bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cross-Cultural Validation of Expressed Emotion in Caregivers of Chinese Patients with First Episode Psychosis in Singapore: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Healey Frances , Tan Vicky L.M. , Chong S. A.
Published: June 2006

Background: The concept of Expressed Emotion (EE; Brown et al., 1972), a measure of criticism, over-involvement and hostility in families, has been shown to be a robust predictor of relapse in schizophrenia (Parker & Hadzi-Pavlovic, 1990). Recent criticism of using Western instruments in Asian countries has led to more stringent procedures for validation of scales.

Aims: The first aim was to establish that the concept of Expressed Emotion exists in Singapore. The second aim was to examine the Level of Expressed Emotion (LEE; Cole & Kazarian, 1988, Gerlsma & Hale, 1997) scale to ascertain the conceptual and construct operationalisation of this instrument in this culture.

Methods: This was a qualitative study. The concept of EE was examined using a Singaporean population; 10 patient–caregiver pairs were recruited and interviewed using a semi-structured interview format. Regarding the LEE, small focus-group interviews were conducted with a cross-section of Singaporeans to gain their views on the concepts in the scale and the relevance of the items in this culture.

Results: The interviews were analysed in light of attitudes found to discriminate between high and low EE families (Leff & Vaughn, 1985). A clear distinction between high and low EE groups was found. With regard to the LEE, the data from the focus groups, for the most part, supported the cross-cultural conceptual and operational equivalence of the scale and suggestions for additional items were made.

Conclusion: There is support for the existence of EE among families in Singapore, and the LEE was found, for the most part, to be applicable in Singapore, with the addition of several emic items.
Common-Sense Descriptions of Depression as Social Representations
Authors: Räty Hannu , Ikonen Seija , Honkalampi Kirsi
Published: June 2006

Background: Major depression is such a prevalent illness worldwide that practically everyone has either direct or indirect experience of it. It is important, then, from both practical and theoretical points of view, to examine this particular experience and related conceptions.

Aim: Drawing on the theory of social representations, this research set out to examine the ways in which people define depression in terms of the symptoms they attribute to people they know personally and consider to suffer from depression.

Method: A group of adult participants (n = 117) were instructed to think of an individual whom they knew personally and considered to suffer from depression, to indicate the age and gender of the person, and to describe his/her symptoms.

Results: A great majority of the female participants thought of a female, while the male participants thought of male and female target persons quite evenly. The symptoms attributed to depression with fair unanimity included fatigue and decreased capacity to work, to concentrate, to make decisions and to take part in hobbies. The descriptions of the depressive person were quite unanimously distinguished from the signal symptoms attaching to schizophrenia. The descriptions varied according to the characteristics of the target individuals, and their gender and age in particular, rather than the characteristics of the participants.

Conclusion: People have perceptive personal experiences of depression, which are guided by socially shared interpretative frameworks.
Teachers Who Bully Students: A Hidden Trauma
Authors: Twemlow Stuart W. , Fonagy Peter , Sacco Frank C. , Brethour John R.
Published: June 2006

Objective: The study examined teachers' perceptions of bullying by other teachers to see what causes and characteristics were attributed to such bullying teachers, and how often teachers were themselves bullied by students. Method: 116 teachers from seven elementary schools completed an anonymous questionnaire reflecting their feelings and perceptions about theirown experiences of bullying, and how they perceive colleagues over the years. Results: Resultsconfirmed that teachers who experienced bullying themselves when young are more likely to bothbully students and experience bullying by students both in classrooms and outside the classroom. Factor analysis revealed two types of bullying teacher: a sadistic bully type and a bully-victim type. Conclusions: The implications for the mental health of children and for effective teaching are discussed, in the light of widespread recognition of the traumatic effects of bullying on childhood development.
Good governance, professionalism, ethics and responsibility
Authors: Argyriades Demetrios
Published: June 2006

In a recent publication of the IIAS entitled The World We Could Win (Fraser-Moleketi, 2005), Professor Werner Jann aptly concluded: ‘The moment when somebody declares the ”end of history” or indeed ”end of discussion”, on the ground that all has been said and all the problems of governance have been resolved, we shall all be in deep trouble’ (pp. 156-7). We have been in some trouble for more than 20 years, precisely on this account. Developing countries, especially, have been victims of one-dimensional thinking which was sold to the world as the definitive answer to public sector reform. The ‘market model’ of governance sought to convert the government to private sector ways and ‘hollow out’ the State. A salient trait of this model was technocratic claims and scientific pretensions. The model, in effect, purported ‘to develop a science of administration with principles of universal validity’ (Heady, 2001: 391). Both in theory and in practice, the outcomes of this mind-set have been very mixed at best. As this article will show, it tried to root its claims in the myth of global convergence. It thus sought to legitimate ‘coercive isophormism’, that is to say solutions imposed on developing countries without any regard to the institutional context and administrative capacity in each particular case. Backed by political clout, the resulting ‘policy transfers’ have arguably contributed to arresting the development of innovative approaches consistent with the culture and needs of the countries concerned. They have exacerbated the problems of corruption, decline of public trust and the erosion of public service.
Financial reports and decentralization in municipal governments
Authors: Bastida Francisco J. , Benito Bernardino
Published: June 2006

