bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sources of Split-ticket Voting in the 1988 American Elections
Authors: McAllister Ian , Darcy Robert
Published: December 2006

Divided partisan control of the American national government is not a new phenomenon. Of the 41 presidents from Washington to Bush, 20 saw the House of Representatives under the control of the opposing party. While divided control of government is nothing new, however, its recent causes are. Before 1955, divided control was due to election reversals in the off year – easily interpretable in terms of negative retrospective judgements or switched policy choices on the part of the electorate. After 1955, on the other hand, four of the seven presidents were elected with a House of Representatives controlled by the opposing party. By analysing data collected during the 1988 national elections, we distinguish between congressional and presidential ticket-splitting and find their causes to be complex. It is caused, in part, by congressional incumbency and ballot formats, but wider social forces are also responsible for ticket-splitting.
The Gnomes of Washington: Four Myths of the 1976 IMF Crisis
Authors: Ludlam Steve
Published: December 2006

The IMF settlement of December 1976 looms large in popular and partisan views of the politics of the 1970s. It is argued here that conventional academic wisdom has come to embody several misleading myths about its impact on economic policy. Evidence is presented to challenge four such myths which suggest that the IMF forced the Labour government to launch an attack on public spending, introduce cash limits to control public spending, introduce monetary targets and abandon the pursuit of full employment through demand management.

Although the language of the [IMF] negotiations reflected the arcane terms of international finance … the decisions required of the British Government were profoundly political … behind the technical financial decisions lay fundamental differences over the appropriate balance between the private and public sectors, the priority between capital accumulation and social welfare, the relative weight to be given to incentives and equality … What was at issue was the future shape of the political economy of Great Britain.1
What is Ideology? Theoretical Problems and Lessons from Soviet-Type Societies
Authors: Schull Joseph
Published: December 2006

The article contrasts two approaches to ideology which view it, respectively, as a belief system and as a form of discourse, and argues for the second. Viewing ideology as a belief system involves unwarranted assumptions about the uniformity of convictions among the adherents of an ideology and reduces its causal power to its contingent capacity to condition beliefs. Viewing ideology as a discourse enables a more adequate account of the diversity of beliefs among members of an ideological movement and also locates its causal power at the level of social conventions rather than individual psychology. The power of ideology is based on respect, not faith. This theoretical discussion is linked with the case of Soviet-type societies, serving as the basis for a reinterpretation of ideology's role in the maintenance and more recent decline of these political systems.
International Opinion and World Politics: The Case of the INF Treaty
Authors: Goldmann Kjell
Published: December 2006

The INF Treaty, a turning-point in the nuclear arms race, was preceded by massive protests against nuclear armaments around the world, thus providing a test of the old belief that world opinion is crucial for peace and security. At issue is whether the treaty came about because of, regardless of or in spite of this international opinion. Three propositions about the relationship between international opinion-formation and foreign policymaking are thus outlined in the paper and are then applied to the INF case. It appears that anti-nuclear opinion was effective in part and counter-productive in part. A salient feature of the INF process was its unpredictability, which suggests several reasons why international opinion-formation is apt to lead to unexpected results.
Classical Islam and Medieval Europe: A Comparison of Political Philosophies and Cultures
Authors: Black Antony
Published: December 2006

There were fundamental differences in political philosophy and culture between Islamic and western-Christian or European civilization in the period up to c.1500, notably concerning the nature of the political community, of religious law and of the mode of political discourse. Europe proved open to Greco–Roman influences and thus developed, as Islam did not, a notion of the legitimate secular state.
Lilliput under Threat: The Security Problems of Small Island and Enclave Developing States
Authors: Sutton Paul , Payne Anthony
Published: December 2006

There are 45 states with a population of around one million or less, 36 of which are in the developing world. They are often overlooked and very little has been written about their security. After reviewing the debate on the definition of a small state, five distinctive characteristics most small Third World states hold in common are identified: openness, islandness or enclaveness, resilience, weakness and dependence. Each of these characteristics is examined and their specific security implications discussed. Finally, the vulnerability of small states in the current international system is considered. While small Third World states have much in common their strategies for survival will be different and depend above all on the regional context.
Liberalisms and Communitarianisms: A Reply
Authors: Caney Simon
Published: December 2006

In ‘Liberalism and communitarianism: a misconceived debate’ I argued that communitarians advance plausible descriptive and normative claims but that these are compatible with liberalism.1 I also argued that some communitarians affirm an implausible meta-ethical thesis which liberals disavow. Stephen Mulhall and Adam Swift make seven criticisms of my analysis.2 Their first three criticisms focus on my treatment of the descriptive communitarian thesis that individuals ‘conceive their identity … as defined to some extent by the community of which they are a part’.3
Political Integration, the Limited State, and the Philosophy of Postmodernism
Authors: O'Sullivan Noel
Published: December 2006

