bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Epigenetic Heterogeneity of High-Grade Prostatic Intraepithelial Neoplasia: Clues for Clonal Progression in Prostate Carcinogenesis
Authors: Henrique Rui , Jerónimo Carmen , Teixeira Manuel R. , Hoque Mohammad O. , Carvalho André L. , Pais Irene , Ribeiro Franclim R. , Oliveira Jorge , Lopes Carlos , Sidransky David
Published: January 2006

High-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN) is the most likely precursor of prostate adenocarcinoma, but the frequency and timing of epigenetic changes found in prostate carcinogenesis has not been extensively documented. Thus, the promoters of three genes (APC, GSTP1, and RARβ2) involved in prostate carcinogenesis were tested by quantitative methylation-specific PCR in tissue DNA from 30 prostate carcinomas, 128 high-grade PIN lesions, and 30 normal prostate tissue samples dissected from 30 radical prostatectomy specimens using laser capture microdissection. The percentage of methylated alleles (PMA) was calculated for each gene, and hierarchical cluster analysis was used to define the degree of similarity of epigenetic alterations among the various samples. We found that PMA values of APC and RARβ2 were higher than those of GSTP1 in all three types of tissue samples and median PMA values for all three genes were higher in prostate cancer. By cluster analysis, 26 of 30 prostate carcinomas and 82 of 128 high-grade PIN lesions were grouped in the “high methylation” branch, whereas 24 of 30 normal prostate tissue samples were allocated in the “low methylation” branch. Although high-grade PIN lesions are epigenetically more similar to prostate carcinoma than to normal prostate tissue, paired prostate carcinoma and high-grade PIN lesions did not always segregate together. We concluded that APC and RARβ2 hypermethylation is frequent in normal prostate tissue and the progressive enrichment in cells carrying methylated alleles observed in high-grade PIN and prostate carcinoma is consistent with clonal progression. Because GSTP1 promoter methylation is mainly observed in prostate carcinoma and some high-grade PIN lesions, it represents an important marker for the transition of in situ to invasive neoplasia. (Mol Cancer Res 2006;4(1):1–8)
Stereotactic Radiosurgery as a Salvage Treatment for Recurrent Skull Base Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma
Authors: Mori Yoshimasa , Kobayashi Tatsuya , Kida Yoshihisa , Oda Kyota , Shibamoto Yuta , Yoshida Jun
Published: January 2006

Twelve patients (15 lesions) with recurrent skull base adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) were treated by Gamma Knife stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS). The tumor volume ranged from 2 to 103 ml (median 15 ml). Treatment was prescribed at the 40–60% isodose line and ranged from 10 to 18 Gy (median: 13.0 Gy). The median follow-up period was 18 months (range 3–55). Six patients were alive and 6 dead at the end of the follow-up period. Only 1 patient died from local tumor recurrence. Ten among 15 tumors treated by SRS decreased in size until the end of the follow-up period or the patients’ death. Three remained unchanged in size. Two tumors initially regressed but then increased in size. In selected patients with recurrent skull base ACC, SRS can be considered as a salvage treatment with good local control.
Eplerenone With Valsartan Effectively Reduces Atherosclerotic Lesion by Attenuation of Oxidative Stress and Inflammation
Authors: Suzuki Jun , Iwai Masaru , Mogi Masaki , Oshita Akira , Yoshii Toyofumi , Higaki Jitsuo , Horiuchi Masatsugu
Published: January 2006

Objective—

Angiotensin II contributes to atherogenesis, mainly through oxidative stress and inflammation. Recent data suggest that aldosterone is implicated in some effects of angiotensin II. We hypothesized that aldosterone could directly contribute to oxidative stress and atherosclerotic lesion formation.

Methods and Results—

Male apolipoprotein E–deficient mice 6 weeks of age were placed on a normal diet or 1.25% high-cholesterol diet. After 6 weeks of the high-cholesterol diet, a marked increase in atherosclerotic lesion formation was observed in the aorta, accompanied by significant elevation of plasma cholesterol level. Production of superoxide anion and expression of NAD(P)H oxidase subunit p47
phox
, tumor necrosis factor-α, and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 in the aorta were increased with the high-cholesterol diet. Eplerenone (1.67 g/kg in high-cholesterol diet) did not affect blood pressure or plasma cholesterol but decreased the atherosclerotic area by nearly 70% (
P
<0.05), associated with attenuation of oxidative stress and inflammatory response. Valsartan (0.5 mg/kg per day) also decreased the atherosclerotic lesion, whereas coadministration of valsartan and eplerenone further decreased it. Moreover, aldosterone (0.1 μmol/L) enhanced NADPH oxidase activity in cultured vascular smooth muscle cells.

