bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Human Monoclonal Antibodies to Sialyl-Lewisa (CA19.9) with Potent CDC, ADCC, and Antitumor Activity
Authors: Sawada Ritsuko , Sun Shu-Man , Wu Xiaohong , Hong Feng , Ragupathi Govind , Livingston Philip O. , Scholz Wolfgang W.
Published: February 2011

Purpose: The carbohydrate antigen sialyl-Lewisa (sLea), also known as CA19.9, is widely expressed on epithelial tumors of the gastrointestinal tract and breast and on small-cell lung cancers. Since overexpression of sLea appears to be a key event in invasion and metastasis of many tumors and results in susceptibility to antibody-mediated lysis, sLea is an attractive molecular target for tumor therapy.

Experimental Design: We generated and characterized fully human monoclonal antibodies (mAb) from blood lymphocytes from individuals immunized with a sLea–KLH vaccine.

Results: Several mAbs were selected based on ELISA and FACS including two mAbs with high affinity for sLea (5B1 and 7E3, binding affinities 0.14 and 0.04 nmol/L, respectively) and further characterized. Both antibodies were specific for Neu5Acα2–3Galβ1–3(Fucα1–4)GlcNAcβ as determined by glycan array analysis. Complement-dependent cytotoxicity against DMS-79 cells was higher (EC50 0.1 μg/mL vs. 1.7 μg/mL) for r7E3 (IgM) than for r5B1 (IgG1). In addition, r5B1 antibodies showed high level of antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity activity on DMS-79 cells with human NK cells or peripheral blood mononuclear cells. To evaluate in vivo efficacy, the antibodies were tested in a xenograft model with Colo205 tumor cells engrafted into SCID (severe combined immunodeficient mice) mice. Treatment during the first 21 days with four doses of r5B1 (100 μg per dose) doubled the median survival time to 207 days, and three of five animals survived with six doses.

Conclusion: On the basis of the potential of sLea as a target for immune attack and their affinity, specificity, and effector functions, 5B1and 7E3 may have clinical utility. Clin Cancer Res; 17(5); 1024–32. ©2011 AACR.
Inhibition of Prostate Cancer Osteoblastic Progression with VEGF121/rGel, a Single Agent Targeting Osteoblasts, Osteoclasts, and Tumor Neovasculature
Authors: Mohamedali Khalid A. , Li Zhi Gang , Starbuck Michael W. , Wan Xinhai , Yang Jun , Kim Sehoon , Zhang Wendy , Rosenblum Michael G. , Navone Nora M.
Published: February 2011

Purpose: A hallmark of prostate cancer (PCa) progression is the development of osteoblastic bone metastases, which respond poorly to available therapies. We previously reported that VEGF121/rGel targets osteoclast precursors and tumor neovasculature. Here we tested the hypothesis that targeting nontumor cells expressing these receptors can inhibit tumor progression in a clinically relevant model of osteoblastic PCa.

Experimental Design: Cells from MDA PCa 118b, a PCa xenograft obtained from a bone metastasis in a patient with castrate-resistant PCa, were injected into the femurs of mice. Osteoblastic progression was monitored following systemic administration of VEGF121/rGel.

Results: VEGF121/rGel was cytotoxic in vitro to osteoblast precursor cells. This cytotoxicity was specific as VEGF121/rGel internalization into osteoblasts was VEGF121 receptor driven. Furthermore, VEGF121/rGel significantly inhibited PCa-induced bone formation in a mouse calvaria culture assay. In vivo, VEGF121/rGel significantly inhibited the osteoblastic progression of PCa cells in the femurs of nude mice. Microcomputed tomographic analysis revealed that VEGF121/rGel restored the bone volume fraction of tumor-bearing femurs to values similar to those of the contralateral (non–tumor-bearing) femurs. VEGF121/rGel significantly reduced the number of tumor-associated osteoclasts but did not change the numbers of peritumoral osteoblasts. Importantly, VEGF121/rGel-treated mice had significantly less tumor burden than control mice. Our results thus indicate that VEGF121/rGel inhibits osteoblastic tumor progression by targeting angiogenesis, osteoclastogenesis, and bone formation.

Conclusions: Targeting VEGF receptor (VEGFR)-1- or VEGFR-2–expressing cells is effective in controlling the osteoblastic progression of PCa in bone. These findings provide the basis for an effective multitargeted approach for metastatic PCa. Clin Cancer Res; 17(8); 2328–38. ©2011 AACR.
HuR-Mediated Control of C/EBPβ mRNA Stability and Translation in ALK-Positive Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphomas
Authors: Bergalet Julie , Fawal Mohamad , Lopez Celine , Desjobert Cecile , Lamant Laurence , Delsol Georges , Morello Dominique , Espinos Estelle
Published: February 2011

The CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein β (C/EBPβ) plays a major role in the pathogenesis of anaplastic large cell lymphomas (ALCL) that express the nucleophosmin-anaplastic lymphoma kinase (NPM-ALK) tyrosine kinase (ALK+). Although ALK-mediated C/EBPβ transcriptional activation has been reported, C/EBPβ mRNA possesses U- and AU-rich domains in its 3′-untranslated region (3′-UTR) that might be privileged targets for posttranscriptional control in ALK+ ALCLs. The purpose of this study was to explore this possibility. By using human ALCL-derived cells and a murine model of ALK-transformed cells, we show that the AU-binding protein HuR binds to the 3′-UTR of C/EBPβ mRNA, as previously reported in adipocytes, and that NPM-ALK enhances this interaction. Interaction between HuR and C/EBPβ mRNA impacts on C/EBPβ gene expression at both the mRNA and protein levels. Indeed, C/EBPβ mRNA stability following HuR silencing is reduced and reaches the value observed in ALK-inactivated cells. Remarkably, HuR expression is not modified by NPM-ALK, but its association with actively translating polysomes is dramatically increased in ALK+ cells. HuR/polysomes association diminishes when NPM-ALK activity is inhibited and is accompanied by a concomitant decrease of C/EBPβ mRNA translation. Finally, we show that HuR and NPM-ALK colocalized in cytoplasmic granules and HuR is phosphroylated on tyrosine residues in ALK+ ALCL cells. Our study thus demonstrates that C/EBPβ is indeed regulated at the posttranscriptional level by HuR in ALK+ cells, leading us to propose that part of NPM-ALK oncogenic properties relies on its ability to modify HuR properties in the cytoplasm and hence to alter expression of key actors of transformation. Mol Cancer Res; 9(4); 485–96. ©2011 AACR.
Neuroprotective Effect of Neuropeptide Y against Beta-Amyloid 25–35 Toxicity in SH-SY5Y Neuroblastoma Cells Is Associated with Increased Neurotrophin Production
Authors: Croce Nicoletta , Dinallo Vincenzo , Ricci Valerio , Federici Giorgio , Caltagirone Carlo , Bernardini Sergio , Angelucci Francesco
Published: February 2011

Background: In the central nervous system, several neuropeptides are believed to be involved in the pathophysiology of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Among them, neuropeptide Y (NPY) is a small peptide widely distributed throughout the brain, where it serves as a neurotransmitter and/or a modulator of several neuroendocrine functions. More recently, NPY has generated interest because of its role in neuroprotection against excitotoxicity and modulation of neurogenesis. Interestingly, these effects are also influenced by neurotrophins, critical molecules for the function and survival of neurons that degenerate in AD. Objective: Our purpose was to investigate whether NPY might be a neuroprotective agent in AD and whether neurotrophins are involved in NPY-induced neuroprotection. Methods: To test this hypothesis, we exposed the SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cell line to toxic concentrations of β-amyloid (Aβ) peptide fragment 25–35 (Aβ25–35) and measured cell survival and neurotrophin expression before and after a preincubation with NPY in the growth medium. Results: Our results demonstrated that preincubation with NPY prevented cell loss due to the toxic effect of Aβ25–35. Moreover, while intracellular production of nerve growth factor and brain-derived neurotrophic factor were reduced by Aβ, NPY restored or even increased neurotrophin protein and mRNA in SH-SY5Y cells. Conclusion: In conclusion, this study demonstrates that NPY increases the survival of SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells and counteracts the toxic effect of Aβ. In addition, NPY restores the neurotrophin levels in these cells. Although preliminary, these observations might be useful to understand the pathology of Alzheimer’s and/or develop new therapeutic strategies.
Clinical and Radiological Outcomes after Intracranial Atherosclerotic Stroke: A Comprehensive Approach Comparing Stroke Subtypes
Authors: Kim Suk Jae , Ryoo Sookyoung , Kim Gyeong-Moon , Chung Chin-Sang , Lee Kwang Ho , Bang Oh Young
Published: February 2011

Background: We previously reported that intracranial large-artery atherosclerotic stroke (ICAS) had a relatively large salvageable area of less severe hypoperfusion. However, information regarding the outcome after ICAS is lacking. We hypothesized ICAS would show more favorable clinical and radiological outcomes than other stroke mechanisms. Methods: Consecutive patients underwent admission (n = 149) and follow-up (n = 80) multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for acute middle cerebral artery infarcts within 6 h of symptom onset. Tmax perfusion lesion maps were generated. We assessed the difference in the degree of infarct growth ([follow-up diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) volume – initial DWI volume]/initial penumbra volume) and the presence of excellent long-term outcome [defined as a modified Rankin scale (mRS) score ≤2 and a modified Barthel index (mBI) ≧90 at 3 months]. Results: Of 149 patients, 24 (16.1%) had ICAS, 75 (50.3%) had cardioembolic stroke, 21 (14.1%) had extracranial large-artery atherosclerotic stroke, and 29 (19.5%) had cryptogenic embolic stroke. Despite a higher recurrence rate in patients with ICAS compared to other subtypes (p = 0.026), the long-term outcome was better in ICAS (p = 0.003 for an mRS score ≤2 and p = 0.004 for an mBI ≧90). Among 80 patients who underwent follow-up MRI, patients who had minimal infarct growth (less than 10%) were more prevalent among the patients with ICAS (p = 0.004). Multivariate testing revealed that ICAS was independently associated with both excellent long-term outcome (OR = 3.45; 95% CI = 1.11–10.78) and minimal infarct growth (OR = 10.40; 95% CI = 1.20–90.11). Conclusion: Our data show that patients with ICAS have favorable clinical and radiological outcomes compared with other subtypes.
Role of Familial, Environmental and Occupational Factors in the Development of Parkinson’s Disease
Authors: Das Kamalesh , Ghosh Mrinalkanti , Nag Chiranjib , Nandy Sankar P. , Banerjee Mousumi , Datta Monotosh , Devi Gitabali , Chaterjee Gopaldeb
Published: February 2011

