bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Popular Culture and Body Politics: Beauty Writers in Contemporary China
Authors: Lu Sheldon H.
Published: February 2008

This essay is a study of a group of women writers who emerged on the Chinese literary scene in the late 1990s and the turn of the twenty-first century. They have been called beauty writers (meinü zuojia), referring to the authors themselves being beautiful women. Their writings are characterized by an unabashed, unprecedented foregrounding of female sexuality. While their novels were censored by the state now and then, they circulate on the Internet and contribute to the formation of China's booming Internet literature. The initial core group of beauty writers has made a large impact on other aspiring female writers eager to explore and expose their sensuality and sexuality. The parading and pandering of female subjectivity via a body politics have become a major literary fad in contemporary mainland China.
Religion, Meaning, and Identity in Women's Writing
Authors: Fox-Genovese Elizabeth
Published: February 2008

This text of Elizabeth Fox-Genovese's is published posthumously in the context of pieces dedicated to her memory. It is unclear whether she intended it for eventual publication or whether she had intended it as a lecture; nor is there decisive evidence for a date of composition. In it, she reviews the stance of feminist literary criticism toward religion and finds it to be generally negative. She regrets that feminist critics see in religion mostly a means of subordinating women to men, given that most of the writers whose work they explicate were themselves fervently religious. She then examines the feminization of religion in nineteenth-century America and the growing idea at the time of female moral stewardship. After examining the contrasting approaches taken to the process of feminization by Harriet Beecher Stowe and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Fox-Genovese then takes as her main case Augusta Jane Evans's novels Beulah and St. Elmo. She argues that feminist critics, in concentrating on questions about the marriage or independence of Evans's characters miss Evans's central concern, which was the loss and recovery of her characters' faith. The feminist critics (given their hostility to religion) misunderstand that Evans's stance was not one against female individualism, but rather (given her commitment as a Christian) a stance against the unbridled individualism of modern American society.
Canonicity and Collegiality
Authors: Weber William
Published: February 2008

A paradigm shift occurred in musical culture in the early nineteenth century, whereby revered old works—newly called “classics”—began to rival contemporary ones as the guiding authority over taste. This article explores the less well-known composers found on programs in the period when classical repertories were becoming established. A kind of professional collegiality developed during this period on concert programs among pieces of diverse age and taste, reaching far beyond the iconic composers (now seen by most of us to have been Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Schumann, and Mendelssohn). Many of the “other” composers came from Italy, France, or Britain and became famous for opera selections and songs, some termed “popular,” and a substantial number of their pieces were performed throughout the nineteenth century. The present-day narrative of music history has canonic blind spots for composers then widely performed—Louis Spohr, Thomas Arne, Giovanni Viotti, Etienne-Nicolas Méhul, George Onslow, Louise Farrenc, and Robert Franz, for example. To understand musical life of that time, it is necessary to rethink the language of canon and canonization. The concept of canonization and the concept of the masterpiece have narrowed musical thinking harmfully. We need to look back at the fruitful collegiality that existed between canonic and contemporary music in the early nineteenth century, involving as it did a wide array of composers and tastes not yet bound by rigid assumptions about supposed “levels” of taste.
Regulation of PI3K signalling by the phosphatidylinositol transfer protein PITPα during axonal extension in hippocampal neurons
Authors: Cosker Katharina E. , Shadan Sadaf , van Diepen Michiel , Morgan Clive , Li Michelle , Allen-Baume Victoria , Hobbs Carl , Doherty Patrick , Cockcroft Shamshad , Eickholt Britta J.
Published: February 2008

Phosphatidylinositol transfer proteins (PITPs) mediate the transfer of phosphatidylinositol (PtdIns) or phosphatidylcholine (PtdCho) between two membrane compartments, thereby regulating the interface between signalling, phosphoinositide (PI) metabolism and membrane traffic. Here, we show that PITPα is enriched in specific areas of the postnatal and adult brain, including the hippocampus and cerebellum. Overexpression of PITPα, but not PITPβ or a PITPα mutant deficient in binding PtdIns, enhances laminin-dependent extension of axonal processes in hippocampal neurons, whereas knockdown of PITPα protein by siRNA suppresses laminin and BDNF-induced axonal growth. PITPα-mediated axonal outgrowth is sensitive to phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibition and shows dependency on the Akt/GSK-3/CRMP-2 pathway. We conclude that PITPα controls the polarized extension of axonal processes through the provision of PtdIns for localized PI3K-dependent signalling.
Extracellular matrix retention of thrombospondin 1 is controlled by its conserved C-terminal region
Authors: Adams Josephine C. , Bentley Amber A. , Kvansakul Marc , Hatherley Deborah , Hohenester Erhard
Published: February 2008

