bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Morphology and mechanics of the adhesive disc of liana Parthenocissus tricuspidata
Authors: He Tianxian , Zhang Li , Xin Hongliang , Deng Wenli
Published: January 2010

A single mature adhesive disc of Parthenocissus tricuspidata has an average mass of only about 0.0005 g, an average attached area of about 1.22 mm2, and an adhesive force of about 13.7 N. On average, the disc can support a combined weight of stem, leaf, branchlet, and tendril which is 260 times greater than its own weight during the growth, and can sustain a maximum pulling force which is 2 800 000 times higher than that produced by its own weight. Experimental studies reveal that the adhesive disc of P. tricuspidata has super-adhesive properties. Microscopic experiments show some new microstructures, and we propose a new hypothesis and model to elucidate the mechanism of adhesion.
Spectral element analysis of the blood flow in human arteries
Authors: Lee Usik , Jang Injoon
Published: January 2010

It has been well recognized that cardiovascular diseases are closely related to blood flow characteristics. Thus, how to predict them accurately enough in an efficient way has been an important research issue. This paper introduces a 1D spectral element model for the blood flow in the human arteries with varying cross-sections. The variational approach is used to formulate the 1D spectral element model. The exact wave solutions to the frequency-domain governing differential equations are used to determine the frequency-dependent shape functions. The spectral finite element model is then applied to some example arteries to investigate flow characteristics such as blood flow rate and blood pressure through the arteries.
How carbonyl reductases control stereoselectivity: Approaching the goal of rational design
Authors: Zhu Dunming , Hua Ling
Published: January 2010

Although "Prelog’s rule" and "two hydrophobic binding pockets" model have been used to predict and explain the stereoselectivity of enzymatic ketone reduction, the molecular basis of stereorecognition by carbonyl reductases has not been well understood. The stereoselectivity is not only determined by the structures of enzymes and substrates, but also affected by the reaction conditions such as temperature and reaction medium. Structural analysis coupled with site-directed mutagenesis of stereocomplementary carbonyl reductases readily reveals the key elements of controlling stereoselectivity in these enzymes. In our studies, enzyme-substrate docking and molecular modeling have been engaged to understand the enantioselectivity diversity of the carbonyl reductase from Sporobolomyces salmonicolor (SSCR), and to guide site-saturation mutagenesis for altering the enantioselectivity of this enzyme. These studies provide valuable information for our understanding of how the residues involved in substrate binding affect the orientation of bound substrate, and thus control the reaction stereoselectivity. The in silico docking-guided semi-rational approach should be a useful methodology for discovery of new carbonyl reductases.
Effect of aberrant disulfide bond formation on protein conformation and molecular property of recombinant therapeutics
Authors: Zhang Lin , Moo-Young Murray , Chou C. Perry
Published: January 2010

As a comparative study, the extracytoplasmic domain of human CD83 (hCD83ext) was expressed as a glutathione-S-transferase (GST) fusion in two Escherichia coli B strains, i.e., BL21 and Origami B, respectively, with a reductive and oxidative cytoplasm. The final therapeutic products of hCD83ext produced by the two expression hosts exhibited significant differences in protein conformation and molecular property, which presumably resulted from different disulfide patterns. The study highlights the importance of developing proper host/vector systems and biomanufacturing conditions for the production of recombinant therapeutic proteins with a consistent product quality.
Silica-protein composite layers of the giant basal spicules from Monorhaphis: Basis for their mechanical stability
Authors: Wang Xiaohong , Schloßmacher Ute , Jochum Klaus Peter , Gan Lu , Stoll Brigitte , Uriz Iosune , Müller Werner E. G.
Published: January 2010

The hexactinellid sponge Monorhaphis chuni possesses with its giant basal spicules the largest biosilica structure on Earth. The approximately 8.5-mm-thick spicules are composed of up to 800 lamellae. By application of high-resolution electron microscopy (HR-SEM), it is shown that within the siliceous lamellae a proteinaceous scaffold exists which is composed of one protein of a size of 27 kDa. Analyses with Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) emission and energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy support this localization of the protein. No evidence for the presence of protein on the surfaces of the lamellae could be obtained. Heating the giant basal spicule to 600 °C destroys and eliminates the protein scaffold. At a temperature of 1600 °C, the lamellae fuse to solid glass via a nonstructured, foamed-up molten transition state. Elevation of the temperature to 2700 °C results in the formation of silica drops (Euplectella aspergillum). After the elimination of the protein scaffold from the silica lamellae, the spicules lose their mechanical characteristics of the original hydrated silica/protein composite to be flexible and simultaneously stiff and tough. The data presented here are expected to contribute to technologies suited to fabricate novel organic/inorganic (silica) hybrid fibers.
Antifungal action of chlorogenic acid against pathogenic fungi, mediated by membrane disruption
Authors: Sung Woo Sang , Lee Dong Gun
Published: January 2010