Background: Despite intensive research during the past several decades, the cause of Parkinson’s disease remains unknown. Infections, toxins, lifestyle and hereditary factors have all been supposed to play a role in the genesis of Parkinson’s disease. The final mechanisms of neuronal injury and death are probably similar, where both genetic and environmental factors are important, and these two factors interact along the etiopathogenic pathway. Objective: The purpose of the present study is to evaluate the role of familial, environmental and occupational factors in the development of Parkinson’s disease. Methods: We evaluated 345 cases of idiopathic Parkinson’s disease (215 males, 130 females; mean age 62 ± 2 years) and 370 controls (220 males, 150 females; mean age 62 ± 3 years) between January 2003 and January 2008 with regard to the following aspects in detail: place of living, family history of Parkinson’s disease and tremor, source of drinking water, exposure to insecticides, pesticides, herbicides and industrial toxins, acute poisoning, CNS infections and head injury. The duration of exposure to the risk factors and the history of Parkinson’s disease among the cases were investigated after obtaining written informed consent from cases and controls. Results and Conclusions: Family history of Parkinson’s disease and familial tremor (p = 0.035), exposure to insecticides and pesticides (p = 0.049), well water use for drinking purposes (p = 0.03), Japanese B encephalitis (p = 0.04) and acute organophosphate poisoning (p = 0.046) were associated with the development of Parkinson’s disease in this region of India. Further research is needed at the epidemiological, genetic and molecular levels for a better understanding of the etiopathogenesis of Parkinson’s disease as well as remedial aspects.
Altered Expression of Myogenic Regulatory Factors in the Mouse Model of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Authors: Manzano Raquel , Toivonen Janne M. , Oliván Sara , Calvo Ana C. , Moreno-Igoa Maria , Muñoz Maria J. , Zaragoza Pilar , García-Redondo Alberto , Osta Rosario
Published: February 2011

Background: In the superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1)-G93A mouse model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), skeletal muscle is a key target of mutant SOD1 toxicity. However, the expression of factors that control the regenerative potential of the muscle is unknown in this model. Objective: To characterize the expression of satellite cell marker Pax7 and myogenic regulatory factors (MRF) in skeletal muscle of SOD1-G93A mice at different stages of the disease. Methods: The expressions of Pax7, Myod1, Myf5 and myogenin (Myog) were determined by quantitative real-time PCR and by Western blotting from the grouped gastrocnemius, quadriceps and soleus muscles of SOD1-G93A mice at presymptomatic, symptomatic and terminal stages of the disease, and from surgically denervated wild-type gastrocnemius muscles. Results:Pax7 mRNA and MYF5 protein were upregulated in presymptomatic mice, coinciding with increased muscle damage marker Rrad and chemokine Ccl5. All MRF transcripts and most proteins (excluding MYOG) were increased, starting from 3 months of age, simultaneously with increased expression of denervation marker Chrna1. However, in the terminal stage, no protein increase was evident for Pax7 or any of the MRF despite the increased mRNA levels. The transcripts for chemokine Ccl2 and chemokine receptor Cxcr4 were increased starting from the onset of symptoms. Conclusions: The characterization of Pax7 and MRF in SOD1-G93A mice reveals a progressive induction of the myogenic program at the RNA level, but a blunted protein level response at late stages of the disease. Altered posttranscriptional and posttranslational mechanisms likely to operate, as well as the potential role of chemokine signaling in mutant SOD1 muscle, are discussed.
Soluble P-Selectin Levels Are Associated with Cardiovascular Mortality and Sudden Cardiac Death in Male Dialysis Patients
Authors: Scialla Julia J. , Plantinga Laura C. , Kao W.H. Linda , Jaar Bernard , Powe Neil R. , Parekh Rulan S.
Published: February 2011

Background/Aims: P-selectin is released by activated platelets and endothelium contributing to inflammation and thrombosis. We evaluated the association between soluble P-selectin and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) in dialysis patients. Methods: We measured soluble P-selectin in serum from 824 incident dialysis patients. Using Cox proportional hazards models, we modeled the association of P-selectin levels with ASCVD events, cardiovascular mortality and sudden cardiac death. Results: After adjustment for demographics, comorbidity and traditional cardiovascular risk factors, higher P-selectin levels were associated with increased risk of ASCVD and cardiovascular mortality among males (p = 0.02 and p = 0.01, respectively), but not females (p = 0.52 and p = 0.31, respectively; p interaction = 0.003), over a median of 38.2 months. Higher P-selectin was associated with a greater risk of sudden cardiac death among males (p = 0.05). The associations between increasing P-selectin and cardiovascular mortality as well as sudden cardiac death in males persisted after adjustment for C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, serum albumin and platelet count (p = 0.01 and p = 0.03, respectively). The risk for sudden cardiac death was more than 3 times greater for males in the highest tertile of soluble P-selectin compared with the lowest tertile after adjustment (HR: 3.19; 95% CI: 1.18 – 8.62; p = 0.02). Conclusion: P-selectin is associated with ASCVD, cardiovascular mortality and sudden cardiac death among male dialysis patients.
Biology of Streptococcus mutans-Derived Glucosyltransferases: Role in Extracellular Matrix Formation of Cariogenic Biofilms
Authors: Bowen W.H. , Koo H.
Published: February 2011