Thrombospondins (TSPs) are an evolutionarily ancient family of extracellular calcium-binding glycoproteins. The five mammalian TSPs collectively have important roles in angiogenesis and vascular biology, synaptogenesis, wound repair and connective tissue organisation. Their complex functions relate to the multiple postsecretion fates of TSPs that can involve endocytic uptake, proteolysis or retention within the extracellular matrix (ECM). Surprisingly, the molecular and cellular mechanisms by which TSPs become retained within the ECM are poorly understood. We hypothesised that the highly conserved TSP C-terminal domain mediates ECM retention. We report that ECM incorporation as insoluble punctate deposits is an evolutionarily conserved property of TSPs. ECM retention of TSP1 is mediated by the C-terminal region in trimeric form, and not by C-terminal monomer or trimers of the N-terminal domain or type 1 repeats. Using a novel mRFP-tagged TSP1 C-terminal trimer, we demonstrate that ECM retention involves the RGD site and a novel site in the L-lectin domain with structural similarity to the ligand-binding site of cargo transport proteins. CD47 and β1 integrins are dispensable for ECM retention, but β1 integrins enhance activity. These novel data advance concepts of the molecular processes that lead to ECM retention of TSP1.
The regulation of cell motility and chemotaxis by phospholipid signaling
Authors: Kölsch Verena , Charest Pascale G. , Firtel Richard A.
Published: February 2008

Phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K), PTEN and localized phosphatidylinositol (3,4,5)-trisphosphate [PtdIns(3,4,5)P3] play key roles in chemotaxis, regulating cell motility by controlling the actin cytoskeleton in Dictyostelium and mammalian cells. PtdIns(3,4,5)P3, produced by PI3K, acts via diverse downstream signaling components, including the GTPase Rac, Arf-GTPases and the kinase Akt (PKB). It has become increasingly apparent, however, that chemotaxis results from an interplay between the PI3K-PTEN pathway and other parallel pathways in Dictyostelium and mammalian cells. In Dictyostelium, the phospholipase PLA2 acts in concert with PI3K to regulate chemotaxis, whereas phospholipase C (PLC) plays a supporting role in modulating PI3K activity. In adenocarcinoma cells, PLC and the actin regulator cofilin seem to provide the direction-sensing machinery, whereas PI3K might regulate motility.
Torsional characterization of ropes used offshore
Authors: Ridge I M L
Published: February 2008

The first part of this paper presents a general discussion of the various problems which must be addressed when combining different ropes in series or, in some cases, in using a rope in conditions where it is rotationally unrestrained. The paper will pay particular attention to the various classes of rope used in the offshore environment and their main torsional characteristics.

In the second part, equipment is shown which is suitable for the measurement of the torsional response of various rope constructions at different levels of twist. Experimental data are presented for a variety of rope constructions at sizes comparable with those used in offshore applications. Comparison is made with data obtained in similar previous studies but with smaller‐diameter ropes.
A three‐dimensional strain concentration equation for countersunk holes
Authors: Bhargava A , Shivakumar K N
Published: February 2008

Countersunk rivets are used to join components to achieve aerodynamic or hydrodynamic surfaces. At countersunk holes, three‐dimensional stress and strain concentrations occur. Previously, the present authors developed a three‐dimensional equation for the stress concentration factor Kt through a detailed finite element analysis. This paper extends the study to include an equation for three‐dimensional strain concentration factor Ktε using a similar approach. The resulting equation was verified by finite element analysis for a wide range of countersunk hole configurations and plate sizes. Results showed that the maximum strain concentration is at the countersunk edge. The developed equation is within 5 per cent of the finite element results for all practical cases. It was also found that the Ktε and Kt expressions are similar and Ktε≥ Kt. The maximum difference between the two is 8 per cent (for = 0.3) or 2 for straight‐shank holes and about 2/2 for countersunk holes. The proposed equation is a valuable tool for strain‐based design of structural elements.
Thyroidectomy under local anaesthesia in India
Authors: Stephen Edwin , Nayak Sukria , Salins Serina R
Published: February 2008

Thyroid surgery under local anaesthetic seems to be a forgotten skill. We share our experience and suggest that it is a safe and economical option with negligible morbidity.
The causes of death of hospitalized children in Angola
Authors: Pinto Elisabeth Ataíde E , Alves JoãO Guilherme
Published: February 2008

Angola currently has the second mortality rate for children in the world. A cross-sectional study was performed containing 1322 random selected children of the 10288 hospitalized from December 2004 to May 2005 at the Hospital Pediátrico David Bernardino, the largest hospital in Angola and health reference centre located in the capital city of Luanda. Hospital mortality was 18% and the main causes of death were:malaria (22.4%), undernutrition (21.5%), pneumonia (11.8%), neonatal affections (9.3%) and meningitis (8.0%). Programmes must be rapidly implemented to eradicate undernutrition, improve perinatal care and control infections, especially malaria, pneumonia and meningitis.
Advocating the new WHO antenatal care model in a free maternity care setting in a developing country
Authors: Umeora O U J , Sunday-Adeoye I , Ugwu G O
Published: February 2008

