bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Revisiting the French National Front
Authors: Berezin Mabel
Published: April 2007

The French National Front under the leadership of Jean Marie Le Pen is postwar Europe's longest standing right-wing political party. Beginning in the mid-1990s, the Front began to steadily gain electoral support. In April 2002, Le Pen managed to come in second in the first round of the French Presidential elections. I visited the National Front's annual festival in 1998, and again in 2005 as part of a larger study on the political culture of the European right. Visiting and revisiting the festival, by adding a temporal comparison to my study, permitted me to see that between 1998 and 2005, the Front had normalized (domesticated) and professionalized. In addition, the visit allowed me to assess the level of political emotion and commitment among Front supporters. I concluded that the new level of emotion and energy that I observed indicated that the Front had possibilities for future electoral success.
Racism as Adolescent Male Rite of Passage
Authors: Kimmel Michael
Published: April 2007

In-depth interviews with ex-neo-Nazis in Scandinavia reveal a profile of the extreme right that is both strikingly similar to and significantly different from the profile of their counterparts in the United States. Drawn from clients at EXIT, a state-funded organization based in Sweden, these interviews reveal that the extreme right draws adherents from a declining lower middle class background, small towns, and metropolitan suburbs, and from divorced families. Their mean age is in the mid-teens to late-teens, and their commitment to specific ideological tenets is low. Their entry and exit have less political and more developmental and situational origins than the Americans'. Detailed interviews suggest that participation on the extreme right is, for some Scandinavian adolescents, more a masculine right of passage than evidence of a firm commitment to racialized ideologies.
Implementing the urban reform agenda in Brazil
Authors: Fernandes Edésio
Published: April 2007

This paper describes the urban reform process in Brazil and its legal and institutional innovations since the promulgation of the 1988 Federal Constitution. These include the 2001 City Statute and the creation of the Ministry of Cities and the National Council of Cities in 2003. The paper discusses the progress to date in urban reform and the issues that still need to be addressed. Within this, it notes the need for a combination of legal reform, institutional change and renewed social mobilization at all levels to take advantage of the new political spaces created for urban reform, and thus to reverse the spatial and social exclusion that has characterized most urban development in Brazil in recent decades.
The vulnerability of global cities to climate hazards
Authors: De Sherbinin Alex , Schiller Andrew , Pulsipher Alex
Published: April 2007

This paper examines the vulnerabilities of three global coastal cities — Mumbai, Rio de Janeiro and Shanghai — to climate hazards. The paper highlights system characteristics that, in unique combinations, create place-based vulnerabilities to climate hazards. It describes these vulnerabilities then discusses the implications of the results for city planners and managers. A concluding section assesses some of the political obstacles to better disaster preparedness.
Developing a Municipal Adaptation Plan (MAP) for climate change: the city of Cape Town
Authors: Mukheibir Pierre , Ziervogel Gina
Published: April 2007

Climate change increases the likelihood of extreme weather events such as droughts, floods and heat waves, as well as more gradual changes in temperature and precipitation. The city of Cape Town (South Africa) is at risk from projected climate-induced warming and changes in rainfall variability. This makes resource management and infrastructure planning more challenging and increases the urgency of the need to adapt city-level operations to both current climate variability and future climate change. To date, however, the main focus of adaptation planning has been at the nationallevel, and has not adequately addressed municipal-scale adaptation. This paper presents and discusses an overarching framework that would facilitate the development of a Municipal Adaptation Plan (MAP). The example of the city of Cape Town illustrates some of the sector-level assessments and potential climate threats, as well as resource mobilization issues that need to be addressed during the development and implementation of a MAP. In conclusion, a number of barriers to developing a MAP are discussed.
Are we missing the point?
Authors: Romero Lankao Patricia
Published: April 2007

The discourse on how to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in cities is dominated by ecological modernization theory, which focuses primarily on technological approaches supported by market mechanisms to curb carbon emissions. This discourse has contributed to a research and management agenda. Yet this is based primarily on perceptions and precedents drawn from high-income nations. This paper draws on empirical evidence from Latin American cities for a critical discussion of the usefulness and limitations of this approach when applied to cities in low- and middle-income nations. The paper suggests that for such cities, ecological modernization is an inappropriate framework for addressing global (and local) environmental problems.
Air pollution monitoring through an Internet-based network of volunteers
Authors: Jahangir Ikram Muhammad , Akram Agha Ali
Published: April 2007

Pollution of the urban environment is fast becoming a grave threat to urban dwellers as levels of toxicity increase to beyond safe limits. This is especially true in many low- and middle-income nations where the rapid pace of industrialization and development, coupled with fast growing and extremely dense urban centres, are leading to more serious environmental hazards for citizens. These include urban air pollution, which is difficult to tackle, especially in cities or nations where resources are scarce, awareness is minimal and the urban environment is not an issue receiving government attention. This paper describes the development and pilot implementation of the Volunteer Internet-based Environment Watch (VIEW) in two cities in Pakistan. This system, which makes use of volunteers and their personal computers to monitor air pollution, can send valuable local environmental data to a central server for storage and collation. The system was successfully developed and deployed in a relatively small period of time, with a small budget and limited human resources. The paper describes the various decisions and choices made with regard to: accessing funding; the organization; the timeframes and work plan; the choices made with regard to physical deployment of the system; budgeting and other project issues. This pilot in Pakistan could serve as a model for similar efforts in other countries.
Quadratic Nonlinear Control of a Self-excited Oscillator
Authors: El-Badawy Ayman A. , Nasr El-Deen Tarek N.
Published: April 2007