Chlorogenic acid is a polyphenol compound, derived from several fruit and plants. The aim of this study was to assess the in vitro antifungal activity of chlorogenic acid and its mode of action. The results indicate that chlorogenic acid exhibits antifungal activities against certain pathogenic fungi in an energy-independent manner, without any hemolytic effect on human erythrocytes. To elucidate the antifungal mode of action of chlorogenic acid, flow cytometry analysis by using DiBAC4(3) and changes in membrane dynamics using 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene (DPH) were performed with Candida albicans. The results suggest that chlorogenic acid may exert antifungal activity by disrupting the structure of the cell membrane. It is demonstrated that chlorogenic acid is a valid lead compound for the development of bioactive alternatives for treatment of fungal infections.
Biotechnological potential of marine natural products
Authors: Fusetani Nobuhiro
Published: January 2010

The number of marine natural products (MNPs) that have been applied to biotechnological industry is very limited, although nearly 20 000 new compounds were discovered from marine organisms since the birth of MNPs in the early 1970s. However, it is apparent that they have a significant potential as pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, nutraceuticals, research tools, and others. This article focuses on selective antitumor metabolites isolated from marine sponges and tunicates and their modes of action, as well as promising candidates for nontoxic antifoulants discovered from marine organisms.
Structure-guided de novo design of α-helical antimicrobial peptide with enhanced specificity
Authors: Huang Jin-Feng , Xu Yi-Min , Hao Dian-Ming , Huang Yi-Bing , Liu Yu , Chen Yuxin
Published: January 2010

In the present study, the 26-residue peptide sequence Ac-KWKSFLKTFKSAKKTVLHTALKAISS-amide (peptide P) was utilized as the framework to study the effects of introducing hydrophilic amino acid lysine on the nonpolar face of the helix on peptide biological activities. Lysine residue was systematically used to substitute original hydrophobic amino acid at the selected locations on the nonpolar face of peptide P. In order to compensate for the loss of hydrophobicity caused by lysine substitution, leucine was also used to replace original alanine to increase peptide overall hydrophobicity. Hemolytic activity is correlated with peptide hydrophobicity. By introducing lysine on the nonpolar face, we significantly weaken peptide hemolytic activity as well as antimicrobial activity. However, by utilizing leucine to compensate the hydrophobicity, we improve antimicrobial activity against both Gram-negative and -positive bacteria. Peptide self-association ability and hydrophobicity were also determined. This specific rational approach of peptide design could be a powerful method to optimize antimicrobial peptides with clinical potential as peptide antibiotics.
Effects of tribenuron-methyl treatment on glutathione S-transferase (GST) activities in some wheat and barley varieties
Authors: Oztetik Elif
Published: January 2010

For efficient and profitable crop production, appropriate weed management is essential. Today, herbicides are an integral part of modern farming practice globally, as they assure the convenient method of weed control chemically. Glutathione S-transferases (GSTs, EC.2.5.1.18) are a superfamily of multifunctional enzymes that detoxify endo- and xeno-biotic compounds by conjugating glutathione (GSH) to a hydrophobic substrate. Plant GSTs have been a focus of attention because of their roles in herbicide detoxification and environmental safety. In this study, the application of herbicide called tribenuron-methyl to the cultivars of wheat (Triticum aestivum L. cv. Izgi-2001, Triticum aestivum L. cv. Alpu-2001) and barley plants (Hordeum vulgare L. cv. Bilgi-91, Hordeum vulgare L. cv. Kalayci-97) caused an increase in GST activities of both in roots and shoots. Total GSH and protein contents were also determined for all above-mentioned plants. As a conclusion, our results indicate that depending on the herbicide itself, treatment conditions and the origin of the plant, tribenuron-methyl had an effect on the parameters measured in this study, including the GST activities and synthesis of GSH. The maximum increase in enzyme activity was observed in herbicide-treated Triticum aestivum L. cv. Izgi-2001 roots: 192 % of control with a tribenuron-methyl concentration of 1.5 M. However, further investigations are needed to elucidate the presence of specific tribenuron-methyl GST isozymes in this plant.
Immobilized metal-ion affinity systems for recovery and structure–function studies of proteins at molecular, supramolecular, and cellular levels
Authors: Prasanna Rajasekar R. , Vijayalakshmi Mookambeswaran A.
Published: January 2010

Immobilized metal-ion affinity (IMA) adsorption is a collective term that is used to include all kinds of adsorptions where the metal ion serves as the characteristic and most essential part of adsorption center. Of all the IMA techniques, immobilized metal-affinity chromatography (IMAC) has been gaining popularity as the choice of purification technique for proteins. IMAC represents a separation technique that is primarily useful for proteins with natural surface exposed-histidine residues and for recombinant proteins with engineered histidine tag. This review also gives insight into other nonchromatographic applications of IMA adsorption such as immobilized metal-ion affinity gel electrophoresis (IMAGE), immobilized metal-ion affinity capillary electrophoresis (IMACE), and immobilized metal-ion affinity partitioning (IMAP).
Enzymatic transformation of flavonoids and terpenoids: Structural and functional diversity of the novel derivatives
Authors: Xanthakis Epameinondas , Theodosiou Eleni , Magkouta Sophia , Stamatis Haralambos , Loutrari Heleni , Roussos Charis , Kolisis Fragiskos
Published: January 2010