In a free maternity care setting the number of antenatal clients can be overwhelming for the obstetric staff. Using the World Health Organization (WHO) classifying form, most of the women can be triaged for the basic component of the new WHO antenatal care model. Our aim was to evaluate the risk status of pregnant women in a tertiary health institution providing free maternity care in Nigeria. We interviewed 1022 randomly selected clients using the WHO classifying form at our booking clinic overa 12-month period. The analysis was performed using the epi info statistical program. Seven hundred and sixty-five clients (74.9%) were found eligible for the basic component of the new antenatal care model. The associated risk in pregnancy increased with increasing parity. The basic component of the new WHO antenatal care model can safely be implemented in centres such as ours.
What is the place of the new WHO antenatal care model in a teaching hospital setting?
Authors: Ekele B A , Shehu C E , Ahmed Y , Fache M
Published: February 2008

The basic component of the new World Health Organization (WHO) antenatal care model prescribes reduced number of clinic visits and limited investigations for low-risk pregnant women. The objectives of this study were to determine the proportion of pregnant women seeking antenatal care in a Nigerian teaching hospital who qualify for the basic component and to document difficulties that may arise with the classifying form.

In December 2004, 234 pregnant women who had initiated antenatal care were enrolled for the study. Using the classifying form, 157 (67%) were eligible for the basic component, 41 (18%) for special care, but 36 (15%) women could not be classified. Those that did not know the birth weight of their last babies accounted for most (89%) of the unclassified group.

The WHO antenatal care model was the most appropriate and relevant method for our hospital where a large percentage (67%) of prenatal women were eligible for the basic component. However, we consider that the classifying form should be adapted to accommodate all pregnant women.
Clinical and biochemical profile of dengue haemorrhagic fever in children in Delhi
Authors: Faridi M M A , Aggarwal Anju , Kumar Manish , Sarafrazul Abedin
Published: February 2008

The clinical and biochemical profile of dengue haemorrhagic fever (DHF) varies from epidemic to epidemic. We studied children hospitalized with DHF from September 2003 to December 2003. All were diagnosed, managed and monitored according to a standard protocol. Of the 34 who fulfilled the World Health Organization criteria of DHF, 22 (64.6%) were male. All patients presented with fever and hepatomegaly. Examination also revealed splenomegaly in 11 (32.4%), ascites in 6 (17.6%) and pleural effusion in 3 (8.8%). Common bleeding manifestations were positive tourniquet test in 22 (64.7%) and epistaxis in eight (23.5%). Most children had a platelet count of between 20,000/mm3 and 50,000/mm3 (56%). Bleeding manifestations were not related to platelet count (P > 0.05). Serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT) >40 IU/L was seen in 22 (64.6%) patients, alkaline phosphate (ALP) >400 IU/L in 12 (35.3%) and serum bilirubin >1 mg% in 3 (8.8%). IgM dengue serology was positive in 68.5% cases. There was no significant difference in liver function tests with or sex ( P > 0.05). Clinical features of DHF varied from the previous epidemic. Hepatic dysfunction with increased levels of serum enzymes was common in DHF.
Childhood seroprevalence of hepatitis a in the United Arab Emirates
Authors: Sharar Ziad Abu , Rajah Jaishen , Parsons Howard
Published: February 2008

The seroprevalence of hepatitis A in Emirati children less than 12 years was 20.1% (95% CI 16.4–24.6%) in 2004.
The presence of tick-borne encephalitis in an endemic area for tick-borne diseases, Turkey
Authors: Esen Berrin , Gozalan Aysegul , Coplu Nilay , Tapar Fatih Sua , Uzun Ramazan , Aslan Turan , Ertek Mustafa , Buzgan Turan , Akin Levent
Published: February 2008

The aim of this study was to indicate the presence of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) in an endemic area for Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) in Turkey. Of 39 CCHF suspected cases, one was found to be TBE virus Immunoglobulin M positive and seven were TBE virus immunoglobulin G positive. It is important to report this first appearance of the TBE virus in Turkey since 1967.
Outcomes of patients with Kaposi's sarcoma who start antiretroviral therapy under routine programme conditions in Malawi
Authors: Makombe Simon D , Harries Anthony D , Yu Joseph Kwong-Leung , Hochgesang Mindy , Mhango Eustice , Weigel Ralf , Pasulani Olesi , Fitzgerald Margaret , Schouten Erik J , Libamba Edwin
Published: February 2008

AIDS-associated Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) is the most common AIDS-related malignancy in sub-Saharan Africa, with a generally unfavourable prognosis. We report on six-month and 12-month cohort treatment outcomes of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive KS patients and HIV-positive non-KS patients treated with antiretroviral therapy (ART) in public sector facilities in Malawi. Data were collected from standardized antiretroviral (ARV) patient master cards and ARV patient registers. Between July and September 2005, 7905 patients started ART-488 (6%) with a diagnosis of KS and 7417 with a non-KS diagnosis. Between January and March 2005, 4580 patients started ART-326 (7%) with a diagnosis of KS and 4254 with a non-KS diagnosis. At six-months and 12-months, significantly fewer KS patients were alive and significantly more had died or defaulted compared to non-KS patients. HIV-positive KS patients on ART in Malawi have worse outcomes than other patients on ART. Methods designed to improve these outcomes must be found.
Cabergoline for suppression of puerperal lactation in a prevention of mother-to-child HIV-transmission programme in rural Malawi
Authors: Buhendwa L , Zachariah R , Teck R , Massaquoi M , Kazima J , Firmenich P , Harries A D
Published: February 2008

