bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Establishment of a cell line panel as an alternative source of platelet antigens for a screening assay of anti‐human platelet antibodies
Authors: Hayashi T. , Amakishi E. , Matsuyama N. , Yasui K. , Furuta R. A. , Hori Y. , Tanaka S. , Fukumori Y. , Hirayama F. , Inoue M.
Published: January 2011

Background: A panel of platelets expressing various human platelet antigens (HPAs) for a platelet antibody screening assay is difficult to prepare because some antigens are rarely expressed. Therefore, an alternative method without using platelets would be helpful in detecting HPA antibodies. This study describes the establishment of cell lines that stably express specific HPAs and their application for detecting specific antibodies.

Methods: Wild‐type β3, HPA‐1b, ‐6b, ‐7b and ‐7 variant cDNA as well as wild‐type αIIb and HPA‐3b cDNA were individually co‐transduced with wild‐type αIIb and β3 cDNA in the K562 cell line. We performed an immunobead monoclonal antibody immobilisation of platelet antigens (MAIPA) assay to evaluate this cell line panel for antibody detection using identified sera containing HPA antibodies, whose specificities had been determined by the mixed passive haemagglutination test.

Results and Conclusion: Of the 12 sera containing HPA‐1a (n = 2), HPA‐3a (n = 6), HPA‐6b (n = 3) or HPA‐7 variant (n = 1) antibodies, all antibodies were detected and determined by our new method, except for two HPA‐3a antibodies. One of the two antibodies was also negative for conventional platelet MAIPA, suggesting that the cell line panel might be used as an alternative source of platelet antigens in the MAIPA assay.
Role of mitochondria in the maintenance of platelet function during in vitro storage
Authors: Hayashi T. , Tanaka S. , Hori Y. , Hirayama F. , Sato E. F. , Inoue M.
Published: January 2011

Aims/Objectives: Platelets undergo structural and biochemical alterations during in vitro storage and these are collectively called platelet storage lesions (PSL). The mitochondrion is an important cell organelle involved not only in energy production but also in the regulation of cellular functions and viability. This implies that some platelet functions may be regulated by mitochondria; hence, preservation of mitochondrial functions may be important for the maintenance of platelet quality in stored platelet concentrates (PCs). This work describes the effects of various compounds on mitochondrial functions important for the maintenance of platelet quality in in vitro stored PCs.

Methods: PCs were stored at 22 °C with gentle agitation in the presence or absence of 2,4‐dinitrophenol, antimycin A, acetyl‐l‐carnitine and ascorbic acid. The effects of these products on platelet quality were assessed by analysing glucose and lactate concentrations, pH of the storage medium, shape of the platelets, mitochondrial membrane potential and depolarisation, surface expression of CD62P and collagen‐induced platelet aggregation.

Results: 2,4‐Dinitrophenol and antimycin A increased PSL levels, whereas acetyl‐l‐carnitine reduced the level of changes in pH and mitochondrial depolarisation. Ascorbic acid in the storage medium resulted in improved levels of collagen‐induced platelet aggregation. However, none of the examined reagents suppressed CD62P expression in platelets.

Conclusions: These results suggest that preservation of mitochondrial function is fundamental, but not fully sufficient, for the maintenance of platelet in vitro quality during storage. Further research is necessary to develop methods for preserving both mitochondrial and platelet functions in in vitro stored PCs.
Sebaceous adenitis in Havanese dogs: a retrospective study of the clinical presentation and incidence
Authors: Frazer Megan M. , Schick Anthea E. , Lewis Thomas P. , Jazic Edward
Published: January 2011

Sebaceous adenitis is a suspected immune‐mediated disease that targets and destroys sebaceous glands. This retrospective study evaluated the clinical presentation and incidence of sebaceous adenitis in Havanese dogs. Sebaceous adenitis was diagnosed in 35% (12 of 34) of Havanese dogs presented over a 5‐year period. Onset of clinical signs occurred during young adulthood. Follicular casts were present in 92% (11 of 12) of affected dogs. Other common clinical signs included alopecia and hypotrichosis. The trunk, head and ears were commonly affected, with 67% (8 of 12) of cases having pinnal and/or external ear canal involvement. Secondary pyoderma was seen in 42% (5 of 12) of dogs. Histopathology revealed absent sebaceous glands in 83% (10 of 12) and a lymphoplasmacytic periadnexal infiltrate in 92% (11 of 12) of samples. Treatment included multiple modalities. Ciclosporin was prescribed in 83% (10 of 12) of cases. Other systemic therapies included vitamin A and fatty acid supplementation. Topical therapies included antiseborrhoeic shampoos and sprays, and oil soaks. Follow‐up ranging from 2 months to 3 years was obtained in 67% (8 of 12) of dogs. Improvement ranged from minimal to marked, with better clinical response associated with longer duration of treatment. Owners with follow‐up of more than 1 year commonly reported occasional flares of the clinical signs. This study found that sebaceous adenitis was a common diagnosis in Havanese dogs, that the ears were commonly affected and that a lymphoplasmacytic periadnexal infiltrate associated with absent sebaceous glands was frequently seen on dermatohistopathological examination.
MORPHOMETRY FOR MICROVESSELS IN EARLY GASTRIC CANCER BY NARROW BAND IMAGING‐EQUIPPED MAGNIFYING ENDOSCOPY
Authors: ARAKI YASUMITU , SASAKI YOSHIHIRO , HANABATA NORIHIRO , YOSHIMURA TETSURO , SAWAYA MANABU , HADA RYUKICHI , FUKUDA SHINSAKU
Published: January 2011

Background and Aim:  Microvascular architecture is a variable characterizing early gastric cancer (EGC) against the background. The aims of the present study were to measure morphological variables of the microvessels and to compare the variables between EGC and the background.

