the tape stripping procedure. This method was applied to investigate in vivo the penetration of a fragrance, vanillin, applied in ethanol and a w/o emulsion.

Methods: Twenty tape strips were removed from each skin area treated with vanillin in ethanol or w/o emulsion, respectively. The concentration of vanillin was determined for each tape strip. In addition, the pseudo‐absorption of the corneocytes was determined to calculate the SC profile.

Results: The vanillin concentration was correlated both with the tape number and with the stratum corneum profile. Depending on whether the tape number or the profile of the stratum corneum were correlated with the vanillin concentration, different distributions within the stratum corneum were obtained. Different amounts of stratum corneum were removed with 20 tape strips dependent on the vehicle applied previously. The application of the w/o emulsion led to the removal of nearly the half the amount of corneocytes stripped from the ethanol‐treated area.

Conclusions: The results obtained underline the general necessity to correlate the amount of stratum corneum with the amount of substance in penetration studies.
Sperm Supply and Egg fertilization in the Ostrich (Struthio camelus)
Authors: Malecki IA , Martin GB
Published: November 2003

Contents

We used egg break‐out and spermatozoa trapped in the perivitelline layer of eggs to test the hypothesis that sperm supply and egg fertilization rate are high in the ostrich. Egg fertilization status was determined at break‐out by the appearance of the germinal disc (GD) and then the perivitelline layer overlying the GD region was collected to count sperm (SpermOPVL) under fluorescence following staining with 4′,6′‐diamidino‐2‐phenyindole (DAPI). The study was carried out on commercial ostrich farms over two laying seasons. In the first year, 229 eggs from nine randomly chosen ostrich pens comprising pairs, trios (two females, one male) and larger groups were collected for 1 week of every month of laying. Eggs contained 253 ± 18 SpermOPVL/mm2 of the GD (mean ± SEM; range 0–1330). Egg fertilization rate averaged 89.4 ± 3.4% and varied from 78.6 to 98.2% between pens. Month had no effect on sperm supply or egg fertilization status. Eggs from paired birds (sex ratio 1 : 1) had less sperm in the GD than the eggs from pens with a higher sex ratio. In the second year, 150 eggs from seven pens, each containing only one male and either one, two or three females, were studied for 2 weeks at the beginning (winter), middle (spring) and end (summer) of laying. Eggs contained 364 ± 45 SpermOPVL/mm2 of the GD (range 0–2880). Season had no effect on sperm supply or egg fertilization. The number of SpermOPVL varied between pens, assumed to be due to variation between individual males. The number of SpermOPVL increased as the sex ratio increased only when very high‐ranking males were excluded from the analysis. Egg fertilization rate was 94.4 ± 3.1% but varied from 64.0 to 100% between pens. Egg fertilization was not affected by season or sex ratio. Low fertilization rates were observed in two pens and appeared related to the lack of synchrony between timing of laying and sperm production in the first, and lack of mating in the second pen. We conclude that ostrich flocks generally have high rates of egg fertilization and any infertility is associated with lack of sperm supply.
Successful treatment of in‐transit melanoma metastases using topical 2‐4 dinitrochlorobenzene
Authors: Von Nida Jamie , Quirk Chris
Published: November 2003

A 78‐year‐old woman presented with multiple histologically proven in‐transit melanoma metastases involving the lower half of the left leg. Initial therapy with liquid nitrogen cryotherapy had some short‐lived success but was not tolerated by the patient. As further lesions began to develop, daily topical application of 2% 2‐4 dinitrochlorobenzene to the lesions was commenced. During the first 2 years of therapy a partial response was achieved, with treated lesions regressing while new lesions developed. Eventually a long‐term remission of almost 2 years with no clinical evidence of cutaneous melanoma deposits was achieved. This treatment did not prevent metastatic lymph node and ultimately fatal liver involvement. Topical immunotherapy can be a useful adjunct in the treatment of cutaneous melanoma metastases, particularly in those patients who are unable to tolerate other destructive modalities of therapy.
Assessing Assessing! An Examination of the Impact of the New RANZCP by-Laws for Training
Authors: Malhi Gin , McKay Diana
Published: November 2003

Objectives: With the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists’ new by-laws for training coming into effect in late 2003 and early 2004 for New Zealand and Australian trainees, respectively, the authors set out to determine the impact of the various proposed changes upon assessment.

