bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
NFIB rearrangement in superficial, retroperitoneal, and colonic lipomas with aberrations involving chromosome band 9p22
Authors: Italiano Antoine , Ebran Nathalie , Attias Rita , Chevallier Anne , Monticelli Isabelle , Mainguené Claire , Benchimol Daniel , Pedeutour Florence
Published: July 2008

Lipomas are frequently characterized by rearrangements resulting in the fusion of the HMGA2 gene (12q14.3) with a variety of partners. Chromosome band 9p22 rearrangements occur in about 1% of lipomas. We report here the molecular cytogenetic analysis of five cases of lipoma with a 9p22 aberration, including the first cytogenetic analysis of a colonic lipoma. Three out of the five cases showed a rearrangement of NFIB at 9p22.3. The NFIB rearrangement involved a fusion with HMGA2 in two cases. We have identified an in‐frame fusion of the first three exons of HMGA2 with exon 6 of MSRB3 (12q14.3) and exons 8 and 9 of NFIB by using 3′RACE‐PCR in a case of superficial lipoma. In a case of retroperitoneal lipoma we found a fusion of HMGA2 with NFIB by fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis. The colonic lipoma was characterized by a t(9;16;19)(p22;q21;q13) with a rearrangement of NFIB and no rearrangement of HMGA2. NFIB belongs to the nuclear factor I transcription family. It has been previously shown to be fused with HMGA2 in one case of lipoma and to be a recurrent partner of HMGA2 in pleormorphic adenoma of salivary glands. We here demonstrate that NFIB can also be rearranged independently from HMGA2, indicating a potentially important role in lipoma pathobiology. Our findings suggest that the rearrangement of NFIB might be associated with deep‐seated lipomas, such as retroperitoneal or gastro‐intestinal lipomas. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Treatment of chronic hepatitis C in hemodialysis patients
Authors: Berenguer Marina
Published: July 2008

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is especially problematic in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) who are undergoing hemodialysis. Rates of HCV infection are higher among hemodialysis patients than in the general population, and several routes of transmission are thought to stem from the dialysis unit. Management of chronic hepatitis C is also more complicated in hemodialysis patients because of altered pharmacokinetics and a predisposition for drug-related toxicity, particularly ribavirin-induced anemia. Clinical trials of patients with chronic hepatitis C and healthy, functioning kidney grafts are rare because of the inherent dangers of graft rejection. As a result, most studies in patients with ESRD have focused on patients waiting for a kidney transplant. Additionally, because ribavirin is contraindicated in this patient population, many studies have examined monotherapy treatments. According to meta-analyses, conventional interferon alfa treatment yields a sustained virological response (SVR) rate of 37%, whereas studies of pegylated interferon alfa monotherapy have yielded SVR rates between 13% and 75%. Several small studies have also used the monitoring of ribavirin plasma concentrations or hemoglobin levels to facilitate the use of combination therapy. In light of the results from these clinical trials, we herein review treatment guidelines and recommend strategies to help optimize the treatment of patients with ESRD.

Conclusion:

There remains a lack of clarity surrounding the most effective treatment options for patients with chronic hepatitis C and ESRD. Treatment can be effective with many patients attaining SVR; however, unfavorable tolerability with interferon alfa–based therapy remains a concern and thus close supportive care should be aggressively pursued to help maintain adherence. (Hepatology 2008;48:1690–1699.)
Anti-CD81 antibodies can prevent a hepatitis C virus infection in vivo
Authors: Meuleman Philip , Hesselgesser Joseph , Paulson Matthew , Vanwolleghem Thomas , Desombere Isabelle , Reiser Hans , Leroux-Roels Geert
Published: July 2008

The viral life cycle of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) has been studied mainly using different

in vitro

cell culture models. Studies using pseudoviral particles (HCVpp) and more recently cell culture–derived virus (HCVcc) suggest that at least three host cell molecules are important for HCV entry

in vitro

: the tetraspanin CD81, the scavenger receptor class B member I, and the tight junction protein Claudin-1. Whether these receptors are equally important for an

in vivo

infection remains to be demonstrated. We show that CD81 is indispensable for an authentic

in vivo

HCV infection. Prophylactic treatment with anti-CD81 antibodies completely protected human liver-uPA-SCID mice from a subsequent challenge with HCV consensus strains of different genotypes. Administration of anti-CD81 antibodies after viral challenge had no effect.

Conclusion:

Our experiments provide evidence for the critical role of CD81 in a genuine HCV infection

in vivo

and open new perspectives for the prevention of allograft reinfection after orthotopic liver transplantation in chronically infected HCV patients. (Hepatology 2008;48:1761–1768.)
Naturally occurring dominant resistance mutations to hepatitis C virus protease and polymerase inhibitors in treatment-naïve patients
Authors: Kuntzen Thomas , Timm Joerg , Berical Andrew , Lennon Niall , Berlin Aaron M. , Young Sarah K. , Lee Bongshin , Heckerman David , Carlson Jonathan , Reyor Laura L. , Kleyman Marianna , McMahon Cory M. , Birch Christopher , Schulze zur Wiesch Julian , Ledlie Timothy , Koehrsen Michael , Kodira Chinnappa , Roberts Andrew D. , Lauer Georg M. , Rosen Hugo R. , Bihl Florian , Cerny Andreas , Spengler Ulrich , Liu Zhimin , Kim Arthur Y. , Xing Yanming , Schneidewind Arne , Madey Margaret A. , Fleckenstein Jaquelyn F. , Park Vicki M. , Galagan James E. , Nusbaum Chad , Walker Bruce D. , Lake-Bakaar Gerond V. , Daar Eric S. , Jacobson Ira M. , Gomperts Edward D. , Edlin Brian R. , Donfield Sharyne M. , Chung Raymond T. , Talal Andrew H. , Marion Tony , Birren Bruce W. , Henn Matthew R. , Allen Todd M.
Published: July 2008