The importance of Streptococcus mutans in the etiology and pathogenesis of dental caries is certainly controversial, in part because excessive attention is paid to the numbers of S. mutans and acid production while the matrix within dental plaque has been neglected. S. mutans does not always dominate within plaque; many organisms are equally acidogenic and aciduric. It is also recognized that glucosyltransferases from S. mutans (Gtfs) play critical roles in the development of virulent dental plaque. Gtfs adsorb to enamel synthesizing glucans in situ, providing sites for avid colonization by microorganisms and an insoluble matrix for plaque. Gtfs also adsorb to surfaces of other oral microorganisms converting them to glucan producers. S. mutans expresses 3 genetically distinct Gtfs; each appears to play a different but overlapping role in the formation of virulent plaque. GtfC is adsorbed to enamel within pellicle whereas GtfB binds avidly to bacteria promoting tight cell clustering, and enhancing cohesion of plaque. GtfD forms a soluble, readily metabolizable polysaccharide and acts as a primer for GtfB. The behavior of soluble Gtfs does not mirror that observed with surface-adsorbed enzymes. Furthermore, the structure of polysaccharide matrix changes over time as a result of the action of mutanases and dextranases within plaque. Gtfs at distinct loci offer chemotherapeutic targets to prevent caries. Nevertheless, agents that inhibit Gtfs in solution frequently have a reduced or no effect on adsorbed enzymes. Clearly, conformational changes and reactions of Gtfs on surfaces are complex and modulate the pathogenesis of dental caries in situ, deserving further investigation.
Myocardial Perfusion Imaging After Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery Using Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance
Authors: Arnold J. Ranjit , Francis Jane M. , Karamitsos Theodoros D. , Lim Chris C. , van Gaal William J. , Testa Luca , Bhamra-Ariza Paul , Selvanayagam Joseph B. , Sayeed Rana , Westaby Stephen , Banning Adrian P. , Neubauer Stefan , Jerosch-Herold Michael
Published: February 2011

Background—

Absolute quantification of perfusion with cardiovascular magnetic resonance has not previously been applied in patients with coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Owing to increased contrast bolus dispersion due to the greater distance of travel through a bypass graft, this approach may result in systematic underestimation of myocardial blood flow (MBF). As resting MBF remains normal in segments supplied by noncritical coronary stenosis (<85%), measurement of perfusion in such territories may be utilized to reveal systematic error in the quantification of MBF. The objective of this study was to test whether absolute quantification of perfusion with cardiovascular magnetic resonance systematically underestimates MBF in segments subtended by bypass grafts.

Methods and Results—

The study population comprised 28 patients undergoing elective CABG for treatment of multivessel coronary artery disease. Eligible patients had angiographic evidence of at least 1 myocardial segment subtended by a noncritically stenosed coronary artery (<85%). Subjects were studied at 1.5 T, with evaluation of resting MBF using model-independent deconvolution. Analyses were confined to myocardial segments subtended by native coronary arteries with <85% stenosis at baseline, and MBF was compared in grafted and ungrafted segments before and after revascularization. A total of 249 segments were subtended by coronary arteries with <85% stenosis at baseline. After revascularization, there was no significant difference in MBF in ungrafted (0.82±0.19 mL/min/g) versus grafted segments (0.82±0.15 mL/min/g,
P
=0.57). In the latter, MBF after revascularization did not change significantly from baseline (0.86±0.20 mL/min/g,
P
=0.82).

Conclusions—

Model-independent deconvolution analysis does not systematically underestimate blood flow in graft-subtended territories, justifying the use of this methodology to evaluate myocardial perfusion in patients with CABG.
Instructions for Forgetting
Authors: Etchells Tim
Published: February 2011

The director of Forced Entertainment discusses a particular strand of documentary performance work by his Shefffield-based ensemble. The performance text of Instructions for Forgetting is a collection and collage of text material by Etchells himself and letters, stories, and videos sent to him by friends. This experimental documentary is a performance essay on the topic of stories and their importance to the making and understanding of the world.
Toward a Poetics of Theatre and Public Events: In the Case of Stephen Lawrence
Authors: Reinelt Janelle
Published: February 2011

Looking at the murder case of Stephen Lawrence, and then at the art object made out of the event—the documentary play, The Colour of Justice—the interpenetration of performance codes and practices with “real life” demonstrates the explanatory power of performance to shape ideas, question truth claims, sway public opinion, and construct an aesthetics that might functions as an epistemology.
Smoke Signals: Witnessing the Burning Art of Deb Margolin and Hannah Wilke
Authors: Zaytoun Constance
Published: February 2011