The objective of this work is to demonstrate the feasibility of the use of the nonlinear saturation-based control concept to suppress self-excited vibrations by means of active nonlinear feedback control. The authors use the van der Pol oscillator as the working model for a self-excited system. A saturation phenomenon is induced by tuning the frequency of the under-damped second-order absorber to one-half that of the primary system. Although the authors conclude that we can achieve some level of performance with this control technique, we question its robustness due to the rich dynamics introduced by the controller.
Treatment Adherence among Primary Care Patients in a Historically Disadvantaged Community in South Africa
Authors: Kagee Ashraf , Le Roux Marieanna , Dick Judy
Published: April 2007

The present study examined the issue of treatment adherence among a sample of 23 rural South African patients living with either hypertension or diabetes, or both. The sample was asked to participate in qualitative interviews that asked about various aspects of their experience of their illness and treatment. The analysis of the data focused on the content of participants' concerns and difficulties with adhering to treatment recommendations. The themes that emerged from the study were participants' attribution of the origin of their illness, their subjective experience of their illness, their concerns about the consequences of poor adherence, financial problems and psychosocial support.
Health Psychology in African Settings
Authors: Adams Glenn , Salter Phia S.
Published: April 2007

African settings provide an important context in which to examine the relationship between cultural beliefs and health. First, research in African settings helps illuminate the sociocultural grounding of health and illness: the idea that beliefs play a constitutive role in the experience of distress. Second, research in African settings helps to illuminate the cultural grounding of health sciences: the idea that theory and practice reflect particular constructions of reality. We examine these ideas in the context of three research examples: the prominent experience of personal enemies; epidemic outbreaks of genital-shrinking panic; and fears about sabotage of vaccines in immunization campaigns.
Clinical significance of different antiphospholipid antibodies in the WAPS (warfarin in the antiphospholipid syndrome) study
Authors: Galli Monica , Borrelli Giovanna , Jacobsen Eva Marie , Marfisi Rosa Maria , Finazzi Guido , Marchioli Roberto , Wisloff Finn , Marziali Stefana , Morboeuf Olivier , Barbui Tiziano
Published: April 2007

To assess the clinical significance of lupus anticoagulants (LAs) and antiphospholipid antibodies (aPLs) toward thrombosis and abortions, we measured them in 112 patients whose samples were available at enrollment in the warfarin in the antiphospholipid syndrome (WAPS) study. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and coagulation test values in the highest and lowest tertiles were compared. When considered separately, IgG antibodies to β2-glycoprotein I (aβ2GPI) and prothrombin (aPT) were associated with anamnestic arterial and venous thrombosis, respectively, and those to annexin AV (aAnAV) with abortions. IgM antibodies to protein S and the lupus ratio of the dilute prothrombin time were associated with prospective thrombosis. No other association for IgM antibodies was seen. LA-positive patients who carried aβ2GPI antibodies were at risk of anamnestic arterial and total thrombosis and aPT antibodies to that of anamnestic venous and total thrombosis. LA-positive patients who carried IgG aβ2GPI and aAnAV antibodies were at risk for both anamnestic abortion and prospective thrombosis. Overall, these data support the inclusion of aβ2GPI antibodies in and suggest the removal of anticardiolipin antibodies from the laboratory criteria of the antiphospholipid syndrome. They also suggest that the measurement of aPT and aAnAV antibodies is useful in some selected situations and that there is little role for IgM antibody detection.
Galectin-1 mediated suppression of Epstein-Barr virus–specific T-cell immunity in classic Hodgkin lymphoma
Authors: Gandhi Maher K. , Moll Guido , Smith Corey , Dua Ujjwal , Lambley Eleanore , Ramuz Olivier , Gill Devinder , Marlton Paula , Seymour John F. , Khanna Rajiv
Published: April 2007

In Hodgkin lymphoma (HL), the malignant Hodgkin Reed-Sternberg cells interact with the host microenvironment to create an immunosuppressive network that protects the lymphoma from immune attack. These mechanisms are not fully understood. We examined the role of the immunomodulatory protein galectin-1 (Gal-1) on Epstein-Barr virus-specific CD8+ T cell responses in HL. Initial studies indicated Gal-1 expression in all in vitro established Hodgkin Reed-Sternberg cell lines. In situ analysis revealed Gal-1 expression in 26 of 42 classic HL, whereas Gal-1 was uniformly negative in nodular lymphocyte predominant HL. Gal-1hi expression was associated with male gender, older patients, reduced CD8+ T cell infiltration at the tumor site, and most importantly, an impaired latent membrane protein 1 and 2-specific CD8+ T-cell responses. In vitro exposure to recombinant Gal-1 inhibited proliferation and interferon-γ expression by Epstein-Barr virus-specific T cells. These observations provide an important link between the Gal-1-mediated immunomodulatory networks and loss of antigen-specific T-cell function in classic HL.
Development of huperzine A and B for treatment of Alzheimer's disease
Authors: Bai Donglu
Published: April 2007

