bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Administration of Arms Control: Ensuring Accountability and Legitimacy of Field Operations
Authors: Marschik Axel
Published: April 2010

International arms control operations are based on a foundation of global programs and instruments. An analysis of these operations gives an indication of the many challenges they face in practice and what administrative means have been developed to address them. Special attention is devoted to the secondary norms of accountability and to the relationship between the internal legal system of the field operation, often conceived as a largely autonomous self-contained regime, and the legal system of its higher authority and general international law. Finally, the increasingly relevant participatory role of civil society in arms control and its conformity with basic principles of international administrative law will also be examined.
The Correlates of Crime and Deviance: Additional Evidence
Authors: Antonaccio Olena , Tittle Charles R. , Botchkovar Ekaterina , Kranidiotis Maria
Published: April 2010

Comparable survey data collected simultaneously in major cities in Greece, Russia, and Ukraine indicate that the usual correlates of self-reported criminal/deviant behavior derived from research in well-studied, mostly Western societies, do not necessarily hold cross-nationally. The data confirm only two of six potential correlates of self-reported criminal/deviant behavior—age and deviant peer association. Two widely assumed correlates of criminal propensity—gender and marital status—prove to be somewhat unreliable and sensitive to these cultural contexts. Religiosity is generally negatively linked to crime/deviance in bivariate but not multivariate analyses. In bivariate analysis socioeconomic status (SES) proves to be highly sensitive to the investigated cultural contexts whereas in multivariate analysis SES is not significantly related in any consistent fashion to criminality in any of the three countries. These results show the value of cross-cultural research and suggest that effective explanation of criminal and deviant behavior may require more attention to cultural variations.
Vauxhall’s Post-industrial Pleasure Gardens: ‘Death Wish’ and Hedonism in 21st-century London
Authors: Andersson Johan
Published: April 2010

In recent years Vauxhall in south London has been transformed and rebranded as an urban leisure zone for gay men. Disused railway arches and warehouses have been converted into nightclubs and a significant night-time economy has developed rivalling Soho’s existing gay village. However, with its commodified forms of public sex and high levels of recreational drug use, Vauxhall’s club scene looks rather different from the British gay villages of the 1990s. This article examines how the area’s nightlife entrepreneurs have capitalised on the recent liberalisation of licensing laws while drawing on the historical associations with the Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens (1660—1859) in attempts to market the area as a site of embedded hedonism. Overall, the aesthetic and cultural themes of Vauxhall’s club scene seem to contradict earlier assumptions about the desexualisation and sanitisation of contemporary gay culture.
Tourism Demand Modeling by Purpose of Visit and Nationality
Authors: Cortés-Jiménez Isabel , Blake Adam
Published: April 2010

This study compares results from tourism demand models where tourism expenditures are modeled separately by purpose of visit and nationality pairings against results from models for which expenditure is treated on a more aggregate basis. A structural time-series model is estimated for each case, with data for inbound tourism demand to the United Kingdom, with the same set of explanatory variables. Not only can conducting the analysis on a disaggregate basis improve model estimates, but in some instances aggregate models introduce systematic errors into the estimation process. Moreover, demand modelers often spend considerable effort in comparing econometric techniques using aggregate data. Therefore, this study argues that consideration of modeling at less aggregate levels should be considered more routinely in demand modeling.
Maoist Discourse and the Mobilization of Emotions in Revolutionary China
Authors: Yu Liu
Published: April 2010

This article focuses on how Maoist discourse engineered revolutionary emotions as a method of political mobilization. Based on personal memoirs and eyewitness accounts, it argues that the Maoist discourse can be disaggregated into three themes, each aimed at provoking one type of emotion: the theme of victimization, which mobilized indignation in struggle campaigns; the theme of redemption, which generated guilt in thought reform campaigns; and the theme of emancipation, which raised euphoria in social transformation campaigns. It also argues that Maoist discourse propagation employed three techniques——personalization, magnification, and moralization—and emphasizes that these techniques of propagation are as important as the content of the three themes in the production of passions.
The Evolutionary Origins of Human Generosity
Authors: Komter Aafke
Published: April 2010

This article examines how altruism and self-interest are linked in human generosity, and what social scientists can learn from this linkage. The origins of generosity are explored by combining biological, psychological, anthropological and sociological evidence. Kinship altruism, reciprocal altruism, ‘strong reciprocity’, cultural norms and gene-culture co-evolution prove to be major explanations of the evolution of cooperation in human beings. Empirical research shows that human generosity is selective: kin and close relatives are favoured over others. Moreover, generosity generates its own rewards and is therefore again selective: the more you give, the more you receive. The selectivity of generosity reveals its evolutionary origins.
Time–frequency diagram applied to stability analysis in gas metal arc welding based on acoustic emission
Authors: Macías E. Jiménez , Roca A. Sánchez , Fals H. Carvajal , Fernández J. Blanco , de la Parte M. Pérez
Published: April 2010

Time–frequency diagram is applied to estimating the stability of gas metal arc welding process. A methodology has been developed to obtain indexes based on image processing of the spectrogram in order to evaluate the relationship between the spectrogram and the stability of process. The acoustic emission (AE) signals have been processed and characterised to obtain the spectrogram of the acoustic signals generated by arc. Statistical analysis of image generated by spectrogram and temporal parameters of AE signals has been used as a tool to obtain a method for stability evaluation. As a main result of the research, it demonstrates the effectiveness of the application of image processing of the time–frequency diagram for evaluating the stability in the welding processes. The results demonstrate the validity of this method to characterise the stability using the image characterisation.
Bead on plate laser brazing of dual phase steel with two copper based consumables
Authors: Janssen M. H. E. , Janssen M. , Hermans M. J. M. , Richardson I. M.
Published: April 2010