Deb Margolin and the late Hannah Wilke, along with other feminist artists, defiantly create fluid and intimate relationships between the self and the other in performance, and as such, create a space for us to see ourselves. Margolin and Wilke insist on the body in performance and find particular truths through the very personal experiences they reveal in their work. Both artists create a space for permeating the boundaries of identity; they ask only that we bear witness.
Toward a Poetics of Transubstantiation: The Performance of Cape Breton Music and Dance
Authors: Pierce Jennifer Ewing
Published: February 2011

Trauma studies and existing performance theory facilitate the exploration of the poetics of an indigenous music and dance form found in Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia. The Highland Clearances is the background for this overlooked dance form that inscribes and records the unspeakable and unknowable. An interloping, performative autobiographical narrative further illustrates the way Cape Breton dance represents an archival “hauntopia” in the wake of the amnesiac and aphasiac fallout of mass trauma.
Center and Edge of the World: Frontiers of Site-Specific Performance in Alaska
Authors: Babb Genie
Published: February 2011

Chicago performance artist and educator Brian Jeffery staged Look Again 2002: Alaskan Landscapes in Transition, comprised of six site-specific performances and numerous related events. Like other performance art works at the turn of the 21st century, Look Again exemplifies a shift from an artist-centered conception of art to one that is more audience-centered.
The Morphophonology of Russian Adjectival Inflection
Authors: Halle Morris , Matushansky Ora
Published: February 2011

In this article, we present the morphosyntactic structure underlying the Russian adjectival declension and the phonological rules that apply to it to derive the surface representations. We describe the two declension classes of Russian adjectives and argue that adjectives and nouns employ the same theme suffixes (-oj- and -o-) and, importantly, that choice of theme suffix also determines choice of Case exponents. On this view, there is no special adjectival declension class; instead, Case exponents are shared between adjectives and nouns, and the choice of a “paradigm” is determined by the choice of the theme suffix. The article covers all adjectival inflections, including those of the possessives, demonstratives, interrogatives, and paucal numerals.
A Method for Forecasting Cloud Condensation Nuclei Using Predictions of Aerosol Physical and Chemical Properties from WRF/Chem
Authors: Ward Daniel , Cotton William
Published: February 2011

Model investigations of aerosol–cloud interactions across spatial scales are necessary to advance basic understanding of aerosol impacts on climate and the hydrological cycle. Yet these interactions are complex, involving numerous physical and chemical processes. Models capable of combining aerosol dynamics and chemistry with detailed cloud microphysics are recent developments. In this study, predictions of aerosol characteristics from the Weather Research and Forecasting Model with Chemistry (WRF/Chem) are integrated into the Regional Atmospheric Modeling System microphysics package to form the basis of a coupled model that is capable of predicting the evolution of atmospheric aerosols from gas-phase emissions to droplet activation. The new integrated system is evaluated against measurements of cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) from a land-based field campaign and an aircraft-based field campaign in Colorado. The model results show the ability to capture vertical variations in CCN number concentration within an anthropogenic pollution plume. In a remote continental location the model-forecast CCN number concentration exhibits a positive bias that is attributable in part to an overprediction of the aerosol hygroscopicity that results from an underprediction in the organic aerosol mass fraction. In general, the new system for predicting CCN from forecast aerosol fields improves on the existing scheme in which aerosol quantities were user prescribed.
(Re-)Dressing the KKK: Fred Shuttlesworth’s Precept Hermeneutic and the Rhetoric of African American Prophetic Patriotism
Authors: Holmes David
Published: February 2011

This article focuses on Fred Shuttlesworth, founder and president of the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights and the one who convinced Martin Luther King Jr. to participate in the Birmingham civil rights campaign of 1963. A folksy preacher and an exceptional leader, the article examines his use of the precept hermeneutic in his rhetoric. Like King, Shuttlesworth falls within the African American jeremiad tradition of David Walker, Frederick Douglass, and Sojourner Truth. Unlike King, the author argues, Shuttlesworth utilizes the precept hermeneutic to repudiate segregation but not simply because of his fundamentalist worldview; he deployed this form of exegesis to foreground larger principles of progressive patriotism, religious activism, and racial egalitarianism. As a result, Shuttlesworth constructs a rhetorical strategy that, drawing upon a canonized view of scripture, paradoxically deconstructs, disrupts, and dismantles canonized perspectives on racial, religious, national and international identities.
Representation of Africa Online: Sourcing Practice and Frames of Reference
Authors: Ogunyemi Olatunji
Published: February 2011