Flavonoids and terpenoids are promising candidates for use as functional foods and novel therapeutics due to their prominent biological activities. However, the use of several bioactive plant compounds is limited by low stability and solubility problems. This review underlines the feasibility of enzymatic synthesis of novel bioactive analogs of selected flavonoids (silybin, rutin) and terpenoids (perillyl alcohol, POH) in nonconventional reaction systems. The effect of various parameters on the enzymatic acylation and/or glucosylation of these phytochemicals was studied. Also, the role of the structure of the novel molecules in relation to their biological function was investigated in various cancer cell lines.
Regulation and detection methods for genetically modified foods in Korea
Authors: Kim Hae-Yeong , Kim Jae-Hwan , Oh Mi-Hwa
Published: January 2010

Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) have been developed and commercialized in many countries for the past decade. The regulations on these GMOs in Korea have been established through the labeling and safety evaluation systems for management of genetically modified (GM) foods under the Food Sanitation Act enacted by the Korea Food and Drug Administration (KFDA). To manage these regulations effectively, several methods for GMO detection, including polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods and immunoassay, are applied. For detection of GMOs at the level of DNA, primers from the promoter, terminator, other marker genes, and expressed proteins used in a wide range of GMOs were designed for single, multiplex, real-time PCR, and microarray applications. In Korea, multiplex PCR methods specific to GM soybean, maize, canola, and cotton were designed. The limit of detection (LOD) value was determined to be 1 % of GM mixtures, which is a significant value for the PCR method used for the labeling threshold in Korea. A DNA microarray chip was also developed for the detection of 24 GMOs, including GM soybeans, 13 GM maizes, 3 GM canolas, 5 GM cottons, and 1 GM rice. This DNA chip was proven to successfully detect GMOs from raw and processed foods. In the near future, more powerful screening and detection methods are needed for handling many kinds of GMOs and unauthorized GMOs.
Research activities for the monitoring of genetically modified organisms in Japan
Authors: Kitta Kazumi
Published: January 2010

The Japanese government introduced a labeling system for genetically modified (GM) foods. To ensure the authenticity of the labeling system, we have developed and validated detection methods for newly approved GM events. One was the development of quantitative analytical methods utilizing plasmid DNAs as calibrators, which enabled us to obtain an unlimited supply of calibrators of consistent quality and also to obtain a stable standard curve to quantify GM organisms (GMOs) in samples. The significance of quality control has been recognized among relevant stakeholders, and in response we launched a project to distribute certified reference materials (CRMs) to the users of our methods for the purpose of internal quality control. In addition to these activities, we have developed time- and cost-effective detection methods, such as a new screening method to simultaneously detect the sequence of Cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter (p35S) and the construct-specific sequence of GA21 event utilizing multiplex real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). We also developed a qualitative nonaplex PCR detection method, which allows the simultaneous detection of eight events of GM maize lines. Because the influx of any unapproved and unknown GMOs into the Japanese market is not permitted, we continue to explore this issue.
New method for determination of average scFv fragment number displayed on the M13 phage surface
Authors: Zhao Peng , Zhu Guijie , Zhang Lihua , Liang Zhen , Li Zonghai , Zhang Yukui
Published: January 2010

Single-chain-Fv (scFv) display M13 phage library has been regarded as a powerful tool for screening specific antibodies via binding with target proteins. Generally, the library quality is evaluated through detecting gene fragments by molecular biology methods, which is not only time- and labor-consuming, but also impossible to obtain quantitative information about the binding capacity of the phage library. In our recent study, a new method to calculate the average scFv number displayed on the M13 phage surface was proposed by capillary electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence (CE-LIF) detection. By this method, enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) and scFv phage clones that could specifically bind with EGFP were mixed with different ratios, followed by analysis by CE-LIF. With the dilution of EGFP by phage solution, the peak areas of scFv phage clones and free EGFP were decreased continuously, while that of the EGFP-M13 phage complex was found to decrease initially, then trend to be stable, and finally decrease further. When the volume ratio of the M13 phage to EGFP reached 660:1, corresponding to the molecule number ratio as 1:2.6, no more EGFP was found to bind with the M13 phage, which demonstrated that, by average, 2.6 scFv fragments that could bind with EGFP were displayed on the M13 phage surface. All these experimental results demonstrated that, by such a method, the quantitative evaluation of the phage library could be achieved with high throughput and accuracy.
Molecular methods for the detection and characterization of foodborne pathogens
Authors: Shi Xian-Ming , Long Fei , Suo Biao
Published: January 2010

The surveillance of foodborne pathogens in food industries has shown the urgent need for rapid and dependable methods to detect and characterize the organisms in food and environments of clinical and epidemiologic importance. Recent studies on rapid methods in microbiology have been focused on biochemical characterization, immunoassays, and molecular methods. Many molecular methods have been developed and applied to the detection and characterization of foodborne pathogens in laboratories and food industries. They can be mainly divided into DNA banding pattern-based tests and DNA sequence-based tests. The former includes nucleic acid hybridization, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), amplified restriction length polymorphism, and randomly amplified polymorphic DNA, etc. Most of these methods in commercial applications are based on PCR or hybridization techniques. The principle, characteristics, and application of molecular methods for the detection and characterization of foodborne pathogens were reviewed in this article.
Biosynthetic system of camptothecin: An anticancer plant product
Authors: Yamazaki Mami , Asano Takashi , Yamazaki Yasuyo , Sirikantaramas Supaart , Sudo Hiroshi , Saito Kazuki
Published: January 2010