Recent studies have proved that huperzine A (HupA) possesses different pharmacological actions other than the inhibition of hydrolysis of ACh. These noncholinergic roles, for instance, the antagonist effect on NMDA receptor, the protection of neuronal cells against β-amyloid, free radicals, and hypoxia-ischemia-induced injury, could be important too in Alzheimer's disease (AD) treatment. The therapeutic effects of HupA are probably based on a multitarget mechanism. By targeting dual active sites of AChE, a series of bis- and bifunctional HupB compounds with various lengths of tether were designed, synthesized, and tested for the inhibition and selectivity of AChE. The most potent bis-HupB compound exhibited increase by three orders of magnitude in AChE inhibition and two orders of magnitude in selectivity for AChE than its parent HupB.
Recent heterocyclic compounds from marine invertebrates: Structure and synthesis
Authors: Kashman Yoel , Rudi Amira , Pappo Doron
Published: April 2007

A large variety of unique heterocyclic natural marine products, without terrestrial counterparts, have been isolated from marine invertebrates, mainly sponges, ascidians, and soft corals. Many of these compounds display interesting biological activity. In this review, we report our recent studies on nitrogen-containing heterocyclic compounds ("alkaloids"), as well as some containing sulfur and oxygen, which have been isolated from Red Sea and Indo-Pacific organisms, and discuss progress on the synthesis of these natural products and structural analogs.
Structural development studies of nuclear receptor ligands
Authors: Hosoda Shinnosuke , Hashimoto Yuichi
Published: April 2007

Studies in our laboratory are focused on structural development studies of biological response modifiers (BRMs), including nuclear receptor (NR) ligands, which act directly on cells at the gene expression level, and thalidomide (and related molecules), which modulates a variety of physiological processes. Our studies on the molecular design of ligands for retinoic acid receptor (RAR), androgen receptor (AR), vitamin D receptor (VDR), farnesoid X receptor (FXR), and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) are reviewed.
Synthesis of natural products and analogs using multiple Pd-catalyzed transformations
Authors: Tietze Lutz F. , Kinzel Tom
Published: April 2007

Palladium-catalyzed transformations are of great importance in modern synthetic organic chemistry. The vast number of reactions that can be catalyzed by Pd0- as well as Pd2+-complexes in combination with the relative stability of the intermediates offers the intriguing opportunity of carrying out multiple consecutive bond-forming processes. They can be even performed in a domino fashion and in the presence of chiral ligands to allow the efficient preparation of almost enantiopure compounds. In this article, the use of double Heck, Tsuji-Trost-Heck, and Wacker-Heck reactions for the total syntheses of estradiol, spinosyn A analogs, cephalotaxine, and vitamin E is described.
Progress toward a total synthesis of spirastrellolide A
Authors: Paterson Ian , Anderson Edward A. , Dalby Stephen M. , Lim Jong Ho , Loiseleur Olivier , Maltas Philip , Moessner Christian
Published: April 2007

Progress toward a total synthesis of spirastrellolide A, a 38-membered marine macrolide, is reported. Syntheses of two diastereomers of the C1-C25 region, and an evolving Sharpless dihydroxylation strategy toward a C26-C40 fragment, are described. The syntheses exploit boron-mediated aldol chemistry to install key stereocenters, and feature late-stage thermodynamically controlled spiroacetalizations.
Modern pharmacognosy: Connecting biology and chemistry
Authors: Bohlin Lars , Göransson Ulf , Backlund Anders
Published: April 2007

In many countries today, the number of students selecting chemistry for higher studies is decreasing. At the same time, interest in the environmental aspects of chemistry, green chemistry, and sustainable use of natural products is increasing among the young generation of students. By modernizing and renewing a venerable proven science, pharmacognosy would have a strategic position to connect biology and chemistry. This multidisciplinary subject is important for discovery of novel and unique molecules with drug potential, and for revealing unknown targets, by studying evolutionary structure-activity optimization in nature. In this paper, the overall aim and strategies of our research are presented and exemplified by three different research projects.

Natural products are involved in scientific issues important for a sustainable society, and a multidisciplinary subject such as pharmacognosy can, therefore, be useful in increasing future interest in both chemistry and biology.
Manipulating nature's sugar biosynthetic machineries for glycodiversification of macrolides: Recent advances and future prospects
Authors: Thibodeaux Christopher J. , Liu Hung-wen
Published: April 2007

Changing the sugar structures and glycosylation patterns of natural products is an effective means of altering the biological activity of clinically useful drugs. Several recent strategies have provided researchers with the opportunity to manipulate sugar structures and to change the sugar moieties attached to these natural products via a biosynthetic approach. In this review, we explore the utility of contemporary in vivo and in vitro methods to achieve natural product glycodiversification. This study will focus on recent progress from our laboratory in elucidating the biosynthesis of D-desosamine, a deoxysugar component of many macrolide antibiotics, and will highlight how we have engineered the D-desosamine biosynthetic pathway in Streptomyces venezuelae through targeted disruption and heterologous expression of the sugar biosynthetic genes to generate a variety of new glycoforms. The in vitro exploitation of the substrate flexibility of the endogenous D-desosamine glycosyltransferase (GT) to generate many non-natural glycoforms will also be discussed. These experiments are compared with recent work from other research groups on the same topics. Finally, the significance of these studies for the future prospects of natural product glycodiversification is discussed.
Serum levels of ischemia-modified albumin in healthy volunteers after exercise-induced calf-muscle ischemia
Authors: Falkensammer Juergen , Stojakovic Tatjana , Huber Kurt , Hammerer-Lercher Angelika , Gruber Ingrid , Scharnagl Hubert , Fraedrich Gustav , Santner Wolfram , Schocke Michael , Greiner Andreas
Published: April 2007