Methods: The relevant medical databases and websites were explored and the various colleges and examination boards in Australia and New Zealand, the UK and Canada were consulted.

Results: The Fellowship examination in Australia and New Zealand is due to undergo significant changes in terms of its structure and methods of assessment. The changes borrow components from contemporary international systems and aim to shift the emphasis of training and examination to earlier in the postgraduate years, with trainees ultimately having greater flexibility in terms of deciding when to sit for these. As yet, there is little specific information for candidates as regards the exact format and content of some components of the examinations and it is unclear whether the new system has been evaluated sufficiently.

Conclusions: Many of the proposed changes bear similarities to training structures and examination systems in Canada and the UK. It is suggested that the ‘mistakes’ of others should be learned from, and that a considered and deliberate approach is taken to the introduction of new examinations, appraising their merit and acknowledging the difficulties that change and uncertainty create.
Some Fanciful Predictions for DSM400
Authors: Dunn Joseph
Published: November 2003

Objective: To extrapolate current trends in society in general and psychiatry in particular into the 28th century.

Conclusion: The author has an overly vivid imagination.
Mass movements caused by recent tectonic activity: The 1999 Chi‐chi earthquake in central Taiwan
Authors: Wang Wen‐Neng , Wu Huei‐Long , Nakamura Hiroyuki , Wu Shang‐Chih , Ouyang Shoung , Yu Ming‐Fang
Published: November 2003

Abstract  The Chi‐chi earthquake (MS = 7.7), which occurred in September 1999, seriously damaged central Taiwan. Approximately 2 years later (July 2001), the Toraji typhoon brought a heavy rainstorm (650 mm rain/day) and triggered widespread landslides in central Taiwan and parts of eastern Taiwan. Approximately 10 000 Chi‐chi earthquake‐induced landslides and 6000 Toraji typhoon‐related mass movements were delineated in an area of 2400 km2 using Satellite Pour l’Observation de la Terre (SPOT; French earth resource satellite) images. The landslide distribution could be closely related to the distribution of peak ground acceleration registered during the Chi‐chi earthquake. The study area was composed of Tertiary sedimentary and metamorphic rocks, whose age and induration increased eastward. The earthquake‐induced landslides were mostly distributed in the region between the Chelungpu Fault and the Lishan Fault to the east, whereas they were few in the region east of the Lishan Fault. The Toraji typhoon in 2001 severely damaged both regions that had been shattered by the Chi‐chi earthquake in 1999. The occurrence of earthquake‐induced landslides can be correlated with epicentral distance, and their occurrence has more influence from the rock type than from the ground motion.
SARS: epidemiology
Authors: CHAN‐YEUNG Moira , XU Rui‐Heng
Published: November 2003

Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) originated in Southern China in November 2002, and was brought to Hong Kong in February 2003. From Hong Kong, the disease spread rapidly worldwide but mostly to Asian countries. At the end of the epidemic in June, the global cumulative total was 8422 cases with 916 deaths (case fatality rate of 11%). People of all ages were affected, but predominantly females. Health care workers were at high risk and accounted for one‐fifth of all cases. Risk factors for death included old age and comorbid illnesses, especially diabetes. The disease is caused by a novel coronavirus and is transmitted by droplets or direct inoculation from contact with infected surfaces. Contaminated sewage was found to be responsible for the outbreak in a housing estate in Hong Kong affecting over 300 residents. The mean incubation period was 6.4 days (range 2–10). The duration between onset of symptoms and hospitalisation was from 3 to 5 days. The relatively prolonged incubation period allowed asymptomatic air travellers to spread the disease globally. The number of individuals infected by each case has been estimated to be 2.7. Effective control of nosocomial transmission included early detection of disease, strict isolation of patients, practice of droplet and contact precautions and compliance with the use of personal protective equipment. Effective control of disease spread in the community included tracing and quarantine of contacts. Development of a validated diagnostic test and an effective vaccine as well as elimination of possible animal reservoirs are measures needed to prevent another epidemic.
SARS: public health measures in Hong Kong
Authors: TSANG Thomas , LAM Th
Published: November 2003