Camptothecin is one of the clinically used anticancer compounds derived from plants. We have established a hairy root culture Ophiorrhiza pumila, which efficiently produces camptothecin. The strictosidine synthase cDNA was obtained from O. pumila, and its properties were characterized using recombinant protein expressed in Escherichia coli. The mechanisms of camptothecin transport and self-resistance of producing plant cells have also been investigated. These studies offer a basis for pathway engineering of camptothecin in the future.
Biosurfactant-enhanced bioremediation of hydrophobic pollutants
Authors: Cameotra Swaranjit Singh , Makkar Randhir S.
Published: January 2010

Biosurfactants are surface-active compounds synthesized by a wide variety of micro-organisms. They are molecules that have both hydrophobic and -philic domains and are capable of lowering the surface tension and the interfacial tension of the growth medium. Biosurfactants possess different chemical structures—lipopeptides, glycolipids, neutral lipids, and fatty acids. They are nontoxic biomolecules that are biodegradable. Biosurfactants also exhibit strong emulsification of hydrophobic compounds and form stable emulsions. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), crude oil sludge, and pesticides can be toxic, mutagenic, and carcinogenic compounds that pollute the environment. They are released into the environment as a result of oil spillage and by-products of coal treatment processes. The low water solubility of these compounds limits their availability to microorganisms, which is a potential problem for bioremediation of contaminated sites. Microbially produced surfactants enhance the bioavailability of these hydrophobic compounds for bioremediation. Therefore, biosurfactant-enhanced solubility of pollutants has potential bioremediation applications.
Homology swapping of intrinsic secondary structural elements between cellulosomal types I and II cohesins and their effect on dockerin binding
Authors: Noach Ilit , Barak Yoav , Frolow Felix , Lamed Raphael , Bayer Edward A.
Published: January 2010

The high-affinity cohesin–dockerin interaction dictates the suprastructural assembly of the multienzyme cellulosome complex. The interaction between these two complementary families of protein modules was found to be species-specific and type-dependent. The structure of the type II cohesin module possesses additional intrinsic secondary structural elements absent in the type I cohesin, i.e., an α-helix and two singular "β-flaps". The role of these extra secondary structures in dockerin recognition was studied in this work using gene swapping, in which corresponding homologous stretches of types I and II cohesins were interchanged. The specificity of binding of the resultant chimaeric cohesins was determined by enzyme-linked affinity assay. Several chimaeric cohesins retained dockerin recognition properties. Hence, these cohesins may undergo manipulations (insertion/deletion of peptide segments) without altering their affinity toward their counterpart dockerin, although type-dependent binding specificity cannot be converted by swapping of the additional secondary structural elements between the two cohesin types. The results further emphasize the strong affinity and plasticity between the cohesin and dockerin pair and are consistent with the known findings on specificity of the types I and II interactions. These studies provide insight into the structural and functional resilience of the cohesins and thus have direct bearing on their potential use in biotechnological applications.
An integrative approach for high-throughput screening and characterization of transcriptional regulators in Streptomyces coelicolor
Authors: Song Eunjung , Yang Yung-Hun , Lee Bo-Rahm , Kim Eun-Jung , Kim Ji-Nu , Park Sung-Soo , Lee Kwangwon , Kim Woo-Seong , You Sungyong , Hwang Daehee , Kim Byung-Gee
Published: January 2010

In an age of burgeoning information on genomes and proteomes, determining the specific functions of a gene of interest is still a challenging task, especially genes whose functions cannot be predicted from their sequence information alone. To solve this problem, we have developed an integrative approach for discovering novel transcriptional regulators (TRs) playing critical roles in antibiotic production and decoding their regulatory networks in Streptomyces species which contain many regulatory genes for synthesis of secondary metabolites and cell differentiation to spores. The DNA affinity capture assay (DACA) coupled with clustering of DNA chip data was used to find new TRs controlling antibiotic biosynthetic gene clusters. Functions of these newly identified TRs were characterized using 96-well-based minimal media screening (antibiotic production mapping, APM), pH indicator method, comparative two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2D-gel), reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Using these techniques, we were able to reconstruct a regulatory network describing how these new TRs collectively regulate antibiotic production. This proposed approach providing additional key regulators and their interactions to an existing incomplete regulatory network can also be applied in studying regulators in other bacteria of interest.
Aquatic phytoremediation: Novel insights in tropical and subtropical regions
Authors: Olguín Eugenia J. , Sánchez-Galván Gloria
Published: January 2010

