bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
IGF-1 in the Brain as a Regulator of Reproductive Neuroendocrine Function
Authors: Daftary Shabrine S. , Gore Andrea C.
Published: January 2017

Given the close relationship among neuroendocrine systems, it Is likely that there may be common signals that coordinate the acquisition of adult reproductive function with other homeo-static processes. In this review, we focus on central nervous system insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) as a signal controlling reproductive function, with possible links to somatic growth, particularly during puberty. In vertebrates, the appropriate neurosecretion of the decapeptide gonadotropin-releas-ing hormone (GnRH) plays a critical role in the progression of puberty. Gonadotropin-releasing hormone is released in pulses from neuroterminals in the median eminence (ME), and each GnRH pulse triggers the production of the gonadotropins, luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). These pituitary hormones in turn stimulate the synthesis and release of sex steroids by the gonads. Any factor that affects GnRH or gonadotropin pulsatility is important for puberty and reproductive function and, among these factors, the neurotrophic factor IGF-1 is a strong candidate. Although IGF-1 is most commonly studied as the tertiary peripheral hormone in the somatotropic axis via its synthesis in the liver, IGF-1 Is also synthesIzed in the brain, within neurons and glia. In neuroendocrine brain regions, central IGF-1 plays roles in the regulation of neuroendocrine functions, including direct actions on GnRH neurons. Moreover, GnRH neurons themselves co-express IGF-1 and the IGF-1 receptor, and this expression is developmentally regulated. Here, we examine the role of IGF-1 acting in the hypothalamus as a critical link between reproductive and other neuroendocrine functions.
Phytoestrogens Modulate Prostaglandin Production in Bovine Endometrium: Cell Type Specificity and Intracellular Mechanisms
Authors: Woclawek-Potocka Izabela , Acosta Tomas J. , Korzekwa Anna , Bah Mamadou M. , Shibaya Masami , Okuda Kiyoshi , Skarzynski Dariusz J.
Published: January 2017

Prostaglandins (PGs) are known to modulate the proper cycllcity of bovine reproductive organs. The main luteolytlc agent in ruminants Is PGF2α, whereas PGE2has luteotropic actions. Estradiol 17ß (E2) regulates uterus function by influencing PG synthesis. Phytoestrogens structurally resemble E2and possess estrogenic activity; therefore, they may mimic the effects of E2on PG synthesis and influence the reproductive system. Using a cell-culture system of bovine epithelial and stromal cells, we determined cell-specific effects of phytoestrogens (i.e., daidzein, genistein), their metabolites (i.e., equol and para-ethyl-phenol, respectively), and E2on PGF2αand PGE2synthesis and examined the intracellular mechanisms of their actions. Both PGs produced by stromal and epithelial cells were significantly stimulated by phytoestrogens and their metabolites. However, PGF2αsynthesis by both kinds of cells was greater stimulated than PGE2synthesis. Moreover, epithelial cells treated with phytoestrogens synthesized more PGF2αthan stromal cells, increasing the PGF2α, to PGE2ratio. The epithelial and stromal cells were prelncubated with an estrogen-receptor (ER) antagonist (i.e., ICI), a transiation inhibitor (i.e., actinomycin D), a protein kinase A inhibitor (i.e., staurosporin), and a phospholipase C inhibitor (i.e., U73122) for 0.5 hrs and then stimulated with equol, para-ethyl-phenol, or E2-Although the action of E2on PGF2αsynthesis was blocked by all reagents, the stimulatory effect of phytoestrogens was blocked only by ICI and actinomycin D in both cell types. Moreover, in contrast to E2action, phytoestrogens did not cause Intracellular calcium mobilization in either epithelial or stromal cells. Phytoestrogens stimulate both PGF2αand PGE2in both cell types of bovine endometrium via an ER-dependent genomic pathway. However, because phytoestrogens preferentially stimulated PGF2αsynthesis in epithelial cells of bovine endometrium, they may disrupt uterus function by altering the PGF2αto PGE2ratio.
Sensitive Detection of Prion Protein in Human Urine
Authors: Narang Harash K. , Dagdanova Ayuna , Xie Zhiliang , Yang Qiwei , Chen Shu G.
Published: January 2017

Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies are a group of infectious diseases typically associated with the accumulation of a protease-resistant and ß-sheet-rich prion protein, PrPSc, in affected brains. PrPSc is an altered isoform derived from the host-encoded glycoprotein, PrPc. The expression of PrPc is the highest in brain tissue, but it can also be detected at low levels in peripheral tissue. However, it is unclear whether a significant amount of PrPc is released into body fluid and excreted into urine. We have developed a simple, rapid method for the reliable detection of PrPc in urine from normal subjects by Western blotting. Our method can easily and reliably detect PrPc in apparently healthy individuals using less than 1 ml of urine in which the amount of urinary PrPc is estimated to be in the range of low micrograms/liter.
Phytoestrogens Induce Differential Estrogen Receptor Alpha- or Beta-Mediated Responses in Transfected Breast Cancer Cells
Authors: Harris D. M. , Besselink E. , Henning S. M. , Go V. L. W. , Heber D.
Published: January 2017