Clin Chem Lab Med 2007;45:535–40.
Quality specifications: self pleasure for clinical laboratories or added value for patient management?
Authors: Plebani Mario
Published: April 2007

Analytical quality specifications play a key role in assuring and continuously improving high-quality laboratory services. However, I believe, that there are two “missing links” in the effective management of quality specifications in the delivery of laboratory services. The first is the evidence that pre-analytical variation and related problems are not taken into great consideration by laboratory professionals. The second missing link is the communication of quality specifications to clinicians and other possible stakeholders. If quality specifications represent “the level of performance required to facilitate clinical decision-making”, they cannot be used only for internal quality management procedures but must be communicated to facilitate clinical reasoning, decision-making and patient management. A consensus should be achieved in the scientific community on these issues to assure better utilization of laboratory data and, ultimately, improved clinical outcomes.

Clin Chem Lab Med 2007;45:462–6.
Pro12Ala polymorphism of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ2 (PPARγ-2) gene is associated with greater insulin sensitivity and decreased risk of type 2 diabetes in an Iranian population
Authors: Meshkani Reza , Taghikhani Mohammad , Larijani Bagher , Bahrami Yadollah , Khatami Shohreh , Khoshbin Ehteram , Ghaemi Amir , Sadeghi Sedigheh , Mirkhani Fatemeh , Molapour Azam , Adeli Khosrow
Published: April 2007

Clin Chem Lab Med 2007;45:477–82.
The Philippines in 2006: Democracy and Its Discontents
Authors: Coronel Sheila S.
Published: April 2007

A wide range of groups attempted to force President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo out of power in 2006 but failed. The attempt prompted the declaration of a state of emergency and plunged the country deeper into crisis. The year was marked by internecine rivalries among the country's elites, restiveness in the armed forces, and a renewed campaign against communists. But the economy seemed insulated from political uncertainty, posting high growth because of rising export receipts, more foreign investments, and record remittances from overseas workers.
Brunei in 2006: Not a Bad Year
Authors: Case William
Published: April 2007

Political life in Brunei is frequently cast as stultifying, with activity diverted from political parties and civil society to the sultan and his coterie. Indeed, in 2006, with the government's petroleum earnings rising, the only detectable pressures for more openness seemed to emanate from the sultan himself. Staff at the Borneo Bulletin, then the main local daily, this year lamented finding little on the political scene to report.
Singapore in 2006: An Irritating and Irritated ASEAN Neighbor
Authors: Huat Chua Beng
Published: April 2007

In the 2006 general election, the People's Action Party won 82 out of 84 parliamentary seats. The purchase by the government investment company Temasek Holdings of the Shin Corporation contributed to the coup that sent Thai Prime Minister Thaksin into exile. Lee Kuan Yew's remark on the marginalization of ethnic Chinese in neighboring countries caused offense, particularly in Malaysia.
China in 2006: Focus on Social Development
Authors: Saich Tony
Published: April 2007

The leadership's policies came under attack from left and right, but they consolidated power at the Sixth Plenum, a meeting remarkable for its attention to social development. The leadership tried to deal with the twin problems of corruption and social inequality. Relations with Japan and North Korea underwent surprising evolution.
South Korea in 2006: Nuclear Standoff, Trade Talks, and Population Trends
Authors: Kim Andrew Eungi , Lie John
Published: April 2007

The nuclear test conducted by North Korea in October 2006 placed the Koreas at the center of world news. Prior to the nuclear test, free trade agreement talks with the United States dominated the year's domestic political discussions. Less newsworthy but potentially more profound are demographic trends, especially the rapid aging of the population, the record low fertility rate, and the rising number of intermarriages.
Sri Lanka in 2006: Unresolved Political and Ethnic Conflicts amid Economic Growth
Authors: de Silva Chandra R.
Published: April 2007

Open warfare between the government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam broke out in mid-year. The two sides met twice in Geneva but failed to resolve their differences. Disagreements within the ruling coalition on how to resolve this conflict resulted in a realignment of political forces. The economy continued to grow, although troubling indicators emerged toward the end of 2006.
Auber's Horses: L'Annee terrible and Apocalyptic Narratives
Authors: Mordey Delphine
Published: April 2007

On 13 May 1871 Auber died. His passing was blamed on the horrors of the Franco-Prussian War, Siege and Commune, and provided a powerful symbol of the end of an era. Indeed, the idea that the debacle of 1870-71 caused a rupture in French music, one embodied in Auber's death, continues to influence music histories; political events are thought to mark a clear turning point away from the operettas of the Second Empire to the more serious works associated with the Third Republic. This notion of a turning point has much to recommend it, but the accepted history may ultimately be better viewed as an example of an apocalyptic narrative; after the event, the infamous frivolity of Napoleon III's era was seen to have led, inexorably, to defeat in the War, and to steep cultural change. I argue that this narrative was retrospectively constructed by contemporary music critics dissatisfied with existing French musical culture. The siege, the Commune, and the "timely" death of Auber were used as a means of bolstering demands for change: if the nation were to recover, she would have to change her ways, musical and otherwise. This constructed narrative obscures the picture suggested by primary sources; that not only had changes begun before the war, but that light-hearted forms continued to flourish afterward. It is clearly a narrative in need of historical revision.
Dyssomnias and Parasomnias in Early Childhood
Authors: Petit Dominique , Touchette Évelyne , Tremblay Richard E. , Boivin Michel , Montplaisir Jacques
Published: April 2007

OBJECTIVES. Our aim for this study was to determine the prevalence of dyssomnias and various parasomnias in early childhood and to describe their temporal evolution, gender differences, and correlates.