Conclusions—

These results suggest that aldosterone may play a critical role in atherogenesis subsequent to oxidative stress in part independent of angiotensin II–mediated signaling, and that eplerenone could prevent atherosclerosis by attenuating oxidative stress and inflammation.
Epithelial Sodium Channel Allele T594M Is Not Associated With Blood Pressure or Blood Pressure Response to Amiloride
Authors: Hollier John M. , Martin Dan F. , Bell Darin M. , Li Jia-Ling , Chirachanchai Mike G. , Menon Dileep V. , Leonard David , Wu Xiaodong , Cooper Richard S. , McKenzie Colin , Victor Ronald G. , Auchus Richard J.
Published: January 2006

The T594M allele of the epithelial sodium channel β-subunit has been proposed as a gain-of-function mutation leading to salt-sensitive hypertension in blacks that is particularly responsive to the specific sodium channel antagonist amiloride. However, the positive associations derive from small convenience samples, and the amiloride challenge study lacked a control group. We determined whether the T594M allele was associated with hypertension and blood pressure (BP) response to amiloride in 2 well-characterized random population samples including 3137 Dallas County subjects and 1666 Jamaican blacks. In multivariate models, the T594M allele was not predictive of systolic BP (adjusted odds ratio for hypertension 1.1; 95% confidence interval, 0.7 to 1.8). Amiloride treatment did not lower the BP of 6 T594M heterozygotes significantly more than in 22 control subjects (
P
=0.8). We conclude that the T594M allele does not contribute significantly to BP in blacks and does not predict a significantly superior response to amiloride therapy.
Effect of Salt on Isoprostanes in Salt-Sensitive Essential Hypertension
Authors: Laffer Cheryl L. , Bolterman Rodney J. , Romero Juan Carlos , Elijovich Fernando
Published: January 2006

The controversy over beneficial versus harmful effects of salt on cardiovascular outcomes may be caused by different effects of salt on intermediate phenotypes of hypertension not characterized in epidemiological studies. Hence, we investigated acute effects of salt on oxidative stress in hypertensive subjects classified as salt sensitive (SS, n=14) or salt resistant (SR, n=13) by an inpatient protocol of salt loading (460 mmol NaCl) and salt depletion (10 mmol NaCl and furosemide). Oxidative stress was assessed by measuring the plasma isoprostane 8-iso-PGF2α. SS had lower plasma renin activity, higher aldosterone/renin ratios, and exaggerated endothelin and catecholamine responses to salt depletion compared with SR. Baseline lipid-bound isoprostanes (749±70 pmol/L) were 83% of the total and were slightly but not significantly higher in SS than SR. Baseline free isoprostanes did not differ between groups. After salt loading, lipid-bound isoprostanes were higher in SS (945±106) than SR (579±57;
P
<0.01). Salt depletion significantly decreased them in SS (−174±84) and increased them in SR (+129±58), equalizing their levels (771±61 versus 708±91;
P
value not significant). Free isoprostanes were decreased by salt depletion only if data in all of the patients were analyzed together. Total isoprostanes followed the pattern of the lipid-bound fraction. Correlations between salt depletion-induced changes in lipid-bound isoprostanes, plasma renin activity (
r
=0.45;
P
<0.02), and aldosterone/renin ratios (
r
=−0.41;
P
<0.04) suggested that the more SS the patient, the greater the reduction of oxidative stress by salt depletion. Our research is the first to show that salt affects oxidative stress acutely in humans, particularly in SS hypertension, which may explain the controversial results of epidemiological studies on salt and morbidity and may have implications for therapy.
Upregulated Expression of 14-3-3 Proteins in Astrocytes From Human Cerebrovascular Ischemic Lesions
Authors: Kawamoto Yasuhiro , Akiguchi Ichiro , Tomimoto Hidekazu , Shirakashi Yoshitomo , Honjo Yasuyuki , Budka Herbert
Published: January 2006

Background and Purpose—

Several types of chaperone proteins, such as heat shock proteins, have been reported to be associated with brain ischemia. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether an abnormal expression of 14-3-3 proteins, a novel type of molecular chaperones, occurs in human gray and white matter ischemic lesions.

Methods—

We prepared formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded sections from 33 autopsied brains, consisting of 7 normal controls, 4 cases with cerebral thrombosis, 5 cases with cerebral embolism, 8 cases with multiple lacunar infarctions, and 9 cases with Binswanger disease. Deparaffinized sections from all cases were immunostained with anti-14-3-3 antibodies using the avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex method, and some sections were also double-immunostained for 14-3-3 and glial markers.

Results—

In the normal control brains, 14-3-3 immunoreactivity was mainly localized to the neuronal somata and processes. Strongly 14-3-3–immunopositive astrocytes were distributed in the infarct lesions and were particularly abundant in infarcts at the chronic stage. Intensely 14-3-3–immunolabeled astrocytes were also observed in the ischemic white matter lesions, and in the severely affected white matter lesions from patients with Binswanger disease, dense 14-3-3 immunoreactivity was found in clasmatodendritic astroglia as well as in reactive astrocytes.

Conclusions—

Our results suggest that 14-3-3 proteins may be induced mainly in astrocytes from human cerebrovascular ischemic lesions, and that the upregulated expression of 14-3-3 proteins in astrocytes may be involved in the formation of astrogliosis.
Internal and Cortical Border-Zone Infarction
Authors: Yong Seok Woo , Bang Oh Young , Lee Phil Hyu , Li Wen Yu
Published: January 2006

Background and Purpose—

The pathogenesis of internal border-zone (IBZ) and cortical border-zone (CBZ) infarcts is unclear. Both types of infarct have been combined into a single group in most previous reports, which has produced conflicting results. We hypothesized that different pathogenic mechanisms underlie IBZ and CBZ infarcts.