As there are no validated and rapid diagnostic tests nor specific treatment for severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) at the initial stage of the outbreak, public health measures are vital for the control of the disease. These included an enhanced disease surveillance system, expanded laboratory diagnostic capacity, heightened infection control in hospitals and residential institutions for the elderly, intensive contact tracing coupled with medical surveillance at designated medical centres, quarantine of close contacts by way of home confinement, formation of multidisciplinary investigation and response teams, and public education and communication. The above measures were implemented in many countries during the outbreak. To prevent spread in the region and beyond, port health measures targeted at both entry and exit health screenings were also carried out together with regional and international liaison.
Looking for a Guide to Protect the Environment: The Development of the Precautionary Principle
Authors: Immordino Giovanni
Published: November 2003

Abstract. If the precautionary principle is to become the guide of the international community for environmental protection policies, an economic interpretation of the principle is in order. The analysis of case studies and a survey of the recent decision theoretic literature show the lack of a fully satisfactory economic model. More generally various theoretical and empirical results show that the principle cannot be assumed to applya priori. Though it has been proposed by international treaties as a rule of thumb for situations of scientific uncertainty, the precautionary principle could actually be inefficient.
Critique of the methodology of empirical research on individual modernity in Taiwan
Authors: Hwang Kwang‐Kuo
Published: November 2003

Yang's 1974 to 1991 research on individual modernity and traditionalism in Taiwan is examined and the methodology for developing measurement instruments in this program critiqued. It is proposed that the proper strategy for research on indigenous psychology is to analyze a culture at the conceptual level with the symbolic approach, and then conduct empirical research on ‘lifeworlds’ using activity theory. Yang's research on individual modernity and traditionalism uses an inductive empirical approach without the theoretical grounding of conceptual analyses. Based on the philosophy of constructive realism, two types of knowledge (the scientific ‘microworld’ and the ‘experienced lifeworld’) are differentiated in order to explicate the significance of the discontinuity hypothesis of modernity for non‐Western countries and to critique Yang's methodology for measuring individual modernity and traditionalism. It is proposed that the research strategy of cultural psychology be used in future study. This replacement would usher in the indigenous psychology approach as is evident in Yang's (1999, Yang, 2000) later works.
The Domestic Sources of Differences in Labour Market Policies
Authors: Hamann Kerstin , Kelly John
Published: November 2003

In this article we analyse what drives both the specific choices and the relative amount of change in labour market policies in two countries, Britain and Spain, in the 1990s. Although we find more substantial and radical labour market reform in Britain, Spain experienced greater union inclusion in policy‐making. We examine the roles of economic institutions and the ideology of the governing party and find that neither accounts satisfactorily for the labour market changes in our cases. Domestic political variables, especially electoral factors and the power and autonomy of government, give more insight into the similarities and differences between the two countries.
International Political Economy and Industrial Relations
Authors: Haworth Nigel , Hughes Stephen
Published: November 2003

The field of international political economy offers valuable insights into global economic integration, trade liberalization, global governance and the nature and activities of international organizations and regimes. Despite their impact on industrial relations, industrial relations theory has not wholeheartedly engaged with these phenomena or this sister field. This paper argues that the field of international political economy offers much to industrial relations, particularly in terms of understanding the nature and impact of internationalization and emerging global governance. The potential in a closer relationship between the two fields is illustrated by the example of the international labour standards regime and its principal organization, the International Labour Organisation.
Race, Behavior, and the Brain: The Role of Neuroimaging in Understanding Complex Social Behaviors
Authors: Phelps Elizabeth A. , Thomas Laura A.
Published: November 2003