Methods:  Narrow band imaging (NBI)‐equipped magnifying endoscopic pictures from 32 patients with EGC were used. The endoscopic pictures were taken under maximal magnification and processed for the microvessels in an in‐focus area after correction of image distortion. The segmented microvessels were numbered for microvessel density (counts/mm2) and vascular bed area (% ratio of vascular bed against the region of interest). The microvessels were further processed for a set of skeletonized pixels to count the characteristic points, including end‐points, crossing points, branching points and connecting points.

Results:  Microvessels in cancer were found to have a significantly larger connected point number (20.5 ± 6.1, P = 0.0002) than those in the background (17.4 ± 3.9). Numbers of the end‐points and branching points were found to be significantly larger in cancer than in the background (end‐points 3.6 ± 0.7 for cancer vs 3.3 ± 0.4 for background, P = 0.0005; branching points 0.8 ± 0.4 for cancer vs 0.7 ± 0.2 for background, P = 0.0014). However, microvessel density, vascular bed area and mean diameter did not significantly differ between cancer and the background.

Conclusion:  This finding can be considered to reflect the reported observation of an irregular vascular pattern in gastric cancer. This method may provide a means for microvessel morphometry, regardless of the organ studied.
Vaginal reconstruction using no grafts with evidence of squamous epithelialization in neovaginal vault: A simple approach
Authors: Marzieh Ghafarnejad , Soodabeh Darvish , Narges Izadi‐mood , Saghar Samimi‐sade , Sara Esmaeili
Published: January 2011

Aim:  To present a simple approach for vaginal reconstruction, without lining of the neovagina by means of any grafts.

Methods:  This was an observational prospective cohort study. Twenty‐five patients with a known diagnosis of vaginal agenesis were enrolled in this study between 2003 and 2009. All patients underwent vaginoplasty in which the McIndoe procedure was used with no grafts. Then we assessed vaginal depth, quality of life, sexual function, self‐image and surgical complications with an interview, examination and by filling in the standard questionnaires in regards to the outcome of the surgery. Moreover, punch biopsy was taken from the neovagina at 3–12 months after surgery and the histology of samples was evaluated to determine squamous epithelialization of the neovagina.

Results:  Most of the patients in our study were satisfied with the outcome of surgery due to few complications. Moreover, punch biopsy after vaginal reconstruction determined complete epithelialization of the neovagina in six out of seven patients.

Conclusions:  The procedure described here offers patients a near‐normal vagina with a simple, less invasive, low‐cost procedure that provides squamous epithelialization of the neovaginal vault.
Ovarian carcinoma complicated by sigmoid colon fistula formation: A case report and review of the literature
Authors: Yahagi Namiko , Kobayashi Yoichi , Ohara Tatsuru , Suzuki Nao , Kiguchi Kazushige , Ishizuka Bunpei
Published: January 2011

Formation of a fistula to a digestive organ is an extremely rare phenomenon in cases of ovarian carcinoma. We report a case of ovarian clear‐cell carcinoma complicated by formation of a sigmoid colon fistula, and review the related literature.

A 61‐year‐old woman, who had undergone hysterectomy and right salpingo‐oophorectomy due to myoma and an ovarian tumor, developed bloody bowel discharge and abdominal distention. Computed tomography revealed a huge pelvic tumor with a thickened wall and internal gas. As the patient also had severe anemia and peritonitis, emergency laparotomy was performed, and intraoperatively it was noted that the tumor was tightly attached to the sigmoid colon, and contained bloody pus. Left salpingo‐oophorectomy was performed and pathological examination of the specimen revealed fistula formation between the ovarian tumor and the sigmoid colon. The tumor was diagnosed as left ovarian clear‐cell carcinoma, but no diverticulum or direct tumor invasion was evident around the fistula. The patient was given chemotherapy with paclitaxel and carboplatin, and she is now doing well after 9 months with no evidence of tumor recurrence. Although fistulation to the digestive tract is very rare in cases of ovarian cancer, it must be diagnosed and treated promptly because severe inflammation can make it potentially life‐threatening.
Minilaparotomy hysterectomy: A worthwhile alternative
Authors: Mahendru Rajiv , Malik Savita , Mittal Amit , Sekhon Parneet K. , Malik Nishita , Anand Mahendru Tina
Published: January 2011

Aim:  To report the clinical merits and usefulness of minilaparotomy hysterectomy in comparison to the traditional abdominal approach.

Material and Methods:  A comparative study to review perioperative and postoperative outcomes and complications was conducted in 98 patients undergoing abdominal hysterectomy through Pfannenstiel incision for benign gynecological disease or pre‐invasive pathology. Fifty of these patients (Group I) underwent hysterectomy by minilaparotomy approach (≤5 cm incision) and 48 patients (Group II) had standard/conventional methodology (>6 cm incision).