Methods—

We reviewed 946 consecutive patients with ischemic stroke within the middle cerebral artery territory. IBZ and CBZ infarcts were selected based on diffusion-weighted imaging templates to identify vascular territories. Baseline patient characteristics, clinical courses, and neuroradiological features were compared between patients with IBZ and CBZ infarcts.

Results—

We identified 45 IBZ and 75 CBZ infarct patients. Compared with the CBZ infarct patients, IBZ infarct patients had a higher degree of stenosis or occlusion in either the middle cerebral or internal carotid artery (
P=
0.008) and exhibited a rosary-like pattern of infarction more frequently (
P
<0.001). In contrast, concomitant small cortical infarcts were observed more frequently in CBZ infarct patients (
P
<0.001). Clinical deterioration during the first 7 days of admission and poor outcome after 3 months after stroke was more prevalent in IBZ infarct patients than in CBZ infarct patients (
P
=0.002 and
P
=0.003, respectively).

Conclusions—

IBZ infarcts are caused mainly by hemodynamic compromise, whereas embolic pathogenesis appears to contribute greatly to the genesis of CBZ infarcts. Patients with IBZ infarcts showed poor early and late clinical courses. Our findings suggest that different therapeutic approaches may be required to prevent early clinical deterioration in patients with different types of border-zone infarcts.
Characteristics of an “Ill-Defined” Diagnosis for Stroke
Authors: McGruder Henraya F. , Croft Janet B. , Zheng Zhi-Jie
Published: January 2006

Background and Purpose—

Rapid and accurate evaluation of stroke subtypes is crucial for optimal treatment and outcomes. This study assessed factors associated with the likelihood of an “ill-defined” diagnosis for stroke hospitalizations.

Methods—

We examined all hospital claims for stroke among Medicare beneficiaries aged ≥65 years in 2000. Stroke subtypes included hemorrhagic (International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification codes 430 to 432), ischemic (433 to 434), ill-defined (436 to 437), and late effects of cerebrovascular disease (438).

Results—

Among 445 452 hospital claims for stroke, 65.3% were ischemic, 20.9% were ill defined, 11.9% were hemorrhagic, and 1.9% were late effects of cerebrovascular disease. After controlling for age, women (odds ratio [OR],1.30; 95% CI, 1.28 to 1.32), blacks (OR, 1.31; 95% CI, 1.28 to 1.33), and Hispanics (OR, 1.27; 95% CI, 1.20 to 1.34) were more likely to receive a discharge diagnosis of ill defined compared with men and whites, respectively. Differences in age, sex, emergency room presentation, and evidence of diagnostic procedures accounted for some but not all racial disparities. In 14 states, ill-defined strokes constituted ≥25% of all stroke diagnoses.

Conclusion—

The high proportion of stroke patients who receive an ill-defined diagnosis on discharge suggests a continued need for improvements in early response and prompt evaluation of strokes. Findings of geographic, gender, and racial disparities in ill-defined stroke diagnosis warrant further investigation. Reimbursement practices and public health efforts that promote hospital stroke policies are critical to improve disease reporting as well as clinical outcomes.
Seropositivity to
Chlamydia pneumoniae
Is Associated With Risk of First Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Elkind Mitchell S.V. , Tondella Maria Lucia C. , Feikin Daniel R. , Fields Barry S. , Homma Shunichi , Di Tullio Marco R.
Published: January 2006

Background and Purpose—

Serologic evidence of infection with
Chlamydia pneumoniae
has been associated with cardiovascular disease, but its relationship with stroke risk remains uncertain. The objective of this study is to determine whether serological evidence of
C pneumoniae
infection is associated with risk of ischemic stroke.

Methods—

A population-based case-control study was performed in an urban, multiethnic population. Cases (n=246) had first ischemic stroke, and controls (n=474) matched for age, sex, and race–ethnicity were derived through random-digit dialing. Titers of
C pneumoniae
–specific IgG and IgA antibodies were measured using microimmunofluorescence, and positive titers were prospectively defined. Conditional logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% CIs adjusting for medical, behavioral, and socioeconomic factors.

Results—

Mean age among cases was 72.3±9.7 years; 50.8% were women. Elevated
C pneumoniae
IgA titers were associated with increased risk of ischemic stroke after adjusting for hypertension, diabetes mellitus, current cigarette use, atrial fibrillation, and levels of high-density lipoprotein and low-density lipoprotein (adjusted OR, 1.5; 95% CI, 1.0 to 2.2). Elevated IgG titers were not associated with stroke risk (adjusted OR, 1.2; 95% CI, 0.8 to 1.8). There was a trend toward an association of elevated IgA titers with atherosclerotic and lacunar stroke but less so cardioembolic or cryptogenic subtypes.