Some reforms implemented in the Spanish municipal sector have led to an increasing managerial decentralization. This decentralization has made municipal financial statements lose relevance, since devolved entities are not disclosed in these statements. Accordingly, we have made an empirical analysis of 54 big Spanish municipalities in order to evaluate the impact of decentralization on the municipal financial statements. The survey shows a great concern among practitioners about the importance of global reports. Furthermore, devolved entities should be included in the global reports if the municipality has the authority to approve their budget. This feature shows a legal/budgetary bias of municipal officials, who focus on legal and budgetary constraints more than on managerial indicators. We think this bureaucratic approach should evolve to another one with a higher degree of private sector management techniques.
Local government reform in China: a rational actor perspective
Authors: Caulfield Janice L.
Published: June 2006

There has been a series of comprehensive reform initiatives in recent Chinese history aimed at improving bureaucratic efficiency, flexibility and innovation through management and fiscal decentralization. The local government sector in China carries major functional responsibilities from economic development to social welfare provision. It is responsible for over 70 percent of total government expenditure. Now, in the new millennium, the Chinese central government seeks to transform local government as part of its market liberalization strategy. This includes ‘privatizing’ local enterprises (a process begun during the 1990s) and a rationalization of local bureaucracy. Although still a highly centralized administration, there has been a significant move away from a uniform approach to local government where now differentiation between regions and localities is actively encouraged. Within a still tightly constrained political structure, however, the reforms have done more than improve China’s economic output. They have created incentives for local officials to engage in rent seeking and utility-maximizing behaviours. The article explores the reform initiatives and critically assesses results against this background.
Specialization and Persistence in the Arrest Histories of Sex Offenders
Authors: Miethe Terance D. , Olson Jodi , Mitchell Ojmarrh
Published: June 2006

A basic assumption underlying current public policy and crime-control efforts is that sex offenders are highly specialized and persistent. Using national data on about 10,000 sex offenders released from prison in 1994, this study explored this assumption by comparing the arrest patterns and cycles of sex offenders and other offenders. As a group and across various measures, sex offenders had low levels of specialization and persistence in offending in absolute and relative terms. Similar conclusions were reached when specific types of sex offenders (e.g., rapists, child molesters) were compared with other particular offenders (e.g., robbers, burglars, drug offenders), but the results were more measure dependent. Even among persistent serial sex offenders, rapists and child molesters were found to specialize only within a more predominant pattern of versatility across their criminal careers. These results are discussed in terms of their implications for future research and current public policy that are predicated on assumed specialization and persistence among sex offenders.
Pandora’s Box: The Potential and Peril of Migration Data from the American Community Survey
Authors: Franklin Rachel S. , Plane David A.
Published: June 2006

The collection, dissemination, and availability of migration data for the United States are poised for an enormous change: the full-scale launch of the American Community Survey (ACS). The ACS is set to replace the long-form sample data previously collected as part of the decennial census. For migration researchers, the new survey offers the possibility of more frequently gathered migration data at a variety of spatial scales, along with annual information about the characteristics of migrants themselves. As with any shift in a data-collection process, however, the ACS could, in some aspects, fall short of what we already have. In this article, the authors first suggest elements of the ideal migration data set. They then examine the real potential, and the possible perils, of the ACS as compared to migration data researchers are already accustomed to working with. In addition to highlighting what the new ACS will (and will not) offer, the authors suggest that now is the time for regional scientists to address their basic migration data needs and to take action to ensure those needs are met.
On the State of the Geography in the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Covered Wages and Employment (ES-202) Series
Authors: Feser Edward , Sweeney Stuart H.
Published: June 2006

This article discusses the strengths and weaknesses of the confidential establishment-level Covered Wages and Employment (ES-202) data series for small area economic analyses and other kinds of quantitative geographical research. The article examines the improvements in the geographic identifiers in the file over the past decade based on analysis of confidential micro data for forty-six states. It also examines the extent of spatial censoring in the ES-202 file stemming from two sources: (1) missing or corrupt physical address information in the raw data and (2) failure to attach spatial identifiers (geocode latitude/longitude coordinates) to physical addresses. Results of geocoding tests show that samples of address-matched units from state ES-202 files are likely to be biased along several dimensions. The article argues that a key area of geographical research in the future is methods to address bias in administrative samples. Research along these lines would substantially improve the usefulness of confidential micro data series for regional science research.
Human rights and intercultural relations
Authors: Healy Paul
Published: June 2006

By drawing on hermeneutico-dialogical principles, the approach developed here seeks to advance the global implementation of a viable human rights regime in a manner commensurate with the preservation of culture-specific differences. To this end, the present article undertakes to elucidate the conditions under which the ongoing intercultural debate about rights might yield a more productive outcome through fostering the implementation of the international human rights regime in a manner that can do justice to core intra-cultural beliefs, values and practices. Chief among these are: a commitment to moving beyond universalism and relativism as polarized alternatives; endorsement of the comparable validity and dialogical equality of established traditions and cultures; valorization of mutual understanding and learning as the regulative orientation most conducive to yielding potentially transformative advances across cultures in the theory and practice of human rights; and acknowledgment of the need for both external and internal accountability.