Results:  Though there were no statistically significant differences between the patients' profile as well as the size and weight of the removed uterus in the two groups, the mean operating time was 41.3 min in Group I and 77.5 min in Group II (P < 0.01) and the mean postoperative hospital stay of 3.1 days in Group I was significantly lower than in Group II patients (5.4 days), P < 0.01. There was no major complication or mortality in either of the groups and the composite morbidity encountered was 4% versus 33.33% in Groups I and II, respectively. Two of the patients in Group II required blood transfusion whereas none of the patients in Group I had estimated blood loss over 500 mL.

Conclusion:  Minilaparotomy hysterectomy through ≤5 cm Pfannenstiel incision provides an appealing, effective, expeditious, minimal access and less invasive cost‐effective option/alternative to the traditional abdominal approach obviating the need for any additional expensive equipment and, above all, improves upon the perioperative outcome, notwithstanding, whatsoever, on the quality of surgery.
Spontaneous uterine rupture in the 33rd week of IVF pregnancy after laparoscopically assisted enucleation of uterine adenomatoid tumor
Authors: Yazawa Hiroyuki , Endo Sumiko , Hayashi Syoutaro , Suzuki Satoshi , Ito Akiko , Fujimori Keiya
Published: January 2011

Although a uterine leiomyomectomy or adenomyomectomy is an accepted procedure to treat symptoms such as dysmenorrhea or hypermenorrhea to enhance fertility, the risk of future uterine rupture is a major concern for patients who become pregnant following these surgery. Although uterine rupture very rarely occurs, this is the most feared complication in pregnancy and is associated with a high rate of maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality.

A 37‐year‐old nulliparous woman had a 2‐year history of infertility. A transvaginal ultrasound revealed multiple uterine tumors that resembled leiomyomas on the posterior and fundal walls of the uterine body. After the patient had three failed in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer treatments, the uterine tumor was enucleated, and pathologically diagnosed as an adenomatoid tumor. Five months after the operation, the patient became pregnant as a result of a fourth in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer. At the 33rd week of gestation, she complained of a sudden onset of abdominal pain. The patient was diagnosed with a ruptured uterus based on an ultrasound, and an emergency cesarean section was performed. The rupture occurred at the site of the operation scar on the posterior wall of the uterine body. The fetal legs extruded into the abdominal cavity from the uterine cavity but were enclosed within the unruptured chorioamniotic membrane. A male neonate (1956 g) was delivered without asphyxia and had Apgar scores of 8 and 9. The ruptured uterine wall could be repaired by suturing. To our knowledge, this is the first case report of uterine rupture during pregnancy after resection of an adenomatoid tumor in the uterine body.
Rare case of hemolytic death of the newborn due to anti‐hr0 and anti‐e
Authors: Gong Yunhui , Ai Ying , Zhou Rong
Published: January 2011

Anti‐hr0 antibody is a rare Rh blood‐type antibody. Anti‐hr0 antibody can cause serious neonatal hemolysis. Herein we report a RhEe(‐) gravida with anti‐hr0 and anti‐e antibodies. Such a blood group has not been reported in China.
The yeast Wickerhamomyces anomalus (Pichia anomala) inhabits the midgut and reproductive system of the Asian malaria vector Anopheles stephensi
Authors: Ricci Irene , Damiani Claudia , Scuppa Patrizia , Mosca Michela , Crotti Elena , Rossi Paolo , Rizzi Aurora , Capone Aida , Gonella Elena , Ballarini Patrizia , Chouaia Bessem , Sagnon N' fale , Esposito Fulvio , Alma Alberto , Mandrioli Mauro , Sacchi Luciano , Bandi Claudio , Daffonchio Daniele , Favia Guido
Published: January 2011

While symbiosis between bacteria and insects has been thoroughly investigated in the last two decades, investments on the study of yeasts associated with insects have been limited. Insect‐associated yeasts are placed on different branches of the phylogenetic tree of fungi, indicating that these associations evolved independently on several occasions. Isolation of yeasts is frequently reported from insect habitats, and in some cases yeasts have been detected in the insect gut and in other organs/tissues. Here we show that the yeast Wickerhamomyces anomalus, previously known as Pichia anomala, is stably associated with the mosquito Anopheles stephensi, a main vector of malaria in Asia. Wickerhamomyces anomalus colonized pre‐adult stages (larvae L1–L4 and pupae) and adults of different sex and age and could be isolated in pure culture. By a combination of transmission electron microscopy and fluorescent in situ hybridization techniques, W. anomalus was shown to localize in the midgut and in both the male and female reproductive systems, suggesting multiple transmission patterns.
Ubiquity of Polynucleobacter necessarius subspecies asymbioticus results from ecological diversification
Authors: Jezbera Jan , Jezberová Jitka , Brandt Ulrike , Hahn Martin W.
Published: January 2011