High strength steels with good formability properties have been developed in recent years, especially for the automotive industry. Joining these metals is however increasingly difficult as the fusion joining processes destroy the carefully constructed microstructure of the steels, resulting in less favourable mechanical properties in and around the joint. A possible solution to this problem is the use of joining processes that require less heat input; laser brazing is one such process. In this work, the brazability of a dual phase steel sheet has been investigated by means of bead on plate brazes produced with two consumables, CuSi3 and CuAl8. Two brazability diagrams are reported and high speed video images are used to explain the differences in operating conditions for these two consumables. Temperature measurements in the steel provide an indication about the temperatures reached during the joining process, which in turn explain the changes observed in the hardness of the steel.
The signals of FGFs on the neurogenesis of embryonic stem cells
Authors: Chen Ching-Wen , Liu Chin-San , Chiu Ing-Ming , Shen Shih-Cheng , Pan Hung-Chuan , Lee Kun-Hsiung , Lin Shinn-Zong , Su Hong-Lin
Published: April 2010

Background

Neural induction is a complex process and the detailed mechanism of FGF-induced neurogenesis remains unclear.

Methods

By using a serum-free neural induction method, we showed that FGF1 dose-dependently promoted the induction of Sox1/N-cadherin/nestin triple positive cells, which represent primitive neuroblasts, from mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells.

Results

We demonstrated that FGF1, FGF2, and FGF4, but not FGF8b, enhanced this neurogenesis. Especially, FGF-enhanced neurogenesis is not mediated through the rescue of the apoptosis or the enhancement of the proliferation of Sox1+ cells. We further indicated that the inactivation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase-1 (JNK-1) and extracellular signal-related kinase-2 (ERK-2), but not p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), inhibited the neural formation through the inhibition of ES differentiation, but not through the formation of endomesodermal cells.

Conclusions

These lines of evidence delineated the roles of FGF downstream signals in the early neural differentiation of ES cells.
Multiple source genes of HAmo SINE actively expanded and ongoing retroposition in cyprinid genomes relying on its partner LINE
Authors: Tong Chaobo , Gan Xiaoni , He Shunping
Published: April 2010

Background

We recently characterized HAmo SINE and its partner LINE in silver carp and bighead carp based on hybridization capture of repetitive elements from digested genomic DNA in solution using a bead-probe [1]. To reveal the distribution and evolutionary history of SINEs and LINEs in cyprinid genomes, we performed a multi-species search for HAmo SINE and its partner LINE using the bead-probe capture and internal-primer-SINE polymerase chain reaction (PCR) techniques.

Results

Sixty-seven full-size and 125 internal-SINE sequences (as well as 34 full-size and 9 internal sequences previously reported in bighead carp and silver carp) from 17 species of the family Cyprinidae were aligned as well as 14 new isolated HAmoL2 sequences. Four subfamilies (type I, II, III and IV), which were divided based on diagnostic nucleotides in the tRNA-unrelated region, expanded preferentially within a certain lineage or within the whole family of Cyprinidae as multiple active source genes. The copy numbers of HAmo SINEs were estimated to vary from 104 to 106 in cyprinid genomes by quantitative RT-PCR. Over one hundred type IV members were identified and characterized in the primitive cyprinid Danio rerio genome but only tens of sequences were found to be similar with type I, II and III since the type IV was the oldest subfamily and its members dispersed in almost all investigated cyprinid fishes. For determining the taxonomic distribution of HAmo SINE, inter-primer SINE PCR was conducted in other non-cyprinid fishes, the results shows that HAmo SINE- related sequences may disperse in other families of order Cypriniforms but absent in other orders of bony fishes: Siluriformes, Polypteriformes, Lepidosteiformes, Acipenseriformes and Osteoglossiforms.

Conclusions

Depending on HAmo LINE2, multiple source genes (subfamilies) of HAmo SINE actively expanded and underwent retroposition in a certain lineage or within the whole family of Cyprinidae. From this perspective, HAmo SINE should provide useful phylogenetic makers for future analyses of the evolutionary relationships among species in the family Cyprinidae.
MicroRNA expression profiling to identify and validate reference genes for relative quantification in colorectal cancer
Authors: Chang Kah Hoong , Mestdagh Pieter , Vandesompele Jo , Kerin Michael J , Miller Nicola
Published: April 2010

Background

Advances in high-throughput technologies and bioinformatics have transformed gene expression profiling methodologies. The results of microarray experiments are often validated using reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR), which is the most sensitive and reproducible method to quantify gene expression. Appropriate normalisation of RT-qPCR data using stably expressed reference genes is critical to ensure accurate and reliable results. Mi(cro)RNA expression profiles have been shown to be more accurate in disease classification than mRNA expression profiles. However, few reports detailed a robust identification and validation strategy for suitable reference genes for normalisation in miRNA RT-qPCR studies.

Methods

We adopt and report a systematic approach to identify the most stable reference genes for miRNA expression studies by RT-qPCR in colorectal cancer (CRC). High-throughput miRNA profiling was performed on ten pairs of CRC and normal tissues. By using the mean expression value of all expressed miRNAs, we identified the most stable candidate reference genes for subsequent validation. As such the stability of a panel of miRNAs was examined on 35 tumour and 39 normal tissues. The effects of normalisers on the relative quantity of established oncogenic (miR-21 and miR-31) and tumour suppressor (miR-143 and miR-145) target miRNAs were assessed.