Conclusions—

Serologic evidence of
C pneumoniae
infection is associated with ischemic stroke risk. IgA titers may be a better marker of risk than IgG. This association is independent of other stroke risk factors and is present for atherosclerotic, lacunar, and cardioembolic subypes. Further studies of the effect of
C pneumoniae
on stroke risk are warranted.
Making Time for Change
Authors: Bates Stephen R.
Published: January 2006

Change is central to critical realism yet there has been little theoretical explication on the temporal dimension. It is shown that this oversight results in Archer's morphogenetic approach employing an ontological dualism of cyclical and linear temporalities similar to that contained within Giddens’ structuration theory. Consequently, neither Archer nor Giddens is able to explain change and the transition between different epochs in a persuasive manner. In order to minimize these problems, Adam's concept of circadiantime is adopted.This allows for a diachronic analysis that synchronically incorporates both continuity and change. Accordingly, it is able to transcend the temporal dualism of repetition and transformation.This temporal conceptualization is then incorporated within a critical realist framework. It is suggested that employing a double helix analogy allows for the integration of the notion of a stratified social ontology with a non-dichotomous temporal conceptualization.
Identity in Focus
Authors: Munday Jennie
Published: January 2006

This article explores the use of focus groups as a method for investigating the construction of collective identity. Questions of collective identity are particularly pertinent to social movement theory and the methodologies developed by Touraine and Melucci for studying social movements are used as a starting point to inform the use of the focus group method.The research, conducted with members of the Women's Institute (WI), demonstrates how focus groups can be developed in a manner which overcomes the problems associated with Touraine and Melucci's methods. It involved rejecting generally held assumptions as to how this method should be used, and highlighting the crucial importance of analysing data generated by focus groups for both process and content. The article argues that the use of focus groups provides a robust and flexible method which possesses distinct characteristics that make it particularly suited to researching the construction of collective identity, and, consequently, for advancing the understanding of social movements.
Fathers’ and Mothers’ Work and Family Issues as Related to Internalizing and Externalizing Behavior of Children Attending Day Care
Authors: Hart Margaret S. , Kelley Michelle L.
Published: January 2006

Relationships between work and family variables and children’s internalizing and externalizing behavior are examined in 132 dual-earner couples of preschool-age children. Mothers’ and fathers’ parenting stress and mothers’ work-family conflict predict children’s internalizing behavior; mothers’ work-family conflict, mothers’ and fathers’ parenting stress, the number of hours fathers’ worked, and mothers’ beliefs about father involvement predict externalizing symptoms in children. Results are discussed in terms of the importance of mothers’ and fathers’ work and family issues for children’s behavior.
The Parent-Child Relationship and Opportunities for Adolescents’ First Sex
Authors: Regnerus Mark D. , Luchies Laura B.
Published: January 2006

The present study considers the influence of the parent-child relationship on adolescent virginity status using data from two waves of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. The authors examine how adolescents’ perceptions of the quality of their parent-child relationships—and the varying levels of parental involvement in their lives—influences the likelihood of first sex among a sample of adolescent virgins living in biologically intact, two-parent families. The authors pose and test a conceptual model linking parent-child relationships to first sex via diminished actual and cognitive opportunities for sex. The results indicate that girls who enjoy a close relationship with their father are less likely to report first sex between study waves. No comparable direct relationship appeared for boys or with the mother-child relationship. Actual and cognitive opportunities—including dating and anticipation of guilt—corresponded with diminished likelihood of first sex and appeared to mediate the direct effect of the father-daughter relationship.
Adult Daughters’ Family Structure and the Association Between Reciprocity and Relationship Quality
Authors: Schwarz Beate
Published: January 2006

The study explores whether family structure is a moderator of the associations between help exchange, reciprocity of this exchange, and the quality of the mother and adult daughter relationship. A total of 183 daughters (mean age = 42.13; SD = 4.91) are either in first marriage ( n = 87), living with a new partner after divorce ( n = 77), or unmarried or divorced in a single-parent household ( n = 99). The analyses are based on the daughters’ self-reports. Results show that intimacy in a relationship is more strongly associated with help exchange for daughters in first marriage than for both groups of divorced daughters. Among daughters who perceive that they give more help than they receive, only the single daughters report more conflict. Findings point to a higher importance of balance in support for single daughters.
Recycling of iron foundry sand and glass waste as raw material for production of whiteware
Authors: Bragança Saulo R. , Vicenzi Juliane , Guerino Kareline , Bergmann Carlos P.
Published: January 2006

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the production feasibility of triaxial whiteware using sand from cast iron moulds as a raw material instead of silica, and recycled glass in place of feldspar. Formulations were prepared using sand, glass waste, and white-firing clay such that only 50% of the composition was virgin material (clay). The ceramic bodies were formed by pressing and fired at different temperatures (between 1100 and 1300°C). Specimens were characterized in terms of green density prior to firing; and their flexural strength, linear shrinkage, and water absorption were measured after firing. The microstructure was determined by scanning electron microscopy. Possible environmental impacts of this recycling process were also evaluated, through solubility and leaching tests, according to Brazilian standards. Gaseous emissions during the firing process were also analysed. The results showed that it is possible to produce triaxial ceramics by using such alternative raw materials.
Assessment of the use of spent copper slag for land reclamation
Authors: Lim Teik-Thye , Chu J.
Published: January 2006