METHODS. This research is part of a longitudinal study of child development. A randomized, 3-level, stratified survey design was used to study a representative sample of infants who were born in 1997–1998 in the province of Quebec (Canada). When the children were 2.5 years of age, 1997 families agreed to be interviewed. The presence of dyssomnias or parasomnias was obtained from a self-administered questionnaire that was completed by the mother at each round of measures.

RESULTS. The percentage of children with frequent night wakings decreased steadily from 36.3% at age 2.5 to 13.2% at age 6. Similarly, the percentage of children who had difficulty falling asleep at night decreased significantly from 16.0% at ages 3.5 and 4 to 10% at age 5 and to 7.4% at age 6. The overall prevalence of each parasomnia for the period studied was as follows: somnambulism, 14.5%; sleep terrors, 39.8%; somniloquy, 84.4%; enuresis, 25.0%; bruxism, 45.6%; and rhythmic movements, 9.2%. Persistent somnambulism at age 6 was significantly correlated with sleep terrors and somniloquy. Persistent sleep terrors at age 6 were also correlated with somniloquy. Finally, persistent sleep terrors at age 6 were correlated with frequent night wakings. Separation anxiety was associated with persistent night wakings and with somnambulism, bruxism, sleep terrors, and somniloquy.

CONCLUSIONS. There is a high prevalence of night wakings and sleep-onset difficulties in preschool children. Parasomnias are highly prevalent in early childhood and are associated with separation anxiety. However, they have little impact on sleep duration.
Brain Abnormalities in Patients With Hyperimmunoglobulin E Syndrome
Authors: Freeman Alexandra F. , Collura-Burke Christina J. , Patronas Nicholas J. , Ilcus Lidia Stana , Darnell Dirk , Davis Joie , Puck Jennifer M. , Holland Steven M.
Published: April 2007

OBJECTIVES. Hyperimmunoglobulin E syndrome is a multisystem disorder with abnormalities of the immunologic, connective tissue, and skeletal tissue systems. Central nervous system abnormalities have not been considered a feature of hyperimmunoglobulin E syndrome. We aimed to determine whether central nervous system abnormalities detected on brain MRI exist in hyperimmunoglobulin E syndrome and to characterize any identified abnormalities.

PATIENTS AND METHODS. Fifty patients aged from 3 to 52 years (mean: 24 years) with established diagnoses of hyperimmunoglobulin E syndrome had MRI of the brain as part of an hyperimmunoglobulin E syndrome natural history protocol. Abnormalities were described, measured, counted, and mapped. Patient charts were reviewed for neurologic findings and blood pressure measurements.

RESULTS. Focal brain lesions exhibiting high signal intensities on flow-attenuated inversion recovery and on T2-weighted techniques were found in 35 of the 50 patients. The focal hyperintensities were predominantly in the white matter of the cerebral hemispheres, and the number ranged from 2 to >50. The hyperintensities occurred more frequently in adults than in children, and no association with elevated blood pressure was found. Five patients had lacunar infarctions. Chiari type 1 malformations were found in 9 of 50 patients. Two patients had infectious complications presenting on MRI as cerebritis in 1 patient and as a hemorrhagic infarct in the other; both were found on autopsy to be fungal. Neurologic abnormalities were present in 1 patient with a lacunar infarction, the 2 patients with infectious complications, and in 1 patient with a subarachnoid hemorrhage secondary to a berry aneurysm.

CONCLUSIONS. Central nervous system abnormalities are common in hyperimmunoglobulin E syndrome. Focal T2 hyperintensities, not appreciated previously, represent a prominent feature of this rare disease that may assist in diagnosis. The etiology and clinical implications of these abnormalities remain to be investigated.
Thomas Telford's cast-iron bridges
Authors: Paxton Roland
Published: April 2007

Thomas Telford's innovations using cast iron included a landmark lightweight type of arch bridge with spans of 32–52 m, longer than then practicable in stone and exhibiting an unparalleled combination of strength, economy and intuitive design. This development influenced cast-iron bridge building until the 1830s and the adoption of elegant and effective lozenge-lattice bracing in bridge spandrels until the 1870s. This paper identifies and examines Telford's mastery in cast-iron bridge design, exemplified by a legacy of six bridges which are still operational in varying degrees after nearly two centuries.
Thomas Telford, county surveyor
Authors: Cross-Rudkin P. S. M.
Published: April 2007

This paper describes Thomas Telford's early years in post as the first county surveyor of Shropshire in the UK, as well as the challenging nature of his relationships with the justices of the peace who employed him. As Telford's reputation on the national stage grew, his duties increasingly kept him away from the county and he employed Thomas Stanton to undertake the day-to-day work. Telford, however, retained responsibility and correspondence between the two men shows he not only provided leadership when required but also stepped into the breach when his deputy was being pressurised by the cost-conscious justices.
Mineralization of atrazine in agricultural soil: Inhibition by nitrogen
Authors: Garcés Rosa Angélica Guillén , Hansen Anne M. , van Afferden Manfred
Published: April 2007