Recent advances in brain imaging techniques have allowed us to explore the neural basis of complex human behaviors with more precision than was previously possible. As we begin to uncover the neural systems of behaviors that are socially and culturally important, we need to be clear about how to integrate this new approach with our psychological understanding of these behaviors. This article reviews findings about the neural systems involved in processing race group information, in particular the recognition of same‐race versus other‐race faces and the explicit and implicit evaluation of race groups. Combining the psychological and neural approaches can advance our understanding of these complex human behaviors more rapidly and with more clarity than could be achieved with either approach alone. However, it is inappropriate to assume that the results of neuroimaging studies of a given behavior are more informative than the results of psychological studies of that behavior.
The Measurement of Cognitive Complexity and Its Relationship With Political Extremism
Authors: Van Hiel Alain , Mervielde Ivan
Published: November 2003

Three studies tested the relationship between political extremism and cognitive complexity in an adult sample (N = 135), a sample of students (N = 145), and a sample of political party members (N = 47). According to value pluralism theory, advocates of extreme ideologies exhibit low levels of cognitive complexity. Context theory, in contrast, states that extremists think in a more complex and sophisticated way about politics. In accordance with context theory, significant positive correlations between cognitive complexity and extremist ideology were found in all samples. The results of these studies also revealed weak correlations among the cognitive complexity instruments used in previous research. Problems concerning the measurement of cognitive style and cognitive complexity are discussed.
Micro‐businesses and Social Inclusion in Rural Households: a Comparative Analysis
Authors: Oughton Elizabeth , Wheelock Jane , Baines Susan
Published: November 2003

In this paper we bring together arguments developed from three conceptual frameworks: the embeddedness of household economic behaviour; the processes of social inclusion and exclusion; and ideas of choice and well‐being. Our study is based on a comparative analysis of self‐employed micro‐business households in two rural locations: the Lofoten Islands in northern Norway and Northumberland in northern England. It explores the ways in which micro‐businesses may limit social exclusion and promote rural development. Household behaviour and decision making are compared in different policy contexts and different micro contexts inside the household itself. We demonstrate that the role that business activity plays in combating social exclusion is by no means straight forward. Choices by households and the individuals within households play a key role in determining perceptions of well‐being. We demonstrate that well‐being is made up through decisions made across a range of different spheres of inclusion such as family, community, gender and paid and unpaid work roles. The findings have implications for the formulation of rural development policies.
‘A World Free From Hunger’: Global Imagination and Governance in the Age of Scientific Management
Authors: Phillips Lynne , Ilcan Suzan
Published: November 2003

Taking the study of food governance beyond the nation‐state, this paper shows how food and agriculture have been globally re‐imagined and ruled 'at a distance' by the mandates of scientific management. The authors explore how, in the early post‐war period, food became mobilized and reassembled across borders in ways that not only met the new demands of international markets but also fed the expansion and authority of international organizations to intervene in food production and consumption 'problems'. Examining this issue through the lens of the FAO, the paper raises issues regarding current scientific approaches to food and agriculture as forms of governance and suggests further study into the power of global public institutions to re‐imagine food and agriculture beyond the confines of particular nation‐states.
Translating Policy: Power and Action in Australia's Country Towns
Authors: Herbert‐Cheshire Lynda
Published: November 2003