As contended throughout, these conditions apply equally both to modernist and to traditionalist cultures and call, correspondingly, for a rethinking of entrenched presuppositions in both domains. In defending these conditions, the dialogical approach poses a severe challenge to core presuppositions of the strong universalist stance, as endorsed by some prominent contributors to the contemporary debate about the cross-cultural implementation of human rights.
The Construction of Hepatitis C as a Chronic Illness
Authors: Paterson Barbara L. , Butt Gail , McGuinness Liza , Moffat Barbara
Published: June 2006

The purpose of the article is to present one aspect of the findings of a descriptive, exploratory investigation of the self-care decision making of 33 adults diagnosed with chronic hepatitis C (Hep C), specifically how they experienced living with this disease as a chronic illness. The findings were interpreted from a social constructivist perspective in which Hep C was viewed as both a biomedical entity and a social construction. The authors will suggest that although Hep C is constructed by people with the disease as a chronic illness, the care of this disease is often based on an acute model that acknowledges its chronicity only in terms of the persistence of the virus. The article points to the need for a model of Hep C care that incorporates the dimensions of the chronic illness experience.
Hidden Points of View in Cross-cultural Psychotherapy and Ethnography
Authors: Krause Inga-Britt
Published: June 2006

This article examines the challenges posed by cross-cultural psychotherapy in a creolized world, and the way this intersects with issues faced by the ethnographer. It proposes ‘the relational subject,’ implicit in systemic psychotherapy and social anthropology, as a framework for an understanding of communication. In cross-cultural psychotherapy, this assumption is central to non-discriminatory and equitable treatment. Drawing on Bateson's ethnographic work, the article connects ‘the relational subject’ to what Bateson, following Whitehead, called ‘the fallacy of misplaced concreteness’ and later referred to as ‘context.’ The article examines the choices of ‘context’ first in ethnography and systemic psychotherapy and then in Bateson's own analysis of the Naven ritual. It is suggested that cross-cultural psychotherapy is psychotherapy in which the therapist keeps in mind, both her own and her client's contexts. This means an assessment of process (performative aspects) as well as content (semiotic aspects) and attention to ‘moments’ rather than longer sequences in the therapy.
Cross-cultural Boundary Dilemmas: A Graded-risk Assessment Approach
Authors: Savin Daniel , Martinez Richard
Published: June 2006

Behavioral health professionals are constantly faced with the dilemma of how to define boundaries in their relationships with clients. When working with groups from diverse cultures, defining boundaries becomes even more complex. This article urges a flexible approach, using the graded-risk model (Martinez, 2000) and a list of cultural factors for clinicians to consider. Possible benefits of reaching out to clients in concrete ways, as well as risks, are emphasized. Clients’ notions of appropriate boundaries must be considered in the decision-making process. Case examples from a refugee mental health clinic are used to elucidate a flexible approach to boundary decisions.
Research Notes: An Economic Model of Player Trade in Professional Sports
Authors: Haugen Kjetil K.
Published: June 2006

This article addresses the problem of competitive balance within a sports league. As opposed to standard literature on the subject, a direct game theoretic approach is made to predict trade between two marginally different teams. The main results may be summed up by proven existence of unique pure-strategy Nash equilibria that form player trade. These Nash equilibria are solely determined by the shape of the revenue function. A convex revenue function yields increased competitive imbalance, while a concave revenue function implies the opposite. The article closes by discussing some central assumptions, and the possible consequences of relaxing them.
Neurotrophic Enhancers as Therapy for Behavioral Deficits in Rodent Models of Huntington's Disease: Use of Gangliosides, Substituted Pyrimidines, and Mesenchymal Stem Cells
Authors: Dunbar Gary L. , Sandstrom Michael I. , Rossignol Julien , Lescaudron Laurent
Published: June 2006

The interest in using neurotrophic factors as potential treatments for neurodegenerative disorders, such as Huntington's disease, has grown in the past decade. A major impediment for the clinical utility of neurotrophic factors is their inability to cross the blood-brain barrier in therapeutically significant amounts. Although several novel mechanisms for delivering exogenous neurotrophins to the brain have been developed, most of them involve invasive procedures or present significant risks. One approach to circumventing these problems is using therapeutic agents that can be administered systemically and have the ability to enhance the activity of neurotrophic factors. This review highlights the use of gangliosides, substituted pyrimidines, and mesenchymal stem cells as neurotrophic enhancers that have significant therapeutic potential while avoiding the pitfalls of delivering exogenous neurotrophic factors through the blood-brain barrier. The review focuses on the potential of these neurotrophic enhancers for treating the behavioral deficits in rodent models of Huntington's disease.
Increasing Pleasant Events in the Nursing Home
Authors: Meeks Suzanne , Teri Linda , Van Haitsma Kimberly , Looney Stephen
Published: June 2006