The shortage of waste landfill space for waste disposal and the high demand for fill materials for land reclamation projects in Singapore have prompted a study on the feasibility of using spent copper slag as fill material in land reclamation. The physical and geotechnical properties of the spent copper slag were first assessed by laboratory tests, including hydraulic conductivity and shear strength tests. The physical and geotechnical properties were compared with those of conventional fill materials such as sands. The potential environmental impacts associated with the use of the spent copper slag for land reclamation were also evaluated by conducting laboratory tests including pH and Eh measurements, batch-leaching tests, acid neutralization capacity determination, and monitoring of long-term dissolution of the material. The spent copper slag was slightly alkaline, with pH 8.4 at a solid: water ratio of 1: 1. The batch-leaching test results show that the concentrations of the regulated heavy metals leached from the material at pH 5.0 were significantly lower than the maximum concentrations for their toxicity limits referred by US EPA’s Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP). It was also found that the material is unlikely to cause significant change in the redox condition of the subsurface environment over a long-term period. In terms of physical and geotechnical properties, the spent copper slag is a good fill material. In general, the spent copper slag is suitable to be used as a fill material for land reclamation.
An assessment of the current and future options for domestic waste management in Kaunas, Lithuania
Authors: Wade Andreas , Denafas Gintaras , Račys Viktoras , Rimaityte Ingrida , Povilaitytė Renata
Published: January 2006

The main purpose of this study was to carry out a retrospective analysis of solid waste generation in Kaunas city from 1994 to 2003 and to calculate the theoretical waste generation in the future. This paper also presents measurements of the annual variations of waste amounts and calculations on a theoretical waste incineration facility. Two waste treatment scenarios were considered.

•Scenario A: waste deposit at the landfill with ‘implementation of domestic waste separation and recycling’.

•Scenario B: waste removal to a landfill with ‘multi-treatment: household separation, recycling and energetic recovery’.

Three levels of waste treatment were proposed. The first level was implementation of the recycling system, which included household waste separation. The next step involved mechanical-biological treatment. The third level was the construction and operation of a new waste incineration plant in Kaunas. Two sites in Kaunas city were proposed; however, more detailed analysis, including the economic factors, will need to be done.
The use of respiration indices in the composting process: a review
Authors: Gómez Raquel Barrena , Lima Felicitas Vázquez , Ferrer Antoni Sánchez
Published: January 2006

Respiration is directly related to the metabolic activity of a microbial population. Micro-organisms respire at higher rates in the presence of large amounts of bioavailable organic matter while respiration rate is slower if this type of material is scarce. In the composting process respiration activity has become an important parameter for the determination of the stability of compost. It is also used for the monitoring of the composting process and it is considered an important factor for the estimation of the maturity of the material. A wide range of respirometric protocols has been reported based either on CO2 production, O2 uptake or release of heat. The most common methods are those based on O2 uptake. Respirometric assays are affected by a number of parameters including temperature, humidity, and both incubation and pre-incubation conditions. Results from respirometries are generally expressed as ‘respiration indices’, most of them with their own units and basis. In consequence, some confusion exists when referring and comparing respiration indices. This is particularly important because current and future legislations define and measure the biological stability of waste on the basis of respiration activity of the material. This paper discusses and compares most common respiration indices currently used.
Unsaturated consolidation theory for the prediction of long-term municipal solid waste landfill settlement
Authors: Liu Chia-Nan , Chen Rong-Her , Chen Kuo-Sheng
Published: January 2006

The understanding of long-term landfill settlement is important for landfill design and rehabilitation. However, suitable models that can consider both the mechanical and bio-decomposition mechanisms in predicting the long-term landfill settlement are generally not available. In this paper, a model based on unsaturated consolidation theory and considering the biodegradation process is introduced to simulate the landfill settlement behaviour. The details of problem formulations and the derivation of the solution for the formulated differential equation of gas pressure are presented. A step-by-step analytical procedure employing this approach for estimating settlement is proposed. The proposed model can generally model the typical features of short-term and long-term behaviour. The proposed model also yields results that are comparable with the field measurements.
Predictive Model of Listeria Monocytogenes’ Growth Rate Under Different Temperatures and Acids
Authors: Carrasco E. , García-Gimeno R. , Seselovsky R. , Valero A. , Pérez F. , Zurera G. , Todd E.
Published: January 2006

A response surface model of Listeria monocytogenes’ growth rate was built in this study under different temperatures (10 °C, 15 °C, 20 °C, 25 °C and 30 °C) and acid concentrations: citric acid (0–0.4%) and ascorbic acid (0–0.4%); two ingredients which are often used in the food industry as preservatives. Mathematical validation was performed with additional samples at different conditions within the range of the model, obtaining acceptable values of root mean square error (0.0466), standard error of prediction (18.84%), bias factor (1.05) and accuracy factor (1.16). The inhibitory effect on growth was more effective with citric acid than ascorbic acid, possibly due to the major dissociation of citric acid occurring inside microbial cells. The different conditions considered in the model will potentially allow L. monocytogenes’ response to be predicted in foods having a similar composition to the chemical and physical factors set out in this paper.
Comparative Survival Rates of Lactic Acid Bacteria Isolated from Blood, Following Spray-drying and Freeze-drying
Authors: Zamora L. M. , Carretero C. , Parés D.
Published: January 2006