Microbial mineralization of atrazine was characterized in soils and liquid media in the presence of nitrogen fertilizer concentrations representing typical field applications. The mineralization of atrazine in soils varied between 6 and 99% after 18 d of incubation. Half-lives of between 0.99 and more than 18 d were obtained. Mineralization kinetics and degree are related by a reciprocal trend to concentrations of available nitrogen in the soil. In liquid media, half-lives were calculated as 0.12 d in the absence of fertilizer nitrogen and as 79 d in the presence of 1,000 mg/L of KNO3-N. Only 20% of atrazine was mineralized after 18 d of incubation in the presence of this concentration of KNO3-N, whereas greater than 90% mineralization occurred after 2 d of incubation in liquid medium without KNO3-N. The results demonstrate that the mineralization of atrazine is inhibited even at fertilizer nitrogen levels lower than typical field applications. Inhibition in soil is lower than that in liquid medium, possibly because of the higher complexity of the soil system. This may explain why atrazine that infiltrates to the groundwater is persistent. The microbial consortium of the soils was characterized, and seven species were identified. The degrading capacity of these species suggests that only three species are involved in the degradation of atrazine.
Genetic impoverishment in laboratory cultures of the test organism Chironomus riparius
Authors: Nowak Carsten , Vogt Christian , Diogo João Barateiro , Schwenk Klaus
Published: April 2007

Genetic diversity among laboratory and field populations of Chironomus riparius was investigated using microsatellite DNA analysis. Individuals of midge cultures reared in 10 different laboratories showed a clear reduction in the number of alleles per locus and in the level of heterozygosity compared to two natural populations sampled in southern Germany. To reconstruct the rate of genetic impoverishment under laboratory conditions, genetic diversity was monitored in a C. riparius laboratory population for 23 generations. Additionally, 11 populations originating from different laboratories were crossed, and genetic diversity was compared among pure, crossed, and natural populations. The results demonstrate that C. riparius strains used in standard toxicity tests exhibit low levels of genetic variability. In addition, our experiments show that refreshment of stocks with individuals from other laboratories is not sufficient to restore genetic variation. Potential consequences of genetic impoverishment and improvements for toxicological bioassays are discussed.
The Long Walk VI - «Lors Du Travail De Terrain, Il Faut Être Comme Un Poisson Dans L'eau»: Un Entretien Avec Joseph Tubiana
Authors: Casciarri Barbara
Published: April 2007

Joseph Tubiana is an ethnologist who initially studied linguistics. He has specialised in the study of East-African societies (Ethiopia, Chad, Sudan). After his first fieldwork in Ethiopia in the 1940s, he carried out research from the 1950s onwards among the Zaghawa nomads in Chad and Sudan. He spent an important part of his time working at the
Musée de l'Homme
in Paris and as a teacher of East-African languages at the INALCO (
Institut National des Langues et Civilisations Orientales
) where he is currently professor honoraire. In this interview he talks about his personal and ethnological experiences among nomads in northern and eastern Africa. He also speaks about his political and scientific education which took place first in colonial Algeria and then in France between the 1930s and the Second World War.
Shock and Change in the German Venture Capital Market, 1995-2005
Authors: Huberty Mark
Published: April 2007

Mark Huberty, Johns Hopkins School for Advanced International Studies, The Johns Hopkins University The development of the high-technology startup sector in Germany is critical for the adjustment of the German economy to growing international competition in traditional industrial sectors. The article explores whether changes to the German venture capital financing sector in the period 1995-2005 indicate an improved development path for high-technology startup firms. Based on the volumes and structure of venture capital investments during this period, I conclude that the venture capital sector has undergone substantial change in favor of financing and supporting high-technology startup firms. However, small firm behavior suggests that even with a changed venture capital sector, the overall regulatory structure of the German economy will result in lower rates of firm success than otherwise would be expected from a resurgent venture capital market. The policy implication is that, without additional regulatory reform favoring small, high-technology enterprises, the transformation of German industry will continue to be constrained.
How Many "Ends" of Nature: Making Sociological and Phenomenological Sense of the End of Nature
Authors: Yearley Steve
Published: April 2007

Despite significant increases in social scientific studies of the environment, there has recently been a narrowing of focus. Increasingly, sociologists have looked at claims and counterclaims about specific environmental problems while missing the broader question of the cultural and social character of environmental concern itself. Only social anthropologists and some social theorists have continued to investigate this issue. In this paper it is argued that McKibben's work offers a useful starting point for examining the meaning of environmental worries since his writings offer a form of "phenomenology" of our concerns for nature. In this paper, this "phenomenology" is subject to a critical review and assessment.
Inaugural Introduction
Authors: Chew Sing C. , Gross Matthias
Published: April 2007