The subspecies Polynucleobacter necessarius asymbioticus (> 99% 16S rRNA similarity) has a cosmopolitan distribution and a ubiquitous occurrence in lentic freshwater habitats. We tested if the observed ubiquity of these free‐living planktonic freshwater bacteria results from a euryoecious (generalist) adaptation of P. n. asymbioticus strains, or from ecological diversification within the subspecies. We developed a reverse line blot hybridization assay enabling the cultivation‐independent detection of 13 groups within the subspecies in environmental samples. A set of 121 lentic freshwater habitats, spanning a broad variety of habitat types (e.g. pH levels ranging from 3.8 to 8.5) was investigated for the presence of these 13 P. n. asymbioticus groups. Statistical analyses of the reverse line blot hybridization detections revealed pronounced differences in habitat preferences of several of the groups. Their preferences differed regarding pH, conductivity, dissolved organic carbon and oxygen concentration of habitats. For some groups, differences in environmental preferences resulted even in complete niche separation between them. The revealed differences in habitat preferences suggest that the previously reported ubiquity of P. n. asymbioticus results from ecological diversification within the taxon and not from generalist adaptation of strains.
Quantifying environmental reservoirs of fecal indicator bacteria associated with sediment and submerged aquatic vegetation
Authors: Badgley Brian D. , Thomas Florence I. M. , Harwood Valerie J.
Published: January 2011

Elevated concentrations of fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) in aquatic sediments and vegetation have prompted concern that environmental reservoirs of FIB disrupt the correlation between indicator organisms, pathogens and human health risks. FIB numbers, however, are typically normalized to volume of water or mass of substrate. Because these reservoirs tend to differ greatly in magnitude within and between water bodies, direct comparison between water column and benthic population sizes can be problematic. Normalization to a set volume of water or mass of substrate, e.g. cfu (100 ml)−1 or cfu (100 g)−1, can give a false picture of the relative contributions of various reservoirs to FIB numbers across the ecosystem, and of the potential for FIBs to trigger health advisories as they pass from one reservoir to another. Here, we normalized enterococci concentrations from water, sediment and submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) to land surface area (m2) to compare their relative importance in the entire system. SAV‐associated enterococci comprised only 0–18% of the entire population, even though they displayed the highest concentrations of enterococci per unit mass. The largest proportion of the enterococci population was in the water column (4–77%) or sediments (20–95%), depending on the volume of each substrate available at a site and FIB concentrations within them. Models indicated that large shifts in the relative size of FIB populations in each substrate can result from changes in per cent SAV cover, water depth and depth of sediment colonization. It follows that high concentrations of FIB in sediments or SAV do not necessarily signify large environmental reservoirs of FIB that can affect the water column. Comprehensive analyses that include FIB measurements from water, SAV and sediment normalized to land surface area offer a more balanced perspective on total FIB numbers contained in various matrices of an aquatic system.
Initial step in the catabolism of cholesterol by Mycobacterium smegmatis mc2155
Authors: Uhía I. , Galán B. , Morales V. , García J. L.
Published: January 2011

The first step in the catabolism of cholesterol, i.e. the transformation of cholesterol into cholestenone, has been investigated in Mycobacterium smegmatis. In silico analysis identified the MSMEG_1604 gene encoding a putative protein similar to the ChoD cholesterol oxidase of M. tuberculosis H37Rv (Rv3409c) and the MSMEG_5228 gene coding for a protein similar to the NAD(P)‐dependent cholesterol dehydrogenase/isomerase of Nocardia sp. The expression of the MSMEG_5228 gene was inducible by cholesterol whereas the expression of MSMEG_1604 gene was constitutive. When both genes were expressed in Escherichia coli only the MSMEG_5228 protein was active on cholesterol. The function of ChoD‐like MSMEG_1604 protein remains to be elucidated, but it does not appear to play a critical role in the mineralization of cholesterol as a MSMEG_1604‐ mutant was not affected in the production of cholestenone. However, a MSMEG_5228‐ mutant showed a drastic reduction in the synthesis of cholestenone. The finding that this mutant was still able to grow in cholesterol, allowed us to demonstrate that the cholesterol‐inducible MSMEG_5233 gene encodes an additional cholesterol dehydrogenase/isomerase similar to the AcmA dehydrogenase of Sterolibacterium denitrificans. The observation that the double MSMEG_5228‐5233‐ mutant was able to grow in cholesterol suggests that in addition to these enzymes other dehydrogenase/isomerases can also catalyse the first reaction of the cholesterol degradation pathway in M. smegmatis, which is not the limiting step of the process.
Alcohol, tobacco, marijuana and hallucinogen use in Samoan adolescents
Authors: ODDEN HAROLD L.
Published: January 2011

Introduction and Aims.Adolescent substance use has increased with globalisation, and yet few data exist from lower‐ and middle‐income countries and the Pacific Islands. This study examines the prevalence of three aspects of substance use over the past 30 days in Samoan adolescents: (i) use of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs; (ii) polysubstance use; and (iii) possible substance use problems.

Design and Methods.A survey was administered to secondary school children (n = 879) between 12 and 19 years of age at a single school in Apia, the capital of Samoa, in August 2008.

Results.There were important gender differences in substance use with boys reporting significantly higher rates of any use of each substance and polysubstance use. Boys were also three times more likely to report behaviours indicative of substance use problems. There were no significant differences in regular use of any substance with the exception of marijuana. Although the use of hallucinogens is prominent for boys and girls in the younger age group (12–15), consumption decreases with age. Boys showed substantial increases in any use of alcohol and marijuana and daily use of tobacco by age. There was also a significant increase in the number of boys reporting behaviours indicative of disordered use by age to 21% of 16‐ to 19‐year‐old boys.