Results

In the array experiment, miR-26a, miR-345, miR-425 and miR-454 were identified as having expression profiles closest to the global mean. From a panel of six miRNAs (let-7a, miR-16, miR-26a, miR-345, miR-425 and miR-454) and two small nucleolar RNA genes (RNU48 and Z30), miR-16 and miR-345 were identified as the most stably expressed reference genes. The combined use of miR-16 and miR-345 to normalise expression data enabled detection of a significant dysregulation of all four target miRNAs between tumour and normal colorectal tissue.

Conclusions

Our study demonstrates that the top six most stably expressed miRNAs (let-7a, miR-16, miR-26a, miR-345, miR-425 and miR-454) described herein should be validated as suitable reference genes in both high-throughput and lower throughput RT-qPCR colorectal miRNA studies.
Polyclonal antibody against the DPV UL46M protein can be a diagnostic candidate
Authors: Lu Liting , Cheng Anchun , Wang Mingshu , Jiang Jinfeng , Zhu Dekang , Jia Renyong , Luo Qihui , Liu Fei , Chen Zhengli , Chen Xiaoyue , Yang Jinlong
Published: April 2010

Background

The duck plague virus (DPV) UL46 protein (VP11/12) is a 739-amino acid tegument protein encoded by the UL46 gene. We analyzed the amino acid sequence of UL46 using bioinformatics tools and defined the main antigenic domains to be between nucleotides 700-2,220 in the UL46 sequence. This region was designated UL46M. The DPV UL46 and UL46M genes were both expressed in Escherichia coli Rosetta (DE3) induced by isopropy1-β-D-thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG) following polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification and subcloning into the prokaryotic expression vector pET32a(+). The recombinant proteins were purified using a Ni-NTA spin column and used to generate the polyclonal antibody against UL46 and UL46M in New Zealand white rabbits. The titer was then tested using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and agar diffusion reaction, and the specificity was tested by western blot analysis. Subsequently, we established Dot-ELISA using the polyclonal antibody and applied it to DPV detection.

Results

In our study, the DPV UL46M fusion protein, with a relative molecular mass of 79 kDa, was expressed in E. coli Rosetta (DE3). Expression of the full UL46 gene failed, which was consistent with the results from the bioinformatic analysis. The expressed product was directly purified using Ni-NTA spin column to prepare the polyclonal antibody against UL46M. The titer of the anti-UL46M antisera was over 1:819,200 as determined by ELISA and 1:8 by agar diffusion reaction. Dot-ELISA was used to detect DPV using a 1:60 dilution of anti-UL46M IgG and a 1:5,000 dilution of horseradish peroxidase (HRP)-labeled goat anti-rabbit IgG.

Conclusions

The anti-UL46M polyclonal antibody reported here specifically identifies DPV, and therefore, it is a promising diagnostic tool for DPV detection in animals. UL46M and the anti-UL46M antibody can be used for further clinical examination and research of DPV.
ChroPac-Trial: Duodenum-preserving pancreatic head resection versus pancreatoduodenectomy for chronic pancreatitis. Trial protocol of a randomised controlled multicentre trial
Authors: Diener Markus K , Bruckner Thomas , Contin Pietro , Halloran Christopher , Glanemann Matthias , Schlitt Hans Jürgen , Mössner Joachim , Kieser Meinhard , Werner Jens , Büchler Markus W , Seiler Christoph M
Published: April 2010

Background

A recently published systematic review indicated superiority of duodenum-preserving techniques when compared with pancreatoduodenectomy, for the treatment of patients with chronic pancreatitis in the head of the gland. A multicentre randomised trial to confirm these results is needed.

Methods/Design

ChroPac aims to investigate differences in quality of life, mortality and morbidity during 24 months after surgery (duodenum-preserving pancreatic head resection versus pancreatoduodenectomy) in patients with chronic pancreatitis of the pancreatic head.

ChroPac is a randomised, controlled, observer and patient blinded multicentre surgical trial with two parallel comparison groups. The primary outcome measure will be the average quality of life during 24 months after surgery. Statistical analysis is based on the intention-to-treat population. Analysis of covariance will be applied for the intervention group comparison adjusting for age, centre and quality of life before surgery. Level of significance is set at 5% (two-sided) and sample size (n = 100 per group) is determined to assure a power of 90%.

Discussion

The ChroPac trial will explore important outcomes from different perspectives (e.g. surgeon, patient, health care system). Its pragmatic approach promises high external validity allowing a comprehensive evaluation of the surgical strategy for treatment of patients with chronic pancreatitis.

Trial registration

Controlled-trials.com ISRCTN38973832
Thrombocytopenia and splenomegaly: an unusual presentation of congenital hepatic fibrosis
Authors: Poala Serena Botto , Bisogno Gianni , Colombatti Raffaella
Published: April 2010

Congenital hepatic fibrosis (CHF) is a rare autosomal recessive disease that primarily affects the hepatobiliary and renal systems. It is characterized by hepatic fibrosis, portal hypertension, and renal cystic disease. Firm or hard hepatomegaly is present nearly in all patients, often with a prominent left lobe, and this is usually one of the presenting signs. The haematological manifestations due to hypersplenism generally arise when the other gastrointestinal manifestations are clearly developed. We describe the first case of CHF presenting in an otherwise healthy child, with thrombocytopenia and splenomegaly as the only manifestations of the disease.
Dihydrotestosterone Suppresses Foam Cell Formation and Attenuates Atherosclerosis Development
Authors: Qiu Yang , Yanase Toshihiko , Hu Haidi , Tanaka Tomoko , Nishi Yoshihiro , Liu Min , Sueishi Katsuo , Sawamura Tatsuya , Nawata Hajime
Published: April 2010