An overview of the state of the art in phytofiltration of nutrients and heavy metals (HMs) from wastewaters using tropical and subtropical plants in constructed wetlands (CWs) and lagoons is presented. Various mechanisms to remove these pollutants are discussed, in regard to three different types of systems: surface flow constructed wetlands (SFCWs), subsurface flow constructed wetlands (SSFCWs), and lagoons with floating plants. Only recent reports at laboratory, pilot and full scale, especially in tropical regions, are discussed. Most of the experiences around the world have shown that these systems are efficient and high removal percentages have been reported for both, nutrients and metals. However, there are still several unsolved or partially understood issues. Long-term studies at the mesocosms or large scale, in order to gain a full insight of the various mechanisms occurring in each system, are required. The understanding of the fate or compartmentalization of the pollutants in these complex artificial ecosystems, especially in the case of HMs, will permit us to establish the frequency of harvesting and the advantages of the use of specific species. The huge bio-diversity that is commonly found in tropical and subtropical regions represents a challenge for finding new species with outstanding characteristics for tolerance to toxic and recalcitrant pollutants or to extreme environmental conditions, such as high temperature or salinity.
Full-scale bioremediation and long-term monitoring of a phenolic wastewater disposal lake
Authors: Stottmeister Ulrich , Kuschk Peter , Wiessner Arndt
Published: January 2010

A former open-cast pit was used as the disposal site for wastewater from lignite low-temperature coking processes. The formed lake with a strong stratification had a final volume of 2 × 106 m3. Its water was highly toxic and of dark brownish color (transparency about 3 cm). Traditional remediation methods were too expensive, and it was therefore necessary to develop a new, ecologically and economically acceptable remediation strategy. This strategy is based on a first precipitation step of the dark-brown-colored macromolecules as iron-humate flocs at pH 4.0. These macromolecules are similar to fulvic/humic acid and are formed abiotically by autoxidation of polyphenolic compounds. Thus, the dissolved organic matter (DOM, about 280 mg/l) was decreased by about 50 % and transparency improved. After a neutralization step with 2200 m3 of 20 % calcium carbonate suspension and a subsequent "fertilization" with 0.75 % phosphoric acid (3 × 0.8 m3) "enhanced natural attenuation" was initiated. Due to higher transparency, intense growth of algae ("blooming") and bacteria started in the upper zone of the lake. In winter, algae sedimented and one year after the precipitation step, the water of the surface zone was almost clear (transparency 1 m, after 10 years over 3 m) and odorless.
Bargaining with God: Religion, Advertising, and Commercial Success in Kenya
Authors: Dolan Catherine , Johnstone-Louis Mary
Published: January 2010

This paper seeks to understand how small-scale entrepreneurs in Nairobi, Kenya understand the relationship between religion and commerce through an analysis of shop advertising signs. While the sacred and profane are often theorized as mutually exclusive categories, the paper describes how these spheres are fused through the use religion-referencing signs among small businesses. In contrast to the conventional purpose of business signs, shop owners did not use signs to advertise the nature of their business and/or its products to potential customers. Rather the primary motive in selecting a religious name was to communicate with God in order to manage economic uncertainties and achieve material blessings. The paper highlights three factors that influence the religious orientation of business signs: i) the concept of financial blessing embraced in the materialist ethos of the "Prosperity Gospel"; ii) a belief in the ubiquitous presence of good and evil forces, and the need to mediate these forces in the economic sphere; and iii) the importance of moral conduct in the pursuit of financial gain. The paper argues that these factors render shop signs less a form of advertising per se than a bargain with God.
Service Provider Use of Christian Religious Messages in Yellow Pages Advertising
Authors: Halstead Diane , Haynes Paula J. , Taylor Valerie A.
Published: January 2010

A growing practice among local businesses in the U.S. is the inclusion of Christian religious symbols or messages in their advertising, especially yellow pages advertising. Yet little is known about the motivations behind the usage of such messages. These issues are addressed in a series of in-depth interviews with local service providers who use religious messages in their ads. Narratives of the interviews are presented, and interpretation led to the discovery of two emergent themes: "Entrepreneurial Christianity" and service providers' "Desire for Tribal Identity." Both of the themes contained three subthemes. These emergent themes and subthemes are discussed and then placed within the larger context of religion and commerce.
Islamic Brands Ready for Takeoff
Authors: Temporal Paul
Published: January 2010

Paul Temporal looks at the new world of Islamic branding and finds opportunities greatly outweigh obstacles.
Texts versus Documents: The Case of Pélagie-la-Charrette
Authors: Thomas Jean-Jacques
Published: January 2010

In the late 80s and early 90s, Riffaterre used linguistic stylistics and Peircean semiotics to analyze texts and distinguish between documentary and literary discourse. This study considers Pélagie-la-Charrette ’s recounting of the Acadians’ “Grand dérangement” and shows the highly literary nature of its discourse.
Les Chants de Maldoror : plaisir de la négation, négation du plaisir
Authors: Sureau Eloïse
Published: January 2010

This essay studies Ducasse’s various stylistic strategies for triggering the reader’s pleasure, or lack thereof. By considering Riffaterre’s concept of style, I demonstrate that Ducasse’s sentence organization and word choice underscore negation. Analyzing a passage from canto three highlights the stylistic means used to hinder the reader’s pleasure.
De la poésie sale de Tchicaya U Tam’si (suivi d’une note réflexive sur Riffaterre)
Authors: Delas Daniel
Published: January 2010

The essay begins with a discussion of the disruptive rhythms that the Congolese poet Tchicaya incorporated into his works and that are modeled on Rimbaud’s verse poems. It ends with a recapitulation of Riffaterre’s and Delas’s collaboration on Essais de stylistique structurale and of the subsequent development of Riffaterre’s thought.
Introduction: A Science of Joy
Authors: Winspur Steven
Published: January 2010