Discussion and Conclusions.One of few studies on substance use in Samoa, the data provide a basis for setting priorities to address health risks posed by adolescent use and understanding the influence of rapid change.[Odden HL. Alcohol, tobacco, marijuana and hallucinogen use in Samoan adolescents.Drug Alcohol Rev2012;31:47–55]
Migration Control and Narratives of Steering
Authors: Boswell Christina
Published: January 2011

The dynamics of migration are incredibly complex, creating immense problems for governments attempting to steer immigration. These challenges are well elucidated in literature on societal steering, and especially Luhmann's analysis of the impediments to steering by the political and legal systems. Politics and the law develop highly simplifying models of the dynamics they are seeking to steer, resulting in various problems of distortion and counterproductive effects. We can see examples of this in the case of migration control, where attempts to prevent irregular labour or stay have led to numerous unintended effects. However, it is far from evident how such problems of steering can be addressed. A number of cognitive, social and political factors place pressure on policy-makers to adopt highly simplifying models of these processes. The implication is that policy interventions have a structural tendency to ‘short-circuit’ the complexity of the migratory processes they are attempting to steer.
Opportunity from Crisis? Organisational Responses to Human Trafficking in the UK
Authors: Balch Alex , Geddes Andrew
Published: January 2011

This article analyses the effects on key organisations responsible for immigration control and law enforcement of the UK's signing in March 2007 and ratification in December 2008 of the Council of Europe Convention on Action Against Trafficking in Human Beings. It shows how opportunities for organisational change and innovation arose from the 2006 crisis in the UK immigration system and also looks at how narrative constructions of the issue of human trafficking, of migration control and of public management more generally provided important frameworks for interpretation of ostensibly new and challenging issues. We show how the 2006 crisis in the immigration system caused by the ‘foreign prisoners’ scandal’ created opportunities for adaptation of existing organisational roles and narratives and for the development of new ways of working which, in turn, prompted some innovation and change in UK responses to human trafficking.
Protecting Europe and Protecting Migrants? Strategies for Managing Unauthorised Migration from Africa
Authors: Carling Jørgen , Hernández-Carretero María
Published: January 2011

This article addresses the management of unauthorised migration from Africa to Europe. We review eight policy measures and explore how they relate to prominent policy narratives, centred on security, co-operation and protection of migrants. We also examine the specific mechanisms through which the policy measures function: direct control, deterrence and dissuasion. Analysis of policy narratives helps explain the ascendance of externalised migration control, such as pre-border patrolling. Furthermore, our analysis shows how the narrative of protection can be aligned with direct control measures and constitute a double-edged sword for migrants. The text focuses on maritime migration from West Africa to Spain's Canary Islands. We draw in part on ethnographic data from fieldwork in Senegal in order to assess the impact of specific measures on the target population of prospective migrants.
Social Research and ‘Race’ Policy Framing in Britain and France
Authors: Bleich Erik
Published: January 2011

This article assesses the effect of social research on the origins and evolution of race frames and race policy-making in Britain and France. Social research can provide new ideas and information within an existing system, and in so doing, it may spur a shift in policy frames. Social research may seldom be the most important influence on policy frames or policy outcomes, but its timing, its fit with the interests of powerful actors and the ways in which it becomes institutionalised in the national political scene can increase the odds of its affecting policy trajectories and can enhance its potential for resolving the dilemmas that often accompany debates about migration and integration in contemporary Europe.
Constructing Dutch Immigrant Policy: Research–Policy Relations and Immigrant Integration Policy-Making in the Netherlands
Authors: Scholten Peter
Published: January 2011

The development of Dutch immigrant policy over the past decades has been characterised by the rise and fall of several policy frames. The role that social researchers and research institutes have played in these frame shifts has changed significantly. This article reveals that there was a clear relation between the structure of the policy-making process in the Netherlands, including the division of labour between social research and policy-makers therein, and the culture of policy-making or how immigrant integration was framed. A trend was discerned from a technocratic policy structure with a very direct role of researchers in depoliticised processes of policy-making to more engineering-like policy structures with a strong political primacy and a more selective approach to using scientific expertise for legitimating policy discourse. This article argues that these structural changes provided an important condition for the rise of a more assimilationist frame of immigrant policy in the Netherlands.
Understanding the Research–Policy Nexus in Denmark and Sweden: The Field of Migration and Integration
Authors: Jørgensen Martin Bak
Published: January 2011

This article investigates the role of expert knowledge in integration policy-making in the case of Sweden and Denmark. The two countries have developed very different integration policies and therefore provide an interesting comparison of the research–policy nexus. It is argued that social scientists play a role in the construction of policy narratives, but that their role can be very different. In Sweden, social scientists have been influential in agenda-setting and conceptual rethinking of immigrant integration policies. In Denmark social science research has been utilised in a more selective ‘pick-and-choose’ manner to legitimate government policies.
Informal Plurilateralism: The Impossibility of Multilateralism in the Steering of Migration
Authors: Oelgemöller Christina
Published: January 2011