From the standpoint of its critics, postmodernism represents the disintegration of the modern philosophical and ethical tradition into relativism and corrosive scepticism. But it may also be seen in a more positive light. I do not mean the light shed by the uncritical optimism of defenders who identify it with openness and true toleration. I mean, rather, that it may be seen as a step towards a more modest conception of man and of politics than has characterized the past two centuries. This modesty as yet assumes only a precarious form in postmodern thought, but ways are suggested here by which it may be reinforced. In particular, so far as politics are concerned, the postmodern stress upon difference appears to point towards a rediscovery of the contemporary relevance of the classical ideal of civil association. It is this ideal which represents the most effective means of coming to terms with the ‘new politics' which postmodernism represents – the politics, that is, of ‘inclusion’, devoted to hitherto excluded sexual, racial, and ecological issues. In so far as this interpretation of postmodernism is a plausible one, it lends some support to the view of Agnes Heller and Ferenc Fehér that we may be entering an era of ‘settling in’, following upon the era of ideology. To give their precise words: ‘If modernity is the drama of permanent revolution, postmodernity may be characterized as the epic of settling-in.’ ( The Postmodern Political Condition, p. 158.) Out of the disintegration of philosophy and the critique of liberal foundational doctrine, then, it may be that the way is being paved for a more viable framework for limited politics.
Social Constituency and Ideological Profile: Scottish Nationalism in the 1990s
Authors: Brand Jack , Mitchell James , Surridge Paula
Published: December 2006

Using data from the 1992 Scottish and British Election Surveys, the authors examine various models which might explain the changes in the level and type of Scottish National Party voting. In the analysis they are also concerned with voters for other parties who support the central SNP policy: independence, for Scotland. The protest, relative deprivation, identity, and new social movement models are stated and explored. The authors conclude that a major problem for the SNP is that the basic Scottish identity, to which the Nationalists want to appeal, is felt almost as strongly by Labour voters as by those who choose the SNP. The SNP has not been able to establish a reputation as a credible party of government which could take over the role of the spokesperson for the national community. At the same time, it is not likely to disappear as the major challenger in Scottish politics.
Registering the Lobbyists: Lessons from Canada
Authors: Rush Michael
Published: December 2006

Professional lobbying has been a growth area in recent years in countries like Britain and Canada. One reaction has been calls for the registration of lobbyists, but few countries have experience of registration. The longest and most extensive experience is found in the United States, but systemic differences mean that little attention has been paid in parliamentary systems to that experience. Concern about the hidden world of the professional lobbyist rather than evidence of significant abuse led to calls for the registration of lobbyists. Canada introduced registration in 1989 and a British proposal currently lies on the table. Canadian experience provides an opportunity to examine registration within a parliamentary context and to consider the merits of the proposed British scheme.
Labour's Thatcherite Revisionism: Playing the ‘Politics of Catch-up’
Authors: Hay Colin
Published: December 2006

[Labour's] new programme accepts the basic parameters of the Thatcher Settlement, in much the same way that the Conservative governments of the fifties accepted the parameters of the Attlee Settlement. It does not seek to extend the public sector or reverse privatization to any significant degree. It does not propose to raise the overall level of taxation, but promises to adjust its incidence in a mildly more egalitarian direction. It does not substantially depart from the laws that now regulate industrial action, while rendering them a little more favourable to trade unions. It does not abandon the British nuclear deterrent. All these changes of the Thatcher years are uncontested.1
The Problem of Predictability: Unstable Systems, Traffic Dividers and Arms Races
Authors: Coram Bruce Talbot
Published: December 2006

Social scientists seem to do a good job predicting some major events in history and a spectacularly poor job with others. This paper is concerned with the puzzle that this poses. It investigates systems of interaction and suggests that, in principle, some criteria can be established to aid our intuitions about what might and might not be predictable. It differs from the more usual approaches which tend to treat history in monolithic terms. Instead it examines a simple concrete model of processes like economic growth and coalition formation.
Pluralism or State Autonomy? The Case of Amnesty International (British Section): The Insider/Outsider Group
Authors: Christiansen Lars , Dowding Keith
Published: December 2006

This paper presents a case study of Amnesty International's relationship with the British Government. It demonstrates that Amnesty has a close working relationship with the Foreign Office over human rights violations abroad but is excluded from policy formation with regard to human rights in Britain. The differential treatment accorded to this legitimate group within different policy networks is discussed with regard to pluralist and state autonomy theories. It concludes that present accounts of pluralism cannot be empirically differentiated from reasonable theories of state autonomy.
Any Takers? The Isolation of Northern Ireland
Authors: Cochrane Feargal
Published: December 2006

This article challenges the traditional assumptions prevalent within the two main communal blocs in Northern Ireland. I argue that the orthodox unionist and nationalist views of the external political environment are seriously flawed to the point that both camps have become oblivious to the shifting political universe which surrounds them. Unionist and nationalist analyses of political dynamics within both Britain and the Irish Republic are misconceived. The domination of a romantic historical inheritance over intellectual rationalism has led to assumptions within both unionism and nationalism, central to the general strategy of both ideologies, which do not withstand examination.
Hobbes and the Equality of Women
Authors: Slomp Gabriella
Published: December 2006

Hobbes's politics of gender affords valuable insights into his concept of equality. It is argued that: (i) although in Hobbes's theory women are equal to men ‘by nature’ and remain so ‘in natural conditions’, (ii) the Hobbesian social contract does not rule out logically the possibility of unequal treatment of men and women living in civil associations; (iii) nevertheless, contemporary interpreters can find in Hobbes's political philosophy a number of arguments that might be deployed to deny the morality, rationality, and utility of sexual subjugation.
Measuring Local Campaign Effects: Labour Party Constituency Campaigning at the 1987 General Election
Authors: Pattie Charles , Whiteley Paul , Johnston Ron , Seyd Patrick
Published: December 2006