The effect of two dehydration technologies, spray-drying and freeze-drying, on the viability of 12 lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were compared. All LAB cultures had been previously isolated from porcine blood and were candidates to be used as biopreservatives in order to maintain the quality of porcine blood until further processing to obtain added-value blood derivatives is carried out. The residual viability and the reductions in microbial counts in dried LAB samples at 20 °C and 5 °C during 60-day storage were determined. Cellular damage due to freeze-drying was observed immediately after drying whereas cellular damage due to spray-drying did not become evident until the subsequent phase of storage. For most of the strains, the faster decrease in viability of spray-dried as compared to freeze-dried cultures was compensated by the higher percentage of viable cells obtained after dehydration, leading to comparable survival rates at the end of the storage period. Dehydration resulted in a good alternative to freezing at 80 °C for preservation purposes. Spray-drying has been shown to be as suitable as freeze-drying for preserving LAB strains during a 2-month storage period. Results suggest the possibility of achieving a good formulation system for the LAB strains with a high number of viable cells to be used for the industrial development of bioprotective cultures.
Mixing methods in a qualitatively driven way
Authors: Mason Jennifer
Published: January 2006

This article makes an argument for a ‘qualitatively driven’ approach to mixing methods. It focuses on the value of mixed-methods approaches for researching questions about social experience and lived realities. It suggests that ‘qualitative thinking’ is a useful starting point for mixing methods, but that it is ultimately more helpful to think in terms of multi-dimensional research strategies that transcend or even subvert the so-called qualitative-quantitative divide. Mixing methods helps us to think creatively and ‘outside the box’, to theorize beyond the micro-macro divide, and to enhance and extend the logic of qualitative explanation. Mixed-methods approaches raise challenges in reconciling different epistemologies and ontologies, and in integrating different forms of data and knowledge. The article argues that we should think more in terms of ‘meshing’ or ‘linking’ than ‘integrating’ data and method. It goes on to argue for the development of ‘multi-nodal’ dialogic explanations that allow the distinctiveness of different methods and approaches to be held in creative tension. The article concludes with a discussion of qualitatively derived principles for mixing methods.
Compounding mixed-methods problems in frame analysis through comparative research
Authors: Koenig Thomas
Published: January 2006

This article presents a novel methodological program for frame analysis of textual data and discusses its application in cross-national research. The proposed approach systematizes recent theoretical developments in frame analyses, and offers a step-by-step program for frame identification and measurement, which synthesizes the implications of aforementioned developments into a coherent methodological framework. Frames are identified with analysis techniques borrowed from sociolinguistics, discourse analysis, and dictionary-free quantitative content analysis. The results of the identification process are subsequently validated via latent class analyses of data matrices, which are obtained with the help of coding techniques that utilize computer-assisted qualitative software packages. Since more interpretative, qualitative elements of frame analysis are combined with quantitative content analysis, findings are of high conceptual validity and generalizability. Comparative broadening of the approach considerably improves the quality of the detected frames.
Multimodal ethnography
Authors: Dicks Bella , Soyinka Bambo , Coffey Amanda
Published: January 2006

Ethnographers, like other researchers, currently have a broad range of media at their disposal for conducting fieldwork, for aiding analysis and, most challengingly, for representing their completed work. These include digital media such as photographs, video film, audio-recordings, graphics and others besides. Through the computer ‘writing space’, these media can be integrated together, alongside more conventional written interpretation, into hypermedia environments. However, integration poses a number of potential problems, which this article addresses through a discussion of the semiotics of multimedia. In particular, it argues that different media can be seen to ‘afford’ different kinds of meaning. The integration of different media, therefore, has potentially significant implications for ethnography. Rather than seeing these media forms as discrete, we suggest an approach to ethnographic work which sees meaning as emerging from the fusion of differently mediated forms into new, ‘multi-semiotic’ modes. We therefore recognize the need to go beyond the current interest in visual methods, and instead to develop ways of understanding what kinds of meanings are produced in multimodal ethnographic work.
Integrating quantitative and qualitative research: how is it done?
Authors: Bryman Alan
Published: January 2006

This article seeks to move beyond typologies of the ways in which quantitative and qualitative research are integrated to an examination of the ways that they are combined in practice. The article is based on a content analysis of 232 social science articles in which the two were combined. An examination of the research methods and research designs employed suggests that on the quantitative side structured interview and questionnaire research within a cross-sectional design tends to predominate, while on the qualitative side the semi-structured interview within a cross-sectional design tends to predominate. An examination of the rationales that are given for employing a mixed-methods research approach and the ways it is used in practice indicates that the two do not always correspond. The implications of this finding for how we think about mixed-methods research are outlined.
Why do people cooperate?
Authors: Binmore Ken
Published: January 2006