Increased intake of phytoestrogens may be associated with a lower risk of cancer in the breast and several other sites, although there is controversy surrounding this activity. One of the mechanisms proposed to explain the activity of phytoestrogens is their ability to bind and activate human estrogen receptor a (ERα) and human estrogen receptor β (ERβ). Nine phytoestrogens were tested for their ability to transactivate ERα or ERβ at a range of doses. Mammary adenocarcinoma (MCF-7) cells were co-transfected with either ERα or ERβ, and an estrogen-response element was linked to a luciferase reporter gene. Dose-dependent responses were compared with the endogenous ligand 17β-estradiol. Purified genistein, daidzein, apigenin, and coumestrol showed differential and robust transactivation of ERα- and ERβ-induced transcription, with an up to 100-fold stronger activation of ERβ. Equol, naringenin, and kaempferol were weaker agonists. When activity was evaluated against a background of 0.5 nM 17β-estradiol, the addition of genistein, daidzein, and resveratrol superstimulated the system, while kaempferol and quercetin were antagonists at the highest doses. This transfection assay provides an excellent model to evaluate the activation of ERα and ERβ by different phytoestrogens in a breast cancer context and can be used as a screening bioassay tool to evaluate the estrogenic activity of extracts of herbs and foods.
Direct Hepatotoxic Effect of KC Chemokine in the Liver Without Infiltration of Neutrophils
Authors: Stefanovic Lela , Brenner David A. , Stefanovic Branko
Published: January 2017

KC is a mouse homolog of human chemokine gro-α (CXCL1), expression of which is increased in liver diseases. We show that activated, but not quiescent, hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) express KC. Hepatic stellate cells constitutively express the KC receptor, CXCR2. Addition of recombinant KC to HSCs undergoing activation in culture Increases secretion and processing of Type I collagen. Overexpression of endogenous KC in the mouse liver could be achieved by an intraperitoneal injection CCl4followed after 24 hrs by an injection of recombinant KC into circulation. This protocol resulted in about a 14-fold increase in concentration of KC protein in the liver. Overexpression of KC was associated with upregulation of the mRNA for CXCR2 and MIP-2 and with necrosis and increased synthesis of Type I collagen. This suggests that KC has a direct hepatotoxic effect, which led to a massive liver necrosis after 48 hrs. No accumulation of neutrophils was seen in the livers as judged by histology and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction analysis of myeloperoxidase mRNA. Autostimulation of KC and CXCR2 expression by recombinant KC protein in the mice with preexisting liver injury indicates a positive feedback regulation. Such regulation and direct hepatotoxicity of KC with increased collagen synthesis represent novel findings about the role of KC/gro-α in liver pathology.
Development and Evaluation of 16S rDNA Microarray for Detecting Bacterial Pathogens in Cerebrospinal Fluid
Authors: Liu Yi , Han Jin-Xiang , Huang Hai-Yan , Zhu Bo
Published: January 2017

The rapid identification of bacteria in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is very Important for patient management and antimicrobial therapies. We developed a 16S DNA microarray–based method that targets 16S rDNA and can directly detect bacteria from CSF without cultivation. Universal primers and specific probes were designed from the 16S rDNA sequence data retrieved directly from the GenBank database. The specificity of the assay is obtained through a combination of microarray hybridization and enzymatic labeling of the constructed specific probes. Cultivation-dependent assays were used as reference methods in the development and evaluation of the method. With the exception of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Proteus mirabilis, forty-five positive blood culture media were successfully differentiated. When this procedure was applied directly to 100 CSF specimens, 29 specimens from 16 patients were positive by bacterial culture and 3 culture-positive CSF specimens produced no hybridized signals. The remaining 26 specimens were correctly identified, including one with mixed infection. The accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of the assay can be increased further by designing more oligonucleotides for the microarray. This method is versatile and makes it possible to detect more bacteria in a single assay and discriminate different bacterial genera.
Revascularization Determines Volume Retention and Gene Expression by Fat Grafts in Mice
Authors: Yamaguchi Motoko , Matsumoto Fumiaki , Bujo Hideaki , Shibasaki Manabu , Takahashi Kazuo , Yoshimoto Shinya , Ichinose Masaharu , Saito Yasushi
Published: January 2017

Autologous fat transplantation is a popular and useful technique in plastic and reconstructive surgery. The efficiency and survival of such grafts is predictable in many cases, but there are still issues to be resolved, such as how to improve graft volume retention. To address the issue of volume retention, we studied the effect of revascularization from the recipient on the size and function of adipocytes in fat grafts. Treatment of mice with TNP-470, an angiogenesis inhibitor, reduced blood flow from the recipient into the graft after subcutaneous transplantation of epididymal fat. The weight of transplanted tissues and the size of adipocytes in the grafts were significantly lower in mice treated with TNP-470 (TNP mice) than in control mice. Expression of genes for enzymes related to lipid accumulation was decreased in the grafts of TNP mice compared with control mice. Moreover, the expression of adipocyte-derived angiogenic peptides, VEGF and leptin, was significantly lower in the grafts of TNP mice than in grafts from control animals. The expression of VEGF and leptin by cultured human adipocytes was increased in the presence of conditioned medium from cultured vascular endothelial cells. These results show that the inhibition of the revascularization of fat grafts after transplantation reduces graft volume retention and cellular function. Early and adequate revascularization may be important for both the supply of nutrients and vasoactive interactions between vascular endothelial cells and adipocytes in graft.
Bifidobacterium breve and Streptococcus thermophilus Secretion Products Enhance T Helper 1 Immune Response and Intestinal Barrier in Mice
Authors: Ménard Sandrine , Laharie David , Asensio Corinne , Vidal-Martinez Teresita , Candalh Céline , Rullier Anne , Zerbib Frank , Mégraud Francis , Matysiak-Budnik Tamara , Heyman Martine
Published: January 2017