Resistance mutations to hepatitis C virus (HCV) nonstructural protein 3 (NS3) protease inhibitors in <1% of the viral quasispecies may still allow >1000-fold viral load reductions upon treatment, consistent with their reported reduced replicative fitness

in vitro

. Recently, however, an R155K protease mutation was reported as the dominant quasispecies in a treatment-naïve individual, raising concerns about possible full drug resistance. To investigate the prevalence of dominant resistance mutations against specifically targeted antiviral therapy for HCV (STAT-C) in the population, we analyzed HCV genome sequences from 507 treatment-naïve patients infected with HCV genotype 1 from the United States, Germany, and Switzerland. Phylogenetic sequence analysis and viral load data were used to identify the possible spread of replication-competent, drug-resistant viral strains in the population and to infer the consequences of these mutations upon viral replication

in vivo

. Mutations described to confer resistance to the protease inhibitors Telaprevir, BILN2061, ITMN-191, SCH6 and Boceprevir; the NS5B polymerase inhibitor AG-021541; and to the NS4A antagonist ACH-806 were observed mostly as sporadic, unrelated cases, at frequencies between 0.3% and 2.8% in the population, including two patients with possible multidrug resistance. Collectively, however, 8.6% of the patients infected with genotype 1a and 1.4% of those infected with genotype 1b carried at least one dominant resistance mutation. Viral loads were high in the majority of these patients, suggesting that drug-resistant viral strains might achieve replication levels comparable to nonresistant viruses

in vivo

.

Conclusion:

Naturally occurring dominant STAT-C resistance mutations are common in treatment-naïve patients infected with HCV genotype 1. Their influence on treatment outcome should further be characterized to evaluate possible benefits of drug resistance testing for individual tailoring of drug combinations when treatment options are limited due to previous nonresponse to peginterferon and ribavirin. (Hepatology 2008;48:1769–1778.)
Cell culture–produced hepatitis C virus does not infect peripheral blood mononuclear cells
Authors: Marukian Svetlana , Jones Christopher T. , Andrus Linda , Evans Matthew J. , Ritola Kimberly D. , Charles Edgar D. , Rice Charles M. , Dustin Lynn B.
Published: July 2008

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) replicates primarily in the liver, but HCV RNA has been observed in association with other tissues and cells including B and T lymphocytes, monocytes, and dendritic cells. We have taken advantage of a recently described, robust system that fully recapitulates HCV entry, replication and virus production in vitro to re-examine the issue of HCV infection of blood cell subsets. The HCV replicase inhibitor 2′C-methyl adenosine was used to distinguish HCV RNA replication from RNA persistence. Whereas cell culture–grown HCV replicated in Huh-7.5 hepatoma cells, no HCV replication was detected in B or T lymphocytes, monocytes, macrophages, or dendritic cells from healthy donors. No blood cell subset tested expressed significant levels of Claudin-1, a tight junction protein needed for HCV infection of Huh-7.5 cells. A B cell line expressing high levels of Claudin-1, CD81, and scavenger receptor BI remained resistant to HCV pseudoparticle infection. We bypassed the block in HCV entry by transfecting HCV RNA into blood cell subsets. Transfected RNA was not detectably translated and induced high levels of interferon-α. Supernatants from HCV RNA–transfected macrophages inhibited HCV replication in Huh-7.5 cells.

Conclusion:

We conclude that multiple blocks prevent blood cells from supporting HCV infection. (Hepatology 2008;48:1843-1850.)
Ab initio simulation of the IR spectra of pyrope, grossular, and andradite
Authors: Zicovich‐Wilson C. M. , Torres F. J. , Pascale F. , Valenzano L. , Orlando R. , Dovesi R.
Published: July 2008

IR spectra of pyrope Mg3Al2Si3O12, grossular Ca3Al2Si3O12 and andradite Ca3Fe2Si3O12 garnets were simulated with the periodic ab initio CRYSTAL code by adopting an all‐electron Gaussian‐type basis set and the B3LYP Hamiltonian. Two sets of 17 F1u Transverse Optical (TO) and Longitudinal Optical (LO) frequencies were generated, together with their intensities. Because the generation of LO modes requires knowledge of the high frequency dielectric constant ε∞ and Born effective charges, they were preliminary evaluated by using a finite field saw‐tooth model and well localized Wannier functions, respectively. As a by‐product, the static dielectric constant ε0 was also obtained. The agreement of the present calculated wavenumbers (i.e. peak positions) with the available experimental data is excellent, in that the mean absolute difference for the full set of data smaller than 8 cm−1. Missing peaks in experimental spectra were found to correspond to modes with low calculated intensities. Correspondence between TO and LO modes was established on the basis of the overlap between the eigenvectors of the two sets and similarity of isotopic shifts; as result, the so called LO‐TO splitting could be determined. Animation of the normal modes was employed to support the proposed pairing. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comput Chem, 2008
Interactions between an Anticancer Drug and Polymeric Micelles Based on Biodegradable Polyesters
Authors: Yang Xiaoqiang , Zhu Bo , Dong Tungalag , Pan Pengju , Shuai Xintao , Inoue Yoshio
Published: July 2008