Can people be relied upon to be nice to each other? Thomas Hobbes famously did not think so, but his view that rational cooperation does not require that people be nice has never been popular. The debate has continued to simmer since Joseph Butler took up the Hobbist gauntlet in 1725. This article defends the modern version of Hobbism derived largely from game theory against a new school of Butlerians who call themselves behavioral economists. It is agreed that the experimental evidence supports the claim that most people will often make small sacrifices on behalf of others and that a few will sometimes make big sacrifices, but that the larger claims made by contemporary Butlerians lack genuine support.
An immigration-pressure model of global distributive justice
Authors: Cavallero Eric
Published: January 2006

International borders concentrate opportunities in some societies while limiting them in others. Borders also prevent those in the less favored societies from gaining access to opportunities available in the more favored ones. Both distributive effects of borders are treated here within a comprehensive framework. I argue that each state should have broad discretion under international law to grant or deny entry to immigration seekers; but more favored countries that find themselves under immigration pressure should be legally obligated to fund development assistance for countries that generate immigration pressure. Funding should be subject to conditions of fair and effective use in recipient countries, and should aim at a near-term target of immigration-pressure equilibrium. Equilibrium obtains between two countries when, given appropriate background circumstances, the same proportion of individuals in each manifests a preference to migrate to the other. If meeting the equilibrium target in the short term would be to the long-term disadvantage of the worst-off countries, then a Pareto-superior alternative target supersedes. It mandates development assistance at the level that yields the most favorable human development projections for the worstoff countries. An implementable set of institutions is described that can achieve the equilibrium goal in the long term without unduly sacrificing other important ends, including economic growth, political stability, cultural integrity, the political autonomy of distinct societies, and their proper accountability for policy choices.
A desistance paradigm for offender management
Authors: McNeill Fergus
Published: January 2006

In an influential article published in the British Journal of Social Work in 1979, Anthony Bottoms and Bill McWilliams proposed the adoption of a ‘non-treatment paradigm’ for probation practice. Their argument rested on a careful and considered analysis not only of empirical evidence about the ineffectiveness of rehabilitative treatment but also of theoretical, moral and philosophical questions about such interventions. By 1994, emerging evidence about the potential effectiveness of some intervention programmes was sufficient to lead Peter Raynor and Maurice Vanstone to suggest significant revisions to the ‘non-treatment paradigm’. In this article, it is argued that a different but equally relevant form of empirical evidence—that derived from desistance studies—suggests a need to re-evaluate these earlier paradigms for probation practice. This reevaluation is also required by the way that such studies enable us to understand and theorize both desistance itself and the role that penal professionals might play in supporting it. Ultimately, these empirical and theoretical insights drive us back to the complex interfaces between technical and moral questions that preoccupied Bottoms and McWilliams and that should feature more prominently in contemporary debates about the futures of ‘offender management’ and of our penal systems.
Is there life after imprisonment?
Authors: Crawley Elaine , Sparks Richard
Published: January 2006

Based on findings from a two-year study in four UK prisons, this article discusses the prison experiences and release expectations of male prisoners aged 65 and above. In terms of the prison experience, we argue that elderly men in prison often have enormous difficulties simply coping with the prison regime. In addition, most have certain painful pre-occupations, including a fear of dying in prison, the loss of familial contact, the loss of a ‘protector’ role, the loss of a respectable (non-prisoner) identity and the loss of a coherent and satisfactory life narrative. In terms of release, we argue that elderly men in prison often experience significant release and resettlement fears. Many recognize that not only are they vulnerable to assault when released (this applies particularly to those convicted of sexual offences) they also have ‘nothing to go out to’ and too little time left to ‘start over’. Using prisoners’ own accounts, we examine how elderly men in prison think about their lives during and after imprisonment.
DC-SIGN ligation on dendritic cells results in ERK and PI3K activation and modulates cytokine production
Authors: Caparrós Esther , Munoz Pilar , Sierra-Filardi Elena , Serrano-Gómez Diego , Puig-Kröger Amaya , Rodríguez-Fernández José L. , Mellado Mario , Sancho Jaime , Zubiaur Mercedes , Corbí Angel L.
Published: January 2006

The generation of pathogen-specific immune responses is dependent on the signaling capabilities of pathogen-recognition receptors. DC-SIGN is a C-type lectin that mediates capture and internalization of viral, bacterial, and fungal pathogens by myeloid dendritic cells. DC-SIGN–interacting pathogens are thought to modulate dendritic cell maturation by interfering with intracellular signaling from Toll-like receptor molecules. We report that engagement of DC-SIGN by specific antibodies does not promote dendritic cell maturation but induces ERK1/2 and Akt phosphorylation without concomitant p38MAPK activation. DC-SIGN ligation also triggers PLCγ phosphorylation and transient increases in intracellular calcium in dendritic cells. In agreement with its signaling capabilities, a fraction of DC-SIGN molecules partitions within lipid raft–enriched membrane fractions both in DC-SIGN–transfected and dendritic cells. Moreover, DC-SIGN in dendritic cells coprecipitates with the tyrosine kinases Lyn and Syk. The relevance of the DC-SIGN–initiated signals was demonstrated in monocyte-derived dendritic cells, as DC-SIGN cross-linking synergizes with TNF-α for IL-10 release and enhances the production of LPS-induced IL-10. These results demonstrate that DC-SIGN–triggered intracellular signals modulate dendritic cell maturation. Since pathogens stimulate Th2 responses via preferential activation of ERK1/2, these results provide a molecular explanation for the ability of DC-SIGN–interacting pathogens to preferentially evoke Th2-type immune responses.
Tax ubiquitylation and sumoylation control critical cytoplasmic and nuclear steps of NF-κB activation
Authors: Nasr Rihab , Chiari Estelle , El-Sabban Marwan , Mahieux Renaud , Kfoury Youmna , Abdulhay Maher , Yazbeck Victor , Hermine Olivier , de Thé Hugues , Pique Claudine , Bazarbachi Ali
Published: January 2006