The role of testosterone in atherosclerosis remains unclear because it is aromatized to estrogen. We investigated the effect of the nonaromatized natural androgen 5α-dihydrotestosterone (DHT) on the rabbit atherogenesis in relation to the proatherogenic molecule lectin-like oxidized-low-density lipoprotein receptor-1 (LOX-1) and its downstream molecules. Thirty-nine male New Zealand white rabbits were divided into four groups: 1) noncastrated group with normal chow diet (n = 6); 2) noncastrated group with high-cholesterol diet (HCD) (n = 10); 3) castrated group with HCD plus sc placebo pellet (n = 11); and 4) castrated group with HCD plus sc 150 mg DHT pellet (n = 12). Implantation of sc DHT or placebo pellet was performed at the time of castration. After castration or sham operation, the rabbits were fed the HCD for 8 wk, and plaque areas were assessed in the entire aorta. The HCD-induced increase in plaque area, which was most aggravated in the castration plus placebo group, was attenuated in the castration plus DHT group. Microscopic examination of the proximal descending aorta revealed that DHT significantly reduced HCD-induced foam cell formation, which was mostly composed of macrophages in the intima layer, compared with the placebo group. The decreased accumulation of foam cells with DHT treatment was accompanied by a marked reduction in the expression of LOX-1 mRNA in these cells. In cultured macrophages prepared from male wild-type mice that express the androgen receptor (AR), 1 × 10−8m and 1 × 10−9m DHT inhibited the formation of foam cells induced by oxidized low-density lipoprotein. Moreover, the expression of LOX-1 and inflammatory cytokines in the cultured macrophages was significantly suppressed by DHT. Such suppressive effects of DHT on foam cell formation and cytokine expression were not observed in cultured macrophages prepared from male AR-null mice, suggesting an involvement of AR in the mechanism. In conclusion, physiological levels of DHT attenuated the development of atherosclerosis in rabbits through the suppression of intimal foam cell formation of macrophage partly via the suppression of LOX-1 expression.
Male 41, XXY* Mice as a Model for Klinefelter Syndrome: Hyperactivation of Leydig Cells
Authors: Wistuba Joachim , Luetjens C. Marc , Stukenborg Jan-Bernd , Poplinski Andreas , Werler Steffi , Dittmann Matthias , Damm Oliver S. , Hämäläinen Tuula , Simoni Manuela , Gromoll Jörg
Published: April 2010

Sex chromosome imbalance in males is linked to a supernumerary X chromosome, a condition resulting in Klinefelter syndrome (KS; 47, XXY). KS patients suffer from infertility, hypergonadotropic hypogonadism, and cognitive impairments. Mechanisms of KS pathophysiology are poorly understood and require further exploration using animal models. Therefore, we phenotypically characterized 41, XXY* mice of different ages, evaluated observed germ cell loss, studied X-inactivation, and focused on the previously postulated impaired Leydig cell maturation and function as a possible cause of the underandrogenization seen in KS. Xist methylation analysis revealed normal X-chromosome inactivation similar to that seen in females. Germ cell loss was found to be complete and to occur during the peripubertal phase. Significantly elevated FSH and LH levels were persistent in 41, XXY* mice of different ages. Although Leydig cell hyperplasia was prominent, isolated XXY* Leydig cells showed a mature mRNA expression profile and a significantly higher transcriptional activity compared with controls. Stimulation of XXY* Leydig cells in vitro by human chorionic gonadotropin indicated a mature LH receptor whose maximal response exceeded that of control Leydig cells. The hyperactivity of Leydig cells seen in XXY* mice suggests that the changes in the endocrine milieu observed in KS is not due to impaired Leydig cell function. We suggest that the embedding of Leydig cells into the changed testicular environment in 41 XXY* males as such influences their endocrine function.
A Small Molecule Inverse Agonist for the Human Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone Receptor
Authors: Neumann Susanne , Huang Wenwei , Eliseeva Elena , Titus Steve , Thomas Craig J. , Gershengorn Marvin C.
Published: April 2010

Small molecule inverse agonists for the TSH receptor (TSHR) may be used as probes of the role of basal (or agonist-independent or constitutive) signaling and may have therapeutic potential as orally active drugs to inhibit basal signaling in patients with thyroid cancer and in some patients with hyperthyroidism. We describe the first small-molecule ligand [1;2-(3-((2,6-dimethylphenoxy)methyl)-4-methoxyphenyl)-3-(furan-2-ylmethyl)-2,3-dihydroquinazolin-4(1H)-one] that exhibits inverse agonist properties at TSHR. 1 inhibits basal and TSH-stimulated signaling, measured as cAMP production, by TSHRs in HEK-EM 293 cells stably expressing wild-type TSHRs; the antagonism of TSH-mediated signaling is competitive. 1 also inhibits basal signaling by wild-type TSHRs, and four constitutively active mutants of TSHR expressed transiently in HEK-EM 293 cells. 1 was active under more physiologically relevant conditions in primary cultures of human thyrocytes expressing endogenous TSHRs where it inhibited basal levels of mRNA transcripts for thyroglobulin, thyroperoxidase, sodium iodide symporter, and TSHR. These data serve as proof of principle that small, drug-like molecules can inhibit basal signaling by TSHR. We suggest that this small molecule is a lead compound for the development of higher-potency inverse agonists that can be used as probes of TSHR biology with therapeutic potential.
Cell speed, persistence and information transmission during signal relay and collective migration
Authors: McCann Colin P. , Kriebel Paul W. , Parent Carole A. , Losert Wolfgang
Published: April 2010