Like his contemporaries Barthes, Kristeva, and Eco, Michael Riffaterre proposed a method of textual analysis that became a landmark for scholars of literature. This issue is the first to re-evaluate Riffaterre’s key concepts and show their relevance to various fields within and beyond French literature.
Retour sans retour: Michael Riffaterre, chasseur de textes
Authors: Russo Adelaide M.
Published: January 2010

Riffaterre’s 1969 essay “La Métaphore filée dans la poésie surréaliste” to this day marks a paradigm shift in the analysis and understanding of Surrealist texts. I describe Riffaterre’s own “retroactive reading” of symbolist texts in the light of his work on Surrealism and contrast his theory of ekphrasis with claims made by André Breton.
Elements of a Mystery Play in Madame Bovary : mœurs de province
Authors: Rogers Peter S.
Published: January 2010

In Madame Bovary anti-clerical Homais recognizes that the Bible, like mystery plays, is offensive. Consequently, he does not want scripture to fall into the hands of his daughter Athalie. His remarks and other spicy details suggest elements of a farcical mystery play in the story of adulterous Emma.
Avian Ways: Influence and Innovation in Lucretius and Vergil
Authors: Spence Sarah
Published: January 2010

Via a discussion of the paronomasia linking the Latin words for “pathless” and “bird,” this essay discusses Vergil’s allusions to Lucretius in Aeneid 7. The extract leads me to reconsider Lucretius’ passage on the clinamen , misread by Harold Bloom, and to comment on Riffaterre’s explanation of literary influence.
Cultural Damage and Some Literary Repair (Condé, Carn et al.)
Authors: Winspur Steven
Published: January 2010

The contrast between mimesis and diegesis was refined by Riffaterre in his book Fictional Truth which proposes an innovative theory of narrative. Illustrating this contrast with francophone and other contemporary works, the essay argues that story telling is based upon the disruption of form.
Replacing Literary History: With Hypograms or Paragrams?
Authors: Metzidakis Stamos
Published: January 2010

Riffaterre believed that serious literary studies analyze the transformation/interaction of all verbal forms, thus giving equal weight to textual signifiers and signifieds. His critique of Saussure’s anagrams revealed however his preference for meanings over forms. I argue for a different literary chronology based on Riffaterre’s early underscoring of form.
I Like(d) Mike: Learning from Riffaterre
Authors: Shaw Mary
Published: January 2010

This essay treats Riffaterre’s teaching legacy in a personal way. It captures how the delivery of his ideas through powerful examples and reading performances armed one former student to carry his understanding of literature to her own students, whatever their (and her own) “fear(s) of theory” might be.
Building and State Building in Nanjing after the Taiping Rebellion
Authors: Wooldridge William Charles
Published: January 2010

In nineteenth-century China, various groups could produce political power by creating meaningful places. This article examines such politically-charged constructions in the city of Nanjing, which in 1864 was in ruins in the aftermath of the Taiping Rebellion. From 1864 to 1872, Zeng Guofan was a key figure in the reconstruction of city buildings as well as local government. Having developed a network of personnel to manage the waging of war, he now used this staff to raise funds for reconstruction, to allocate labor and building materials, to seize control of urban property, to feed the impoverished populace, and to perform rituals honoring the dead. By these means Zeng implemented a new vision of government in the city, one in which the activism of people in Nanjing, and not the virtues of Qing emperors, was the key to a harmonious society. “Tongzhi Restoration” is thus a misnomer. Nanjing’s new institutions, buildings, and rituals extended the reach of the Qing state at the expense of the personal authority of Qing monarchs.
Loyalty, Anxiety, and Opportunism: Local Elite Activism during the Taiping Rebellion in Eastern Zhejiang, 1851–1864
Authors: Zheng Xiaowei
Published: January 2010

During the Taiping Rebellion, eastern Zhejiang was a key battlefield. Drawing upon fresh data from literati writings, government records, and local gazetteers, this paper explores how different types of local elites in the Ningbo-Shaoxing region acted and how their practices interacted with and gradually changed the local political structure. This paper argues that the Taiping Rebellion was not simply a conflict between rebels on one side, and local elites plus the Qing government on the other. Eastern Zhejiang’s Taiping Rebellion was chiefly a civil war between two types of local elites. The suppression of the rebellion cannot be interpreted solely as the Tongzhi restoration policies of the central government; in fact, victory in eastern Zhejiang resulted from the new activism of the Ningbo elites, who applied various resources to ensure the Qing triumph. Finally, patterns of local dominance changed: an independent and separate sphere of local activism emerged, and economic capital became increasingly important compared to cultural capital as a source of power. All of these factors corroded the foundation of the “Confucian” way of dominance and gave rise to the independent authority of the local elite, which set in motion the political transformation that was to come.
Plasma nitrite/nitrate concentrations in patients with schizophrenia
Authors: Djordjević Vladimir V. , Stojanović Ivana , Stanković-Ferlež Dragana , Ristić Tatjana , Lazarević Dušan , Ćosić Vladan , Djordjević Vidosava B.
Published: January 2010

Background: Nitric oxide (NO) is known to be a signaling molecule with many physiogical functions including apoptotic process regulation. Since apoptosis may contribute to the pathophysiology of schizophrenia, this study was undertaken to determine the plasma concentrations of NO in schizophrenics.