This article introduces the idea of informal plurilateralism as a form of policy-making. I show how ideas are mooted and moulded and then filter into technocratic systems of governance at the national level, where these are normalised into the formal, public discourse. I draw on archival material to show how informal plurilateralism has crept into policy-making in international fora on migration, pushing aside more transparent processes, particularly the more openly negotiated multilateral agenda. Informal plurilateralism tends to be portrayed as a welcome addition to formal and informal multilateralism, suggesting that, on the basis of ideational affiliation, policy-makers move to extra-institutional and opaque fora to consult on problems they commonly identify, such as the perceived loss of control over immigration into Europe. Such a benign presentation obscures the closed and non-transparent nature of these negotiations.
Mahatma Gandhi and Character Education in Non‐Violence: Its Relevance in Religious Studies Today
Authors: Damm Alex
Published: January 2011

This essay presents educational principles of Mahatma Gandhi, specifically principles of character education, as a model for strengthening non‐violence in students. Its major concern is to show that Gandhi's ideal of non‐violent character education is important for university teaching in disciplines including religious studies, and that Gandhi offers methods for fostering non‐violent character, namely the teaching of world religions, service learning, and setting an example. The effectiveness of Gandhi's views, moreover, finds some support in contemporary teaching practices, including my own experiences in the classroom.
Bringing Back Bamiyan's Buddhas
Authors: JANOWSKI JAMES
Published: January 2011

abstract

Bamiyan's Buddhas, long the treasured centrepiece of Afghanistan's material culture, were blown up by the Taliban in 2001. Since then controversy has arisen regarding whether — and, if so, how — the sculptures might be resurrected. One option — possible in principle because of careful 20th century survey work — would be to reconstruct exact replicas. I argue this would be a mistake. Reconstructing the sculptures, though it might serve useful ends, is inappropriate on aesthetic, moral, and metaphysical grounds. I then consider restoration, arguing that it is appropriate on these same grounds. Unlike reconstruction, restoration stands to (partly) resuscitate the artistic, cultural, and historical value that now lies, inaccessible, in piles of rubble. And while restoration stands to achieve this worthy end, it would contribute as well to the economic and political well‐being of Afghani citizens. In short, I argue that restoring — and thereby resurrecting — Bamiyan's Buddhas, both metaphysically possible and morally appropriate, is a win‐win proposition. Afghanistan deserves our support to make this happen.
Pre‐ and perinatal predictors of startle eye blink reaction and prepulse inhibition in healthy neonates
Authors: Huggenberger Harriet J. , Suter Susanne E. , Blumenthal Terry D. , Schachinger Hartmut
Published: January 2011

The present study examined the startle eye blink reflex and prepulse inhibition (PPI) in 65 healthy term‐born neonates. Although the startle eye blink is already present at birth, some relevant neuronal structures are not fully mature. We therefore investigated the relationship between prenatal maturation and perinatal stress experience on startle eye blink and PPI. Eye blinks were evoked by unilaterally presented acoustic broadband white noise (50 ms, 95 dB, prepulse 75 dB). Startle response magnitude and percent PPI were calculated for ipsilateral and contralateral side of stimulation. Neonates exhibited stronger startle responses ipsilaterally than contralaterally, and a significant PPI. Neonates with more prenatal growth and less perinatal stress had greater startle magnitudes. Neonates with more stress had more PPI contralaterally. Results suggest that startle eye blinks may be useful as indicators of prenatal maturation and perinatal stress.
Extracellular ATP differentially modulates Toll‐like receptor 4‐mediated cell survival and death of microglia
Authors: Harada Kana , Hide Izumi , Seki Takahiro , Tanaka Shigeru , Nakata Yoshihiro , Sakai Norio
Published: January 2011

J. Neurochem. (2011) 116, 1138–1147.

The survival and death rates of inflammatory cells directly control their number and are substantially associated with the degree of inflammation. Microglia, key players in neuroinflammation, often cause excessive reactions implicated in neurological diseases. However, the mechanisms that determine microglial fate under pathological conditions remain to be elucidated. Here, we report that activation by lipopolysaccharide (LPS, a Toll‐like receptor 4 ligand), an inflammation inducer, primarily promotes survival of microglia, but as its concentration is increased it induces cell death, resulting in decreased cell number. Moreover, extracellular ATP, which is released upon tissue damage, further enhanced the survival induced by a low LPS concentration and the death induced by a high LPS concentration. The survival‐promoting effect of ATP was mimicked by non‐hydrolyzable ATP analog, adenosine 5′‐O‐(3‐thiotriphosphate), and also by the P2X7 receptor agonist, 2′(3′)‐O‐(4‐benzoylbenzoyl)adenosine 5′‐triphosphate, and was suppressed by the P2X7 antagonists, Brilliant Blue G and A 438079. On the contrary, the death of LPS‐activated microglia was not affected by adenosine 5′‐O‐(3‐thiotriphosphate), but enhanced by adenosine, ATP breakdown product. Thus, extracellular ATP modulates microglial survival and death in different ways involving P2X7 receptor activation and ATP degradation to adenosine, respectively. Such Toll‐like receptor 4/purinergic signaling may provide a fine regulatory system of neuroinflammation through modulating the microglial cell number.
Glycogen synthase kinase‐3 inhibition reduces ischemic cerebral damage, restores impaired mitochondrial biogenesis and prevents ROS production
Authors: Valerio Alessandra , Bertolotti Paola , Delbarba Andrea , Perego Carlo , Dossena Marta , Ragni Maurizio , Spano PierFranco , Carruba Michele O. , De Simoni Maria Grazia , Nisoli Enzo
Published: January 2011