The dominant perspective on the representation of Africa in the Western media claims that Western media coverage is bias and crisis oriented, and the liberal perspective claims that the coverage of Africa is not as negative as is often assumed. However, there is a paucity of literature on the representation of Africa online. This research inquiry is relevant because literature claims that the Internet has the potential to resolve the journalistic predicament of representing other culture through political participation and deliberation. But this requires a reorientation of the sourcing practice of news organization to embrace sensitivity to and knowledge of African cultures. Moreover, the journalistic predicament can be resolved or not depending on the newsgathering approach adopted by the news organization. Literature has identified two approaches, that is, “gatekeeping,” used mainly by dominant traditional media, and “gatewatching,” used by alternative media in their quest to counter mainstream ideology. This study examines the impacts of the gatewatching approach adopted by the Africa Have Your Say (AHYS) website on its representation and frames of reference of Africa. It uses onsite observation, in-depth interviews, and textual analysis to gather data. The study found that although the sourcing practice at the AHYS is elaborate and complex, the gatewatching approach makes its susceptible to second-level agenda setting. Hence, its frame repeats the attributes and tone used by the mainstream traditional media. However, a minority of users did not repeat this frame in their comments.
Physical Activity Patterns by Campus Housing Status Among African American Female College Students
Authors: Ajibade Phoebe Butler
Published: February 2011

Physical activity protects against heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, and cancer. Fewer than 40% of African American women obtain recommended amounts of physical activity. Healthy Campus 2010 identifies physical activity as a top priority for improving the health of college students. However, during college, women tend to reduce their levels of physical activity. This study examines the relationship between campus housing and physical activity behaviors in a sample of African American female college students ( N = 138). Participants who lived on campus were significantly more likely to meet the recommended amounts of both moderate and vigorous physical activity than students who lived off campus (44% vs. 19%). The results demonstrate the importance of campus fitness resources in explaining the role that the built environment can play in increased physical activity among this population. Recommendations for the use of the campus’s built environment and fitness resources are provided.
Extensions on a Black Musical Tropology: From Trains to the Mothership (and Beyond)
Authors: Maxile Horace J.
Published: February 2011

This essay uses as its foundation the work of Samuel A. Floyd, Jr. in his article, “Troping the Blues: From Spirituals to the Concert Hall.” Whereas Floyd drew connections between the chariot of the Negro spiritual and the blues train, I extend this line of musical tropology into gospel trains, soul trains, and the mothership (as evoked by funk musician George Clinton). Through surveys and analyses of selected songs by artists from differing generations such as Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Gladys Knight, and Erykah Badu, I demonstrate how the verbal trope of the train has expanded over time and genres while also exploring various manifestations of freedom and liberation motifs as they surface in secular and sacred forms.
Black Community, Media, and Intellectual Paranoia-as-Politics
Authors: Cooke Anthony C.
Published: February 2011

This article used an interdisciplinary approach to a theory of paranoia as a political and cultural survival tool among Blacks in America. Focusing on a particularly contested moment in Black history—the Apollo 11 moon launch and its implications regarding funding for civil rights issues—the article approached its topic from literary, psychological, cultural, and scientific-technological perspectives, both historical and contemporary. The aim was to explore the issue of the post—civil rights “death” of the utility of appeals for full enfranchisement from the federal government and its subsequent impact on Black community life and cultural production. One of the major results of this event—seen here through the late sixties space race—was the rise of sociocultural paranoia as a productive resource in the Black community, as represented through the press, popular discourse, and literary endeavors, most notably the work of writer John A. Williams.
Modeling the dynamic crushing of closed-cell polyethylene and polystyrene foams
Authors: Mills Nigel J
Published: February 2011

The geometry of low-density, closed-cell, polyethylene, and polystyrene foams was modeled, considering the shape of the cell edges, using a Kelvin foam model. Typical regions in a foam product, undergoing uniaxial compressive impact, were considered using periodic boundary conditions, for two directions in the body-centered cubic lattice. Finite element analysis predicted yield stresses, when 24% of the polymer was in the cell edges, which were 18% smaller than those of the equivalent dry foam of the same relative density of 0.046. The face deformation mechanisms were almost the same as in the dry foam. However, plastic hinges needed to form across some cell edges before the foam yielded. The cell gas contribution to the compressive stress in polyethylene foams could be calculated, to a good approximation, by considering isothermal compression of gas in a single cell with zero lateral expansion. The model explained why the lateral expansion of polystyrene foams after compressive yield is small, but significant for polyethylene foams.
Stability of fiber-reinforced elastomeric bearings in an unbonded application
Authors: de Raaf Michael G.P. , Tait Michael J. , Toopchi-Nezhad Hamid
Published: February 2011

Stable unbonded fiber-reinforced elastomeric isolators (SU-FREIs) are a viable device for seismic mitigation purposes in low-rise structures. SU-FREI bearings consist of alternating layers of elastomer and fiber fabric with shape factor and aspect ratio such that stable rollover occurs during lateral displacement. This study investigates the stability of SU-FREI bearings through experimental testing. Two experimental test procedures are employed. The first investigates stability during incrementally increasing axial loads under lateral cyclic excitation, and the second investigates the ultimate shear properties of SU-FREI bearings through monotonic lateral displacement under design axial load. Dynamic stability testing reveals that the tested SU-FREIs remain stable at axial loads significantly greater than the design load under a wide range of cyclic lateral displacement amplitudes. In addition, an increase in axial load results in lower effective stiffness and greater effective damping in the SU-FREI bearings. Although rollout instability was not encountered during ultimate shear property testing, shear tests provide insight into the stiffening effect encountered as the originally vertical faces of the SU-FREI bearings make contact with the top and bottom contact supports.
Study of mechanical properties of epoxy/glass/nanoclay hybrid composites
Authors: Karippal Jeena Jose , Narasimha Murthy H.N. , Rai K.S. , Sreejith M. , Krishna M.
Published: February 2011