Depression is prevalent in nursing homes, but there are many barriers to effective treatment in these settings. This case study describes a successful behavioral treatment of a nursing home resident with recurrent major depression. The 10-session, manualized program involved negotiating a weekly plan to systematically increase pleasant activities, administered collaboratively with nursing home staff. At baseline, the client was socially withdrawn, participated in no regular activities, did not leave her room except for therapies, and was tearful and apathetic. Treatment outcomes included markedly improved positive affect and increased activity level at posttreatment, and absence of depressive symptoms or diagnosis at both posttreatment and after a 12-week follow-up. The case illustrates barriers to successful treatment in nursing homes such as ongoing medical stressors, poor staff follow-through, and difficulty maintaining gains, but it also supports the potential of a theoretically based, behavioral approach to treating depression in long-term care
Diversity and Diversity Management
Authors: Morrison Marlene , Lumby Jacky , Sood Krishan
Published: June 2006

This article explores a paradox, namely the rhetoric of engagement with diversity and social justice among education leaders, yet the paucity in forward-looking critical theory and practice to develop that engagement. It draws upon relatively new as well as established concepts, including the Capabilities Approach, to suggest how and why diversity management and social justice might be elevated to first-order constructs that inform leadership and its development. The evidence base is recent research for the Learning and Skills Sector, but the implications inform other parts of the education sector in which, as yet, approaches to diversity appear to have changed little. It is suggested that researchers, theorists and policy makers need to join with the education practitioner community to revitalize theory and practice
Principal Selection
Authors: Blackmore Jill , Thomson Pat , Barty Karin
Published: June 2006

Researchers investigating the decline of potential applicants for principalships have demonstrated that teachers perceive there to be a significant problem in current selection procedures. This article reports an investigation in two Australian states into principal selection. Drawing on a corpus of interviews, two case studies and administrative guidelines, we highlight five key problems in the interview process: (1) the dependence of selection panels on a written application; (2) the dilemma of experience versus potential; (3) the covert rule about the appointment of preferred applicants; (4) the quandary of panel competency; and (5) the evidence of inconsistency of decisions. We argue that the selection process amounts to a reproductive technology which, in the quest for certainty and safety, results in particular kinds of people being successful. This amounts we suggest, whether the selection process is managed by progressive or conservative personnel, to a form of homosociability the tendency to select people just like oneself
Place-of-residence errors on death certificates for two contiguous U. S. counties
Authors: Pierce Rush J , Denison Anne V
Published: June 2006

Background

Based on death certificate data, the Texas Department of Health Bureau of Vital Statistics calculates age adjusted all-cause mortality rates for each Texas county yearly. In 1998 the calculated rates for two adjacent Texas counties was disparate. These counties contain one city (Amarillo) and are identical in size. This study examined the accuracy of recorded county of residence for deaths in the two counties in 1998. In our jurisdiction, the county of residence is assigned by funeral homes.

Methods

A random sample of 20% of death certificates was selected. The accuracy of the county of residence was verified by using a large area map, Tax Appraisal District records, and U.S. Census Bureau databases. Inaccuracies in recording the county or zip code of residence was recorded.

Results

Eighteen of 354 (5.4%) death certificates recorded the incorrect county and 21 of 354 (5.9%) of death certificates recorded the zip code improperly. There was a 14.4% county recording error rate for one county compared to a 0.82% for the other county. The zip code error rate was similar for the two counties (5.9% vs. 5.8%). Of the county errors, 83% occurred for addresses within a zip code that contained addresses in both counties.

Conclusion

This study demonstrated a large error rate (14%) in recording county of residence for deaths in one county. A similar rate was not seen in an adjacent county. This led to significant miscalculation of mortality rates for two counties. We believe that errors may have arisen in part from use of internet programs by funeral homes to assign the county of residence. With some of these programs, the county is determined by zip code, and when a zip code straddles two counties, the program automatically assigns the county whose name appears first in the alphabet. This type of error could be avoided if funeral homes determined the county of residence from Tax Appraisal District or Census Bureau records, both of which are available on the internet. This type of error could also be avoided if vital statistics offices verified the county and zip code of residence using official sources.
Extrapolaholics Anonymous
Authors: DE GREY AUBREY D.N.J.
Published: June 2006