Collective migration is a key feature of the social amoebae Dictyostelium discoideum, where the binding of chemoattractants leads to the production and secretion of additional chemoattractant and the relay of the signal to neighboring cells. This then guides cells to migrate collectively in a head-to-tail fashion. We used mutants that were defective in signal relay to elucidate which quantitative metrics of cell migration are most strongly affected by signal relay and collective motion. We show that neither signal relay nor collective motion markedly impact the speed of cell migration. Cells maintained a preferred overall direction of motion for several minutes with similar persistence, regardless of whether or not they were attracted to moving neighbors, moving collectively in contact with their neighbors, or simply following a fixed exogenous signal. We quantitatively establish that signal relay not only increases the number of cells that respond to a chemotactic signal, but most remarkably, also transmits information about the location of the source accurately over large distances, independently of the strength of the exogenous signal. We envision that signal relay has a similar key role in the migration of a variety of chemotaxing mammalian cells that can relay chemoattractant signals.
Hydrophobic Modification of Ti-Containing Zeolite (TS-1) and Their Applications in Liquid-Phase Selective Catalytic Reactions
Authors: Sonoda Joji , Kamegawa Takashi , Kuwahara Yasutaka , Mori Kohsuke , Yamashita Hiromi
Published: April 2010

Hydrophobic modification of Ti-containing zeolite (TS-1) was performed by using triethoxyfluorosilane (TEFS). TS-1 after modification with TEFS (w = 1%) showed higher catalytic activity for the ammoximation of cyclohexanone than those on unmodified and modified TS-1 with TEFS (w = 5%) due to effective modification without covering the underlying catalytically active Ti-oxide species.
Synthesis of Biaryls and Oligoarenes Using Aryl[2-(hydroxymethyl)phenyl]dimethylsilanes
Authors: Chen Jinshui , Tanaka Masaaki , Sahoo Akhila K , Takeda Masahide , Yada Akira , Nakao Yoshiaki , Hiyama Tamejiro
Published: April 2010

Through intramolecular activation, highly stable aryl[2-(hydroxymethyl)phenyl]dimethylsilanes can selectively transfer their aryl groups to effect a cross-coupling reaction with various aryl bromides and chlorides in the presence of a weak non-fluoride base and a palladium/copper catalyst. This reaction tolerates a wide range of functional groups, producing the corresponding functionalized biaryls in high yields with excellent chemoselectivity. Newly disclosed reaction conditions allow the recovery of a cyclic silyl ether in modest-to-good yields and reuse for the synthesis of the arylsilanes. The introduction of two isopropyl groups on the silicon center instead of methyl groups improves the stability and allows quantitative recovery of the silicon residue. Finally, aryl halides having an O-protected [2-(hydroxymethyl)phenyl]dimethylsilyl group cross-couple with the arylsilane reagents to give silyl-functionalized biaryls. Upon deprotection, the biaryls further react with the silylated electrophiles. The iterative cross-coupling–deprotection sequences allow rapid assembly of silylated oligoarenes. Syntheses of di- and trisilyloligoarenes are also achieved by use of orthogonal O-protecting groups.
Private philanthropy or policy transfer? The transnational norms of the Open Society Institute
Authors: Stone Diane
Published: April 2010

The Open Society Institute (OSI) is a private operating and grant-making foundation that serves as the hub of the Soros Foundations Network, a group of autonomous national foundations around the world. OSI is a mechanism for the international diffusion of expertise and ‘best practices’ to post-communist countries and other democratising nations. Focusing on the ‘soft’ ideational and normative policy transfer, the article highlights the engagement in governance that comes with OSI transnational policy partnerships.
Review of Key Research Efforts to Make Algae Fuels Sustainable
Authors: Parkavi K. , Mathumitha B.
Published: April 2010

Algae, a third generation biofuel feedstock, present one of the most attractive renewable fuel opportunities. Algae’s potential arises from its high biomass yield, ability to grow in a range of environments and its effectiveness as a bioremediation agent for CO2 sequestration and waste water treatment. Studies suggest that algae are the only biofeedstock that has the potential to completely replace world’s fossil transportation fuels. As a result, interest in algae as a source of fuel is high, but the fact remains that no one has yet shown that they can economically and reliably transform algae into fuel that significantly reduces our dependence on petroleum-based fuels. While a number of hurdles contribute to this scenario, based on our evaluation of this industry and processes, we have determined the three key hurdles to be: (a) Sub-optimal choice of algae strains/species; (b) cost of photobioreactor (specialized equipment in which algae are cultivated); and (c) cost of harvesting algae from the growth medium. In this review we identify various research efforts attempted to find solutions for the above three problems, evaluate each effort, and present our inferences on the efforts with the highest potential. We believe further improvements in these research efforts could make algae fuels commercially viable.
A stability metric for typological features
Authors: Wichmann Søren , Kamholz David
Published: April 2010

In this paper we propose a method to measure the stability of typological features given a data set such as HASPELMATH et al. (2005). We determine the frequency with which one and the same value of a feature occurs in shallow genealogical groupings ('genus′ level). If the languages within such a group tend to show the same value, there is reason to believe that the feature is inherently more stable than if much variation is found within such groups. The proposed metric may be used to evaluate the utility of linguistic features when employing typological data for inferring genealogical relationships among languages.
Prostitution und Emanzipation. Die Schließung der staatlich lizensierten Bordelle Italiens 1958
Authors: König Malte
Published: April 2010

Vorspann

Staatlich lizenzierte Bordelle gab es in Italien seit der Mitte des 19. Jahrhunderts. Man hatte sich so sehr an die professionellen „Lehrmeisterinnen der Liebe“ gewöhnt, dass die Schließung der Bordelle ein Politikum ersten Ranges wurde. Menschen- und frauenrechtliche Argumente blieben gegen solche tief verwurzelten Gewohnheiten und Mentalitäten lange stumpf. Letztlich, so der Saarbrücker Historiker Malte König, waren es internationale Verpflichtungen, die Italien zum Einlenken veranlassten.
Fortschrittsoptimismus oder Kulturpessimismus? Die Bundesrepublik Deutschland in den 70er und 80er Jahren
Authors: Maier Hans
Published: April 2010