Lactic acid bacteria or their secretion products can modulate immune responses differently in normal and inflammatory conditions. This comparative study analyzes the effect of oral administration of living lactic acid bacteria, or their conditioned media, on the epithelial and immune functions of colitis-prone C57BL/6 IL-10-deficient mice. Mice were untreated (control) or infected with Helicobacter hepaticus with or without oral treatment with living bacteria, Bifidobacterium breve C50 and Streptococcus thermophilus 065 (LB), or their culture-conditioned media (CM). Histology, cytokine mRNA, electrical resistance, and barrier capacity of colonic samples as well as cytokine secretion by mesenteric lymph node (MLN) cells were studied. Helicobacter hepaticus mice developed only mild colitis, which was not modified in LB or CM groups. In the CM (but not the LB) group, the colonic barrier was reinforced as compared to the other groups, as evidenced by decreased horseradish peroxidase (HRP) transcytosis and mannitol fluxes and increased electrical resistance. In MLN, the percentage of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells secreting IFNγ was significantly higher in CM (2.06% and 1.98%, respectively) mice than in H. hepaticus (1–1% and 0.47%, P < 0.05) or control mice. In addition, the nonspecific stimulation of IFNγ, TNFΑ, and IL-12 secretion by MLN cells was significantly higher in the CM group as compared to the other groups. In the absence of severe colitis, Bifidobacterium breve C50- and Streptococcus thermophilus 065-conditioned media can reinforce intestinal barrier capacity and stimulate Th1 immune response, highlighting the involvement of lactic acid bacteria–derived components in host defense.
Acute Hyperglycemia Induced by Ketamine/Xylazine Anesthesia in Rats: Mechanisms and Implications for Preclinical Models
Authors: Saha Joy K. , Xia Jinqi , Grondin Janet M. , Engle Steven K. , Jakubowski Joseph A.
Published: January 2017

The effects of anesthetic agents, commonly used in animal models, on blood glucose levels in fed and fasted rats were investigated. In fed Sprague-Dawley rats, ketamine (100 mg/kg)/xylazine (10 mg/kg) (KX) produced acute hyperglycemia (blood glucose 178.4 ± 8.0 mg/dl) within 20 min. The baseline blood glucose levels (104.8 ± 5.7 mg/dl) reached maximum levels (291.7 ± 23.8 mg/dl) at 120 min. Ketamine alone did not elevate glucose levels in fed rats. Isoflurane also produced acute hyperglycemia similar to KX. Administration of pentobarbital sodium did not produce hyperglycemia in fed rats. In contrast, none of these anesthetic agents produced hyperglycemia in fasted rats. The acute hyperglycemic effect of KX in fed rats was associated with decreased plasma levels of insulin, adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), and corticosterone and increased levels of glucagon and growth hormone (GH). The acute hyperglycemic response to KX was dose-dependently inhibited by the specific Α2-adrenergic receptor antagonist yohimbine (1–4 mg/kg). KX-induced changes of glucoregulatory hormone levels such as insulin, GH, ACTH, and corticosterone were significantly altered by yohimbine, whereas the glucagon levels remained unaffected. In conclusion, the present study indicates that both KX and isoflurane produce acute hyperglycemia in fed rats. The effect of KX is mediated by modulation of the glucoregulatory hormones through stimulation of Α2-adrenergic receptors. Pentobarbital sodium did not produce hyperglycemia in either fed or fasted rats. Based on these findings, it is suggested that caution needs to be taken when selecting anesthetic agents, and fed or fasted state of animals in studies of diabetic disease or other models where glucose and/or glucoregulatory hormone levels may influence outcome and thus interpretation. However, fed animals are of value when exploring the hyperglycemic response to anesthetic agents.
Physiological Proteomics: Cells, Organs, Biological Fluids, and Biomarkers
Authors: Blake Charles A.
Published: January 2017

Proteomic research is accelerating rapidly because of marked advances in protein labeling techniques, mass spectrometry (MS), and bioinformatics. Two-dimensional difference gel electrophoresis (2D-DIGE) is being used effectively in conjunction with liquid chromatography tandem MS (LC-MS/MS) and/or matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight MS (MALDI-ToF MS) and database search software to quantify relative changes in the levels of proteins in two samples. It is now possible in a single study to identify and quantify large numbers of proteins and their posttranslational modifications in different biological samples. Comparisons can be made between groups of animals in different physiological states or in response to experimental treatment. Differences between normal individuals and those in disease states can form the foundation for elucidation of causative factors of disease and the identification of biomarkers for the diseased state. This symposium includes original research that compares the erythrocyte plasma membrane proteome in the normal and the sickle cell state, evaluates the anterior pituitary gland proteome in the ovariectomized rat in response to estrogen, and assesses proteomic methodology employed to identify potentially useful biomarkers in human cells and fluids for clinical medicine. It is directed not only to investigators working in these fields but also to a diverse group of scientists working in the biological and biomedical fields to stimulate cross-disciplinary awareness, interest, and collaboration.
Metallothionein Redox Cycle and Function
Authors: Kang Y. James
Published: January 2017