Methods: Nitrite/nitrate (NO2
–/NO3
–) concentrations were measured in plasma from 40 patients with schizophrenia, and 36 age- and gender-matched healthy persons using a colorimetric test.

Results: Plasma NO2
–/NO3
– concentrations were significantly higher in patients with schizophrenia (102.8±34.7 μmol/L, p<0.0001) than in controls (69.2±13.2 μmol/L). Also, mean NO2
–/NO3
– values in female patients and controls were significantly higher (118.2±44.7 μmol/L, p<0.001; 74.8±16.1 μmol/L, p<0.05, respectively) compared to males (94.7±25.3 μmol/L, 67.6±10.8 μmol/L). Significant correlation was seen between plasma NO2
–/NO3
– concentrations and heredity, number of episodes and peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) caspase-3 activity, which was significantly higher in patients than in controls (p<0.05). There was no significant difference in NO2
–/NO3
– concentrations between patients with different Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) scores or between patients treated with haloperidol (97.2±31.2 μmol/L) and those treated with other atypical antipsychotic drugs (109.8±33.7 μmol/L). Both parameters showed no significant differences between smokers and non-smokers.

Conclusions: This study showed that plasma NO2
–/NO3
– concentrations were significantly increased in patients with schizophrenia, being significantly higher in female than male patients, and showing a significant correlation with heredity, number of episodes and PBMC caspase-3 activity. These results suggest that NO could be considered an inducer or regulator of apoptosis in patients with schizophrenia.

Clin Chem Lab Med 2010;48:89–94.
Reducing Intracortical Inhibition in the Adult Visual Cortex Promotes Ocular Dominance Plasticity
Authors: Harauzov Alexey , Spolidoro Maria , DiCristo Graziella , De Pasquale Roberto , Cancedda Laura , Pizzorusso Tommaso , Viegi Alessandro , Berardi Nicoletta , Maffei Lamberto
Published: January 2010

Experience-dependent plasticity in the cortex is often higher during short critical periods in postnatal development. The mechanisms limiting adult cortical plasticity are still unclear. Maturation of intracortical GABAergic inhibition is suggested to be crucial for the closure of the critical period for ocular dominance (OD) plasticity in the visual cortex. We find that reduction of GABAergic transmission in the adult rat visual cortex partially reactivates OD plasticity in response to monocular deprivation (MD). This is accompanied by an enhancement of activity-dependent potentiation of synaptic efficacy but not of activity-dependent depression. We also found a decrease in the expression of chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans in the visual cortex of MD animals with reduced inhibition, after the reactivation of OD plasticity. Thus, intracortical inhibition is a crucial limiting factor for the induction of experience-dependent plasticity in the adult visual cortex.
Functional, But Not Anatomical, Separation of “What” and “When” in Prefrontal Cortex
Authors: Machens Christian K. , Romo Ranulfo , Brody Carlos D.
Published: January 2010

How does the brain store information over a short period of time? Typically, the short-term memory of items or values is thought to be stored in the persistent activity of neurons in higher cortical areas. However, the activity of these neurons often varies strongly in time, even if time is unimportant for whether or not rewards are received. To elucidate this interaction of time and memory, we reexamined the activity of neurons in the prefrontal cortex of monkeys performing a working memory task. As often observed in higher cortical areas, different neurons have highly heterogeneous patterns of activity, making interpretation of the data difficult. To overcome these problems, we developed a method that finds a new representation of the data in which heterogeneity is much reduced, and time- and memory-related activities became separate and easily interpretable. This new representation consists of a few fundamental activity components that capture 95% of the firing rate variance of >800 neurons. Surprisingly, the memory-related activity components account for <20% of this firing rate variance. The observed heterogeneity of neural responses results from random combinations of these fundamental components. Based on these components, we constructed a generative linear model of the network activity. The model suggests that the representations of time and memory are maintained by separate mechanisms, even while sharing a common anatomical substrate. Testable predictions of this hypothesis are proposed. We suggest that our method may be applied to data from other tasks in which neural responses are highly heterogeneous across neurons, and dependent on more than one variable.
Mechanisms for Adjusting Interaural Time Differences to Achieve Binaural Coincidence Detection
Authors: Seidl Armin H. , Rubel Edwin W , Harris David M.
Published: January 2010

Understanding binaural perception requires detailed analyses of the neural circuitry responsible for the computation of interaural time differences (ITDs). In the avian brainstem, this circuit consists of internal axonal delay lines innervating an array of coincidence detector neurons that encode external ITDs. Nucleus magnocellularis (NM) neurons project to the dorsal dendritic field of the ipsilateral nucleus laminaris (NL) and to the ventral field of the contralateral NL. Contralateral-projecting axons form a delay line system along a band of NL neurons. Binaural acoustic signals in the form of phase-locked action potentials from NM cells arrive at NL and establish a topographic map of sound source location along the azimuth. These pathways are assumed to represent a circuit similar to the Jeffress model of sound localization, establishing a place code along an isofrequency contour of NL. Three-dimensional measurements of axon lengths reveal major discrepancies with the current model; the temporal offset based on conduction length alone makes encoding of physiological ITDs impossible. However, axon diameter and distances between Nodes of Ranvier also influence signal propagation times along an axon. Our measurements of these parameters reveal that diameter and internode distance can compensate for the temporal offset inferred from axon lengths alone. Together with other recent studies, these unexpected results should inspire new thinking on the cellular biology, evolution, and plasticity of the circuitry underlying low-frequency sound localization in both birds and mammals.
Activation of a Poised RNAPII-Dependent Promoter Requires Both SAGA and Mediator
Authors: Lee Sarah K , Fletcher Aaron G L , Zhang Lei , Chen Xu , Fischbeck Julie A , Stargell Laurie A
Published: January 2010