This study shows that cabergoline (single oral-dose) is an acceptable, safe and effective drug for suppressing puerperal lactation. It could be of operational benefit not only for artificial feeding, but also for weaning in those that breast-feed within preventive mother-to-child HIV transmission programmes in resource-limited settings.
Gender bias in access to healthcare in Nigeria: a study of end-stage renal disease
Authors: Ulasi Ifeoma
Published: February 2008

Sexual inequalities exist in most societies.1 Women are discriminated against in almost every sphere of life (i.e. in politics, inheritance, etc.)2 from childhood, especially in communities where there is a preference for the male child.2,3 Women have limited access to assets and services such as education and health care, resulting in their being socio-economically dependent on men.2
Dental root fragment extraction using a hypodermic needle
Authors: Uppal Nakul
Published: February 2008

Fracture of dental roots during extraction leads some dentists to refer patients to oral surgeons for surgery, when removal of the root fragment is indicated. Lack of financial resources and unavailability of specialists in some regions of the world forces dentists to attempt the same themselves, occasionally without success. This article highlights how a general practitioner may safely use a simple dental injection needle to remove such fractured root-stumps prior to attempting surgery or referring a case. The benefits to the patient are economic and temporal.
Prevalence and correlates of intimate partner physical violence against women in Kofale District, Ethiopia
Authors: Dibaba Yohannes
Published: February 2008

Using a community-based cross-sectional survey, this study attempted to determine the prevalence and correlates of intimate partner physical violence against women in Kofale District, Ethiopia. The study showed that 52.6% of the respondents had experienced intimate partner physical violence in their lifetime and 30.2% in the 12 months before the survey. Witnessing family violence as a child, education, place of residence, parity, duration of the marriage, a tradition of marriage arrangement and the partners’ use of alcohol were associated with intimate partner physical violence.
A five-year antimicrobial resistance pattern of Shigella isolated from stools in the Gondar University hospital, northwest Ethiopia
Authors: Yismaw Gizachew , Negeri Challa , Kassu Afework
Published: February 2008

Shigellosis is a global health problem. However, developing countries, where there is poor hygiene and unsafe water supplies, are especially affected. In the last two decades Shigella isolates have become increasingly resistant to many commonly used drugs. We investigated the antibiotic susceptibility pattern of Shigella isolated from stool specimens processed over five years in the bacteriology laboratory of the University of Gondar Teaching Hospital in northwest Ethiopia. Stool specimens were processed using standard bacteriological methods and data on bacterial culture, isolation and antimicrobial sensitivity were collected in the laboratory logbook. From a total of 2891 cultures stool specimens, 214 yielded Shigella. The overall sensitivity of Shigella to the commonly used antibiotics was: gentamicin (92.1%), ciprofloxacin (91.1%), chloramphenicol (47.2%), cotrimoxazole (26.6%), ampicillin (20.1%) and tetracycline (14%). About 46% of the isolates were resistant to at least three of the most commonly used drugs and 1.4% were resistant to all the commonly used drugs. The results demonstrated continued sensitivity of Shigella to gentamicin and ciprofloxacin and widespread resistance to tetracycline, ampicillin and cotrimoxazole. It is recommended that the use of gentamicin and ciprofloxacin be strictly regulated in the treatment of severe cases in regions where shigellosis is endemic and where the occasional epidemics result in high mortality.
An Organizational Approach to Comparative Corporate Governance: Costs, Contingencies, and Complementarities
Authors: Aguilera Ruth V. , Filatotchev Igor , Gospel Howard , Jackson Gregory
Published: February 2008

This paper develops an organizational approach to corporate governance and assesses the effectiveness of corporate governance and implications for policy. Most corporate governance research focuses on a universal link between corporate governance practices (e.g., board structure, shareholder activism) and performance outcomes, but neglects how interdependencies between the organization and diverse environments lead to variations in the effectiveness of different governance practices. In contrast to such closed systems approaches, we propose a framework based on open systems approaches to organizations, which examines these organizational interdependencies in terms of the costs, contingencies, and complementarities of different corporate governance practices. These three sets of organizational factors are useful in analyzing the effectiveness of corporate governance in diverse organizational environments. We also explore the impact of costs, contingencies, and complementarities on the effectiveness of different governance aspects through the use of stylized cases and discuss the implications for different approaches to policy such as soft law or hard law.
Does Low Vitamin D Status Contribute to “Age-Related” Morbidity?
Authors: Binkley Neil
Published: February 2008