The founding of Nature and Culture comes at a time when proenvironmental

attitudes in the world are still high, but the discourse on ecological issues has been eclipsed mostly by issues of security, terrorism, and economic growth. This trend might also be because the debates on ecological issues to date are mostly based on natural scientific evaluations and findings on the state of the natural environment. What is lacking is more input from the humanities, social sciences, and historical sciences so that this dialogue can be interdisciplinary, and even transdisciplinary in nature. To foster such a dialogue, Nature and Culture is intended to be a unique forum for the international community of scholars and practitioners to present, discuss, and evaluate critically issues and themes related to the historical and contemporary relationships that societies, civilizations, empires, regions, and nationstates have with nature. Its pages welcome authors working in areas related to this overall thematic, and especially those who are working on the frontiers of understanding and explaining this historical/contemporary nature/culture relationship, regardless of discipline. Our object is to produce a journal serving those scholars and practitioners whose theoretical orientations extend beyond disciplinary boundaries, and who are moving beyond specific specializations toward broader syntheses with intentions to participate in intellectual and practical discussions on our ecosystem’s past trends and future prospects.
In Silico Analysis of Enzyme Surface and Glycosylation Effect as a Tool for Efficient Covalent Immobilisation of CalB and PGA on Sepabeads®
Authors: Basso Alessandra , Braiuca Paolo , Cantone Sara , Ebert Cynthia , Linda Paolo , Spizzo Patrizia , Caimi Paolo , Hanefeld Ulf , Degrassi Giuliano , Gardossi Lucia
Published: April 2007

This study presents a computational analysis of the structures of lipase B from Candida antarctica (CalB) and two penicillin G acylases (PGAs), from eukaryotic and prokaryotic sources, respectively. Molecular simulations were used to point out the regions of the enzymes that are prone to interact with immobilisation supports. In order to evaluate the accessibility of the active site, the location of the amino acid residues involved in the formation of covalent bonds with the polymers was visualised. The mapping of the distribution of hydrophobic and hydrophilic regions on the enzyme surface provided a view of the areas of the protein that can establish either hydrophobic or hydrophilic interactions with the carriers. Experimental data obtained from the immobilisation of the enzymes on supports bearing different chemical functionalities suggest the involvement of the glycan moiety in enzyme–polymer interactions. In the case of PGA the glycan moiety can constitute an extra site for the covalent linkage of the enzyme on the polymer.
Oxidation of Benzene to Phenol with Hydrogen Peroxide Catalyzed by a Modified Titanium Silicalite (TS‐1B)
Authors: Bianchi Daniele , Balducci Luigi , Bortolo Rossella , D'Aloisio Rino , Ricci Marco , Spanò Guido , Tassinari Roberto , Tonini Cristina , Ungarelli Raffaele
Published: April 2007

The hydroxylation of benzene to phenol with hydrogen peroxide was investigated using different solvents and a series of catalysts, obtained by modification of titanium silicalite (TS‐1). The best results were obtained after post‐synthesis treatment of TS‐1 with NH4HF2 and H2O2. The new catalyst (TS‐1B), used in the presence of a particular co‐solvent (sulfolane) is able to protect the produced phenol from over‐oxidation and dramatically enhanced the selectivity of the reaction.
Efficient Biocatalytic Cleavage and Recovery of Organic Substrates Supported on Soluble Polymers
Authors: Pasini Dario , Filippini Marco , Pianetti Ilaria , Pregnolato Massimo
Published: April 2007

The applicability of novel solution‐phase supports in combination with enzymes for biocatalytic transformations is reported. Ex novo designed styrene‐based copolymers, bearing a phenylacetic residue in variable loadings and linked as a pendant group to the macromolecular backbone, through a spacer of variable length, have been synthesized and characterized. These derivatives are compatible and can be used as soluble supports in combination with immobilized penicillin G acylase (PGA – EC 3.5.1.11) for the biocatalytic cleavage of the covalently anchored organic substrate in quantitative yields, in water or water/dimethylformamide solvent mixtures, with recovery of the immobilized enzyme with negligible losses in activity.
Anaerobic Palladium‐Catalyzed Chemoselective Oxidation of Allylic and Benzylic Alcohols with α‐Bromo Sulfoxide as a Co‐oxidant
Authors: Rodríguez Nuria , Medio‐Simón Mercedes , Asensio Gregorio
Published: April 2007

A chemoselective palladium‐catalyzed anaerobic oxidation of allylic and benzylic alcohols using an α‐bromo sulfoxide as a co‐oxidant is described for the first time. The catalyst system is simple and has a long life because of the allowance of phosphane ligands under the non‐aerobic conditions. The advantages of the described method include no overoxidation of primary alcohols to carboxylic acids because of the mild conditions applied, the tolerance of oxygen‐sensitive functionalities such as a carbon‐carbon double bond, an organothio group, or a diorganoamino group and the effective preparation of α,β‐unsaturated aldehydes and ketones, resulting from the oxidation of primary and secondary allylic alcohols, since a competitive Heck reaction with the co‐oxidant does not occur.
Desymmetrisations of 1‐Alkylbicyclo[3.3.0]octane‐2,8‐diones by Enzymatic Retro‐Claisen Reaction Yield Optically Enriched 2,3‐Substituted Cyclopentanones
Authors: Hill Cheryl L. , Verma Chandra S. , Grogan Gideon
Published: April 2007