Interactions between the anticancer drug quercetin and biodegradable polyesters within micelles were investigated by DSC, WAXD, and UV analyses. For micelles based on poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether‐block‐poly(ε‐caprolactone) (MPEG‐PCL), DSC analysis indicated that the interactions were between the hydrophobic core and the drug within the micelle. For micelles based on poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether‐block‐poly(L‐lactide) (MPEG‐PLLA), the interactions were between the hydrophobic core and the drug and between hydrophilic segments and the drug. WAXD results indicated that no crystalline phase of the drug was found in either of the micelle types. Based on the DSC and WAXD results, two probable micelle structures were proposed. The UV spectra revealed the presence of hydrogen bonding as the main interaction between the drug and the polyesters.In vitrostudies demonstrated that quercetin release from micelles was sustained and was affected by the polymer–drug interaction.

magnified image
Field‐Driven Surface Segregation of Biofunctional Species on Electrospun PMMA/PEO Microfibers
Authors: Sun Xiao‐Yu , Nobles Larrisha R. , Börner Hans G. , Spontak Richard J.
Published: July 2008

The need to biofunctionalize polymer surfaces for targeted bio‐related applications continues to grow, and efforts designed to meet this need rely heavily on surface grafting or polymerization. In this study, we provide a viable alternative by demonstrating that the peptide segment of a polymer‐peptide conjugate can be selectively driven to the surface of polymer nano/microfibers during electrospinning due to contrast in polarizability. Judicious choice of the polymer sequence in the conjugate permits use of the conjugate with compatible fiber‐forming polymers. Here, we use a water soluble poly(ethylene oxide)‐containing conjugate in combination with a hydrophobic thermoplastic, poly(methyl methacrylate). Surface enrichment is measured by X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and fiber morphology is investigated by electron microscopy. Microfibers generated from the blends examined here are largely resistant to long term water immersion and are thus suited as support scaffolds or filtration membranes.

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Novel zein‐based electrospun fibers with the water stability and strength necessary for various applications
Authors: Xu Weijie , Karst David , Yang Wen , Yang Yiqi
Published: July 2008

BACKGROUND: Some of the problems with electrospun zein fiber are that it has very low tenacities in the dry and wet states and that mats of the fiber become films when immersed in water. The fibers are therefore unusable for various applications despite their good biocompatibility and biodegradability. This research was conducted to overcome these problems by electrospinning novel fibers containing various concentrations of zein, citric acid (CA) and sodium hypophosphite monohydrate (SHP) and by crosslinking the zein with CA and with SHP serving as a catalyst.

RESULTS: The CA‐crosslinked electrospun zein fiber has as much as 10‐fold greater wet tenacity and 15‐fold greater dry tenacity than regular electrospun zein fiber. The average diameter of these fibers is 451 nm, which is the smallest diameter ever reported for zein‐based electrospun fiber. A mat of this fiber retains its fibrous structure when immersed in water, and the fiber retains about 70% of its tenacity after 16 days at 50 °C and 90% relative humidity.

CONCLUSION: The high dry and wet tenacities, good water stability and small diameter of the novel CA‐crosslinked electrospun zein fiber make it attractive for biomedical and other applications that expose zein to water or that require high surface area. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry
Chitosan enhances disease resistance in pearl millet against downy mildew caused by Sclerospora graminicola and defence‐related enzyme activation
Authors: Manjunatha G , Roopa KS , Prashanth Geetha N , Shekar Shetty H
Published: July 2008

BACKGROUND: The present study investigated the effect of chitosan seed priming on the induction of disease resistance in pearl millet against downy mildew disease caused by Sclerospora graminicola (Sacc.) Schroet.

RESULTS: Pearl millet seeds were primed with chitosan at different concentrations: 0.5, 1.5, 2.5 and 3 g kg−1 seed. Of the different concentrations, 2.5 g kg−1 was found to be optimum, with enhanced seed germination of 99% and seedling vigour of 1782, whereas the untreated control recorded values of 87% and 1465 respectively. At optimum concentration, chitosan did not inhibit sporulation and release of zoospores from sporangia. Furthermore, pearl millet seedlings raised after seed treatment with chitosan showed an increased level of the defence‐related enzymes chitosanase and peroxidase as compared with the untreated pearl millet seedlings on downy mildew pathogen inoculation. The effect of chitosan in reducing downy mildew incidence was evaluated in both greenhouse and field conditions, in which respectively 79.08 and 75.8% disease protection was obtained.

CONCLUSION: Chitosan was effective in protecting pearl millet plants against downy mildew under both greenhouse and field conditions by inducing resistance against the pathogen. Thus, chitosan formulation can be recommended for seed treatment in the management of downy mildew disease. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry
Resource‐dependent reproductive adjustment and the stability of consumer‐resource dynamics
Authors: Nakazawa Takefumi , Ohgushi Takayuki , Yamamura Norio
Published: July 2008