Abstract:  Criticisms of demographers by other demographers have become frequent in scientific literature, generally consisting of accusations that trends observed in the recent past have been extrapolated unjustifiably into the future. Demographers, along with their colleagues in the actuarial profession, are in an invidious position in this regard, knowing full well that extrapolation is almost always only minimally justifiable, but knowing also that their readers, colleagues, and sources of funding tend to be much more interested in the future than in the past. It is unfortunate that, while actuaries typically resolve this dilemma by emphasizing the limitations of their methods and thereby lowering expectations that their predictions will be accurately fulfilled, demographers are more prone to respond combatively, attempting to reinforce the credibility of their extrapolations by recourse to data from areas in which their expertise is less tested, such as biology. This is valuable in that it raises the profile of the debate on the likely rate of scientific progress relevant to mortality rates, but it also runs the risk of lowering the technical quality of that debate, by telling policy makers and the public what they want to hear and thereby entrenching their expectations without recourse to the relevant biological facts. Extrapolations based on plausible sequences of scientific advances and the sociopolitical responses to them, summarized in this article, have led to the prediction of four‐digit life expectancies of cohorts born in the 21st century and possibly even in the 20th. This prediction has attracted inevitable ridicule from prominent demographers, but being founded on science and sociology rather than on history it may be much more reliable than the extrapolations that those demographers presently prefer.
Apoptosis and Necrosis in Senescent Human Fibroblasts
Authors: OHSHIMA SUSUMU
Published: June 2006

Abstract:  To study the role of cell death in the aging process, cell death during spontaneous cellular senescence in vitro was examined with normal human fibroblasts. A small subset of the senescent cells showed aberrant morphology such as remarkable nuclear fragmentation or multiple micronuclei, and such cells often showed positive reactions with antibody to phosphorylated pRb. Cells showing caspase activation and binding of Annexin V, which indicate apoptotic change, increased in the senescent phase in flow cytometry analysis. Propidium iodide–positive cells, however, also increased with passaging. The results suggest that both apoptosis and necrosis are involved in cell death of senescent human fibroblasts.
Search for Genetic Factors Associated with Susceptibility to Multiple Sclerosis
Authors: FORTE GIUSI IRMA , RAGONESE PAOLO , SALEMI GIUSEPPE , SCOLA LETIZIA , CANDORE GIUSEPPINA , D'AMELIO MARCO , CRIVELLO ANTONIO , DI BENEDETTO NORMA , NUZZO DOMENICO , GIACALONE ANTONIO , LIO DOMENICO , CARUSO CALOGERO
Published: June 2006

Abstract:  Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a cell‐mediated autoimmune disease characterized by type‐1 cytokine production. Environmental and individual genetic background might influence this response particularly in cytokine gene polymorphisms. We evaluated whether polymorphisms of interleukin (IL)‐10, IL‐12, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)‐α genes, which might play a role in MS pathogenesis, are associated with MS susceptibility. Genotype frequencies for all the analyzed polymorphisms were not differently distributed between cases and controls. It is reasonable to suppose that the cytokine single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) studied must be considered against a larger genetic background involving other functional SNPs of Th1 regulator elements such as IL‐21 and IL‐23.
Inflammation, Longevity, and Cardiovascular Diseases
Authors: CANDORE GIUSEPPINA , AQUINO ALESSANDRA , BALISTRERI CARMELA RITA , BULATI MATTEO , DI CARLO DANIELE , GRIMALDI MARIA PAOLA , LISTÌ FLORINDA , ORLANDO VALENTINA , VASTO SONYA , CARUSO MARCO , COLONNA‐ROMANO GIUSEPPINA , LIO DOMENICO , CARUSO CALOGERO
Published: June 2006

Abstract:  The total burden of infection at various sites may affect the progression of atherosclerosis, the risk being modulated by host genotype. The role of lipopolysaccaride receptor TLR4 is paradigmatic. It initiates the innate immune response against gram‐negative bacteria; and TLR4 polymorphisms, as ASP299GLY, suggested to attenuate receptor signaling, have been described. We demonstrated that TLR4 ASP299GLY polymorphism shows a significantly lower frequency in patients affected by myocardial infarction compared to controls, whereas centenarians show a higher frequency. Thus, people genetically predisposed to developing weak inflammatory activity, seem to have fewer chances of developing cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and, subsequently, live longer if they do not become affected by serious infectious diseases. These results are in agreement with our other data demonstrating how genetic background may exert the opposite effect with respect to inflammatory components in CVD and longevity. In the present report, to validate this hypothesis, the levels of interleukin (IL)‐6, a pro‐inflammatory cytokine involved in atherosclerosis and longevity, were determined by an enzyme‐linked immuno‐sorbent assay (ELISA) in supernatants from a whole blood assay after stimulation with subliminal doses of lipopolysaccaride (LPS) from Escherichia coli (E. coli). The samples, genotyped for the ASP299GLY polymorphism, were challenged with LPS for 4, 24, and 48 h. What we found was that Il‐6 values were significantly lower in carriers bearing TLR4 mutation. Therefore, the pathogen burden, by interacting with host genotype, determines the type and intensity of the immune‐inflammatory responses accountable for pro‐inflammatory status, CVD, and unsuccessful aging. On the other hand, our present data seem to explain the inconclusive results obtained in case–control studies taking into account the role of functional IL‐6 polymorphisms in successful and unsuccessful aging. In fact, IL6 levels seem to depend, in addition, on IL‐6 polymorphisms and on innate immunity gene polymorphisms as well.
The Pattern of Chromosome‐Specific Variations in Telomere Length in Humans Shows Signs of Heritability and Is Maintained through Life
Authors: GRAAKJAER J. , LONDONO‐VALLEJO J.A. , CHRISTENSEN K. , KØLVRAA S.
Published: June 2006