Thursday 31 March: Polling day. To headquarters at about 9 and from 9.30 am to 6 visiting all the polling stations and committee rooms. We had lunch at the ‘Hole-in-the-Wall’ and then went out again with our loudspeaker, doing final knocking up. After the polls closed we cleared up the headquarters, went back to the hotel and began watching the BBC Election programme. It was evident that a big Labour victory was coming …1
Polity, Economy, Neutrality
Authors: O'Neill John
Published: December 2006

The liberal doctrine that public institutions be neutral between conceptions of the good is invoked in response to the pluralism of modern society. The response can take two distinct forms: dialogical – pluralism requires a neutral public space for conversation; and non-dialogical pluralism requires a contractual sphere which allows cooperation without conversation. Both reject perfectionist political theories like Aristotle's which holds that the end of political institutions is the good life. Given pluralism, perfectionism entails the coercive imposition of contested conceptions of the good. Against this view, the paper outlines a neglected argument in Aristotle's Politics for pluralism from perfectionist premises. It defends an Aristotelian conception of a pluralist politics and associational civil society. This conception provides a sounder foundation for a public space of conversation than does the appeal to neutrality and it escapes the charge of totalitarianism made by defenders of non-dialogical neutrality.
Economic Expectations and Voting Intentions in the UK, 1979–87: A Pooled Cross-section Approach
Authors: Price Simon , Sanders David
Published: December 2006

Using pooled cross-section data on over 44,000 individuals, this study simultaneously estimates the effects of individual characteristics, individual economic perceptions and macroeconomic conditions on the propensity of UK voters to support the incumbent Conservative government. The findings on the impact of individual characteristics are consistent with those reported in recent British Election Studies. The findings on economic perceptions and macroeconomic changes suggest that, in the UK at least, voters' prospective economic perceptions are far more important than either their retrospective economic judgements or the objective condition of the economy itself. The results also cast light on the debate about the impact of ‘unusual’ political events. In general, these effects seem to be relatively short-lived: the boost to Conservative popularity engendered by the 1982 Falklands War, for example, seems to have petered out well before the 1983 general election.
Myths, Lies and Historical Truth: A Defence of Nationalism
Authors: Archard David
Published: December 2006

This article examines the charge that nationalism is simply mistaken about the way the world is. It argues that it would be better to talk of national myths which are not myths proper, nor complete falsities, and which bear a complex relation to the truth. They may contain some truth, and give rise to true beliefs. National myths may also be justifiable for serving cognitive and affective purposes. They may be condemned for giving rise to unjustifiable false beliefs, for requiring the unjustified manipulation of the facts, or for sustaining unjustifiable states of affairs.
The Ideologics of Modern Politics
Authors: Manning David , Carlisle Ysanne
Published: December 2006

It is a platitude that a political ideology is an organized set of ethical beliefs that authorize the political commitment of a group of people. This article addresses the question: how is the distinctive ideologic of such an organization of ethical ideas related to the political decisions of adherents? The suggestion made is that the distinctive psychological reaction of a group of people to economic and social change plays an important part in making a particular form of ideologic formative of their view of the future. The scope of the article is not restricted to English reactions to the advent of industrial modernity, but the universality of its argument, as to the persuasive function of the ideologics investigated, is primarily illustrated by examples drawn from the works of English ideologues.
National Self-Determination: Political, Not Cultural
Authors: De-Shalit Avner
Published: December 2006

Many liberal theorists misinterpret nationality and the demand for national self-determination. This paper asks what is the claim for national self-determination. Following this, it is asked which way of meeting the demand is the best one. While analysing the circumstances in which the demand is raised, it is argued that this claim is political rather than cultural, and that therefore some of the solutions which have been put forward in theory and in practice (especially autonomy) do not meet this claim. It is also argued that the failure of many Western politicians and political theorists to address the demand for national self-determination as a political demand derives from three reasons: methodological, moral and ideological.
The New Governance: Governing without Government
Authors: Rhodes R. A. W.
Published: December 2006

The term ‘governance’ is popular but imprecise. It has at least six uses, referring to: the minimal state; corporate governance: the new public management; ‘good governance’; socio-cybernetic systems: and self-organizing networks. I stipulate that governance refers to ‘self-organizing, interorganizational networks' and argue these networks complement markets and hierarchies as governing structures for authoritatively allocating resources and exercising control and co-ordination. I defend this definition, arguing that it throws new light on recent changes in British government, most notably: hollowing out the state, the new public management, and intergovernmental management. 1 conclude that networks are now a pervasive feature of service delivery in Britain; that such networks are characterized by trust and mutual adjustment and undermine management reforms rooted in competition; and that they are a challenge to governability because they become autonomous and resist central guidance.
How Bumble-Bees Fly: Accounting for Public Interest Participation
Authors: Jordan Grant , Maloney William A.
Published: December 2006