This study explored a consumer‐resource model including reproductive and nonreproductive subpopulations of the consumer to consider whether resource‐dependent reproductive adjustment by the consumer would stabilize consumer‐resource dynamics. The model assumed that decreasing (increasing) resource availability caused reproductive suppression (facilitation), and that the reproductive consumer had a higher mortality rate than the nonreproductive one (i.e., a trade‐off between reproduction and survival). The model predicted that the variability would be reduced when the consumer had a strong tendency to suppress reproduction in response to low resource availability or when the cost of reproduction was high, although consumer extinction became more likely. Furthermore, when the consumer‐resource dynamics converged to limit cycles, reproductive adjustment enhanced the long‐term average of the consumer density. It was also predicted that if reproductive suppression enhanced resource consumption efficiency (i.e., a trade‐off between reproduction and foraging), then it would destabilize the system by canceling the stabilizing effect of the reproductive adjustment itself. These results suggest that it is necessary not only to identify the costs of reproduction, but also to quantify the changes in individual‐level performances due to reproduction in order to understand the ecological consequences of reproductive adjustment.
Downregulation of cyclin D1‐CDK4 protein in human embryonic lung fibroblasts (HELF) induced by silica is mediated through the ERK and JNK pathway
Authors: Shen Fuhai , Fan Xueyun , Liu Bingci , Jia Xiaowei , Gao Ai , Du Hongju , Ye Meng , You Baorong , Huang Chuanshu , Shi Xianglin
Published: July 2008

Silica is a factor in the induction of acute injury and chronic pulmonary fibrosis. In 1996, silica was also listed as a human carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). However, the molecular mechanisms involved in its pathologic effects are not well understood. We found that exposure of human embryonic lung fibroblasts (HELF) to crystalline silica for 2 h decreased cyclin D1 and cyclin‐dependent kinase 4 (CDK4) expression levels. Extracellular signal‐regulated protein kinase (ERKs), c‐Jun NH2‐terminal amino kinase (JNKs), and p38 kinase, as well as their downstream transcription factor, AP‐1, had different effects on the regulation of expression levels of cyclin D1 and CDK4 alterations induced by silica.

Silica activates multiple signal transduction pathways involved in coordinating cellular responses to stress. We established the requirements for ERK and JNK, members of the mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK) family, in mediating G1 phase arrest of HELF induced by silica. Silica treatment activated ERK in a dose‐dependent manner. AG126 (a chemical inhibitor of the ERK signaling pathway) and the dominant negative mutant of ERK2 (a molecular inhibitor of ERK2) prevented decreases in cyclin D1 and CDK4 expression levels. A chemical inhibitor of JNK, SP600125, prevented the decreased expression of both cyclin D1 and CDK4, whereas SB203580, a chemical inhibitor of p38, did not. Interestingly, curcumin prevented the decrease in DK4 expression, but not in cyclin D1. These results demonstrate that ERKs and JNKs are responsible for the decrease of cyclin D1 and CDK4 expression levels in HELF induced by silica. Activator protein‐1 (AP‐1) was responsible for the decrease of CDK4 expression level, but not that of cyclin D1. The findings help to explain the mechanisms of diseases induced by silica.
Structural insights into P‐glycoprotein (ABCB1) by small angle X‐ray scattering and electron crystallography
Authors: McDevitt Christopher A. , Shintre Chitra A. , Günter Grossmann J. , Pollock Naomi L. , Prince Stephen M. , Callaghan Richard , Ford Robert C.
Published: July 2008

P‐glycoprotein (ABCB1) is an ATP‐binding cassette protein that is associated with the acquisition of multi‐drug resistance in cancer and the failure of chemotherapy in humans. Structural insights into this protein are described using a combination of small angle X‐ray scattering data and cryo‐electron crystallography data. We have compared the structures with bacterial homologues, and discuss the development of homology models for P‐glycoprotein based on the bacterial Sav1866 structure.
Developmental cardiac electrophysiology recent advances in cellular physiology
Authors: Wetzel Glenn T. , Klitzner Thomas S.
Published: July 2008

This overview of cardiac ion channel development does not suggest any particular theme underlying the expression or regulation of all channel subtypes. Calcium and potassium channels generally exhibit increased expression in more mature hearts. However, this increase in channel number or activity as determined under voltage clamp conditions may not be translated into increased activity in vivo. Concomitant changes in other physiological factors such as local intracellular Ca2+ accumulation, increased resting membrane potential and decreased heart rate in mature heart may inhibit or augment channel activity. Na(+)-Ca2+ exchange activity appears to decrease with development, possibly reflecting its decreasing role in both systolic and diastolic Ca2+ regulation. Na+ channel activity follows a middle course, exhibiting little change in channel conductance. The reported shift in the voltage dependence of channel inactivation toward more negative membrane potentials may reflect a concomitant shift in the resting membrane potential in mature heart. However, this change is in the direction opposite to that reported for L-type Ca2+ channel inactivation, suggesting that the regulation of these channels is not modulated by a common factor such as membrane surface charge. A detailed characterization of multiple channel subtypes in mature myocardium has resulted in significant advances in models of the cardiac action potential and excitation-contraction coupling. Recently, developmental changes in ion channel physiology have been described, setting the stage for a comparable elucidation of the ontogeny of the cardiac action potential. Ca2+ and K+ channel currents generally become more prominent with development. In contrast, developmental changes in Na+ currents are less dramatic and Na(+)-Ca2+ exchange currents appear to decrease with age. These changes may, in part, be reflected by the increasingly important role of transsarcolemmal Ca2+ influx in triggering Ca2+ release from the SR in mature heart as compared to its direct role of providing Ca2+ for cell contraction in immature heart. These developmental changes in ion channel expression and function are likely to have a significant effect on the generation of the action potential in individual myocytes. Developmental changes in the characteristics of the action potential may then have a major influence on the initiation, propagation and termination of autonomic, triggered, and re-entrant arrhythmias. Progress in this area provides an essential foundation for the evolution of a systematic approach to pediatric arrhythmias comparable to that under development for mature heart [3]
Liability in Respect of the Intoxicated
Authors: McIvor Claire
Published: July 2008