It is increasingly appreciated that vitamin D plays important physiological roles beyond the musculoskeletal system. As such, it is plausible that endemic vitamin D deficiency contributes to much nonskeletal morbidity that adversely affects quality of life with advancing age among older adults. This overview will explore the evidence for, and potential involvement of, vitamin D deficiency in nonbone conditions that are currently accepted as “age-related” morbidity among older adults.
Vitamin D Receptor: Key Roles in Bone Mineral Pathophysiology, Molecular Mechanism of Action, and Novel Nutritional Ligands
Authors: Jurutka Peter W , Bartik Leonid , Whitfield G Kerr , Mathern Douglas R , Barthel Thomas K , Gurevich Miriam , Hsieh Jui-Cheng , Kaczmarska Magdalena , Haussler Carol A , Haussler Mark R
Published: February 2008

The vitamin D hormone, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 [1,25(OH)2D3], binds with high affinity to the nuclear vitamin D receptor (VDR), which recruits its retinoid X receptor (RXR) heterodimeric partner to recognize vitamin D responsive elements (VDREs) in target genes. 1,25(OH)2D3 is known primarily as a regulator of calcium, but it also controls phosphate (re)absorption at the intestine and kidney. Fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) is a phosphaturic hormone produced in osteoblasts that, like PTH, lowers serum phosphate by inhibiting renal reabsorption through Npt2a/Npt2c. Real-time PCR and reporter gene transfection assays were used to probe VDR-mediated transcriptional control by 1,25(OH)2D3. Reporter gene and mammalian two-hybrid transfections, plus competitive receptor binding assays, were used to discover novel VDR ligands. 1,25(OH)2D3 induces FGF23 78-fold in osteoblasts, and because FGF23 in turn represses 1,25(OH)2D3 synthesis, a reciprocal relationship is established, with FGF23 indirectly curtailing 1,25(OH)2D3-mediated intestinal absorption and counterbalancing renal reabsorption of phosphate, thereby reversing hyperphosphatemia and preventing ectopic calcification. Therefore, a 1,25(OH)2D3–FGF23 axis regulating phosphate is comparable in importance to the 1,25(OH)2D3–PTH axis that regulates calcium. 1,25(OH)2D3 also elicits regulation of LRP5, Runx2, PHEX, TRPV6, and Npt2c, all anabolic toward bone, and RANKL, which is catabolic. Regulation of mouse RANKL by 1,25(OH)2D3 supports a cloverleaf model, whereby VDR-RXR heterodimers bound to multiple VDREs are juxtapositioned through chromatin looping to form a supercomplex, potentially allowing simultaneous interactions with multiple co-modulators and chromatin remodeling enzymes. VDR also selectively binds certain ω3/ω6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) with low affinity, leading to transcriptionally active VDR-RXR complexes. Moreover, the turmeric-derived polyphenol, curcumin, activates transcription of a VDRE reporter construct in human colon cancer cells. Activation of VDR by PUFAs and curcumin may elicit unique, 1,25(OH)2D3-independent signaling pathways to orchestrate the bioeffects of these lipids in intestine, bone, skin/hair follicle, and other VDR-containing tissues.
Cannabinoid CB1 Receptors Are Expressed by Parietal Cells of the Human Gastric Mucosa
Authors: Pazos María Ruth , Tolón Rosa María , Benito Cristina , Rodríguez Conrado Fernández , Gorgojo Juan José , Nevado Manuel , Álvarez Mariano , Arias Francisco , Almodóvar Francisca , Fernández María Teresa Pérez , Lledó José Luis , González Sara , Fernández-Ruiz José Javier , Romero Julián
Published: February 2008

Experimental data suggest that the endogenous cannabinoid system is involved in gastric function in different animal species. In most of them, CB1 receptors have been localized on vagal terminals innervating the external wall of the stomach. We aimed at studying the putative presence and distribution of these receptors in the human gastric mucosa. To this end, we first performed Western blotting, RT-PCR, in situ hybridization, and immunohistochemical analysis of CB1 protein distribution in biopsy samples of healthy individuals. To determine the precise cell populations expressing CB1 receptors, we performed double immunofluorescence plus confocal microscopy analysis of the same samples. Our results show that CB1 receptors are present in the gastric epithelium of the mucosa. Specifically, they are expressed by a subpopulation of mucosal cells, the acid-secreting parietal cells, as shown by double immunohistochemical staining and by their differential abundance in subregions of the gastric mucosa. These results reinforce the notion of a prominent role for the endocannabinoid system in the gastric function in humans and postulate the use of cannabinoid CB1 receptors in parietal cells as new therapeutic targets for the regulation of gastric acid production.
Pathogenic Role of NF-κB Activation in Tubulointerstitial Inflammatory Lesions in Human Lupus Nephritis
Authors: Zheng Ling , Sinniah Raja , Hsu Stephen I-Hong
Published: February 2008