Vorspann

Mit dem Ende des „Goldenen Zeitalters“ Mitte der siebziger Jahre veränderten sich Politik und Gefühlshaushalt in der Bundesrepublik. Der lange dominierende Fortschrittsoptimismus vermischte sich zunächst mit pessimistischen Zukunftsprospekten und düsterer Verfallsprophetie, ehe er sich zeitweise fast ganz verlor – um dann schließlich in der Wiedervereinigung doch wieder etwas Nahrung zu finden. Hans Maier, Politiker und Gelehrter von hohem Rang, spürt diesen verwirrenden Prozessen nach und achtet dabei auch auf sonst oft vernachlässigte „weiche‘‘ Themen wie Sprache und Zeitgefühl..
Identification and regulation of glycogen synthase kinase-3 during bovine embryo development
Authors: Aparicio I M , Garcia-Herreros M , Fair T , Lonergan P
Published: April 2010

The aim of this study was to examine the presence and regulation of glycogen synthase kinase-3α (GSK3A) and GSK-3β (GSK3B) in bovine embryos and their possible roles in embryo development. Our results show that GSK3A and GSK3B are present in bovine embryos at the two-cell stage to the hatched blastocyst stage. Bovine embryo development was associated with an increase in the phosphorylation of both isoforms, being statistically significant at blastocyst and hatched blastocyst stages, compared with earlier stages. Inhibition of GSK3 with CT99021 (3 μM) resulted in a significant increase in the percentage and quality of blastocysts, while inhibition of GSK3 with lithium chloride (LiCl; 20 mM) significantly reduced at the proportion of eight-cell embryos on day 3 and inhibited blastocyst formation. The use of LY294002 (10 μM), a specific inhibitor of phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase, also produced a significant decrease in embryo development. In addition, treatment with LiCl and LY294002 produced a significant decrease in the serine phosphorylation of both isoforms of GSK3. Finally, CT99021 and LiCl reduced the phosphorylation of β-catenin on Ser45 in two-cell embryos, while LY294002 increased it. Despite the fact that LiCl inhibited GSK3 activity, as demonstrated by β-catenin phosphorylation, its effects on the bovine embryo could be mediated through other signaling pathways leading finally to a decrease in the phosphorylation of GSK3 and a reduction in embryo development. Therefore, in conclusion, GSK3A/B serine phosphorylation was positively correlated with embryo development, indicating the importance of an accurate regulation of GSK3 activity during developmental stages to achieve normal bovine embryo development.
Quantity of total cell free and cell free fetal DNA in pregnancies with no complications and with preeclampsia
Authors: Lázár Levente , Nagy Bálint , Molvarec Attila , Rigó Jr. János
Published: April 2010

A plazmában keringő szabad DNS minőségi és mennyiségi vizsgálata mint a praenatalis diagnosztika lehetséges eszköze egy évtizedes múltra tekint vissza. Az általunk végzett vizsgálat célja az összes szabad DNS, valamint szabad magzati DNS mennyiségének vizsgálata volt szövődménymentes, illetve praeeclampsiával szövődött terhességek esetén.Módszerek:A vizsgálatot retrospektív módon végeztük. Klinikánkon megjelent és kezelés alatt álló 67 praeeclampsiával szövődött, illetve 70 szövődménymentes terhességet viselő várandós nőtől gyűjtöttünk vérplazmát. A keringő összes szabad DNS és szabad magzati DNS meghatározását valós idejű polimeráz láncreakcióval (real-time PCR) végeztük.Eredmények:A plazma szabad DNS, valamint a szabad magzati DNS mennyisége egyaránt szignifikánsan magasabb volt praeeclampsiás terhesek esetében (medián: 0,0114 vs. 0,0325 és 0,001 E-3 vs. 0,086 E-3 ng/μl; P < 0,001). Az összes szabad DNS, valamint a szabad magzati DNS mennyisége között, illetve a testtömegindex között nem találtunk szignifikáns összefüggést.Következtetés:A praeeclampsia hátterében feltételezett kórfolyamatok, a placentáció zavara, endothel- és hepatocellularis károsodás nagy valószínűséggel egyaránt befolyásolja az összes szabad DNS mennyiségének emelkedését. A szabad magzati DNS mennyiségének emelkedése a trophoblastinvázió zavarának mutatójaként lehetséges markerként jön szóba a praeeclampsia korai diagnosztizálásában.
Detection and Prevalence of the Nonsyncytial American Grass Carp Reovirus Aquareovirus G by Quantitative Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
Authors: Goodwin Andrew E. , Merry Gwenn E. , Attoui Houssam
Published: April 2010

The American grass carp reovirus (AGCRV) Aquareovirus G is not strongly associated with disease in fish, but it is often detected by cell culture during routine inspections of healthy fish. The cytopathic effect of AGCRV does not involve the typical syncytia associated with most aquareoviruses. Instead, the AGCRV produces a pattern of cell rounding that is very similar to that produced by rhabdoviruses, including those that are highly regulated. We have developed a quantitative polymerase chain reaction assay that can be used to identify AGCRV in cell cultures or directly on fish tissues. The assay detects as few as two copies of the plasmid template, has a coefficient of variation of 15% among assays performed on different days, and does not cross-react with any other aquareoviruses tested. Assays performed on tissues of cultured golden shiners Notemigonus crysoleucas and fathead minnow Pimephales promelas revealed a high prevalence of infection among healthy fish but no association with disease.
Comparison of Quantitative RT-PCR with Cell Culture to Detect Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia Virus (VHSV) IVb Infections in the Great Lakes
Authors: Hope Kristine M. , Casey Rufina N. , Groocock Geoffrey H. , Getchell Rodman G. , Bowser Paul R. , Casey James W.
Published: April 2010

Viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHSV) is an important pathogen of cultured and wild fish in marine and freshwater environments. A new genotype, VHSV IVb, was isolated from a fish collected from the Great Lakes in 2003. Since the first isolation, VHSV IVb has been confirmed in 28 species, signaling the early invasion and continued spread of this Office International des Epizooties–reportable agent. For surveillance of this virus in both wild and experimental settings, we have developed a rapid and sensitive one-step quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) assay that amplifies a 100-base-pair conserved segment from both the genomic negative strand and the mRNA positive strand of the nucleoprotein (N) gene of VHSV IVb. This assay is linear over seven orders of magnitude, with an analytical capability of detecting a single copy of viral RNA and reproducibility at 100 copies. The assay is approximately linear with RNA input from 50 to 1,000 ng per assay and works equally well with RNA prepared from a column-based or phenol-chloroform-based method. In wild-caught fish, 97% of the cases were found to be more than three orders of magnitude more sensitive using qRT-PCR than using cell culture. Of the 1,428 fish from the Great Lakes region tested in 2006 and 2007, 24% were positive by qRT-PCR whereas only 5% were positive by cell culture. All of the fish that were positive by cell culture were also positive by qRT-PCR. Importantly, qRT-PCR sensitivity is comparable to that of cell culture detection when comparing VHSV viral RNA levels with viral titer stocks, confirming that the high qRT-PCR signals obtained with diagnostic samples are due to the accumulation of N gene mRNA by transcriptional attenuation. The qRT-PCR assay is particularly valuable for rapid and high-throughput prescreening of fish before confirmatory testing by cell culture or sequencing tissue-derived amplicons and especially in detecting infection in fish that do not show clinical signs of VHS.
Detecção de DNA de Leishmania braziliensis em pacientes de leishmaniose tegumentar americana
Authors: Martins Leila , Alexandrino Aline , Guimarães Georgia
Published: April 2010

Foi realizado diagnóstico para leishmaniose tegumentar americana a partir de sangue de pacientes residentes em dois municípios endêmicos do estado de Pernambuco. O DNA de 119 amostras de sangue foi extraído e submetido a reação em cadeia da polimerase. Utilizaram-se primers do minicírculo do DNA do cinetoplasto (kDNA) de Leishmania braziliensis, circulante em Pernambuco, cuja seqüência-alvo gera um fragmento de 750 pares de bases. No total 58 (48,7%) indivíduos apresentaram amplificação positiva e 61 (51,3%) negativa. Das amostras positivas para a PCR, 37 (≅ 64%) pertenciam a indivíduos tratados e sem lesão. Conclui-se que a técnica de PCR é eficaz para identificar o DNA de leishmânia em material de biópsias e em sangue venoso.
Subcutaneous immunization against Leishmania major - infection in mice: efficacy of formalin-killed promastigotes combined with adjuvants
Authors: Mutiso Joshua M. , Macharia John C. , Mutisya Rosemary M. , Taracha Evans
Published: April 2010

Formalin-killed promastigotes (FKP) of Leishmania major, in combination with Montanide ISA 720 (MISA), BCG or alum were used in vaccination of an inbred murine model against cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL). Significant and specific increases in anti-FKP IgG responses were detected for both alum-FKP and BCG-FKP compared to MISA-FKP (p < 0.001). Significant increases in splenic lymphocyte recall proliferation was obtained in the MISA-FKP vaccinated mice compared to alum-FKP or BCG-FKP vaccinated groups (p < 0.01). The highest interferon-γ responses were observed in the BCG-FKP group followed by the MISA-FKP while the alum-FKP gave the least responses. Significantly reduced lesion sizes were obtained in the MISA-FKP group compared to the BCG/alum adjuvants-FKP vaccinated groups. Although the BCG-FKP group showed the highest IFN-γ responses, it failed to control cutaneous lesions. Significant reductions in parasite numbers were observed in the MISA-FKP and BCG-FKP vaccinated groups (p < 0.001). There was a good correlation between parasite burden and IFN-γ level indicating IFN-γ response as a sensitive parameter of the immune status. In conclusion, MISA-FKP is the most efficacious vaccine formulation against murine cutaneous leishmaniasis.
Hibridização reversa e sequenciamento na genotipagem do vírus da hepatite C
Authors: Levada Patrícia Martinez , Moraes Camila Fernanda Verdichio de , Corvino Silvia Maria , Grotto Rejane Maria Tommasini , Silva Giovanni Faria , Pardini Maria Inês de Moura Campos
Published: April 2010