J. Neurochem. (2011) 116, 1148–1159.

This study was designed to test the hypothesis that improved mitochondrial biogenesis could help reducing ischemic cerebral injury. We found that levels of proliferator‐activated receptor γ coactivator 1α and nuclear respiratory factor‐1, mitochondrial DNA content and other markers of mitochondrial biogenesis and function were reduced in primary mouse cortical neurons under oxygen‐glucose deprivation (OGD). The glycogen synthase kinase‐3 (GSK‐3) inhibitor SB216763 activated an efficient mitochondrial biogenesis program in control cortical neurons and counteracted the OGD‐mediated mitochondrial biogenesis impairment. This was accompanied by the activation of an antioxidant response that reduced mitochondrial reactive oxygen species generation and ischemic neuronal damage. The in vitro effects of SB216763 were mimicked by two other structurally unrelated GSK‐3 inhibitors. The protective effects of SB216763 on OGD‐mediated neuronal damage were abolished in the presence of diverse mitochondrial inhibitors. Finally, when systemically administered in vivo, SB216763 reduced the infarct size and recovered the loss of mitochondrial DNA in mice subjected to permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion. We conclude that GSK‐3 inhibition by SB216763 might pave the way of novel promising therapies aimed at stimulating the renewal of functional mitochondria and reducing reactive oxygen species‐mediated damage in ischemic stroke.
Racial Gaps in Child Health Insurance Coverage in Four South American Countries: The Role of Wealth, Human Capital, and Other Household Characteristics
Authors: Wehby George L. , Murray Jeffrey C. , McCarthy Ann Marie , Castilla Eduardo E.
Published: January 2011

Objective. To evaluate the extent of racial gaps in child health insurance coverage in South America and study the contribution of wealth, human capital, and other household characteristics to accounting for racial disparities in insurance coverage.

Data Sources/Study Setting. Primary data collected between 2005 and 2006 in 30 pediatric practices in Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, and Chile.

Design. Country‐specific regression models are used to assess differences in insurance coverage by race. A decomposition model is used to quantify the extent to which wealth, human capital, and other household characteristics account for racial disparities in insurance coverage.

Data Collection/Extraction Methods. In‐person interviews were conducted with the mothers of 2,365 children.

Principal Findings. The majority of children have no insurance coverage except in Chile. Large racial disparities in insurance coverage are observed. Household wealth is the single most important household‐level factor accounting for racial disparities in coverage and is significantly and positively associated with coverage, followed by maternal education and employment/occupational status. Geographic differences account for the largest part of racial disparities in insurance coverage in Argentina and Ecuador.

Conclusions. Increasing the coverage of children in less affluent families is important for reducing racial gaps in health insurance coverage in the study countries.
Getting over you: Contributions of attachment theory for postbreakup emotional adjustment
Authors: FAGUNDES CHRISTOPHER P.
Published: January 2011

This study used an attachment theoretical framework to identify factors that contribute to postbreakup emotional adjustment. Individuals who recently experienced a breakup were examined twice over a 1‐month period. Greater desire to utilize an ex‐partner as an attachment figure predicted less emotional adjustment. Higher levels of attachment anxiety were associated with less emotional adjustment immediately after the breakup. People who reflected more about the breakup exhibited less emotional adjustment immediately after the breakup compared to people who reflected less, and also less emotional adjustment over the ensuing month if they also reported more attachment anxiety. The article highlights the importance of normative attachment processes, in addition to attachment orientations and coping strategies, for understanding postbreakup adjustment.
Mediated Knowledge: Reexamining Six Classic Community Studies from a Woman's Point of View
Authors: Zimmerman Julie N.
Published: January 2011

Abstract

Six studies published in the 1940s have become classics in the analysis of rural community and change: the community stability/instability studies. One of their less recognized features is that their analyses included women. This article revisits these six studies, but from a different vantage point. As a socially constructed enterprise, the community studies can be seen as a product of human agency. Examining how these researchers saw and included women, this analysis examines the historically embedded mediating impact of the research producers' positionality on the knowledge they produced. In particular, this analysis examines how women came to be included in the studies, how these researchers interpreted women's roles, and how gendered assumptions affected the conclusions they reached regarding the communities' stability or instability.
Capillary Remodeling and Collateral Growth Without Angiogenesis After Unilateral Common Carotid Artery Occlusion in Mice
Authors: GUO HUAILIAN , ITOH YOSHIAKI , TORIUMI HARUKI , YAMADA SATOSHI , TOMITA YUTAKA , HOSHINO HARUHIKO , SUZUKI NORIHIRO
Published: January 2011

Please cite this paper as: Guo, Itoh, Toriumi, Yamada, Tomita, Hoshino and Suzuki (2011). Capillary Remodeling and Collateral Growth Without Angiogenesis After Unilateral Common Carotid Artery Occlusion in Mice. Microcirculation 18(3), 221–227.

Objective:  To clarify the mechanisms of blood flow restoration after major artery occlusion, we presented first dynamic changes in cortical vessel morphology observed through a cranial window in mice after unilateral common carotid artery (CCA) occlusion.

Methods:  The density and diameter of capillaries, as well as diameters of pial arteries, were measured by confocal laser‐scanning microscopy and fluorescent microscopy, respectively. Possible angiogenesis was evaluated by detecting any outgrowth of endothelial cells from pre‐existing vessels or intussusception in Tie2‐GFP mice.