A growing number of promoters have key components of the transcription machinery, such as TATA-binding protein (TBP) and RNA polymerase II (RNAPII), present at the promoter prior to activation of transcription. Thus, while transcriptional output undergoes a dramatic increase between uninduced and induced conditions, occupancy of a large portion of the transcription machinery does not. As such, activation of these poised promoters depends on rate-limiting steps after recruitment of TBP and RNAPII for regulated expression. Little is known about the transcription components required in these latter steps of transcription in vivo. To identify components with critical roles in transcription after recruitment of TBP in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, we screened for loss of gene expression activity from promoter-tethered TBP in >100 mutant strains deleted for a transcription-related gene. The assay revealed a dramatic enrichment for strains containing deletions in genes encoding subunits of the Spt-Ada-Gcn5-acetyltransferase (SAGA) complex and Mediator. Analysis of an authentic postrecruitment-regulated gene (CYC1) reveals that SAGA occupies the promoter under both uninduced and induced conditions. In contrast, Mediator is recruited only after transfer to inducing conditions and correlates with activation of the preloaded polymerase at CYC1. These studies indicate the critical functions of SAGA and Mediator in the mechanism of activation of genes with rate-limiting steps after recruitment of TBP.
More Suttas on Sakka and why the Shorter Chinese Sa?yukta-?gama should not be attributed to the K??yap?ya school
Authors: Bingenheimer Marcus
Published: January 2010

This article is part of a series on the Shorter Chinese Sa?yukta-?gama (BZA). Continuing the investigation from previous research on the provenance of the BZA, it is concluded that the attribution of the BZA to the K??yap?ya school is mistaken. A comparison of the BZA’s ?akra-sa?yukta with the P?li Sakka-sa?yutta shows that, with minor exceptions, the narrative content of both sa?yuttas is identical though the number of suttas varies. Finally, the article completes the translation of the ?akra-sa?yukta, the first part of which appeared in BSR 25 (2).
Rethinking Non-self
Authors: Kuan Tse-fu
Published: January 2010

Scholars have pointed out that the arguments for not-self (anatt?, or “non-self”) recurring in the Buddhist texts are meant to refute the “self” (?tman) in the Upani?ads. The Buddha’s denial of the self, however, was not only pointed at Brahmanism, but also confronted various ?rama?ic trends of thought against Brahmanism. This paper investigates the extant three versions of a Buddhist text which records a debate between the Buddha and Saccaka, an adherent of a certain ?rama?ic sect, over the relationship of the self and the five aggregates (khandha). There exist divergences among the three versions in regard to the account of this debate. The account in sutta 35 of the Majjhima Nik?ya is generally consistent with that in s?tra 110 of the Sa?yukta ?gama in Chinese translation, whereas s?tra 10 of Chapter 37 of the Ekottarika ?gama in Chinese translation tells a very different story. Judging from Saccaka’s title, Niga??haputta, and his background as given in the Pali commentary, he was an adherent of Jainism. This paper demonstrates that Saccaka’s view, which was refuted by the Buddha, as stated in the two similar versions has nothing to do with Jainism, but rather it is an “invention” created by distorting Brahmanical thought. This “invention” has led the Pali commentaries and contemporary scholars to interpret the ‘self’ denied by the Buddha as what comes under one’s mastery or control, and to understand the statement “Each of the five aggregates is not self” in the Buddhist texts as denying the idea that each of the five aggregates can be seen as what comes under control. This, however, misses the point. The mainstream thought in India at that time conceived the ‘self’ or the essence of the individual or of the universe as a ‘controller’, and it is this concept that the Buddha exerted all his energy to overturn. Therefore, the account in those two versions of the text apparently has some mistake. As to the Ekottarika ?gama version of the text, Saccaka’s view as stated therein is very different from what is found in the above two versions. An examination of this version shows that the views rebutted by the Buddha are very similar to those of the ?j?vikas. Since the Buddhist texts frequently confuse the ?j?vikas with the Jains (Niga??ha), it is very likely that Saccaka was actually an adherent of the ?j?vika faith and that this discourse is meant to criticize the ?j?vika doctrines. Since the Ekottarika ?gama version seems to make better sense, this version may be fairly close to the original account, while the other two versions have considerably deviated from the original. By comparing these three versions of the text, I also attempt to explore some important issues regarding the sectarian development of Buddhism, and to shed some light on the unique values of the Chinese Ekottarika ?gama, which is, in terms of sectarian affiliation, significantly distant from the Pali Majjhima Nik?ya and the Chinese Sa?yukta ?gama that belong to two closely related schools.