This paper confirms the existence of public interest groups as a theoretical puzzle for an Olson type (economically-driven) rational choice explanation. It systematically reviews different theoretical approaches that challenge this appearance of paradox. The paper also introduces some British survey data. It concludes that rational choice analysis must subsume non-material incentives, but shows that discussions predicated on conceptions of rationality other than that used by Olson do not imply that participation is a problem to be explained. It also points to the importance of group activity in shaping the preferences of potential members and in stimulating membership.
Morris, Wilde, and Marx on the Social Preconditions of Individual Development
Authors: Davis Laurence
Published: December 2006

According to some socialist thinkers, an anti-modern, Romantic form of Communism represents the most credible alternative to bureaucratic socialism. My aim in this paper is to test the merits of this claim by considering the critique of capitalism articulated by the first Marxian-influenced Romantic Communist, William Morris. My argument is that Morris' hostility to modernity severely diminishes the force of his otherwise radical criticisms of art and labour under advanced capitalism. I contend further that a corrective to Morris' blanket anti-modernism may be found in the works of Wilde and Marx, both of whom, albeit from different perspectives and with distinct (but not irreconcilable) aims, offer accounts of the relations between art, work, and morality which take a far more incisive view of the nature and challenges of modernity.
Reviews
Authors: Boote Rene , Lewis Christine , Pumfrey P. D. , Ryan Airinne
Published: December 2006

Marcus, Marie (1977). Diagnostic Teaching of the Language Arts.

Ball, F. (1977). The Development of Reading Skills, A Book of Resources for Teachers.

Hart, N. W. M., Walker, R. F. and Gray, B. (1977). The language of children: A key to literacy.

Berg, Leila (1977). Reading and loving.
Reviews
Authors: Boote Rene , Davies Margaret
Published: December 2006

Chapman, L. John and Czerniewska Pam (Editors) (1978) Reading: from Process to Practice

PUGH, A. K. (1978). Silent Reading – An Introduction to its Study and Teaching.
Shorter notices
Authors: Green Nancy
Published: December 2006

EDWARDS, PETER, (1978) Reading Problem, London, Heinemann Educational.
Review
Authors: MERRITT J. E.
Published: December 2006

Lunzer, Eric and Gardner, Keith (eds.) (1979) The Effective Use of Reading
Reviews
Authors: Holland Philip , Clarke Gerry
Published: December 2006

Liebert, Burt and Liebert, Marjorie, (1979) A Schoolwide Stcondary Reading Program: Here's How.

Holbrook, David (1980) English for Meaning

Ahuja, G. C. and P. (1979) How to Increase Reading Speed
Teaching the basic relationships between sentences
Authors: Marzano Robert J. , Dole Janice A.
Published: December 2006

Research and classroom experience (Bormuth et al., 1970; Nichols, 1980) support the idea that middle and secondary students often have difficulty understanding relationships within and between sentences. Knowledge gleaned from discourse analysis concepts can assist teachers in providing useful instructional strategies to help students comprehend progressively larger units of meaning. We want to encourage teachers to try some of the instructional strategies we have provided and also to experiment with additional ideas drawn from the information presented here. We hope other teachers will further explore this potentially rich area of comprehension instruction.
Young Children's Attention to Textual Context when Reading
Authors: Browne Ann
Published: December 2006

An attempt was made to measure children's attention to text when reading. Attention was measured by observing the children's ability to reflect on text during and after the reading task. Questions were asked to determine how far children had assimilated new information from the text. It was felt that perhaps children do not know why they have learned to read and regard competent performance rather than understanding or personal gain as the object of reading, especially when reading aloud to the teacher. Children were, therefore, also asked why they thought they had been taught to read. The possibility of a relationship between the degree of attention manifested and the number of purposes for reading nominated was also considered. The results revealed no relationship between individual's ability to attend to text and to nominate a greater number of purposes for learning to read. However, the evidence suggested that the ability to attend to text and the understanding of the uses of reading might both be improved.
Using a TTNS Electronic Mailbox in a Junior Class: A Case Study
Authors: Wishart Elizabeth
Published: December 2006

This account attempts to assess the benefits of a TTNS electronic mailbox to the everyday work of a junior class. Electronic mail is explained briefly and the reasons for its introduction and method of use are examined. Lastly some of the advantages and problems associated with its use are discussed and set against the implications for resourcing and maintenance. This assessment was made after regular visits for informal observation and discussion with the pupils and their teacher over two school years.
The‘Real Books’Approach: Is Apprenticeship a Weak Analogy?
Authors: Coles Martin
Published: December 2006

If, when considering reading, we treat apprenticeship as a suggestive, rather than exact, analogy, there are useful insights to be drawn from traditional apprenticeship. Two features particularly hold messages for how we help children learn to read.

First, the movement in traditional apprenticeship from observation, through coaching, to practice can act as a model for reading instruction. It highlights, for instance, that a‘real books’approach is not laissez‐faire, that coaching is required and that, in a cognitive area, part of this coaching involves making explicit to the learner processes which are usually internalised in skilled performance. The implications for teachers are radical. A number of traditional practices, such as hearing children read as a kind of ritual, almost a magical laying on of hands, require major revision.

Second, a close look at traditional apprenticeship provides evidence for the importance of the social context in which learning takes place. Again teachers of beginning readers can use the model of traditional apprenticeship to reflect on their own school/classroom practices, to see whether they help create a culture of expert practice for instance, and offer the opportunity for learners to realise the value of their increasing skills. Practices such as peer‐tutor schemes and the increasing involvement of parents in reading teaching illustrate that many schools are already working out the implications of this understanding.