Results:  Immediately after unilateral CCA occlusion, cerebral blood flow (CBF) index, the reciprocal of mean transit time, reduced significantly and returned to the previous level after 14 days. Repeated observation of the cortical vessels did not reveal any angiogenesis, whereas the cortical capillary diameter increased by 74% after 14 days. The anterior cerebral artery (ACA) and collateral vessels connecting ACA and middle cerebral artery also dilated significantly. The capillary dilatation to the size of arteriole in the settings of collateral growth and CBF restoration suggested capillary remodeling.

Conclusions:  Our results indicate that capillary remodeling, pial artery dilatation and collateral growth without angiogenesis are sufficient mechanisms to restore normal cerebral blood flow after unilateral CCA occlusion.
Listening to Kamagasaki
Authors: Novak David
Published: January 2011

Keywords:
commentary, Japan, soundscape, urban, music, labor, homeless
The Untidy Reality of Complaints About Music: Reexamining the Power Relations of Sonic Disputes
Authors: Sewald Ronda L
Published: January 2011

Keywords:
commentary, soundscapes, music, noise complaints, advertising, loudspeakers, power structures
Andalusi Music as a Circulatory Practice
Authors: Glasser Jonathan
Published: January 2011

Keywords:
commentary, music, circulation, Andalusi, North Africa, genre, revival
Listening Against Soundscapes
Authors: Helmreich Stefan
Published: January 2011

Keywords:
commentary, soundscape, anthropology of sound, listening, immersion, transduction
Losing Sound: The Threat to Local Musics and Global Musical Diversity
Authors: Grant Catherine
Published: January 2011

Keywords:
commentary, intangible cultural heritage, musical tradition, endangered culture, language endangerment, cultural maintenance
Lessons from the Art of an Egg: The Ethics of Sound in the Osama bin Laden Audiotape Collection
Authors: Miller Flagg
Published: January 2011

Keywords:
commentary, sound, ethics, Islam, terrorism, media, culinary, cooking, soundscape
A Little Village
Authors: Snyder Corinna
Published: January 2011

Keywords:
field notes, Bulgarian folk song, malo selo, music
Sounding [the] Ethical
Authors: Shelemay Kay Kaufman
Published: January 2011

Liam Frink is contributing editor of “Ethical Currents,” the AAA Committee on Ethics column in Anthropology News.

Keywords:
ethical currents, ethnomusicology, sound, ethical sound
Evaluation of Match Criteria Used for the Comparison of Refractive Index of Glass Fragments*,†,‡,§
Authors: Garvin Elizabeth J. , Koons Robert D.
Published: January 2011

Abstract:  For comparative glass examinations, the refractive indices (RIs) of recovered glass fragments are often compared to a test interval defined by measurements from a broken glass object. RI measurements from five modern float glasses were used via resampling to assess the frequencies of false exclusion errors for eight test criteria as functions of the number of measurements. The test criteria were based on ranges, fixed intervals, and multiples of standard deviations of the known source measurements. The observed error rates for the eight tests studied are between zero and c. 35%, depending upon the match criteria, the number of measurements, and the RI distribution for a glass source. The results of this study can be used to predict the false exclusion rate for a test criterion under a given set of conditions or to select test criteria that result in a desired error rate for these typical sheet glasses.
Sex Estimation in Forensic Anthropology: Skull Versus Postcranial Elements
Authors: Spradley M. Katherine , Jantz Richard L.
Published: January 2011

Abstract: When the pelvis is unavailable, the skull is widely considered the second best indicator of sex. The goals of this research are to provide an objective hierarchy of sexing effectiveness of cranial and postcranial elements and to test the widespread notion that the skull is superior to postcranial bones. We constructed both univariate and multivariate discriminant models using data from the Forensic Anthropology Data Bank. Discriminating effectiveness was assessed by cross‐validated classification, and in the case of multivariate models, MahalanobisD2. The results clearly indicate that most postcranial elements outperform the skull in estimating sex. It is possible to correctly sex 88–90% of individuals with joint size, up to 94% with multivariate models of the postcranial bones. The best models for the cranium do not exceed 90%. We conclude that postcranial elements are to be preferred to the cranium for estimating sex when the pelvis is unavailable.
The Use of Orthopedic Surgical Devices for Forensic Identification*
Authors: Wilson Rebecca J. , Bethard Jonathan D. , DiGangi Elizabeth A.
Published: January 2011

Abstract:  Surgically implanted devices have become increasingly common in modern skeletal material. Therefore, having the knowledge of the variety of implanted orthopedic devices, their manufacturer, and where to find and how to use identifying numbers in such implants can assist in the identification process when traditional methods are not applicable. Orthopedic device manufacturers are required by the Safe Medical Devices Act of 1990 and the FDA Modernization Act of 1997 to track permanently implanted devices. Manufacturer information on orthopedic devices associates the orthopedic surgeon who implanted the device with the patient. By providing a current list of the most common orthopedic device manufacturers in the U.S.A. and the associated contact information, investigators will have updated tools for the individuation process. Despite numerous complicating factors regarding how device data are tracked, the information presented here can assist forensic professionals with obtaining presumptive and/or positive identifications.