In its present condition, rural Australia is characterised by a discourse of decline that sees country towns and regions as places of demoralisation and despair. From a Foucauldian governmentality perspective, those who live in these spaces are not so much 'powerless' to the demands of urban‐based governments and global capital, as rendered governable according to the socio‐political ambitions of late capitalism. While important insights have been derived from such analyses, it is argued in this paper that excessive attention is often paid to the power of the state with little concern for the various ways in which local people engage with, and transform the strategies and effects of state power. Rather than utilising the concept of resistance to make sense of these interactions, a sociology of translation is adopted from the Actor Network Theory literature. Applied to two case examples, it shows how governmental policies and programmes are frequently the outcome of the interactions and negotiations that take place between all those enrolled in the actor‐network.
A Comparison of Copula Choice: Native Spanish Speakers and Advanced Learners
Authors: Geeslin Kimberly L.
Published: November 2003

Research on the acquisition of copula choice has shown that learners are not accurate with this structure, even after several years of instruction (Briscoe, 1995; Ryan & Lafford, 1992). Previous research has also shown that the language development of novice learners can be assessed through a multifeature contextual analysis, similar to those used in sociolinguistic research, thereby allowing for the inclusion of native‐speaker variation in the design (Geeslin, 2000). The current investigation compares contextualized questionnaire data from advanced learners of Spanish (N = 28) to data from native Spanish speakers (N = 25). The analysis shows that semantic and pragmatic features interact to predict the appearance of the copulaestar, and that the factors that predict the appearance ofestarare different for the two groups.
The Political Attitudes and Activities of Mainline Protestant Clergy in the Election of 2000: A Study of Six Denominations
Authors: Smidt Corwin , Crawford Sue , Deckman Melissa , Gray Donald , Hofrenning Dan , Olson Laura , Steiner Sherrie , Weston Beau
Published: November 2003

This study examines clergy across six mainline Protestant denominations in terms of their social characteristics, their theological positions, and their political attitudes and behavior. The analysis is based on data collected through random surveys of clergy in each denomination conducted in 2001 using the same instrument. The predominant focus of the article is on the nature and level of political activities exhibited by mainline Protestant clergy in the election year of 2000. The analysis revealed that mainline Protestant clergy are indeed relatively active politically, but that, despite their commonality of belonging to the same broad religious tradition, the nature and level of such political activities varies across the six denominations. Variation in the level of political activity is related to a number of different variables. And, while multivariate analysis reduces the number of significant factors that account for such differences, the remaining significant factors are associated with each of the major theoretical approaches that have been advanced to account for differences in participation levels.
Black Clergy in the 2000 Elections
Authors: McDaniel Eric
Published: November 2003

Using survey data collected on African Methodist Episcopal and Church of God in Christ clergy, this article finds that black clergy are strongly supportive of their roles as community leaders. However, there are differences along denominational lines in terms of how they interpret their role, in their policy preferences, and in their activities both in and out of the pulpit. In total, this study reveals that there is diversity in black clergy attitudes and activities and that there is a need to examine further how these differences affect black political attitudes and activism.
Clergy and the Politics of Gender
Authors: Deckman Melissa M. , Crawford Sue E. S. , Olson Laura R. , Green John C.
Published: November 2003

Using data from a new survey of mainline Protestant clergy, we explore the extent to which a political gender gap exists between male and female mainline Protestant ministers. Analysis reveals major partisan, ideological, attitudinal, and participatory disparities among clergymen and clergywomen. Women are far more liberal than their male counterparts, and even though they face the constraint of being a professional minority, clergywomen tend to participate in politics at higher rates than clergymen.
The Social Integration of Practitioners of Non‐Western Religions in the United States
Authors: Wuthnow Robert , Hackett Conrad
Published: November 2003

Muslims, Buddhists, and Hindus have become an increasingly significant part of American religion in recent years. Yet scholarship on these groups has been limited largely to case studies and qualitative observations. We analyze data from a large national survey that permits comparisons among Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, Jews, and Christians. The data reveal that members of non‐Western religions in the United States resemble Jews in having notably higher socioeconomic status than Christians. They resemble the rest of the population on other measures of actual or potential social integration, including political knowledge, generalized trust, neighborhood contacts, and interreligious ties. However, low levels of voting, a tendency to express feelings of alienation, and fewer connections with community elites suggest a continuing lack of political integration.
Definition of the microvascular pattern of the normal human adult mammary gland
Authors: Naccarato Antonio G. , Viacava Paolo , Bocci Guido , Fanelli Giovanni , Aretini Paolo , Lonobile Antonino , Montruccoli Giancarlo , Bevilacqua Generoso
Published: November 2003