If teachers are more aware of those areas of relative weakness and strength in the apprenticeship analogy they will have a more principled basis for using the approach in their teaching and a more stout defence against those who might argue that if the analogy is weak, a‘real books’approach is to be avoided.
Biogeography, Host Specificity, and Molecular Phylogeny of the Basidiomycetous Yeast
Phaffia rhodozyma
and Its Sexual Form,
Xanthophyllomyces dendrorhous
Authors: Libkind Diego , Ruffini Alejandra , van Broock Maria , Alves Leonor , Sampaio José Paulo
Published: December 2006

Phaffia rhodozyma
(sexual form,
Xanthophyllomyces dendrorhous
) is a basidiomycetous yeast that has been found in tree exudates in the Northern Hemisphere at high altitudes and latitudes. This yeast produces astaxanthin, a carotenoid pigment with biotechnological importance because it is used in aquaculture for fish pigmentation. We isolated
X. dendrorhous
from the Southern Hemisphere (Patagonia, Argentina), where it was associated with fruiting bodies of
Cyttaria hariotii
, an ascomycetous parasite of
Nothofagus
trees. We compared internal transcribed spacer (ITS)-based phylogenies of
P. rhodozyma
and its tree host (Betulaceae, Corneaceae, Fagaceae, and Nothofagaceae) and found them to be generally concordant, suggesting that different yeast lineages colonize different trees and providing an explanation for the phylogenetic distance observed between the type strains of
P. rhodozyma
and
X. dendrorhous
. We hypothesize that the association of
Xanthophyllomyces
with
Cyttaria
derives from a previous association of the yeast with
Nothofagus
, and the sister relationship between Nothofagaceae and Betulaceae plus Fagaceae correlates with the phylogeny of
X. dendrorhous
strains originating from these three plant families. The two most basal strains of
X. dendrorhous
are those isolated from
Cornus
, an ancestral genus in the phylogenetic analysis of the host trees. Thus, we question previous conclusions that
P. rhodozyma
and
X. dendrorhous
represent different species since the polymorphisms detected in the ITS and intergenic spacer sequences can be attributed to intraspecific variation associated with host specificity. Our study provides a deeper understanding of
Phaffia
biogeography, ecology, and molecular phylogeny. Such knowledge is essential for the comprehension of many aspects of the biology of this organism and will facilitate the study of astaxanthin production within an evolutionary and ecological framework.
Transgalactosylation in a Water-Solvent Biphasic Reaction System with β-Galactosidase Displayed on the Surfaces of
Bacillus subtilis
Spores
Authors: Kwon Seok Joon , Jung Heung-Chae , Pan Jae-Gu
Published: December 2006

The ever-increasing industrial demand for biocatalysis necessitates innovations in the preparation and stabilization of biocatalysts. In this study, we demonstrated that β-galactosidase (β-Gal) displayed on
Bacillus
spores by fusion to the spore coat proteins (CotG) may be used as a whole-cell immobilized biocatalyst for transgalactosylation in water-solvent biphasic reaction systems. The resulting spores had a specific hydrolytic activity of 5 × 10
3
U/g (dry weight) of spores. The β-Gal was tightly attached to the spore surface and was more stable in the presence of various organic solvents than its native form was. The thermostability of the spore-displayed enzyme was also increased, and the enzyme was further stabilized by chemically cross-linking it with glutaraldehyde. With spore-displayed β-Gal, octyl-β-
d
-galactopyranoside was synthesized at concentrations up to 27.7 mM (8.1 g/liter) with a conversion yield of 27.7% (wt/wt) after 24 h from 100 mM lactose and 100 mM octanol dissolved in phosphate buffer and ethyl ether, respectively. Interestingly, the spores were found to partition mainly at the interface between the water and solvent phases, and they were more available to catalysis between the two phases, as determined by light microscopy and confocal fluorescence microscopy. We propose that spore display not only offers a new and facile way to construct robust biocatalysts but also provides a novel basis for phase transfer biocatalytic processes.
Hydrogen Metabolism in
Shewanella oneidensis
MR-1
Authors: Meshulam-Simon Galit , Behrens Sebastian , Choo Alexander D. , Spormann Alfred M.
Published: December 2006