THIS article considers how third parties may be held personally liable for harm inflicted by, and upon, the intoxicated. It charts the development of ‘alcohol liability’ in Canada and Australia and then goes on to demonstrate how this novel category of liability for the acts of others is beginning to work its way into the English law of tort.
Relief Against Forfeiture: A Restatement
Authors: Smith Lionel
Published: July 2008

RECENT decisions relating to commercial transactions have raised issues about the limits of the courts’ jurisdiction to interfere with contractual terms, even where the terms seem to yield unjust results on breach. The author argues for a reconceptualisation of the ancient equitable doctrine of relief against forfeiture, as one which ensures that rights taken by way of security should never allow a secured creditor to recover more than his secured debt. Building on roots in the law of mortgages, this requires the court to characterise the substance of the parties’ bargain. It can, in common with the law of penalties, be understood as implementing a mandatory policy which allows the parties full freedom in crafting their primary obligations, but denies them full freedom in deciding what shall be the consequences of a breach of a primary obligation. The author argues that the restatement fits the contours of the existing law, and the requirements of corrective justice.
THOU SHALT NOT VIOLATE PROVISIONAL MEASURES
Authors: Yang Xiaodong
Published: July 2008

In its judgment in the LaGrand case (Germany v. United States of America), delivered on 27 June 2001, the International Court of Justice found, for the first time in its history, that its orders indicating provisional measures were legally binding. This has long been the subject of extensive controversy, but the Court has traditionally refrained from stating its views on this point, even though such orders are frequently disregarded (e.g., in Anglo-Iranian Oil Co. (1951), Fisheries Jurisdiction (1972), Diplomatic Staff in Tehran (1979) and Genocide Convention (1993)). In LaGrand the Court adopted a positive stand on provisional measures and displayed full readiness to draw serious consequences from non-compliance therewith. One can expect that the important ruling in this case will have a far-reaching impact on future attitudes toward the Court’s provisional measures.
“RAPE SHIELDS” AND THE RIGHT TO A FAIR TRIAL
Authors: Spencer J.R.
Published: July 2008

INR. v. A (No. 2) [2001] 2 W.L.R. 1546 the House of Lords knocked a dent in the controversial “rape shield” provision, section 41 of the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999 (YJCEA). They did so wielding Article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights, given direct effect by another piece of “flagship” legislation, the Human Rights Act 1998. The decision is important for constitutional law as well as for criminal evidence.
FIDUCIARY LIABILITY AND CONTRIBUTION TO LOSS
Authors: Conaglen Matthew D.J.
Published: July 2008

Having made a successful takeover bid for Western United, Kia Ora found that it had paid $25.7m in cash and issued 67.9m $1 shares in return for Western United shares worth only $6.4m. Kia Ora successfully sued several former directors. The High Court of Australia’s decision in Pilmer v. Duke Group Ltd. (in liq.) (2001) 180 A.L.R. 249 concerns aspects of the liability of Kia Ora’s accountants, Nelson Wheeler, for providing a report stating that the price proposed for the Western United shares was fair and reasonable. The report was prepared incompetently and Nelson Wheeler were held liable by the Full Court of the Supreme Court of South Australia for breach of contract, negligence and breach of fiduciary duty. The High Court allowed an appeal by Nelson Wheeler.
TOBACCO ADVERTISING: IF YOU MUST, YOU MAY
Authors: Hillion Christophe
Published: July 2008

InGermany v. European Parliament and Council (Case C-376/98, judgment of 5 October 2000) the European Court of Justice held that Directive 98/43/EC on the approximation of the laws, regulations and administrative provisions of the Member States relating to the advertising and sponsorship of tobacco products ([1998] O.J. L 213/9), the legality of which had been challenged in various earlier cases (e.g., Cases T-172/98 and T-175/98 to T-177/98 Salamander AG et al. v. European Parliament and Council; Case C-74/99 The Queen and Secretary of State for Health ex parte Imperial Tobacco Ltd. and Others), was invalid.
THEFT OR SHARP PRACTICE: WHO CARES NOW?
Authors: Smith A.T.H.
Published: July 2008

THE House of Lords has upheld, by a majority, the decision of the Court of Appeal in Hinks [2000] 3 W.L.R. 1590 (noted (1999) 58 C.L.J. 10), giving a positive answer to the certified question: “Whether the acquisition of an indefeasible title to property is capable of amounting to an appropriation of property belonging to another for the purposes of section 1(1) of the Theft Act 1968”. The appellant had persuaded a somewhat simple-minded man to make her the “gift” of a quite considerable sum of money. No deception was alleged to have been employed, and so far as the civil law was concerned, the “gift” might well have been a perfectly valid transaction; the question was never determined by the jury, because it was deemed to be irrelevant by the trial judge. But the decision of the House of Lords is to the effect that she was properly convicted of theft however that question might have been answered. So, it would seem, a person may become the indefeasible owner of property and nevertheless be accounted a thief of that very same property, and by the very act of acquiring the ownership of it.
LOSS ALLOCATION FOR MATERIALLY ALTERED CHEQUES
Authors: Hare Christopher
Published: July 2008