The biologic function of metallothionein (MT) has been a perplexing topic ever since the discovery of this protein. Many studies have suggested that MT plays a role in the homeostasis of essential metals such as zinc and copper, detoxification of toxic metals such as cadmium, and protection against oxidative stress. However, mechanistic insights into the actions of MT have not been adequately achieved. MT contains high levels of sulfur. The mutual affinity of sulfur and transition metals makes the binding of these metals to MT thermodynamically stable. Under physiologic conditions, zinc-MT is the predominant form of the metal-binding protein. The recognition of the redox regulation of zinc release from or binding to MT provides an alternate perspective on biologic function of MT. Oxidation of the thiolate cluster by a number of mild cellular oxidants causes zinc release and formation of MT-disulfide (or thionin if all metals are released from MT, but this is unlikely to occur In vivo), which have been demonstrated in vivo. Therefore, the thermodynamic stability of zinc binding makes MT an ideal zinc reservoir in vivo, and the redox regulation of zinc mobilization enables MT function in zinc homeostasis. MT-disulfide can be reduced by glutathione in the presence of selenium catalyst, restoring the capacity of the protein to bind zinc. This MT redox cycle may play a crucial role in MT biologic function. It may link to the homeostasis of essential metals, detoxification of toxic metals and protection against oxidative stress.
Peptide Folding, Metal-Binding Mechanisms, and Binding Site Structures in Metallothioneins
Authors: Duncan Kelly E. Rigby , Ngu Thanh T. , Chan Jayna , Salgado Maria T. , Merrifield Maureen E. , Stillman Martin J.
Published: January 2017

This minireview specifically focuses on recent studies carried out on structural aspects of metal-free metallothionein (MT), the mechanism of metal binding for copper and arsenic, structural studies using x-ray absorption spectroscopy and molecular mechanics modeling, and speciation studies of a novel cadmium and arsenic binding algal MT. Molecular mechanics-molecular dynamics calculations of apo-MT show that significant secondary structural features are retained by the polypeptide backbone upon sequential removal of the metal ions, which is stabilized by a possible H-bonding network. In addition, the cysteinyl sulfurs were shown to rotate from within the domain core, where they are found in the metallated state, to the exterior surface of the domain, suggesting an explanation for the rapid metallation reactions that were measured. Mixing Cu6β-MT with Cd4α-MT and Cu6α-MT with Cd3β-MT resulted in redistribution of the metal ions to mixed metal species in each domain; however, the Cu+ ions preferentially coordinated to the β domain in each case. Reaction of As3+ with the individual metal-free β and α domains of MT resulted in three As3+ ions coordinating to each of the domains, respectively, in a proposed distorted trigonal pyramid structure. Kinetic analysis provides parameters that allow simulation of the binding of each of the As3+ ions. X-ray absorption spectroscopy provides detailed information about the coordination environment of the absorbing element. We have combined measurement of x-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) and extended x-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) data with extensive molecular dynamics calculations to determine accurate metal-thlolate structures. Simulation of the XANES data provides a powerful technique for probing the coordination structures of metals in metalloproteins. The metal binding properties of an algal MT, Fucus vesiculosus, has been investigated by UV absorption and circular dichroism spectroscopy and electrospray ionization–mass spectrometry. The 16 cysteine residues of this algal MT were found to coordinate six Cd2+ ions in two domains with stoichiometries of a novel Cd3S7 cluster and a β-like Cd3S9 cluster.
Effects of Zinc on the Induction of Metallothione in Isoforms in Hippocampus in Stress Rats
Authors: Chen Wei-Qiang , Cheng Yi-Yong , Zhao Xiao-Ling , Li Shu-Tian , Hou Yue , Hong Yan
Published: January 2017

Metallothioneins (MTs) are involved in the cellular metabolism of zinc and in cytoprotection against stress factors. Hippocampus plays a specific role in the body's response to stressors. The present study was conducted to evaluate the effects of zinc on the expression of metallothionein isoforms in the hippocampus of stress rats. The animal model of psychologic stress was developed by restraint for 4 weeks. Wistar rats were randomly assigned to 6 groups: control group, zinc-deficient group, zinc-supplemented group, and the corresponding 3 stress groups. Three separate diets of different zinc contents (1.73 ppm, 17.7 ppm, and 41.4 ppm, respectively) were used in this study. Compared with the control group, the stress groups had higher inductions of MTs and MT-1 and MT-3 mRNA in hippocampus. On the one hand, the expressions of MTs and their mRNAs in hippocampus were downregulated in the zinc-deficient group; however, their expressions were evidently enhanced in the stress zinc-deficient group. MT induction in the zinc-supplemented group was increased. Furthermore, the stress zinc-supplemented group had a more significant yield of MTs and their mRNAs. In addition, the levels of plasma cortisol, interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-1, and nitric oxide (NO) were increased clearly in the zinc-deficient group and the stress groups. The results suggest that zinc deficiency may decrease and zinc supplementation may increase the expressions of MTs and their mRNAs in hippocampus; moreover, stress can increase their expressions dramatically. The Impairment of stress on the body may be involved with the nutrition status of zinc, and zinc deficiency can lower the body's adaptability to stress.
Bioavailability of Carotenoids and Tocopherols from Broccoli: In Vivo and in Vitro Assessment
Authors: Granado F. , Olmedilla B. , Herrero C. , Pérez-SacristáN B. , Blanco I. , BláZquez S.
Published: January 2017