Abstract:  This paper characterizes the distribution of telomere length on individual chromosome arms in humans. By fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH), followed by computer‐assisted analysis of digital images, it is shown that the distribution of telomere length on individual chromosome arms is not random, but that humans have a common telomere profile. This profile exists in lymphocytes, amniocytes and fibroblasts, and seems to be conserved during life. A closer look at the overall pattern of the profile shows that the length of the telomeres in general follows the total chromosome length. In addition to the common profile, it is found that each person has specific characteristics, which are also conserved throughout life. Studying both twins and families we have obtained indications that these individual characteristics are at least partly inherited. Altogether, our results suggest that the length of individual telomeres might occasionally play a role in the heritability of life span.
Geroprotection by Glycerol
Authors: DEOCARIS CUSTER C. , SHRESTHA BHUPAL G. , KRAFT DAVID C. , YAMASAKI KAZUHIKO , KAUL SUNIL C. , RATTAN SURESH I. S. , WADHWA RENU
Published: June 2006

Abstract:  Chaperones, particularly the heat‐shock proteins, are considered as key players in the maintenance of protein homeostasis and are associated with longevity and cellular immortalization. In this study, we investigated the geroprotective activity of the chemical chaperone glycerol. Glycerol showed significant chaperoning activity in refolding heat‐denatured luciferase in vivo and in protecting cells from heat stress‐induced cytotoxicity. This was accompanied by decrease in p53, an upregulation of a stress chaperone mortalin/mtHsp70, and an increase in proteasome activity in the presence of oxidative stress.
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)
Authors: SØRENSEN MORTEN DRÆBY , SØRENSEN BRIAN , GONZALEZ‐DOSAL REGINA , MELCHJORSEN CONNIE JENNING , WEIBEL JENS , WANG JING , JUN CHEN WIE , HUANMING YANG , KRISTENSEN PETER
Published: June 2006

Abstract:  The previously unknown coronavirus that caused severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS‐CoV) affected more than 8,000 persons worldwide and was responsible for more than 700 deaths during the first outbreak in 2002–2003. For reasons unknown, the SARS virus is less severe and the clinical progression a great deal milder in children younger than 12 years of age. In contrast, the mortality rate can exceed 50% for persons at or above the age of 60. As part of the Sino‐European Project on SARS Diagnostics and Antivirals (SEPSDA), an immune phage‐display library is being created from convalescent patients in a phagemid system for the selection of single‐chain fragment variables (scFv) antibodies recognizing the SARS‐CoV.
Synthesis and Structural Characterization of Hollow Hexagonal Cylinder Co–SiO2 Composites Prepared in a Micelle Solution
Authors: Imagawa Satoshi , Inoke Koji , Kaneko Kenji , Matsune Hideki , Nakagawa Keizo , Takenaka Sakae , Kishida Masahiro
Published: June 2006

Novel submicron scale composites with hollow hexagonal cylinder structures were prepared by hydrolysis of tetraethyl orthosilicate in a micelle solution composed of polyoxyethylene (n = 15) cetyl ether/cyclohexane/water containing Co–N2H4 compound nanoparticles.
Cationic Palladium Complex-catalyzed Cyclization–Hydrosilylation of 1-Alkene-6,11-diyne Derivatives: Facile Cyclization at the Enyne Part than at the Diyne Counterpart
Authors: Shimamoto Takamitsu , Hirano Tomohiro , Nishimoto Hiroyuki , Yamamoto Keiji
Published: June 2006

A palladium complex, [(η3-C3H5)Pd(cod)]+[PF6]− (C), catalyzes hydrosilylation of 1-dodecene-6,11-diyne (5) or 1-tridecene-6,11-diyne (7), and of their 9-oxo congeners (9 or 11), with HSiCl3 to form regioisomeric cyclization products (6, 8, 10, and 12, respectively), which arise between the diyne part (path a) to form A series or between the enyne counterpart (path b) to form B series. The formation of product B is markedly favored with 1-tridecene-6,11-diyne derivatives as compared with 1-dodecene-6,11-diyne ones that possess a terminal alkyne.
Glucose-specific Sensing with Boronic Acid Utilizing Enzymatic Oxidation
Authors: Kanekiyo Yasumasa , Tao Hiroaki
Published: June 2006