IN the conjoined appeals Smith v. Lloyds TSB Group plc; Jones v. Woolwich plc [2000] 3 W.L.R. 1725 the Court of Appeal had the opportunity to consider the single issue of whether the true owner of a cheque or banker’s draft, which it was accepted had been “materially altered”, and so, subject to irrelevant exceptions, avoided within the terms of the Bills of Exchange Act 1882, s. 64, and subsequently converted, is entitled to damages equivalent to the face value of the instrument. In Smith the Insolvency Service drew a cheque crossed “account payee” in favour of the Inland Revenue, on behalf of the claimants, who were the joint liquidators of ILG Travel Ltd. An unknown third party stole the cheque, altered the payee’s name to “Joseph Smitherman” and paid it into an account held in that name with the defendant, Lloyds Bank plc. The cheque was cleared before the fraud was discovered and the claimants sued the collecting bank for its conversion. The facts of Jones were in all material respects identical, save that the claim was brought against the paying bank in respect of a banker’s draft. Applications were made for the summary disposal of both cases. In Smith Blofeld J. struck out the claim against the collecting bank ([2000] 1 W.L.R. 1225), but in Jones Judge Hallgarten Q.C. awarded the claimants the face value of the draft. A unanimous Court of Appeal (Pill, Potter and Stuart-Smith L.JJ.) held that the claimants in both cases were only entitled to nominal damages.
BALANCING COMMERCIAL AND FAMILY INTERESTS UNDER TLATA 1996, s. 15
Authors: Oldham Mika
Published: July 2008

THE The Mortgage Corporation v. Shaire [2000] 1 F.L.R. 973, is the first case to apply section 15 of the Trusts of Land and Appointment of Trustees Act 1996. Neuberger J. in the Chancery Division confirmed, contrary to dicta in TSB plc v. Marshall [1998] 2 F.L.R. 769, that on an application for an order for sale of mortgaged property section 15 gives the court greater flexibility than it had under its predecessor, the Law of Property Act 1925, s. 30.
Foreword by the Incoming Editor
Authors: Strauss Julia
Published: July 2008

This issue heralds another changing of the editorial guard at The China Quarterly. In his six years at the helm, Rick Edmonds has done a sterling job of keeping up the scholarly standards of The China Quarterly and has seen the journal through increasingly interesting times: the institutional retrenchments that have hit academic publishing across the board, the switch from Oxford University Press to Cambridge University Press in 2001, and an increasing diversity and volume of submissions. Rick deserves a great deal of credit for all that he has given and done for the journal over the past six years, and I would like to open my statement with an enormous “thank you” to Rick.
China and the Legacy of Deng Xiaoping: From Communist Revolution to Capitalist Evolution. By Michael E. Marti. [Washington, DC: Brassey's, 2002. xviii+265 pp. $27.95. ISBN 1-57488-416-6.]
Authors: Goodman David S. G.
Published: July 2008

In retrospect, 1991–1992 may well prove to be a pivotal period in the evolution of the People's Republic of China. The reform era ushered in by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) at the Third Plenum of its 11th Central Committee in December 1978 had dramatically restructured the economy and the state, but in the aftermath of the events of June 1989, it appeared to falter. Partly through reactions from outside China, and partly because of resistance within (including elements within the leadership of the Party), the programme of ‘reform and openness’ seemed challenged and about to topple.
Falun Gong's Challenge to China: Spiritual Practice or ‘Evil Cult’? (revised). By Danny Schechter. [New York: Akashic Books, 2001. 287 pp. $15.95. ISBN 1-888451-27-0.]
Authors: Thornton Patricia M.
Published: July 2008

Investigative journalist and human rights activist, Danny Schechter, has produced a sympathetic portrait of falun gong and its enigmatic founder, Li Hongzhi, “in the hope that it will encourage more interest and support for falun gong's right to exist and to practise its beliefs openly” (p. 1). The first part of the reader involves a report on the persecution of falun gong practitioners inside mainland China, and castigates the press for its inadequate coverage of the crackdown.
Taiwan's Presidential Politics: Democratization and Cross-Strait Relations in the Twenty-First Century. Edited by Muthiah Alagappa. [Armonk, NY and London: M.E. Sharpe, 2001. xiv+312 pp. $27.95. ISBN 0-7656-0834-0.] Implementation of Taiwan Relations Act: An Examination After Twenty Years. Edited by Hungdah Chiu, Hsing-wei Lee and Chih-yu T. Wu. [Baltimore, MD: Maryland Series in Contemporary Asian Studies, No. 2, 2001. iii+267 pp. $27.00. ISBN 0-925153-79-6.]
Authors: Goldstein Steven M.
Published: July 2008

The papers in Taiwan's Presidential Politics were originally presented at a workshop held soon after the election of Chen Shui-bian and appear to have been completed toward the end of 2000. They are thus preliminary assessments of “the domestic and international implications of two key outcomes of the election: the victory of Chen and the defeat of the KMT [Kuomintang]” (p. xii).
Saving the World: Chen Hongmou and Elite Consciousness in Eighteenth-Century China. By William T. Rowe. [Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2001. xii+601 pp. £40.00, $60.00. ISBN 0-8047-3735-5.]
Authors: Perdue Peter C.
Published: July 2008

The name Chen Hongmou (1696–1771) rings few bells today. Yet he was probably the most influential official of his time. A tough, honest, active man, not exactly a likable person, he was someone deeply dedicated to improving the people's welfare. In short, a model Qing official. In this blockbuster of a book, William T. Rowe uses Chen's life to examine the culture of the 18th-century bureaucracy, encompassing nearly all the classic problems of Chinese society, past and present.
Anglo-China: Chinese People and British Rule in Hong Kong, 1841–1880. By Christopher Munn. [Richmond, Surrey: Curzon Press, 2001. xv+460 pp. £55.00. ISBN 0-7007-1298-4.]
Authors: Tsai Jung-Fang
Published: July 2008