Shewanella oneidensis
MR-1 is a facultative sediment microorganism which uses
diverse compounds, such as oxygen and fumarate, as well as insoluble
Fe(III) and Mn(IV) as electron acceptors. The electron donor spectrum
is more limited and includes metabolic end products of primary
fermenting bacteria, such as lactate, formate, and hydrogen. While the
utilization of hydrogen as an electron donor has been described
previously, we report here the formation of hydrogen from pyruvate
under anaerobic, stationary-phase conditions in the absence of an
external electron acceptor. Genes for the two
S. oneidensis
MR-1 hydrogenases,
hydA
, encoding a periplasmic [Fe-Fe]
hydrogenase, and
hyaB
, encoding a periplasmic [Ni-Fe]
hydrogenase, were found to be expressed only under anaerobic conditions
during early exponential growth and into stationary-phase growth.
Analyses of Δ
hydA
, Δ
hyaB
, andΔ
hydA
Δ
hyaB
in-frame-deletion mutants
indicated that HydA functions primarily as a hydrogen-forming
hydrogenase while HyaB has a bifunctional role and represents the
dominant hydrogenase activity under the experimental conditions tested.
Based on results from physiological and genetic experiments, we propose
that hydrogen is formed from pyruvate by multiple parallel pathways,
one pathway involving formate as an intermediate, pyruvate-formate
lyase, and formate-hydrogen lyase, comprised of HydA hydrogenase and
formate dehydrogenase, and a formate-independent pathway involving
pyruvate dehydrogenase. A reverse electron transport chain is
potentially involved in a formate-hydrogen lyase-independent pathway.
While pyruvate does not support a fermentative mode of growth in this
microorganism, pyruvate, in the absence of an electron acceptor,
increased cell viability in anaerobic, stationary-phase cultures,
suggesting a role in the survival of
S. oneidensis
MR-1 under
stationary-phase
conditions.
Biodiversity of Bacterial Ecosystems in Traditional Egyptian Domiati Cheese
Authors: El-Baradei Gaber , Delacroix-Buchet Agnès , Ogier Jean-Claude
Published: December 2006

Bacterial biodiversity occurring in traditional Egyptian soft Domiati cheese was studied by PCR-temporal temperature gel electrophoresis (TTGE) and PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE). Bands were identified using a reference species database (J.-C. Ogier et al., Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 70:5628-5643, 2004); de novo bands having nonidentified migration patterns were identified by DNA sequencing. Results reveal a novel bacterial profile and extensive bacterial biodiversity in Domiati cheeses, as reflected by the numerous bands present in TTGE and DGGE patterns. The dominant lactic acid bacteria (LAB) identified were as follows:
Leuconostoc mesenteroides
,
Lactococcus garvieae
,
Aerococcus viridans
,
Lactobacillus versmoldensis
,
Pediococcus inopinatus
, and
Lactococcus lactis
. Frequent non-LAB species included numerous coagulase-negative staphylococci,
Vibrio
spp.,
Kocuria rhizophila
,
Kocuria kristinae
,
Kocuria halotolerans
,
Arthrobacter
spp.
/Brachybacterium tyrofermentans
. This is the first time that the majority of these species has been identified in Domiati cheese. Nearly all the dominant and frequent bacterial species are salt tolerant, and several correspond to known marine bacteria. As Domiati cheese contains 5.4 to 9.5% NaCl, we suggest that these bacteria are likely to have an important role in the ripening process. This first systematic study of the microbial composition of Domiati cheeses reveals great biodiversity and evokes a role for marine bacteria in determining cheese type.
Global Effect of Indole-3-Acetic Acid Biosynthesis on Multiple Virulence Factors of
Erwinia chrysanthemi
3937
Authors: Yang Shihui , Zhang Qiu , Guo Jianhua , Charkowski Amy O. , Glick Bernard R. , Ibekwe A. Mark , Cooksey Donald A. , Yang Ching-Hong
Published: December 2006

Production of the plant hormone indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) is widespread among plant-associated microorganisms. The non-gall-forming phytopathogen
Erwinia chrysanthemi
3937 (strain Ech3937) possesses
iaaM
(ASAP16562) and
iaaH
(ASAP16563) gene homologues. In this work, the null knockout
iaaM
mutant strain Ech138 was constructed. The IAA production by Ech138 was reduced in M9 minimal medium supplemented with
l
-tryptophan. Compared with wild-type Ech3937, Ech138 exhibited reduced ability to produce local maceration, but its multiplication in
Saintpaulia ionantha
was unaffected. The pectate lyase production of Ech138 was diminished. Compared with wild-type Ech3937, the expression levels of an oligogalacturonate lyase gene,
ogl
, and three endopectate lyase genes,
pelD
,
pelI
, and
pelL
, were reduced in Ech138 as determined by a green fluorescent protein-based fluorescence-activated cell sorting promoter activity assay. In addition, the transcription of type III secretion system (T3SS) genes,
dspE
(a putative T3SS effector) and
hrpN
(T3SS harpin), was found to be diminished in the
iaaM
mutant Ech138. Compared with Ech3937, reduced expression of
hrpL
(a T3SS alternative sigma factor) and
gacA
but increased expression of
rsmA
in Ech138 was also observed, suggesting that the regulation of T3SS and pectate lyase genes by IAA biosynthesis might be partially due to the posttranscriptional regulation of the Gac-Rsm regulatory pathway.
The Absence of Intervening Sequences in 23S rRNA Genes of
Campylobacter coli
Isolates from Turkeys Is a Unique Attribute of a Cluster of Related Strains Which Also Lack Resistance to Erythromycin
Authors: Chan Kamfai , Miller William G. , Mandrell Robert E. , Kathariou Sophia
Published: December 2006