A novel sensing system for glucose-specific detection has been established based on a combination of a boronic acid and enzymes. To overcome the inherently low biding affinity of glucose toward boronic acids, glucose is converted into gluconic acid by the enzymatic reaction using glucose oxidase (GOx), and then complexed with a fluorescent boronic acid through the α-hydroxycarboxylate moiety. According to the present strategy, glucose concentration is exclusively determined among other saccharides in aqueous solutions.
Perturbative Theory of Mica Polytypism. Role of the M2 Layer in the Formation of Inhomogeneous Polytypes
Authors: Nespolo Massimo
Published: June 2006

A new model is proposed to explain, within the framework of the theory of spiral growth of Frank, the formation on inhomogeneous mica polytypes. This model relates the interaction and cooperative growth of two components (spirals and/or crystals) to produce a new stacking sequence. Depending on the relative orientation between the two components, a mismatch of the interlayer positions occurs, which is compensated through either a growth defect or a crystallographic slip at the octahedral (O) sheet. Both these adjustments transform the Ml layer into the M2 layer. These two types of layers have the same chemical composition but differ in cation distribution in the O sheet. The coalescence and cooperative growth of crystals occurs in fluid-rich environments and is most frequent in druses and volcanic fumaroles. These environments favor the inhomogeneous polytypes, especially those with complex stacking sequenc¬es. In addition, the Ml → M2 transformation is most probable in micas with an oxybiotitic composition, where the removal of the OH dipole strengthens the interlayer bonding and the presence of high-charge cations destabilizes the O sheet. Three examples of inhomogeneous polytypes of titaniferous oxybiotite from Ruiz Peak (a volcanic environment where many inhomogeneous polytypes have been reported) are presented.
Kübler Illite “Crystallinity” Index of the Cretaceous Gyeongsang Basin, Korea: Implications for Basin Evolution
Authors: Lee Jae Il , Lee Yong Il
Published: June 2006

Thermal maturity of the Lower Cretaceous Sindong and Hayang groups in the Gyeongsang Basin, Korea, was investigated using the Kübler illite “crystallinity” index (KI) which is based on the numerical expression of the 10-Å peak width after calibration to the Crystallinity Index Standard scale. The metamorphic grade of the Sindong and Hayang groups ranges from late diagenetic zone to high anchizone. Depth of burial was not a major factor controlling KI variation in the basin because Hayang mudrocks have higher thermal maturity than the underlying Sindong mudrocks. Short-lived heating by the emplacement of the Upper Cretaceous plutonic rocks is responsible for the higher thermal maturity in the Hayang mudrocks. A linear NNE-SSW trending belt is drawn by connecting the lowest KI values, and it seems to reflect a hidden fault trace beneath the Hayang Group. Emplacement of Upper Cretaceous plutonic rocks and introduction of hydrothermal fluids along the inferred fault may have been the main cause of the lowering of KI values along this belt. This inferred fault is interpreted to represent the buried eastern boundary of the Nagdong Trough, which was the main depositional site for the Sindong Group in the western part of the Gyeongsang Basin. Deposition of the Hayang Group occurred in the enlarged basin when the basin extended eastward. This study provides an example that KI values can be used in the reconstruction of an early history of basin evolution.
The Relationships between Kaolinite Crystal Properties and the Origin of Materials for a Brazilian Kaolin Deposit
Authors: Varajāo Angélica F. Drummond C. , Gilkes Robert J. , Hart Robert D.
Published: June 2006

The clay particles in a kaolin deposit from Brazil were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), differential thermal analysis (DTA), analytical transmission electron microscopy (ATEM), and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) to examine the relationships between morphological and chemical properties of the crystals and to relate these properties to formation conditions. The XRD patterns show the dominant presence of kaolinite with minor amounts of gibbsite, illite, quartz, goethite, hematite, and anatase. ATEM observations show two discontinuities in the deposit as indicated by changes in morphology and size of the kaolinite crystals. At the base of the deposit, hexagonal platy and lath-shaped particles (mean area of 001 face = 0.26 μm2) maintain the original fabric of the parent rock which characterizes an in situ evolution. In the middle of the deposit a bimodal population of large (mean area of 001 face > 0.05 μm2) and small (mean area of 001 face < 0.05 μm2) sub-hexagonal platy kaolinite crystals occurs. This zone defines the boundary between the saprolitic kaolinite and the pedogenic kaolinite. Near the top of the profile, laths and irregular plates of kaolinite, together with sub-hexagonal particles, define two different depositional sources in the history of formation of the deposit. Crystal thickness as derived from the width of basal reflections and the Hinckley index are compatible with the morphological results, but show only one discontinuity. At the base of the deposit, kaolinite has a low- defect density whereas in the middle and at the top of the profile, kaolinite has a high-defect density. Likewise, EPR spectroscopy shows typical spectra of low-defect kaolinite for the bottom of the deposit and typical spectra of high-defect kaolinite for the other portions of the deposit. Despite the morphological changes observed through the profile, the elemental composition of individual kaolinite crystals did not show systematic variations. These results are consistent with the deposit consisting of a transported pedogenic kaolinite over saprolite consisting of in situ kaolinized phyllite.
The Surface Chemistry of Imogolite
Authors: Gustafsson Jon Petter
Published: June 2006