Christopher Munn has written a scholarly book of 460 pages, with detailed endnotes that will be of considerable value to researchers in Hong Kong studies. The long endnotes and bibliography reveal the author as a man of great drive, energy, tenacity and intellectual commitment. Extraordinarily well-researched, the book contains great wealth of information on Hong Kong during the first four decades of British rule from the 1840s to the 1870s.
Citizens of Empire: Some Comparative Observations on the Evolution of Creole Nationalism in Colonial Indonesia
Authors: Bosma Ulbe
Published: July 2008

An imaginary Berlin Wall stands between nationalist trajectories of the Western hemisphere and those of the East. While the nationalism of the West is generally associated with Enlightenment, the Eastern version is usually referred to as dormant cultural or linguistic nationalism stirred up by Western education. It is an old academic canon that gained new respectability through Benedict Anderson's Imagined Communities. But even if political realities in the postcolonial world apparently vindicated this academic canon, the same realities might trap us into writing history retrospectively. A pertinent case in point is the narrative of the emergence of the Indonesian nation in which the notion of a slumbering national identity has been central. A concomitant of that is the almost complete isolation of Indonesian historiography from important discussions in other postcolonial societies. This article proposes a heterodox perspective on the emergence of Indonesian nationalism, which is informed by literature on Senegal and Bengal. This choice is not coincidental, as these locations were the heartlands of the former French and English colonial empires.
The Double Bind of Race and Religion: The Conversion of the Dönme to Turkish Secular Nationalism
Authors: Baer Marc
Published: July 2008

For over two centuries the Dönme lived an open secret in Ottoman Salonika following their conversion from Judaism to Islam in the wake of the conversion of the messianic rabbi Shabbatai Tzevi in 1666. Neither the category “Jewish” nor “Muslim” expresses their religious identity. Unlike Jews, the Dönme ostensibly followed the requirements of Islam, including fasting at Ramadan and praying in mosques, one of which they built. Unlike Muslims, the Dönme maintained a belief that Shabbatai Tzevi was the messiah, practiced kabbalistic rituals, and recited prayers in Hebrew and Judeo-Spanish. According to the descendants of Dönme in Istanbul, the Dönme in Salonika saw themselves as a community apart; fulfilling the commandments of Shabbatai Tzevi caused Dönme to only marry among themselves, avoid relations with Jews, maintain their separate identity guided by detailed genealogies, and bury their dead in distinct cemeteries. (Dönmeler1919:15; Galanté 1935:67; and Stavroulakis 1993).
The Southern Funj of the Sudan as a Frontier Society, 1820–1980
Authors: Jedrej M.C.
Published: July 2008

The long civil war in the Sudan between the government and the rebel Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) is usually simply described as a war between ‘the Arab North’ and ‘the African South.’ Equally simply, it is understood as a continuation, by new means and in new circumstances, of nineteenth-century and earlier inequalities between free people and unfree people, and of hostilities between slavers and those they preyed upon. In the twentieth century these asymmetries came to be represented by a religious distinction between Muslims and non-Muslims. However, these apparent distinctions between free and unfree, and between Muslim and non-Muslim begin to blur when we ask who is making them. Likewise, at closer inspection, the division into “the Arab North” and “the African South” begins to fragment and reconstitute into a complexity of alliances and interest groups. These complexities become more evident as engagement moves from hostile encounters in the remote vastness of the Sudan to peace negotiations and press conferences in hotels and offices in capital cities. In the latter settings marginalized populations can be heard. Of special here interest are the three culturally ‘southern’ populations whose homelands are in the geo-political North: Abyei, the Nuba Mountains, and South Blue Nile. In January 2003, a public statement, headed “Let us not be denied the right to decide on our future,” was delivered to the North-South peace conference in Kenya by a local NGO, the Relief Organisation of Fazugli (ROOF), on behalf of “the people of South Blue Nile.” It demanded that their representatives, along with those of the Nuba Mountains and Abyei be included in the current peace negotiations.
GREEN'S FUNCTIONS AND REGULARIZED TRACES OF STURM–LIOUVILLE OPERATORS ON GRAPHS
Authors: Currie Sonja , Watson Bruce A.
Published: July 2008

Asymptotic approximations to the Green's functions of Sturm–Liouville boundary-value problems on graphs are obtained. These approximations are used to study the regularized traces of the differential operators associated with these boundary-value problems. Various inverse spectral problems for Sturm–Liouville boundary-value problems on graphs resembling those considered in Halberg and Kramer's ‘A generalization of the trace concept' (Duke Mathematics Journal27 (1960), 607–617), for Sturm–Liouville problems, and Pielichowski's ‘An inverse spectral problem for linear elliptic differential operators' (Universitatis Iagellonicae Acta Mathematica27 (1988), 239–246), for elliptic boundary-value problems, are solved.
PROPERTIES OF THE MAXIMAL OPERATORS ASSOCIATED WITH BASES OF RECTANGLES IN $\mathbb{R}^3$
Authors: Stokolos Alexander
Published: July 2008

This paper is an attempt to understand a phenomenon of maximal operators associated with bases of three-dimensional rectangles of dimensions $(t,1/t,s)$ within a framework of more general Soria bases. The Jessen–Marcinkiewicz–Zygmund Theorem implies that the maximal operator associated with a Soria basis continuously maps $L\log^2L$ into $L^{1,\infty}$. We give a simple geometric condition that guarantees that the $L\log^2L$ class cannot be enlarged. The proof develops the author's methods applied previously in the two-dimensional case and is related to theorems of Córdoba, Soria and Fefferman and Pipher.
Determination of volatile compounds in cows' milk using headspace GC-MS
Authors: TOSO BARBARA , PROCIDA GIUSEPPE , STEFANON BRUNO
Published: July 2008