In vitro and in vivo experimental studies suggest that the transcription factor NF-κB plays a role in tubulointerstitial injury. We investigated possible cellular and molecular mechanisms involving NF-κB activation in the progression of tubulointerstitial lesions in human lupus nephritis (LN). Paraffin-embedded renal biopsies from 50 patients with LN and six control patients with minimal change disease (MCD) were examined by Southwestern histochemistry for in situ detection of active NF-κB and AP-1. Immunohistochemistry was performed to examine the expression of NF-κB, AP-1, and NF-κB regulatory proteins (IκB-α, p-IκB-α, and IKK-α proteins), as well as NF-κB and AP-1 downstream target proinflammatory molecules (ICAM-1, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and GM-CSF) and NF-κB upstream signaling molecules (CD40 and CD40L). We observed extensive upregulation of activated NF-κB in renal tubular cells and interstitial cells, in parallel with overactivation of transcription factor AP-1 in LN, as compared with normal controls and MCD. Tubular expression of activated NF-κB correlated well with the degree of tubulointerstitial histopathological indices and/or renal function. Tubulointerstitial IKK-α expression was specifically upregulated in LN. IκB-α and p-IκB-α were detected only in interstitial cells in LN. Tubulointerstitial expression levels of NF-κB and AP-1 downstream inflammatory molecules and NF-κB upstream signaling molecules CD40 and CD40L were markedly enhanced in LN as compared with MCD or normal controls and were associated with tubulointerstitial histopathological indices and/or renal function. The results suggest that altered IKK-α expression and NF-κB activation along with AP-1 overexpression may play a pathogenic role in tubulointerstitial injury in human LN mediated through a network of downstream proinflammatory molecules.
Critical pedagogy in the community music education programmes of Brazil
Authors: Abrahams Frank
Published: February 2008

Paulo Freire (1970) developed critical pedagogy to teach oppressed Brazilian adults to read. Freire documented his ideas in a landmark publication entitled Pedagogy of the Oppressed. This article discusses and reports my findings on Freirean methods evident in music education
programmes in Rio de Janeiro, Alvorada, Recife and So Caetano.
Freeing music education from schooling: toward a lifespan perspective on music learning and teaching
Authors: Myers David E
Published: February 2008

This article argues that school music programs in the United States are too concerned with preparing and polishing large ensemble performances, such that students do not have the skills needed for life-long musical involvement. The author suggests that school music programs will only
survive in the future if teachers place more emphasis on creating partnerships between school music and community music of various kinds. Survey data is provided to support these claims.
Once the beat gets going it really grooves: Informal music learning as experienced by two Irish traditional musicians
Authors: Waldron Janice
Published: February 2008

The purpose of this ethnographic case study was to discover the manner in which two Irish musicians, Loretto Reid and Brian Taheny, taught/and or transmitted traditional music at the Celtic College Summer School in Goderich, Ontario. Two central questions, each followed by several sub-questions,
served to focus the study: How did you learn Irish traditional music? and How do you teach Irish traditional music to adults? Several themes emerged from the analysis of the central and sub-questions, including a supportive family environment, listening and observing as key elements to musical
learning, teaching holistically and music notation used as a memory aid and not as the primary learning tool. Information gleaned from this study is potentially valuable to public school music programmes.
The discipline that never was: current developments in music technology in higher education in Britain
Authors: Boehm Carola
Published: February 2008

This article discusses current issues around the provision of music technology in British universities. The discussion is based on the most current results from the project Betweening, funded by Palatine (Higher Education Academy). The aim of the project was to explore the educational
landscape of music technology in HE and to provide an oversight of the different models used. The way a particular discipline music technology becomes established and how it evolves has as much to do with institutional and governmental politics, social constructs and pedagogical methodologies,
as it does with the discipline itself. As well as an overview of the findings from quantitative studies (published in detail in Boehm 2006), this article discusses the findings from the qualitative information gathered from the Betweening project in order to provide an overview of the educational
landscape of music technology in higher education in Britain today.
Post-production sound: a new production model for interactive media
Authors: Bridgett Rob
Published: February 2008

One of the most profound differences between film sound design and game sound design is that where film contains linear visual footage against which any number of sounds can be synchronized and blended, a game triggers individual sounds based on events occurring in the game at non-specified
times. Broadly speaking, films are about emotional immersion within a narrative, where video games concern physical immersion in a universe of action and reaction. Games therefore require a radically different production philosophy from that of film, yet one that replicates the involvement
of a dedicated audio post-production phase at the end of the project. This period would allow consideration of all the elements of music, dialogue and sound effects as fully integrated parts of the final game. Post-production sound design and mixing are therefore where video games can finally
begin to articulate themselves with a similar sound design language to that of film.
The edge of perception: sound in Tarkovsky's Stalker
Authors: Smith Stefan
Published: February 2008

The intricate deployment of all the elements of sound music, dialogue, diegetic and non-diegetic sounds, as well as the intervals of silence in the films of Andrei Tarkovsky offers a complex multidimensional experience, creating in each viewer a unique response to sound. This article
analyses the soundscape of Tarkovsky's 1979 film Stalker in order to understand the techniques employed, and how the use of sound creates a unique perceptual awareness in the audience. Rather than attempting to reveal meanings and symbols in the film, this article explores how, through
a sensitivity to the possibilities of sound in film, it is possible to transcend the confines of its traditional uses and enable in its perceiver the freedom to engage that allows for the individual's own sensitivity and subconscious mind to take an active role in creating a personal connection
and meaning.
Auction Catalogues and Political Satire. The Low Countries under the Hammer
Authors: Harskamp Jaap
Published: February 2008