Fruits and vegetables are the major sources of biologically active compounds, and carotenoids and tocopherols constitute important groups in human diets. Bioavailability is a critical feature in the assessment of the role of micronutrients in human health, and the approaches to this issue include in vitro and in vivo methods. Our aim was to evaluate the bioavailability of carotenoids and tocopherols present in broccoli and to compare in vitro and in vivo approaches. Fourteen apparently healthy volunteers consumed 200 g broccoli once a day for seven days. Blood samples were drawn at baseline and after intervention to determine changes in lutein, β-carotene, and Α- and γ-tocopherol as relevant phytochemicals provided with this vegetable. Broccoli also was subjected to simulated gastrointestinal digestion to assess changes related to preabsorptive processes. Analytes in serum and at each phase of the digestion were assayed by high-performance liquid chromatography. During the intervention, the amounts supplied dally ranged from 2.4 to 3.1 mg lutein, 1.4 to 1.8 mg β-carotene, 4.5 to 6.8 mg Α-tocopherol, and 0.8 to 1.8 mg γ-tocopherol.

Significant changes in serum in both men and women were observed only for lutein, whereas for γ-tocopherol a significant change was detected in women. No changes were observed for Α-tocopherol, β-carotene, retinol, the Α-tocopherol-to-cholesterol ratio, or serum lipids. Using the in vitro model, more than 75% of lutein, β-carotene, γ-tocopherol, and Α-tocopherol remained at the duodenal phase, whereas Incorporation Into the supernatants accounted for <20% of the initial content in food. Regular consumption of broccoli at dietary levels increased serum concentrations of lutein and γ-tocopherol without affecting Α-tocopherol or β-carotene status in serum. The behavior of these phytochemicals under in vitro gastrointestinal conditions does not fully explain the changes observed in vivo.
Rules without Referees
Authors: Vlahakis Philip
Published: January 2017

By engaging in activities that push us to self-regulate around high ideals of model behavior–including ultimate frisbee–we may decrease the need for outside enforcement of the rules.
Ending White Saviorism in Study Abroad
Authors: Nordmeyer Kristjane , Bedera Nicole , Teig Trisha
Published: January 2017

To get the most out of study abroad experiences, the authors argue that students must engage with what other countries are doing right in their approaches to social problems, rather than arrive ready to “help,” correct, or critique the host country.
Using Transcendental Phenomenology to Explore the “Ripple Effect” in a Leadership Mentoring Program
Authors: Moerer-Urdahl Tammy , Creswell John W.
Published: January 2017

Several approaches exist for organizing and analyzing data in a phenomenological qualitative study. Transcendental phenomenology, based on principles identified by Husserl (1931) and translated into a qualitative method by Moustakas (1994) , holds promise as a viable procedure for phenomenological research. However, to best understand the approach to transcendental phenomenology, the procedures need to be illustrated by a qualitative study that employs this approach. This article first discusses the procedures for organizing and analyzing data according to Moustakas (1994) . Then it illustrates each step in the data analysis procedure of transcendental phenomenology using a study of reinvestment or the “ripple effect” for nine individuals who have participated in a youth leadership mentoring program from the 1970s to the present. Transcendental phenomenology works well for this study as this methodology provides logical, systematic, and coherent design elements that lead to an essential description of the experience.
The Role of Music in an Arts-Based Qualitative Inquiry
Authors: Daykin Norma
Published: January 2017

In this article, the author discusses the expressive potential of music and how it can be applied in an arts-based qualitative research project. The limitation of music, and other forms of non-verbal forms of artistic expression, are discussed. The conclusion is that music can serve well as a supplementary form of expression in arts-based research, but, like many texts, even those whose meaningfulness is taken for granted, cannot stand alone.
Mini-Disc Recorders: A New Approach for Qualitative Interviewing
Authors: Given Lisa M.
Published: January 2017

In this article, the author discusses the benefits of digital audio recording on mini-disc for qualitative interviews. Some of these benefits include increased fidelity, longer recording time, and the ability to index recordings. The author concludes that even though mini-disc recorders are more expensive than cassette recorders, the benefits make the cost outlay worthwhile.
Finding the Place of Everyday Beauty: Correspondence as a Method of Data Collection
Authors: Rautio Pauliina
Published: January 2017