Certain
Campylobacter
strains harbor a transcribed intervening sequence (IVS) in their 23S rRNA genes. Following transcription, the IVS is excised, leading to fragmentation of the 23S rRNA. The origin and possible functions of the IVS are unknown. Furthermore, the distribution of IVS-harboring strains within
Campylobacter
populations is poorly understood. In this study, 104 strains of
Campylobacter coli
from turkeys, representing 27 different multilocus sequence typing-based sequence types (STs), were characterized in terms of IVS content and erythromycin susceptibility. Sixty-nine strains harbored IVSs in all three 23S rRNA genes, whereas the other 35 strains lacked IVSs from at least one of the genes. The STs of the latter strains belonged to an unusual cluster of
C. coli
STs (cluster II), earlier found primarily in turkey strains and characterized by the presence of the
C. jejuni aspA103
allele. The majority (66/69) of strains harboring IVSs in all three 23S rRNA genes were resistant to erythromycin, whereas none of the 35 strains with at least one IVS-free 23S rRNA gene were resistant. Cluster II strains could be transformed to erythromycin resistance with genomic DNA from
C. coli
that harbored IVS and the A2075G transition in the 23S rRNA gene, associated with resistance to erythromycin in
Campylobacter
. Erythromycin-resistant transformants harbored both the A2075 transition and IVS. The findings suggest that the absence of IVS in
C. coli
from turkeys is characteristic of a unique clonal group of erythromycin-susceptible strains and that IVS can be acquired by these strains via natural transformation to erythromycin resistance.
Influences of Infaunal Burrows on the Community Structure and Activity of Ammonia-Oxidizing Bacteria in Intertidal Sediments
Authors: Satoh Hisashi , Nakamura Yoshiyuki , Okabe Satoshi
Published: December 2006

Influences of infaunal burrows constructed by the polychaete (
Tylorrhynchus heterochaetus
) on O
2
concentrations and community structures and abundances of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB) in intertidal sediments were analyzed by the combined use of a 16S rRNA gene-based molecular approach and microelectrodes. The microelectrode measurements performed in an experimental system developed in an aquarium showed direct evidence of O
2
transport down to a depth of 350 mm of the sediment through a burrow. The 16S rRNA gene-cloning analysis revealed that the betaproteobacterial AOB communities in the sediment surface and the burrow walls were dominated by
Nitrosomonas
sp. strain Nm143-like sequences, and most of the clones in
Nitrospira
-like NOB clone libraries of the sediment surface and the burrow walls were related to the
Nitrospira marina
lineage. Furthermore, we investigated vertical distributions of AOB and NOB in the infaunal burrow walls and the bulk sediments by real-time quantitative PCR (Q-PCR) assay. The AOB and
Nitrospira
-like NOB-specific 16S rRNA gene copy numbers in the burrow walls were comparable with those in the sediment surfaces. These numbers in the burrow wall at a depth of 50 to 55 mm from the surface were, however, higher than those in the bulk sediment at the same depth. The microelectrode measurements showed higher NH
4
+
consumption activity at the burrow wall than those at the surrounding sediment. This result was consistent with the results of microcosm experiments showing that the consumption rates of NH
4
+
and total inorganic nitrogen increased with increasing infaunal density in the sediment. These results clearly demonstrated that the infaunal burrows stimulated O
2
transport into the sediment in which otherwise reducing conditions prevailed, resulting in development of high NH
4
+
consumption capacity. Consequently, the infaunal burrow became an important site for NH
4
+
consumption in the intertidal sediment.
Reduced Dietary Intake of Carbohydrates by Obese Subjects Results in Decreased Concentrations of Butyrate and Butyrate-Producing Bacteria in Feces
Authors: Duncan Sylvia H. , Belenguer Alvaro , Holtrop Grietje , Johnstone Alexandra M. , Flint Harry J. , Lobley Gerald E.
Published: December 2006

Weight loss diets for humans that are based on a high intake of protein but low intake of fermentable carbohydrate may alter microbial activity and bacterial populations in the large intestine and thus impact on gut health. In this study, 19 healthy, obese (body mass index range, 30 to 42) volunteers were given in succession three different diets: maintenance (M) for 3 days (399 g carbohydrate/day) and then high protein/medium (164 g/day) carbohydrate (HPMC) and high protein/low (24 g/day) carbohydrate (HPLC) each for 4 weeks. Stool samples were collected at the end of each dietary regimen. Total fecal short-chain fatty acids were 114 mM, 74 mM, and 56 mM (
P
< 0.001) for M, HPMC, and HPLC diets, respectively, and there was a disproportionate reduction in fecal butyrate (18 mM, 9 mM, and 4 mM, respectively;
P
< 0.001) with decreasing carbohydrate. Major groups of fecal bacteria were monitored using nine 16S rRNA-targeted fluorescence in situ hybridization probes, relative to counts obtained with the broad probe Eub338. No significant change was seen in the relative counts of the bacteroides (Bac303) (mean, 29.6%) or the clostridial cluster XIVa (Erec482, 23.3%), cluster IX (Prop853, 9.3%), or cluster IV (Fprau645, 11.6%; Rbro730 plus Rfla729, 9.3%) groups. In contrast, the
Roseburia
spp. and
Eubacterium rectale
subgroup of cluster XIVa (11%, 8%, and 3% for M, HPMC, and HPLC, respectively;
P
< 0.001) and bifidobacteria (4%, 2.1%, and 1.9%, respectively;
P
= 0.026) decreased as carbohydrate intake decreased. The abundance of butyrate-producing bacteria related to
Roseburia
spp. and
E. rectale
correlated well with the decline in fecal butyrate.
Rugosity in
Grimontia hollisae
Authors: Curtis S. K. , Kothary M. H. , Blodgett R. J. , Raybourne R. B. , Ziobro G. C. , Tall B. D.
Published: December 2006