The present report provides a detailed description of microvascularization in the normal human mammary gland, and defines two novel morphometric parameters to be used as a reference when angiogenesis in breast carcinoma is evaluated. Microvascularization was analysed by histology, immunohistochemistry and computer‐assisted analysis in a set of breast tissue samples taken from nine women, during the pre‐ovulatory phase of the menstrual cycle. The two parameters designed for image analysis were: vascular density (VD): [microvessel number/(microvessel area + residual stromal area)] × 10 000; and vascular area ratio (VAR): [microvessel area/(microvessel area + residual stromal area)]. In the lobules VD (mean value ± SE 2.48 ± 0.14) and VAR (0.33 ± 0.02) showed little variability and correlated significantly (P < 0.05). The areas occupied by microvessels, stroma and acini remained constant in all lobules (21.53 ± 1.87%, 42.65 ± 1.35% and 35.14 ± 1.57%, respectively). Microvascularization of the lobules was of a sinusoidal type, with large S‐shaped capillaries. In the ducts VD (2.95 ± 0.16) and VAR (0.29 ± 0.03) showed little variability but did not correlate significantly. Microvascularization of the ducts was of a classic type, with capillaries normal in size and shape. The expression of oestrogen (ER) and progesterone (PR) receptors was analysed by immunohistochemistry and compared with the morphometric results. ER expression levels were in the range 20–25% (24.3 ± 2.1) and 14–18% (15.4 ± 1.5) in lobules and ducts, respectively. PR expression levels were in the range 10–13% (11.1 ± 1.6) and 14–17% (15.2 ± 1.4), respectively. No correlation was found between ER/PR expression and vascularization parameters.
Origin and development of the pronephros in the chick embryo
Authors: Hiruma Tamiko , Nakamura Hiroaki
Published: November 2003

The process by which the pronephros develops was morphologically examined in chick embryos from Hamburger–Hamilton stage (ST) 8+ to ST34. The intermediate mesoderm, from which the pronephros arises, was first seen as a faint ridge of undifferentiated mesoderm between the segmental plate and lateral plate at ST8+. It formed a cell cord at the level of the 6th to the presumptive 13th somites at ST9 to ST10. This cell cord then separated into dorsal and ventral parts, the former becoming the nephric duct and the latter the tubules by ST14. The primordia of the external glomeruli (PEGs) appeared at ST15 through some epithelial cells protruding in the nephrostome (the opening of the nephric tubule into the body cavity). PEGs formed gradually in the caudal direction until ST18, while the pronephric tubules and PEGs in cranial locations disappeared. At this stage, only a few PEGs remained at the level of the 13th and 14th somites and these developed from ST23 to ST29 to become ultrastructurally similar to the glomeruli of the functional kidney. From these observations in the avian pronephros, we infer that the pronephric duct and tubules both form from a cell cord in the intermediate mesoderm and at the same time, but later develop differently.
Glucagon‐like peptide 1 modulates calcium responses to glutamate and membrane depolarization in hippocampal neurons
Authors: Gilman Charles P. , Perry TracyAnn , Furukawa Katsotoshi , Grieg Nigel H. , Egan Josephine M. , Mattson Mark P.
Published: November 2003