The composition of the volatile fraction of milk from cows was investigated in a survey of milk samples using a headspace sampling technique and gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry analysis (GC-MS). Milk samples were collected from 12 farms, selected for similar management, breed and level of production. Farms were also grouped according to the type of forage in the ration: (1) hay; (2) hay and maize silage; (3) hay, maize silage and grass silages. Forty-one compounds in milk were isolated and identified from GC-MS headspace analysis. Quantitatively, the most representative chemical class was ketones (eight compounds, 170 μg/kg), followed by aldehydes (nine compounds, 63 μg/kg), alcohols (eight compounds, 36 μg/kg), and lower amounts of hydrocarbons (six compounds), sulphur compounds (three compounds), esters (four compounds) and terpenes (three compounds). The novel headspace sampling technique, and the consequent reduction of sample pre-treatment, allowed the identification of low-molecular weight volatile compounds, and reduced the risk of producing artefacts during analysis.

Discriminant analysis was used to identify a classification criterion for milk samples, using type of forage in the ration as a grouping variable. Posterior probability error rate indicated that aldehydes provided one of the best discriminant criteria for grouping milks according to ration composition. When all 41 identified volatile compounds were included, discriminant analysis selected nine compounds (acetone, 2,3-butanedione, 2-butanone, ethanol, acetaldehyde, ethylacetate, ethylisovalerate, dimethylsulphone) that did not fail the tolerance test and which correctly classified 100% of the original cases.
Adolescence in Jewish medieval society under Islam
Authors: FRENKEL MIRIAM
Published: July 2008

Adolescent experience has been the subject of an intensive interdisciplinary discourse for the last century; a subject whose roots go back to the basic issue of ‘nature versus nurture’. In examining this topic in Jewish medieval society under Islam, an incongruity is revealed between the normative attitudes at the time and the reality. The normative attitudes, as exhibited in religious law (halakha) and in the moral literature represent man's life as a journey which peaks upon reaching full adulthood. The different stages of life along the way are acknowledged but they are perceived as subsidiary, sometimes even dangerous. But the reality does not concur: adolescents were far from invisible during this period. Indeed, their presence was prominent and reflected in the poetry and the prevailing images of youth from the time. Jewish society had developed an efficient system for socializing its adolescents, which included an apprenticeship system, higher education (the beit midrash) and early marriage.
A NEW SPECIES OF AGAPETES (ERICACEAE) FROM THAILAND
Authors: WATTHANA S.
Published: July 2008

A new species of Agapetes (Ericaceae) from Thailand is described and illustrated.
THREE NEW GESNERIACEAE FROM PALAWAN, PHILIPPINES
Authors: MENDUM M.
Published: July 2008

Two new species of Aeschynanthus and one new Henckelia are described and illustrated. Trichosporum grandiflorum Elmer (non D. Don) is transferred to Aeschynanthus and renamed A. elmeri Mendum.
GENETIC VARIATION IN WILD CHILEAN AND CULTIVATED BRITISH POPULATIONS OF PODOCARPUS SALIGNUS D. DON (PODOCARPACEAE)
Authors: ALLNUTT T. R. , COURTIS J. R. , GARDNER M. , NEWTON A. C.
Published: July 2008

The threatened Chilean conifer Podocarpus salignus D. Don is currently the focus of ex situ conservation eorts being undertaken by the Conifer Conservation Programme of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. To assess variation within in and ex situ populations of the species, leaf material collected from four wild populations was analysed by random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD). Amova of RAPD profiles indicated that 93% of the variation occurred within, rather than between, populations. Intraspecific genetic diversity, estimated using percentage polymorphic loci, Shannon's diversity index, and Nei's gene diversity, was relatively high (47%, 0.692 and 0.314, respectively). To assess genetic diversity in ex situ populations within the UK, RAPD analysis of parents and progeny at two Cornish arboreta was undertaken. The results provided evidence of novel hybridization with suspected paternal trees (P. hallii Kirk and P. totara G. Benn. ex D. Don) endemic to New Zealand. RAPD was found to be an effective tool for assessing the genetic structure of P. salignus, for providing a guide to future germplasm-sampling strategies, and for hybrid identification. Implications for genetic conservation of the species and the role of ex situ approaches are discussed.
A COMPARISON OF CHROMOSOME NUMBER AND KARYOTYPE IN SOMATIC CHROMOSOMES OF STANGERIACEAE (CYCADALES)
Authors: KOKUBUGATA G. , HILL K. D. , WILSON G. W. , KONDO K. , RANDALL L. M.
Published: July 2008

Somatic chromosomes at mitotic metaphase of two species and two undescribed populations of Bowenia, and Stangeria eriopus, which were classified in Stangeriaceae, Cycadales, were compared using the standard aceto-orcein staining method. All Bowenia taxa showed a chromosome number of 2n = 18, while S. eriopus showed a chromosome number of 2n = 16. The chromosome number of 2n = 18 in B. ‘Kuranda’ is reported for the first time. The present karyotype analysis indicates that B. ‘Kuranda’ and another undescribed taxon, B. ‘Tinaroo’, are cytotaxonomically closer to B. spectabilis than B. serrulata, and that the karyotype of Stangeria is unlikely to have been derived from that of Bowenia by a simple chromosomal change such as centromeric fission and deletion.