Grimontia hollisae
, formerly
Vibrio hollisae
, produces both smooth and rugose colonial variants. The rugose colony phenotype is characterized by wrinkled colonies producing copious amounts of exopolysaccharide. Cells from a rugose colony grown at 30°C form rugose colonies, while the same cells grown at 37°C form smooth colonies, which are characterized by a nonwrinkled, uncrannied appearance. Stress response studies revealed that after exposure to bleach for 30 min, rugose survivors outnumbered smooth survivors. Light scatter information obtained by flow cytometry indicated that rugose cells clumped into clusters of three or more cells (average, five cells) and formed two major clusters, while smooth cells formed only one cluster of single cells or doublets. Fluorescent lectin-binding flow cytometry studies revealed that the percentages of rugose cells that bound either wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) or
Galanthus nivalis
lectin (GNL) were greater than the percentages of smooth cells that bound the same lectins (WGA, 35% versus 3.5%; GNL, 67% versus 0.21%). These results indicate that the rugose exopolysaccharide consists partially of
N
-acetylglucosamine and mannose. Rugose colonies produced significantly more biofilm material than did smooth colonies, and rugose colonies grown at 30°C produced more biofilm material than rugose colonies grown at 37°C. Ultrastructurally, rugose colonies show regional cellular differentiation, with apical and lateral colonial regions containing cells embedded in a matrix stained by Alcian Blue. The cells touching the agar surface are packed tightly together in a palisade-like manner. The central region of the colony contains irregularly arranged, fluid-filled spaces and loosely packed chains or arrays of coccoid and vibrioid cells. Smooth colonies, in contrast, are flattened, composed of vibrioid cells, and lack distinct regional cellular differences. Results from suckling mouse studies showed that both orally fed rugose and smooth variants elicited significant, but similar, amounts of fluid accumulated in the stomach and intestines. These observations comprise the first report of expression and characterization of rugosity by
G. hollisae
and raise the possibility that expression of rugose exopolysaccharide in this organism is regulated at least in part by growth temperature.
Role of Cdc42-Cla4 Interaction in the Pheromone Response of
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Authors: Heinrich Melanie , Köhler Tim , Mösch Hans-Ulrich
Published: December 2006

In
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
, the highly conserved Rho-type GTPase Cdc42 is essential for cell division and controls cellular development during mating and invasive growth. The role of Cdc42 in mating has been controversial, but a number of previous studies suggest that the GTPase controls the mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase cascade by activating the p21-activated protein kinase (PAK) Ste20. To further explore the role of Cdc42 in pheromone-stimulated signaling, we isolated novel alleles of
CDC42
that confer resistance to pheromone. We find that in
CDC42
(
V36A
) and
CDC42
(
V36A
,
I182T
) mutant strains, the inability to undergo pheromone-induced cell cycle arrest correlates with reduced phosphorylation of the mating MAP kinases Fus3 and Kss1 and with a decrease in mating efficiency. Furthermore, Cdc42(V36A) and Cdc42(V36A, I182T) proteins show reduced interaction with the PAK Cla4 but not with Ste20. We also show that deletion of
CLA4
in a
CDC42
(
V36A
,
I182T
) mutant strain suppresses pheromone resistance and that overexpression of
CLA4
interferes with pheromone-induced cell cycle arrest and MAP kinase phosphorylation in
CDC42
wild-type strains. Our data indicate that Cla4 has the potential to act as a negative regulator of the mating pathway and that this function of the PAK might be under control of Cdc42. In conclusion, our study suggests that control of pheromone signaling by Cdc42 not only depends on Ste20 but also involves interaction of the GTPase with Cla4.
Genome-Wide Analysis of C/D and H/ACA-Like Small Nucleolar RNAs in
Leishmania major
Indicates Conservation among Trypanosomatids in the Repertoire and in Their rRNA Targets
Authors: Liang Xue-hai , Hury Avraham , Hoze Ehud , Uliel Shai , Myslyuk Inna , Apatoff Avihay , Unger Ron , Michaeli Shulamit
Published: December 2006

Small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs) are a large group of noncoding RNAs that exist in eukaryotes and archaea and guide modifications such as 2′-
O
-ribose methylations and pseudouridylation on rRNAs and snRNAs. Recently, we described a genome-wide screening approach with
Trypanosoma brucei
that revealed over 90 guide RNAs. In this study, we extended this approach to analyze the repertoire of the closely related human pathogen
Leishmania major
. We describe 23 clusters that encode 62 C/Ds that can potentially guide 79 methylations and 37 H/ACA-like RNAs that can potentially guide 30 pseudouridylation reactions. Like
T. brucei
,
Leishmania
also contains many modifications and guide RNAs relative to its genome size. This study describes 10 H/ACAs and 14 C/Ds that were not found in
T. brucei
. Mapping of 2′-O-methylations in rRNA regions rich in modifications suggests the existence of trypanosomatid-specific modifications conserved in
T. brucei
and
Leishmania
. Structural features of C/D snoRNAs, such as copy number, conservation of boxes, K turns, and intragenic and extragenic base pairing, were examined to elucidate the great variation in snoRNA abundance. This study highlights the power of comparative genomics for determining conserved features of noncoding RNAs.