INTRODUÇÃO: Os métodos de genotipagem do vírus da hepatite C têm sido muito discutidos. O objetivo deste trabalho foi comparar as metodologias de hibridização reversa e sequenciamento direto para a genotipagem do vírus da hepatite C. MÉTODOS: Noventa e uma amostras de plasma de pacientes assistidos na Faculdade de Medicina de Botucatu da Universidade Estadual Paulista foram utilizadas. A genotipagem por hibridização reversa foi realizada utilizando o kit comercial INNO-LiPA® v.1.0. O sequenciamento direto foi efetuado em sequenciador automático utilizando protocolos in house. RESULTADOS: A genotipagem por sequenciamento direto mostrou-se eficiente na resolução dos resultados inconclusivos pelo kit comercial. O kit mostrou resultados errôneos em relação à subtipagem viral. Além disso, a genotipagem por sequenciamento direto revelou um erro do kit com relação à determinação genotípica questionando a eficiência do método também para a identificação do genótipo viral. CONCLUSÕES: A genotipagem realizada por meio de sequenciamento direto permite uma maior acurácia na classificação viral quando comparada à hibridização reversa.
Morbidade da doença de Chagas em pacientes autóctones da microrregião do Rio Negro, Estado do Amazonas
Authors: Brum-Soares Lucia Maria , Xavier Sérgio Salles , Sousa Andréa Silvestre de , Borges-Pereira José , Ferreira João Marcos Bemfica Barbosa , Costa Inez Ribeiro , Junqueira Angela Cristina Verissimo , Coura José Rodrigues
Published: April 2010

INTRODUÇÃO: Foi realizado um estudo soroepidemiológico e clínico em 152 indivíduos residentes no município de Barcelos, Estado do Amazonas. Avaliou-se a soroprevalência da infecção chagásica e a morbidade da doença de Chagas. MÉTODOS: Os testes sorológicos foram a imunofluorescência indireta, ELISA convencional e recombinante e o Tesa-blot. Foram considerados soropositivos 38 pacientes, duvidosos 31 e soronegativos negativos 83. Os 38 casos soropositivos foram pareados com 38 controles soronegativos da mesma idade, sexo e submetidos à avaliação epidemiológica, clínica, eletro e ecocardiográfica, sendo que, 29 pares fizeram exame radiológico do esôfago. RESULTADOS: A soropositividade foi 19,9 vezes mais frequente nos trabalhadores do extrativismo em geral e 10,4 vezes mais frequente no extrativismo da piaçaba. Aplicou-se o teste de reconhecimento com o vetor local do gênero Rhodnius e 86,7% dos pacientes soropositivos o reconheceram, enquanto somente 34,2% dos soronegativos o fizeram. O ECG mostrou-se alterado em 36,8% nos soropositivos e em 21,5% nos soronegativos, enquanto o ecocardiograma mostrou alterações em 31,6% nos soropositivos e 18,4% nos soronegativos. Precordialgia e palpitações foram mais frequentes nos soropositivos. O estudo clínico do aparelho digestivo e radiológico do esôfago não mostrou alterações significativas. CONCLUSÕES. A doença de Chagas na região estudada pode ser considerada uma doença ocupacional.
Talidomida usada por pacientes com eritema nodoso hansênico
Authors: Valente Maria do Socorro da Silva , Vieira José Luiz Fernandes
Published: April 2010

INTRODUÇÃO: A talidomida é um fármaco utilizado atualmente no tratamento do eritema nodoso hansênico no Brasil. MÉTODOS: Estudo prospectivo para acompanhar a evolução clínica, registrar os eventos adversos e determinar as concentrações plasmáticas de talidomida em dose diária de 100mg/dia, em 20 pacientes com manifestações clínicas de eritema nodoso hansênico, divididos em dois grupos: após ou em curso da poliquimioterapia para hanseníase. RESULTADOS: Não foram observadas diferenças significativas nos grupos no decorrer do estudo, tanto na evolução clínica favorável dos pacientes, de 70% e 90%, quanto nos eventos adversos registrados que foram tontura e sonolência. Os teores plasmáticos de talidomida em D7 e D14 foram de 0,82±0,4μg/mL e 0,79±0,3μg/mL no grupo 1 e de 0,82±0,4 e 1,55±1,0 no grupo 2, respectivamente. CONCLUSÕES: Na amostra estudada, a poliquimioterapia não interferiu na evolução clínica, na incidência dos efeitos adversos e nos níveis plasmáticos de talidomida.
Oligoqueta Eisenia andrei como bioindicador de contaminação de solo por hexaclorobenzeno
Authors: Vampré Thaís Mitre , Fuccillo Raffaella , Andréa Mara M. de
Published: April 2010

O hexaclorobenzeno (HCB) é um composto organoclorado de presença ubíqua no ambiente, sendo, por isso, classificado como um dos poluentes orgânicos persistentes (POP). Ele é altamente tóxico e está presente como contaminante na região da Baixada Santista (SP) há vários anos. Para avaliar o potencial de minhocas da espécie Eisenia andrei como bioindicadores de contaminação por HCB, espécimes delas foram expostos durante 14 dias a solo contendo 14C-HCB, e sua bioacumulação foi analisada. Não se verificou mortalidade nem aos sete nem aos 14 dias de contato com o solo tratado, indicando, portanto, que a dose usada no tratamento foi subletal e permitiu o estudo de bioindicação. Aos 14 dias do início do estudo, amostras de solo e de tecido animal foram submetidas à extração com solventes orgânicos, para determinação do conteúdo de radiocarbono, de HCB e de lipídios nos organismos. Verificou-se que a maior parte do radiocarbono proveniente do 14C-HCB permaneceu no solo na forma de resíduo extraível e só pequenas quantidades foram encontradas nos tecidos animais, nas formas de resíduos extraíveis e ligados. Por meio de cromatografia gasosa, verificou-se que apenas HCB foi detectado e, portanto, não ocorreu degradação nem no solo nem nos tecidos animais. O conteúdo de lipídios nos tecidos de minhocas foi correlacionado negativamente com a quantidade de HCB (-0,2), indicando que a presença de HCB pode ter provocado inibição na formação de lipídios. Finalmente, o fator de bioacumulação (FBA) de 6,5 mostrou que o HCB é, de fato, bioacumulado em minhocas e que esses animais podem ser utilizados como bioindicadores em estudos de contaminação com esse composto.