Researching aesthetic engaging with one's surroundings in everyday life led the author to use correspondence as a method of data collection. In this paper she presents her research design and discusses correspondence as an underused method. She introduces the concepts of invisibility, time, and tangibility in defining correspondence as a method. The topic of the correspondence in her research was beauty. In common use beautiful signals that which is desirable. As an evaluative and a future-oriented statement everyday beauty seems to have a place in steering our lives. The participants accounted as beautiful the different meaningful relations they had formed over time to their surroundings. These relations were in constant change as the participants themselves changed over time. The author argues that correspondence is a method that works well in cumulating data for research. It has also proven to be a rewarding method for the participants.
Antitumor activity of tanshinone and its nanoparticles on U14 cervical carcinoma-bearing mice
Authors: Di Ya , Meng Qingjie , Yang Hongwei , Li Kun , Cao Liyan , Shi Ming , Fu Zhanzhao , Di Hao
Published: January 2017

In this study, tanshinone was extracted from Salvia miltiorrhiza. To improve the utilization and the dissolution of the drug, the tanshinone extractions were prepared at a pharmaceutical nanoscale and in the nanometer range of 100–200 nm. Then, the rate of tumor inhibition and the activity of antioxidant system and the thymus/spleen indices were investigated to find the antitumor effect of nanoparticles of tanshinone in cervical carcinoma-bearing mice. Our data suggest that tanshinone inhibits cervical tumor growth and the rates of tumor inhibition of all drug groups were more than 45%. The highest rate was 70.88% in the high dose of nanoscale tanshinone group. The activities of superoxide dismutase were higher in drug groups than in the model control group, and the concentrations of malondialdehyde were significantly lower. These findings suggested that tanshinone enhance the superoxide dismutase activity of the mice and decrease the malondialdehyde content. It may be one of the mechanisms of antitumor effect of tanshinone. The thymus index and spleen index were higher than normal control or model control. These data suggested that tanshinone also enhanced the immune system of mice.
Synthesis of multi ring-fused imidazo [1,2-a]isoquinoline-based fluorescent scaffold as anti-Herpetic agent
Authors: Chakravarty Harapriya , Ojha Durbadal , Konreddy Ananda K , Bal Chandralata , Chandra Nidhi S , Sharon Ashoke , Chattopadhyay Debprasad
Published: January 2017

Background

Natural product-inspired synthesis is a key incorporation in modern diversity-oriented synthesis to yield biologically novel scaffold. Inspired by β-carboline fused system, we have designed molecules with multi ring fused scaffold by modifying the tricyclic pyrido[3,4- b]indole ring with imidazo[1,2- a]isoquinoline.

Methods

A highly convergent approach with new C–N and C–C bond formation to synthesize multiring fused complex scaffold imidazo[1,2- a]isoquinolinies as fluorophores. N-nucleophile-induced ring transformation of 2 H-pyran-2-one followed by in situ cis-stilbene-type oxidative photocyclization yielded new C–C bond formation without additional oxidant. The cytotoxicity, effective concentrations, and the mode of action of the synthesized analogs were determined by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT),, plaque reduction, time of addition, and reverse transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR).

Results

Novel imidazo[1,2- a]isoquinoline analogs were prepared, and the results revealed that trans isomer of cyclopropyl analog (EC50 35 and 37.5 µg/ml) and trans isomer of citric acid salt of phenyl analog (EC50 38.2 and 39.8 µg/ml) possess significant anti-Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) activity with selectivity index of >10. The kinetic study demonstrated that both the analogs inhibited HSV-1F and HSV-2G at 2–4 h postinfection. Finally, western blot and reverse transcriptase PCR assays revealed that both the analogs suppressed viral immediate early transcription.

Conclusion

Novel imidazo[1,2- a]isoquinoline analogs were synthesized from pyranone with appropriate amines. Two compounds showed better antiviral profile on HSV-infected Vero cells, compared to the standard drug acyclovir (ACV). Overall, we discovered a promising scaffold to develop a nonnucleoside lead targeting the viral immediate early transcription for the management of HSV infections.
Pluralizing global urbanism
Authors: El Khoury Ann
Published: January 2017

We are in the midst of an exciting and turbulent time for global urban enquiry, with the ground shifting rapidly. This response reflects on van Meeteren et al.’s provocation as a stimulating paper with prospects for advancing an important dialogue among scholars engaged in research on global urbanization, from various approaches. My paper makes a number of interrelated arguments. First, that the apparent disenfranchisement experienced by global city researchers in the face of postcolonial critiques and other challenges may be more a function and reflection of the rapidly changing contours of empirical–epistemological developments than the authors may allow. Second, an overlooking of relevant global cities research arguments in postcolonial critiques may have as much to do with the practical and perennial problem of long publishing lead times as it does with straw man arguments and indiscriminate truisms. Third, in considering the authors proposal for a more engaged rather than polemical pluralism, my reflection briefly discusses the value of adding a more feminine mode of engagement that sees the strategic deployment of what I call ‘Goddess Tactics’ (contra ‘God-Trick’) in service of a more plural and genuinely global urban epistemology.
Evaluating the measurement reliabilities and dimensionality of developmental idealism measures
Authors: Thornton Arland , Binstock Georgina , Young-DeMarco Linda , Mitchell Colter , Yount Kathryn M. , Xie Yu
Published: January 2017