The history of imaginary libraries can be traced back to François Rabelais. Most of such libraries were created for satirical purposes rather than bibliographical amusement. Somewhere during the seventeenth century, auction catalogues also became a vehicle of political satire. One of the most successful literary hoaxes involved an imaginary library and its auction catalogue. The announcement of an auction in the small provincial town of Binche in the Belgian province of Hainault on August 10, 1840 fooled librarians and collectors alike, for neither the collector nor his collection existed. The auction never took place. Was it just a hoax, or did the event reflect some painful truths about the 1830 separation of the Low Countries into two powerless mini states?
Humor, stress, and coping strategies
Authors: Abel Millicent H
Published: February 2008

This study explored relationships between sense of humor, stress, and coping strategies. Undergraduate students (N=258) from introductory psychology courses completed a perceived stress scale, an everyday problems scale, a state anxiety inventory, a sense of humor scale, and a scale assessing their preferred coping strategies. High and low sense of humor groups were determined by selecting participants with self-reported sense of humor at one standard deviation above and below the overall mean on the sense of humor scale. The high sense of humor group appraised less stress and reported less current anxiety than a low sense of humor group despite experiencing a similar number of everyday problems in the previous two months. The high humor group was more likely to use positive reappraisal and problem-solving coping strategies than the low humor group. A weaker relationship existed between appraisal of stress and number of problems in the low humor group because this group perceived greater stress at low and average number of everyday problems than the high humor group. The results were discussed as supporting the role of humor in restructuring a situation so it is less stressful, and the relationship of humor to both emotion-focused and problem-focused coping strategies.
Laughter, desire, and time
Authors: Weeks Mark C
Published: February 2008

Laughter has achieved special significance within some of the more radical postmodern, and especially poststructuralist, discourses as an icon of liberated desire. Yet there is a sense in which laughter is anything but the expression of libidinal force, in which it can be seen to reflect a momentary subversion of desire. To understand this, poststructuralist linguistic theory itself can be employed (against itself), because in the linguistic philosophy of Jacques Derrida in particular there is a unique acknowledgment of the temporal dimension of communication and thought, and of the relationship of this to human desire. Such a model of communication provides insights into the way in which laughter is produced through the subversion of the human experience of temporality — and of desire, an effect of delayed satisfaction. The present article draws widely on the comic theoretical heritage, seeking to synthesize existing theories into a time-based model of how, and why, laughter is produced.
The sociolinguistic distribution of discourse marker like in preadolescent speech
Authors: Levey Stephen
Published: February 2008

Discourse like is claimed to be rapidly spreading in urban centres throughout the English-speaking world (see Dailey-O'Cain 2000; Tagliamonte 2005; D'Arcy 2005; Cheshire, Kerswill and Williams 2005). Like is claimed to be particularly pervasive in the speech of adolescents (Andersen 2001). However, comparatively little is known about the distribution of discourse like in the speech of younger age groups. This paper reassesses the claims made by Miller and Weinert (1995), who suggest that discourse like is not acquired until relatively late, after the age of 10. Using a corpus based on the speech of a group of British preadolescents, I argue that not only are new uses of like encountered frequently in preadolescent speech, but that distributional differences between males and females, as well as between different age groups, point to significant aspects of the developmental acquisition of this discourse feature. Furthermore, using data from various languages, cross-linguistic parallels are highlighted between discourse markers that have a similar functional inventory to like in order to show that a number of languages have encoded comparable pragmatic functions using similar lexical sources.
Theta roles and argument alternation
Authors: Ehrich Veronika
Published: February 2008

Introduction

Reinhart (this volume, henceforth abbreviated RTS) defines Theta Roles in terms of two features, [c] and [m], and their binary values [+], [−]. Feature [c] covers the concept of causation, feature [m] is associated with the concept of motivation/mental state, or, more basically, with animateness (in view of the fact that non-animate entities don't bear motivations). Argument alternations (called ‘arity’ operations in RTS) are viewed as output of strictly lexical operations: whenever a given verb varies between different argument patterns, one of them has to be analyzed as basic and the others as lexically derived (Lexicon Uniformity Principle). RTS focusses on one type of arity operation: the reduction of arguments. It accounts for the reduction of internal arguments (reflexivation operation The barber shaved Max → Max shaved) as well as for the reduction of external arguments (Max opened the door → The door opened) and is furthermore concerned with EXPERIENCER-verb-alternations (Something
(THEME)
worries Lucie
(EXPERIENCER) → Lucie
(EXPERIENCER)
worries about something
(SUBJECT MATTER)). The languages under consideration in RTS include English, Hebrew and Dutch. These are different enough to support universal claims (more or less implicit in RTS). In the following remarks, I will present data from German, where this adds further evidence to the PROs and CONs of RTS.
The Case of the Theta System
Authors: Everaert Martin
Published: February 2008