The objective of this research was to study the mechanical properties of epoxy/glass/nanoclay hybrid composites. Nanomer 1.30E nanoclay (0—6 wt%) was initially dispersed into epoxy using ultrasonication and the hybrid nanocomposite was fabricated using hand lay-up technique. Mechanical properties such as ultimate tensile strength, Young’s modulus, flexural strength, flexural modulus, interlaminar shear strength, and microhardness of the hybrid composites increased with increase in nanoclay loading up to 5 wt%. Glass transition temperature increased marginally at 2 wt% nanoclay loading and the same decreased for further addition of the filler. The tensile-fractured specimens were studied to examine the mode of failure using scanning electron microscope.
Transverse mobility prediction of non-Newtonian fluids across fibrous porous media
Authors: Jun Feng Wang  , Wook Ryol Hwang
Published: February 2011

This work is an extension of our previous work [Wang JF and Hwang WR. Permeability prediction of fibrous porous media in a bi-periodic domain. J Compos Mater 2007; 42: 909—929], in which a finite-element fictitious-domain mortar-element technique was developed to investigate the permeability of fibrous porous media in the bi-periodic domain, to non-Newtonian shear-thinning fluid. Considering the amount of shear-thinning, the pressure drop, the fiber microstructure, and the porosity as parameters, we investigate (i) the (normalized) mobility and its dependence on both the amount of shear-thinning and the given pressure drop; (ii) mechanisms leading to the main flow path in a highly shear-thinning fluid in randomly distributed fiber problems, and (iii) inter-tow and intra-tow non-Newtonian flow characteristics in a fiber bundle problem. The dependence of the mobility on shear-thinning has been found to appear completely opposite according to given pressure drop values.
Transition From Intuitive to Advanced Strategies in Multiplicative Reasoning for Students With Math Difficulties
Authors: Zhang Dake , Xin Yan Ping , Si Luo
Published: February 2011

This study explored how a teaching experiment, which taught double counting with a constructive task assignment according to an ongoing assessment, helped students with mathematics difficulties develop their multiplicative reasoning skills. The participants were two fifth graders with math learning disabilities and one at risk. A micro-genetic approach with a single-participant design was used. Investigators coded and analyzed four strategies the children used. Results showed that unitary counting was dominant during the baseline sessions. During the teaching experiment, a great increase in the use of double counting and an obvious decrease in the use of unitary counting was observed. The participants’ improvement in problem-solving accuracy on the posttest validated their strategic development. Implications are discussed in the context of employing strategic changes as a measure for assessing students’ academic achievement and interventions for helping children adopt advanced strategies.
Use of an Adaptive Study Design in Single Ascending‐Dose Pharmacokinetics of A0001 (α‐Tocopherylquinone) in Healthy Male Subjects
Authors: Hawi Amale , Heald Sarah , Sciascia Thomas
Published: February 2011

A0001 (α‐tocopherylquinone) is a potent antioxidant currently in development for the treatment of symptoms associated with inherited mitochondrial disorders. A0001 pharmacokinetics were studied in a single‐blind, adaptive design study following a single daily oral dose of placebo (n = 2) or ascending doses of A0001 (n = 8) at 0.25 and 0.5 g under a fasted state or a 0.5‐ to 6‐g dose with a high‐fat meal. Dose escalation was based on safety assessment, and proceeding dose levels were selected based on interim pharmacokinetic analyses. A0001 plasma concentration‐time profiles were similar across doses, reaching peak concentration within 4 to 6 hours, with concentrations returning to baseline within 24 hours. Exposure was highly dependent on food and dosing frequency. Exposure was nearly 60‐fold higher with food but increased subproportionally above 1‐g dose; however, the nonproportionality was offset by administering A0001 in divided doses (0.735 g, 3 times per day). The potential for an A0001:vitamin E interaction was also explored, as vitamin E use is prevalent in this patient population, and suggested that a clinically significant pharmacokinetic interaction is not likely. A0001 was well tolerated with no serious adverse events or dose‐limiting toxicities. These findings suggest that A0001 has a favorable pharmacokinetic profile when administered orally with food.
Evaluation of the Efficacy and Tolerance of a Topical Gel With 4% Quassia Extract in the Treatment of Rosacea
Authors: Ferrari Alicia , Diehl Christian
Published: February 2011

Background: There are various treatment options available for rosacea, depending on the subtype, but treatment is still generally unsatisfactory. Some studies have reported antiparasitic and anti‐inflammatory properties of Quassia amara.

Aim: To check the efficacy and safety of a topical gel with 4% Quassia amara extract in the treatment of various grades of rosacea.

Methods: A group of 30 patients with various grades of rosacea (I‐IV) were investigated in a single‐center, open‐label study. They were treated with a topical gel with 4% Quassia amara extract for 6 weeks. Response was evaluated by the flushing, erythema, telangiectasia, papules, and pustules scores. At the end of therapy, overall improvement, safety, and tolerability were assessed.