A series of 1‐alkylbicyclo[3.3.0]octane‐2,8‐diones was transformed by enzymatic retro‐Claisen reaction using recombinant 6‐oxocamphor hydrolase (OCH) overexpressed in Escherichia coli, to yield optically active 2,3‐substituted cyclopentanones with enantiomeric excesses of up to >95 %. Whilst the parent substrate, bicyclo[3.3.0]octane‐2,8‐dione 12, was transformed only very slowly, derivatives 13, 14, 15, 16 and 30 with alkyl chains of varying length in the 1‐position were converted rapidly to optically active products with typically 82 % de and up to >95 % enantiomeric excess. The results confirm the apparent requirement of OCH for non‐enolisable diketone substrates, and offer a potential route to decorated cyclopentanone derivatives of multiple chiral centres. Computer modelling of 1‐methylbicyclo[3.3.0]octane‐2,8‐dione into the active site of OCH suggested that the bicyclic [3.3.0] series substrates were accommodated in the active site in similar orientation with the natural enzyme substrate, 6‐oxocamphor, and would thus yield the (2S,3S)‐product series.
New Ruthenium Catalysts for Asymmetric Transfer Hydrogenation of Prochiral Ketones
Authors: Enthaler Stephan , Hagemann Bernhard , Bhor Santosh , Anilkumar Gopinathan , Tse Man Kin , Bitterlich Bianca , Junge Kathrin , Erre Giulia , Beller Matthias
Published: April 2007

Tridentate N,N,N‐pyridinebisimidazolines have been studied as new ligands for the enantioselective transfer hydrogenation of prochiral ketones. High yields and excellent enantioselectivity up to >99 % ee have been achieved with an in situ generated catalytic system containing dichlorotris(triphenylphosphine)ruthenium and 2,6‐bis‐([4R,5R]‐4,5‐diphenyl‐4,5‐dihydro‐1H‐imidazol‐2‐yl)‐pyridine (3a) in the presence of sodium isopropoxide.
A General and Efficient Iron‐Catalyzed Benzylation of 1,3‐Dicarbonyl Compounds
Authors: Kischel Jette , Mertins Kristin , Michalik Dirk , Zapf Alexander , Beller Matthias
Published: April 2007

Various CH‐acidic 1,3‐dicarbonyl compounds and methyl 3‐acetamidobut‐2‐enoate react with benzylic alcohols to give the corresponding 2‐benzylated products in good to excellent yield. Typically, reactions proceed under mild conditions (50–80 °C; air) in the presence of catalytic amounts of inexpensive iron chloride hexahydrate. The benzylation of 4‐hydroxycoumarin gives the pharmaceutically interesting 4‐hydroxy‐3‐(1‐phenylethyl)‐2H‐chromen‐2‐ones. As an example the anticoagulant Phenprocoumon is prepared in one step from commercially available substrates in 94 % yield.
A Highly Enantioselective Catalytic Domino Aza‐Michael/Aldol Reaction: One‐Pot Organocatalytic Asymmetric Synthesis of 1,2‐Dihydroquinolidines
Authors: Sundén Henrik , Rios Ramon , Ibrahem Ismail , Zhao Gui‐Ling , Eriksson Lars , Córdova Armando
Published: April 2007

The highly enantioselective organocatalytic domino aza‐Michael/aldol reaction is presented. The unprecedented, chiral amine‐catalyzed asymmetric domino reactions between 2‐aminobenzaldehydes and α,β‐unsaturated aldehydes proceed with excellent chemo‐ and enantioselectivity to give the corresponding pharmaceutically valuable 1,2‐dihydroquinolines derivatives in high yields with 90 to >99 % ee.
A Thermostable Aldolase for the Synthesis of 3‐Deoxy‐2‐ulosonic Acids
Authors: Lamble Henry J. , Royer Sylvain F. , Hough David W. , Danson Michael J. , Taylor Garry L. , Bull Steven D.
Published: April 2007

A stereochemically promiscuous 2‐keto‐3‐deoxygluconate aldolase has been used as an efficient biocatalyst to catalyse the aldol reaction of pyruvate with C3‐ and C4‐aldoses to afford syn‐ and anti‐3‐deoxy‐2‐ulosonic acids in poor to good de. A continuous flow bioreactor containing immobilised aldolase has been developed that enables gram quantities of C6‐ and C7‐3‐deoxyhept‐2‐ulosonic acids to be produced in an efficient manner.
Recyclable Copper Catalysts Based on Imidazolium‐Tagged Bis(oxazolines): A Marked Enhancement in Rate and Enantioselectivity for Diels–Alder Reactions in Ionic Liquid
Authors: Doherty Simon , Goodrich Peter , Hardacre Christopher , Knight Julian G. , Nguyen Mimi T. , Pârvulescu Vasile I. , Paun Cristina
Published: April 2007

Imidazolium‐tagged bis(oxazolines) have been prepared and used as chiral ligands in the copper(II)‐catalysed Diels–Alder reaction of N‐acryloyl‐ and N‐crotonoyloxazolidinones with cyclopentadiene and 1,3‐cyclohexadiene in the ionic liquid 1‐ethyl‐3‐methylimidazolium bis[(trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl]imide, [emim][NTf2]. A significant and substantial enhancement in the rate and enantioselectivity was achieved in [emim][NTf2] compared with dichloromethane. For example, complete conversion and enantioselectivities up to 95 % were obtained for the reaction between N‐acryloyloxazolidinone and cyclopentadiene within 2 min in [emim][NTf2] whereas the corresponding reaction in dichloromethane required 60 min to reach completion and gave an ee of only 16 %. The enhanced rates obtained in the ionic liquid enabled a catalyst loading as low as 0.5 mol % to give complete conversion within 2 min while retaining the same level of enantioselectivity. The imidazolium‐tagged catalysts can be recycled ten times without any loss in activity or enantioselectivity and showed much higher affinity for the ionic liquid phase during the recycle procedure than the analogous uncharged ligand.