Reinhart's ‘The Theta System’ is part of a series of publications (Reinhart 1997, Reinhart 2000, Reinhart and Siloni to appear) dealing with the lexicon as the interface of the computational system and the conceptual-intentional interface. In this paper, Reinhart focuses on Theta Theory, i.e. a complex consisting of Theta roles as feature bundles; Arity manipulation rules; Mapping procedures. It is work in progress, which means that Reinhart changes her positions in these papers, but for argument sake, and for the sake of the reader, I will limit myself to positions taken by Reinhart in this volume. Reinhart sketches the general contours of the Theta System, necessarily succinct, and limits the empirical domain in this paper to experiencer constructions. In this respect too, I will take over the limitations set out by the paper.
Exploring the semantic expressivity of a 2-feature system
Authors: Kaufmann Ingrid
Published: February 2008

1. Introduction

Reinhart's paper outlines her view on the structure of the Theta system. She considers the Theta system as “the central system of the system of concepts”. The Theta system outputs lexical entries of a certain arity with specified theta roles and information on the merging properties of the arguments. The marking procedures that determine the merging properties refer to the formal features that define the theta roles.
Comparative markedness
Authors: McCarthy John J
Published: February 2008

The markedness constraints of classic Optimality Theory assign violation-marks to output candidates without reference to the input or to other candidates. This article explores an alternative conception of markedness: markedness constraints compare the candidate under evaluation with another candidate, the most faithful one. Comparative constraints distinguish two situations: the candidate under evaluation contains an instance of a marked structure that is also present in the fully faithful candidate; or it contains an instance of a marked structure that is not present in the fully faithful candidate. Empirical consequences of comparative markedness are explored, including grandfather effects, derived environment effects, non-iterating processes, and counter-feeding opacity. Comparative markedness is found to have some advantages and some disadvantages in comparison with classic OT and alternatives like local conjunction, stratal OT, sympathy, and targeted constraints.
Effect of Water Chemistry and Composition on Microstructural Evolution of Oxide on Zr Alloys
Authors: Zhou B. X. , Li Q. , Yao M. Y. , Liu W. Q. , Chu Y. L.
Published: February 2008

The microstructure of oxide films formed on Zircaloy-4 and Alloy No. 3, which has a composition similar to ZIRLO™, was investigated by high resolution transmission and scanning electron microscopy, and by scanning probe microscopy after corrosion tests performed at 360°C/18.6 MPa in deionized water or lithiated water with 0.01 M LiOH. The microstructural evolution of the oxide films was analyzed by comparing the microstructure at different depths in the oxide layer. The defects, consisting of vacancies and interstitials, such as points, lines, planes, and volumes, were produced during the oxide growth. Monoclinic, tetragonal, cubic, and amorphous phases were detected and their coherent relationships were identified. The characteristic of oxide with such microstructure had an internal cause, and the temperature and time were the external causes that induced the microstructural evolution during the corrosion process. The diffusion, annihilation, and condensation of vacancies and interstitials under the action of stress, temperature, and time caused stress relaxation and phase transformation. It was observed, in the middle of the oxide layer, that the vacancies absorbed by grain boundaries formed pores to weaken the bonding strength between grains. Pores formed under compressive stress lined up along the direction parallel to the compressive stress. Thus, cracks developed from the pores were parallel to the oxide/metal interface. Li+ and OH− incorporated in oxide films were adsorbed on the wall of pores or entered into vacancies to reduce the surface free energy of the zirconium oxide during exposure in lithiated water. As a result, the diffusion of vacancies and the formation of pores were enhanced, inducing the degradation of the corrosion resistance. The relationship between the corrosion resistance of zirconium alloys and the microstructural evolution of oxide films affected by water chemistry and composition is also discussed.
An Aggregate-Inducing Peripherin Isoform Generated through Intron Retention Is Upregulated in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Associated with Disease Pathology
Authors: Xiao Shangxi , Tjostheim Sonja , Sanelli Teresa , McLean Jesse R. , Horne Patrick , Fan Yuxin , Ravits John , Strong Michael J. , Robertson Janice
Published: February 2008

The neuronal intermediate filament protein peripherin is a component of ubiquitinated inclusions and of axonal spheroids in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Overexpression of peripherin causes motor neuron degeneration in transgenic mice and variations within the peripherin gene have been identified in ALS cases. We have shown previously the abnormal expression of a neurotoxic peripherin splice variant in transgenic mice expressing mutant superoxide dismutase-1. These findings indicated that abnormalities of peripherin splicing may occur in ALS. In the current study, peripherin splice variants were identified by reverse transcription-PCR of human neuronal RNA and comparisons in expression made between control and ALS spinal cord using Western blot analysis and immunocytochemistry. Using this approach we have identified a novel peripherin transcript retaining introns 3 and 4 that results in a 28 kDa splice isoform, designated Per 28. Using an antibody specific to Per 28, we show that this isoform is expressed at low stoichiometric levels from the peripherin gene, however causes peripherin aggregation when its expression is upregulated. Importantly we show an upregulation of Per 28 expression in ALS compared with controls, at both the mRNA and protein levels, and that Per 28 is associated with disease pathology, specifically round inclusions. These findings are the first to establish that peripherin splicing abnormalities occur in ALS, generating aggregation-prone splice isoforms.