This paper investigates the measurement of developmental idealism. Developmental idealism is a set of beliefs and values stating that modern societies and families are better than traditional societies and families, that modern families facilitate modern societies, and that modern societies foster modern families. Prior research has shown that developmental idealism is widespread globally but has provided little evidence about whether beliefs concerning developmental idealism can be measured reliably at the individual level. It also has provided little information about the dimensionality and psychometric properties of measures of developmental idealism. Using cross-sectional survey data from Argentina, China, and Egypt, we explore and test the factor structure underlying observed measures for aspects of developmental idealism and estimate the reliability of different models. Theory and data suggest that developmental idealism consists of multiple dimensions, and when family-related items are measuring similar underlying constructs, the measurement reliabilities are high. These results provide evidence that the dimensions of developmental idealism can be measured with a high degree of reliability.
The Emotional Economy of Unemployment
Authors: Elliott Jane , Lawrence Jon
Published: January 2017

Between May 1978 and December 1983, the sociologist Ray Pahl conducted seven extensive interviews with a couple from Sheppey that he called “Linda” and “Jim.” These not only informed a key chapter in Pahl’s classic book Divisions of Labour but also evolved into a uniquely intimate account of how a family used to “getting by” (though never “affluent”) coped with the hardships and indignities of long-term reliance on welfare benefits. Perhaps inevitably, fascinating aspects of Linda and Jim’s testimony were left unused in Divisions of Labour, primarily because they were marginal to Pahl’s principal aim of demonstrating how the state welfare system could trap a family in poverty. We deliberately retain the narrative, case study approach of Pahl’s treatment, but shift our focus to the strategies that Linda and Jim adopted to cope with the emotional and psychological challenges of life at the sharp end of the early 1980s recession. How they retained a strong orientation toward the future, how they resisted internalizing the stigmatization associated with welfare dependency in 1980s Britain, and how their determination to fight “the system” ultimately led them to make choices in harmony with the logic of the New Right’s free market agenda.
Revitalizing the Live Lecture Class With Instructor-Created Videos
Authors: Alpert Frank
Published: January 2017

Today, the lecture class as a format for higher education is under attack more than ever. This article addresses the research question of how lectures can be modernized and revitalized through new uses of digital technology—in particular, video. Critics of lecturing have for a long time observed that lecture classes can be weak on student engagement and motivation to attend class. This article introduces one way to help modernize and revitalize the live lecture class session, a new conceptualization of the instructor-created video. Instructor-created videos are defined and distinguished from current hybrid and alternative forms of technology integration that are proliferating in higher education such as flipped and blended classrooms. Many, if not most, videos used in lectures are “third party videos” (made by others), whereas instructor-created videos are “first party videos.” The author develops and defines the concept of VIDS (Videos Instructor Designed and Starring). VIDS examples illustrate the concept from the author’s experience in a course with 158 students. Student feedback based on survey results is positive. Suggestions for making better videos are offered based on the implementation experience. The VIDS innovation is discussed within the context of the “crisis of the lecture” and offered as one tool to help modernize and revitalize the live lecture class.
A Critical Analysis of an Innovative Approach
Authors: Burner Tony , Biseth Heidi
Published: January 2017

This article investigates an innovative approach that has as its aim to ensure that more students complete secondary education. The national program, called Competence for Diversity, puts emphasis on children with minority language background, that is, children with another first language(s) than the Norwegian national languages. In this article, we report on how educators participating in this program understand the term diversity and how they work to enhance diversity in their local contexts. The study applied mixed methods, where questionnaires ( n = 86) and interviews ( n = 40) were used to collect data. In addition, document analyses were performed. The results suggest that there is a significant gap between the educators’ and the educational authorities’ understanding of diversity as outlined in official documents. We claim that there is a need to define diversity, rather than implicating and addressing “the Others” when launching and implementing a national program on diversity.
Land Grabbing, Local Contestation, and the Struggle for Economic Gain
Authors: Ndi Frankline Anum
Published: January 2017

This article examines why peasant communities in South West Cameroon have contested a U.S.-based company’s intentions to establish an agro-industrial palm oil plantation in their region. Land investments in the form of agro plantations, if not properly conceived, negotiated, and implemented, pose a series of threats to the ecological, cultural, and economic stability among peasant farming communities, who depend on land and forest resources for their livelihood. Using Nguti as a case study, this article argues that local communities do not oppose investment in land but they contest projects that attempt to alienate them from their sources of livelihood without providing alternatives. The study also demonstrates how local communities, despite being critical of the project, struggle with the company through their relations with government, to demand new social contracts and/or memoranda that could offer them greater opportunities as economic partners. The article concludes that for palm oil plantations to be economically equitable, local communities’ incorporation is necessary to safeguard rural livelihoods and to ensure that provisions are made for adequate compensation and alternative sources of livelihood.
Interacting in Flow
Authors: Nelson Andrew A. , Grahe Jon E. , Ramseyer Fabian
Published: January 2017

Theorists have long noted the nebulousness of dyadic rapport and its nonverbal correlates. In response to Tickle-Degnen’s call for a more theoretically complete analysis of the rapport construct, we empirically evaluated her adaptation of Csíkszentmihályi’s optimal experience model with the hope of better conceptualizing rapport’s behavioral manifestations. Dyads ( Ndyad = 50) engaged in two interdependent tasks and completed a battery of post-task measures gauging their mood and experiences of rapport. To complement self-report measures, we coded rapport-based behavior using both subjective (thin-slice judgments) and objective (Motion Energy Analysis) methodologies. According to Tickle-Degnen’s model, dyadic exchanges with moderate levels of expressivity and interpersonal coordination should yield the highest levels of rapport. Although data from our objective coding did not trend in this manner, subjective measurements of coordinated expressivity matched the paradigm’s prediction. To our knowledge, this is the first study to empirically support Tickle-Degnen’s hypothesis and a novel step toward clarifying the rapport construct.
Kuwait Food Company (Americana): Financial Analysis
Authors: Mehta Anupam , Lulla Karuna
Published: January 2017