Imogolite is a tubular aluminosilicate which is common in Andosols and Spodosols. The high pH at point-of-zero charge at the outer parts of the tube and the anomalously high chloride adsorption of imogolite suggested that there may be structural charge associated with this mineral. The structural charge may arise because of changes in bond valence imposed by the incorporation of orthosilicate anions in a gibbsite-type sheet. By using a Basic Stem Model approach, it is shown that the surface charge properties of imogolite are explained if the mean Al-O bond valence of the outer -Al2OH groups is higher than the inner -Al2OHSiO3 groups. Hence, a weak positive charge is developed on the outer tube walls whereas a negative charge develops in the tubular pores. The best model fits were obtained where either one or two units of structural charge per unit cell of tube were assumed. The model may also explain why imogolite tubes are normally aggregated in large bundles in close hexagonal packing, because bound counterions may hold the tubes together. However, to arrive at good model descriptions, the deprotonation of -Al2OH groups must occur at a higher pH than that expected when assuming that all surface oxygens form two hydrogen bridges with H2O. A more precise structure of imogolite is required to test fully this hypothesis.
Transmission Electron Microscopy Study of Conversion of Smectite to Illite in Mudstones of the Nankai Trough: Contrast with Coeval Bentonites
Authors: Masuda Harue , Peacor Donald R. , Dong Hailiang
Published: June 2006

Clay minerals in shales from cores at Site 808, Nankai Trough, have been studied using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), and analytical electron microscopy (AEM) to compare the rates and mechanisms of illitization with those of coeval bentonites, which were described previously. Authigenic K-rich smectite having a high Fe content (∼7 wt. %) was observed to form directly as an alteration product of volcanic glass at a depth of ∼500 meters below seafloor (mbsf) with no intermediate precursor. Smectite is then largely replaced by Reichweite, R, (R = 1) illite-smectite (I-S) and minor illite and chlorite over depths from ∼550 to ∼700 mbsf. No further mineralogical changes occur to the maximum depth cored, ∼1300 m. Most smectite and I-S in shales are derived from alteration of glass, rather than being detrital, as is usually assumed. Discrete layer sequences of smectite, I-S, or illite coexist, indicating discontinuities of the transformation from smectite to (R = 1) I-S to illite. Authigenic Fe-rich chlorite forms concomitantly with I-S and illite, with the source of Fe from reactant smectite.

Smectite forms from glass with an intermediate precursor in coeval bentonites at approximately the same depth as in shales, but the smectite remains largely unchanged, with the exception of exchange of interlayer cations (K → Na → Ca) in response to formation of zeolites, to the bottom of the core. Differences in rates of illitization reflect the metastability of the clays. Temperature, structure-state, and composition of reactant smectite are ruled out as determining factors that increase reaction rates here, whereas differences in water/rock ratio (porosity/permeability), Si and K activities, and organic acid content are likely candidates.
Characterization of Montmorillonite Surfaces After Modification by Organosilane
Authors: Song Kang , Sandí Giselle
Published: June 2006

X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), surface area measurements, and near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy were used to examine the surface properties of organosilane-modified smectite-type aluminosilicate clays. Organic modified clays derived from the reactions of montmorillonite (containing 93–95% montmorillonite from a bentonite, <1% quartz, and 4–6% opal CT) with octadecyltrichlorosilane (C18H37SiCl3) and octadecyltrimethoxysilane [C18H37Si(OMe)3] are highly hydrophobic. Surface loadings of the modified clays depend on the organosilane and the solvent, and they range from 10 to 25 wt. %. The organic species are probably adsorbed to the outer surfaces and bound to the edges of the clay via condensation with edge-OH groups. Encapsulation of montmorillonite with C18H37SiCl3 and C18H37Si(OMe)3 resulted in a hydrophobic coating that acts like a “cage” around the clay particles to limit diffusion. Basal spacings of the organic modified clays remain at ∼15 Å upon heating to 400°C in N2, whereas those of unmodified clays collapse to ∼10 Å. A considerable reduction in surface area (by 75–90%) for organic modified clays is observed, which is consistent with the existence of a surface coating. The solvent used can affect the amount of organic silane coated on the clay particles, whereas the difference between the products prepared using C18H37SiCl3 and C18H37Si(OMe)3 in the same solvent is relatively small. The carbon and oxygen K-edge NEXAFS spectroscopy of the modified montmorillonite surfaces showed that surface coatings on the outside of the clay particles exist. The encapsulating system may allow for economical remediation and storage of hazardous materials.