Glucagon‐like peptide 1 (GLP‐1) activates receptors coupled to cAMP production and calcium influx in pancreatic cells, resulting in enhanced glucose sensitivity and insulin secretion. Despite evidence that the GLP‐1 receptor is present and active in neurons, little is known of the roles of GLP‐1 in neuronal physiology. As GLP‐1 modulates calcium homeostasis in pancreatic beta cells, and because calcium plays important roles in neuronal plasticity and neurodegenerative processes, we examined the effects of GLP‐1 on calcium regulation in cultured rat hippocampal neurons. When neurons were pre‐treated with GLP‐1, calcium responses to glutamate and membrane depolarization were attenuated. Whole‐cell patch clamp analyses showed that glutamate‐induced currents and currents through voltage‐dependent calcium channels were significantly decreased in neurons pre‐treated with GLP‐1. Pre‐treatment of neurons with GLP‐1 significantly decreased their vulnerability to death induced by glutamate. Acute application of GLP‐1 resulted in a transient elevation of intracellular calcium levels, consistent with the established effects of GLP‐1 on cAMP production and activation of cAMP response element‐binding protein. Collectively, our findings suggest that, by modulating calcium responses to glutamate and membrane depolarization, GLP‐1 may play important roles in regulating neuronal plasticity and cell survival.
Prolonged exposure of microglia to lipopolysaccharide modifies the intracellular signaling pathways and selectively promotes prostaglandin E2 synthesis
Authors: Ajmone‐Cat M. A. , Nicolini A. , Minghetti L.
Published: November 2003

During inflammatory or degenerative processes microglial cells are likely to be exposed to activating agents that persist in brain parenchyma for prolonged periods. As our knowledge on microglial activation is largely based on in vitro studies in which microglial cultures are activated by a single administration of pro‐inflammatory stimuli, we investigated the effects of repeated endotoxin (LPS) challenges on microglial functional state. Primary rat microglial cultures were subjected to one, two or three consecutive LPS‐stimulation and the production of tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α), nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and 15‐deoxy‐Δ12,14‐PGJ2 (15d‐PGJ2) measured. The ability of microglial cells to produce NO, TNF‐α and 15d‐PGJ2 upon the first LPS challenge rapidly declined after the second and the third stimulations, whereas PGE2 synthesis remained constantly elevated. Accordingly, the expression of inducible NO synthase decreased whereas cyclooxygenase‐2 and microsomal PGE synthase remained up‐regulated. The signaling pathways evoked by single or multiple LPS‐stimulation were also profoundly different, when considering the activation of the transcription factors nuclear factor‐kappa B and CREB, and of the p38 MAPK. Our observations suggest that prolonged exposure to LPS, and likely other activating agents, induces in microglia a functional state clearly distinct from that triggered by acute stimulation. The progressive down‐regulation of pro‐inflammatory molecules and the sustained release of PGE2 could have important implications for the resolution of brain inflammation.
Identification of a region from the human cholinergic gene locus that targets expression of the vesicular acetylcholine transporter to a subset of neurons in the medial habenular nucleus in transgenic mice
Authors: Schütz Burkhard , Damadzic Ruslan , Weihe Eberhard , Eiden Lee E.
Published: November 2003

We use a transgenic mouse model system to elucidate the regulatory regions within the human cholinergic gene locus responsible for vesicular acetylcholine transporter gene expression in vivo. In this report we characterized two transgenes for their ability to confer cholinergic‐specific expression of the encoded vesicular acetylcholine transporter. An 11.2 kb transgene (named hV11.2) that spanned from about 5 kb upstream of the start of vesicular acetylcholine transporter translation down to the first choline acetyltransferase coding exon gave expression in the somatomotor neurons and a subpopulation of cholinergic neurons in the medial habenular nucleus. The second transgene (named hV6.7), a 5‐prime truncated version of hV11.2 that was devoid of 4.5 kb of gene‐regulatory sequences completely lacked vesicular acetylcholine transporter expression in vivo. Our data indicate that vesicular acetylcholine transporter expression in somatomotor neurons and in the medial habenular nucleus is uniquely specified within the cholinergic gene locus, and separable from cholinergic expression elsewhere. The identification of these two subdivisions of the cholinergic nervous system suggests that other cholinergic neurons in the CNS and PNS are similarly regulated by additional discrete domains within the cholinergic gene locus.