This case makes an attempt to carry out financial analysis of the performance of Kuwait Food Company with a view to understand if it would be worth investing in it. The case is developed from the perspective of Mohd Hussain, a small investor in Kuwait, who had already lost heavily in speculative investment. Being from a commerce background, he decided to apply his learning from a finance masters class. As he started to explore the company, he was puzzled with the financials of the company. Although Americana’s share prices had increased, the company’s finances were not so impressive. The sales of the company had been increasing in the last three quarters, but the net profit had gone down over the previous few years from KWD 54 million in the year 2011 to KWD 50 million in the year 2012. Even the margins were squeezed for the recent three quarters in 2013. With this information, Hussain knew that several answers were needed before making the investment choices. Was the growth of Americana’s share prices a speculative mania, or did it actually represent value? What were the issues with Americana’s profitability? How was the overall financial health of the business?
Evaluating the Trajectory of Growth in the Pharmaceuticals Market: A Case of Karnavati Chemist Store in India
Authors: Thomas Sujo , Gandhi Pervin , Susmita Suggala
Published: January 2017

Karnavati Chemist Store, a popular store in the city of Ahmedabad, a successful entrepreneurial venture is at the crossroads. The case is an in-depth analysis of a range of growth options for this stand-alone store, known amongst its loyal customers for its ideal services in the heart of the city. The journey of the store, factors contributing to its sustainability and growth in the era of upcoming organized retail store formats throw light on a series of facets contributing to the success quotient of the store. Karnavati Chemist Store wanting to ride the growth wave had wished to extrapolate their learnings and experiences for their future stores, an inevitable decision under such conditions. Franchising seemed a good option, provision for financing had also been apportioned and a need for slight tweaking of the distribution system to ensure a flawless delivery system had been expressed. The case is an insightful explanation, with logical arguments and discussions of the various store formats, aspects contributing to the success to determine the new journey embarked on to become a prominent player in pharmacy retailing in the years ahead.
Neoliberalism, Violence and Student Resistance in the Higher Education Sector in Bangladesh
Authors: Kabir Arif Haq , Greenwood Janinka
Published: January 2017

Neoliberalism is a common form of policy doctrine that has been incorporated into the higher education sector in Bangladesh since the 1990s. Due to this policy doctrine, Bangladesh’s higher education sector has experienced radical changes. This article argues that violence has erupted in higher education institutions following university authorities and government intervention into student resistance movements. It further argues that the campus violence which has been unfolding recently in various universities has a different context and focus from previous student activism. In the past significant resistance movements that had the support of public masses had been accompanied by the campus violence in Bangladesh. Such campus violence contributed to nationalist movements and led to the downfall of autocrat rulers and reversal of their decisions. However, current resistance movements have turned into a new form of campus violence. This article examines the shifts in the nature of student protests and explores possible relationships between the overt violence of student resistance movements and the hidden violence embedded within the power systems that are currently accompanying neoliberal and monetarist agendas.
Negotiating Structural Inequalities in Post-independence India: The Case of Deserted Women and Widowhood in Indira Goswami’s Neel Kanthi Braja and A Saga of South Kamrup
Authors: Arora Bharti
Published: January 2017

The present article focuses on the plight of deserted women and widows in post-independence India, drawing its arguments from Indira Goswami’s novels Neel Kanthi Braja ( Shadow of Dark God 1986) and A Saga of South Kamrup (1993). It exposes the collusion between masculinity, patriarchy and national identity. While doing so, it not only interrogates the traditional concerns associated with wifehood and widowhood but also foregrounds the need to reclaim women’s bodies from becoming site and symbol for patriarchal and institutional control, especially as evident in the drafting of the Hindu Code Bill. It also seeks to privilege alternative modes of identifying relationships and concerns of women’s sexuality that may rest on mediation of lived experience and individual subjectivities so pertinent to ‘constructing new modes of politics and identity in post-independence India’ ( Sreenivas 2009 : 128).
Eastern European welfare states: the impact of the politics of globalization
Authors: Deacon Bob
Published: January 2017

This article is divided into four parts. First there is a summary of the social policy of the old state-socialist regimes, some description of the legacy of social problems which they bequeathed to those making the transition to capitalism and a brief summary of the major social costs of the early years of the transition process. Second, the broad social-policy strategies of the new governments of Eastern Europe and the former USSR are reviewed as they have attempted to manage both the legacy of social problems from the past and the new social costs of transition. Third, in more detail developments in five specific fields are described: levels of public expenditure on social welfare; income maintenance policy; health and medical care; housing; and education. The article concludes by attempting to explain these changes, asking whether the policy changes have been motivated by a perceived need to reduce social provision, with a view to becoming more competitive within the global economy.