Results: Twenty‐seven of 30 patients (90%) completed the study. The treatment resulted to be very effective, and the results achieved were in line with those published with topical metronidazole and azelaic acid. Safety and tolerability were excellent.

Conclusion: Topical quassia extract could be a new, efficient, and safe weapon in the armamentarium for the management of rosacea.)
Modeling the Kinetics of Digoxin Absorption: Enhancement by P‐Glycoprotein Inhibition
Authors: Weiss Michael , Sermsappasuk Pakawadee , Siegmund Werner
Published: February 2011

An increase in the area under the curve (AUC) after oral digoxin due to coadministration of drugs known as P‐glycoprotein (P‐gp) inhibitors has been reported in several studies, but there is very little information on the rate of absorption after P‐gp inhibition. Based on an inverse Gaussian density absorption model and using a population approach, the authors reanalyzed data showing an increase in oral digoxin AUC in healthy volunteers after coadministration of talinolol. The model fitted the data well, and the results revealed that the maximum rate of digoxin absorption increased nearly 2‐fold, whereas bioavailability increased only by 21%. It is concluded that the increase in the rate of absorption seems to be a better indicator of intestinal P‐gp inhibition than the increase in extent of absorption. Furthermore, the authors use a simulation study to demonstrate the ability of the method to estimate bioavailability based on the population characteristics of digoxin disposition kinetics obtained from a different group of healthy volunteers.
Minority Status and the Use of Computer-Mediated Communication
Authors: Mesch Gustavo S.
Published: February 2011

Group differences in the use of computer-mediated communication (CMC) were investigated, to test the diversification hypothesis that argues that minorities and immigrants will be more likely to use CMC to compensate for their lack of social capital. Data were gathered from a sample of Internet users reflecting the percentage of minorities in the general population ( n = 1,264). The results provide support for the hypothesis, indicating that in multicultural societies disadvantaged groups show greater motivation to use CMC to expand business and occupational contacts, whereas members of the majority group are more motivated to use CMC to maintain existing family and friendships ties. Implications of the finding are discussed.
Minority Influence in Virtual Groups
Authors: Bazarova Natalya N. , Walther Joseph B. , McLeod Poppy L.
Published: February 2011

This study examined minority influence within virtual groups and how members’ geographic dispersion and argument consistency affect group decisions. Competing predictions were derived from several theories that were applicable but untested in the domain of online interaction: a double minority effect, the black sheep effect, congruity theory applied to groups, and the minority leniency contract framework. Online groups were created that had 4 collocated members or 4 geographically distributed members, or 2 collocated and 2 isolated members. Group members were provided biased distributions of information resembling a hidden profile to facilitate majority and minority positions resulting in 24 groups with a minority opinion holder geographically isolated or in proximity with one or more other members. The patterns of minority members’ influence on majority members’ decisions lent greatest support to the black sheep effect, congruity, and minority leniency approaches, depending on the respective location of the minority opinion holders and the consistency with which they argued their positions.
Transitions from part-time unemployment: Is part-time work a dead end or a stepping stone to the labour market?
Authors: Månsson Jonas , Ottosson Jan
Published: February 2011

This article analyses the effects of individual characteristics on the probability of leaving part-time unemployment. The results show that it cannot be unreservedly asserted that part-time work offers access to the core labour market. Among the part-time unemployed, there are great variations in the degree to which they are likely to leave part-time unemployment. A concentration of labour market policy activities on the part-time unemployed who are least likely to succeed in finding full-time employment can, therefore, be expected to have positive consequences from both equity and efficiency points of view. In this respect, part-time unemployed women, persons with work-related disabilities and persons with temporary employment come to the forefront. The article shows that the likelihood of finding a full-time job is certainly not great for persons belonging to these groups. For many of them, part-time job is not a stepping stone but rather a dead end on the labour market.
Entrepreneurship and the reorganization of the public sector: A gendered story
Authors: Sundin Elisabeth
Published: February 2011

This article is about how the international New Public Management (NPM) trend is influencing the cleaning unit and cleaners employed in a Swedish municipality. Before the change, more than 500 cleaners were employed. The municipality wanted former employees to become the providers of the cleaning services. One male manager did so and was welcomed by the leading actors of the municipality. Although the law obliged employees to be transferred to the new provider, they were not. Instead, more than 140 employees, a great majority of them women, established a joint stock company together with the municipality as a temporary co-owner. This company had problems from the very beginning. Both new companies were sold after some years – the man’s at a profit and the women’s at a loss. This article analyses their story drawing on theories on incentives for entrepreneurship, networks, social capital and gender. The study was conducted for more than 10 years using multiple methods.
Works councils as actors in collective bargaining: Derogations and the development of codetermination in the German chemical and metalworking industries
Authors: Haipeter Thomas
Published: February 2011

Plant-level derogations from collective bargaining agreements are posing new challenges for works councils. Works councils have to cope with new roles as actors in collective bargaining. The article analyses the changes in the practice of codetermination going alongside derogations. In a nutshell it can be said that works councils, although being in a defensive situation, have shown an astonishing capacity for strengthening their bargaining position by coordinating negotiations with the unions and by organizing support among the employees. In this last respect, conflict-oriented and participative strategies seem to be more promising than other strategies.