The Tax oncoprotein plays a crucial role in the proliferation and transformation of human T-cell leukemia virus type I (HTLV-I)–infected T lymphocytes through various mechanisms, including activation of the nuclear factor (NF)–κB pathway. We found that cytoplasmic ubiquitylation of Tax C-terminal lysines is critical for Tax binding to the IkappaB kinase complex and subsequent nuclear translocation of RelA. Conversely, we demonstrate that the same lysines are sumoylated in the nucleus, an event required for the formation of RelA/p300-enriched Tax nuclear bodies and full NF-κB transcriptional activation. In contrast, Tax ubiquitylation and sumoylation are dispensable for its activation of cyclic adenosine monophosphate response element binding protein (CREB)–dependent genes. Thus, ubiquitylation and sumoylation of the same residues of Tax regulate 2 essential steps controlling NF-κB activation, demonstrating how these posttranslational modifications can cooperate to promote Tax-induced transformation.
Ligand-induced internalization selects use of common receptor neuropilin-1 by VEGF165 and semaphorin3A
Authors: Narazaki Masashi , Tosato Giovanna
Published: January 2006

Neuropilin-1 (Npn-1) is a receptor shared by class 3 semaphorins and heparin-binding forms of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), protein families that regulate endothelial and neuronal-cell function. Ligand interaction with Npn-1 dictates the choice of signal transducer; plexins transduce semaphorin signals, and VEGF receptors transduce VEGF signals. It is not clear how class 3 semaphorins affect endothelial-cell function and how the shared receptor Npn-1 selects its ligand. We report that semaphorin3A (Sema3A) inhibits endothelial-cell lamellipodia formation, adhesion, survival, proliferation, and cord formation. VEGF165, but not VEGF121, could block all these effects of Sema3A. VEGF165 competed with Sema3A for binding to endothelial cells, effectively reduced cell-surface Npn-1, and promoted its internalization. Use of soluble forms of Npn-1 or VEGF receptor-1 to block VEGF165 binding to Npn-1 or to VEGF receptors provided evidence that surface Npn-1 and VEGF receptors are required for VEGF165-induced Npn-1 internalization. Sema3A also reduced cell-surface Npn-1 in endothelial cells and promoted its internalization, but required a higher concentration than VEGF165. These results demonstrate that preferential receptor binding and internalization by a ligand are mechanisms by which the common receptor Npn-1 can play an essential role in prioritizing conflicting signals.
Switching of NR5A Proteins Associated with the Inhibin α-Subunit Gene Promoter after Activation of the Gene in Granulosa Cells
Authors: Weck Jennifer , Mayo Kelly E.
Published: January 2006

The inhibin α-subunit gene is transcriptionally activated by FSH in ovarian granulosa cells during follicular growth. We have investigated the roles of the NR5A family nuclear receptors steroidogenic factor 1 (SF-1) and liver receptor homolog 1 (LRH-1) in transcriptional activation of the inhibin α-subunit gene. Transfection assays using an inhibin α-subunit promoter reporter in GRMO2 granulosa cells show that LRH-1 and SF-1 act similarly to increase promoter activity, and that the activity of both transcription factors is augmented by the coactivators cAMP response element-binding protein-binding protein and steroid receptor coactivator 1. However, chromatin immunoprecipitation experiments illustrate differential dynamic association of LRH-1 and SF-1 with the α-subunit inhibin promoter in both primary cells and the GRMO2 granulosa cell line such that hormonal stimulation of transcription results in an apparent replacement of SF-1 with LRH-1. Transcriptional stimulation of the inhibin α-subunit gene is dependent on MAPK kinase activity, as is the dynamic association/disassociation of SF-1 and LRH-1 with the promoter. Inhibition of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase signaling pathway influences promoter occupancy and transcriptional activation by SF-1 but not LRH-1, suggesting a possible mechanistic basis for the distinct functions of these NR5A proteins in inhibin α-subunit gene regulation.
Lake Rudolf as an Iconic Geographic Space in East Africa
Authors: Imperato Pascal James
Published: January 2006

Iconic geographic spaces come into being because they are unique and offer opportunities for self-challenge and accomplishment. Lake Rudolf (Lake Turkana) in East Africa has been such an iconic space during the precolonial, colonial, and postcolonial eras. While a number of early travelers to the lake pursued objectives such as hunting, scientific inquiry, and furthering the aims of colonial powers, they also frequently derived self-satisfaction from having “reached” this iconic geographic space. An examination of some of these travelers' experiences reveals the centrality of the lake's iconic space attraction for them and how it met individual needs for self-fulfillment and accomplishment.