bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Trust in a Time of Increasing Diversity: On the Relationship between Ethnic Heterogeneity and Social Trust in Denmark from 1979 until Today
Authors: Dinesen Peter Thisted , Sønderskov Kim Mannemar
Published: June 2012

This article examines the impact of ethnic diversity in Danish municipalities on citizens' social trust over the last three decades. During this period, Danish society has grown increasingly ethnically diverse, and this begs the question whether this has influenced trust in others negatively. Existing evidence from the Anglo‐Saxon countries would suggest that this is the case, whereas evidence from the European continent mainly suggests that no link exists between ethnic diversity and social trust. The empirical analysis uses individual‐level data on social trust from several surveys in Denmark in the period from 1979 to 2009 coupled with diversity at the municipality level. Individual‐level measures of trust over time enable estimation of the impact of changes in ethnic diversity within municipalities on social trust and, it is argued, thereby a more precise estimate of the effect of ethnic diversity on trust. The results suggest that social trust is negatively affected by ethnic diversity. The article concludes by discussing this result and suggest avenues for further research.
General Sentiment: How Value and Affect Converge in the Information Economy
Authors: Arvidsson Adam
Published: June 2012

The Fordist economy was marked by what David Stark calls a Parsonian Compromise in which economic value and other values were clearly separated, in theory as well as in practice. Today this is changing. Trends such as Ethical Consumerism and Corporate Social Responsibility are on the rise. More fundamentally, the economic importance of intangible assets like brands has increased. Together these developments testify to a new role for a wider range of values in determining price formation. In this paper I will argue that this trend has two principal causes. First, the socialization of production has increased the importance of affective investments in things like brands, reputation, corporate culture and efficient teamwork as sources of value. Second, a common criterion for the measurement of affective investments is forming, based on the new abstract or General Sentiment that is emerging as a new ‘general equivalent’ as a consequence of the present remediation of communicative relations, primarily throughout the diffusion of social media. Together these two dimensions make up the foundations for a new value logic, an ‘ethical economy’ that is emerging within contemporary wealth creation. After briefly summarizing the first argument, this paper will concentrate on the second, describing the emergence and features of General Sentiment as a criterion of value. The conclusion will suggest possible consequences of this development in both practical and theoretical terms.
Measure, Value and the Current Crises of Sociology
Authors: Gane Nicholas
Published: June 2012

This paper returns to C. Wright Mills' The Sociological Imagination to make an argument about the crisis of sociological method and theory today. Mills' famous text opens with a stinging critique of abstracted empiricism and grand theory on the grounds that they fetishize either methods or concepts. It is argued that Mills' critique can be applied to current sociological practices and thinking. The first part of this paper centres on questions of method, and reads between Mills' critique of abstracted empiricism and a recent debate over what Mike Savage and Roger Burrows call the ‘coming crisis of empirical sociology’. In the light of this, it is argued that two crises currently haunt empirical sociology: a crisis of imagination and measurement. The second part of the paper then moves to the analysis of what Mills calls ‘grand theory’. Here, two parallel crises are identified: a generational crisis within social theory that is tied in turn to what might be called a crisis of the concept. The conclusion of the paper returns to Mills in order to rethink his vision of the promise or value of sociology. It is argued that innovative conceptual work must lie at the heart of future sociological thinking if it is to move beyond the parallel traps of what Mills calls abstracted empiricism and grand theory.
The International Economic Crisis and the Crisis of Economics
Authors: Kotios Angelos , Galanos George
Published: June 2012

The objective of this paper is to explore the correlation between the recent economic crisis and economic science and demystify the dogmatic conflict surrounding them. The paper starts by summarising the various arguments against economic science and economists, considered by many to be responsible for the crisis. Following that, an attempt is made, subject to space constraints, to objectively evaluate the individual arguments. Particular reference is made to the role of both policy and the markets in the crisis and the prospects for replacing the neoclassicist school, dominant until now, with the Keynesian. The analysis concludes that economic science did not cause the crisis; however, many of its theories did offer an intellectual background or some sort of academic legitimacy to both policy and the markets, and, in the case of the recent crisis, there was not only a failure of the dominant form of economic thought but, above all, of those two. The analysis shows that there is a problem of selective use of economic theories when it comes to practical economics and that, in order to be useful, economics ought to utilise knowledge from other disciplines and take more account of interdependencies between political and social phenomena.
The Impact of a Large Parental Leave Benefit Reform on the Timing of Birth around the Day of Implementation*
Authors: Tamm Marcus
Published: June 2012

The introduction of the German parental leave benefit (Elterngeld) applied to all children born on 1 January, 2007 or later. The Elterngeld considerably changed the amount of transfers to families during the first two years postpartum. We show that the incentives created by using a cut‐off date led more than 1,000 parents to postpone the delivery of their children from December 2006 to January 2007. Concerning potential adverse impacts on health outcomes of children we find a slight increase in average birth weight and the rate of children with high birth weight (>4,000 g).
Regulatory Pressure and Bank Directors’ Incentives to Attend Board Meetings
Authors: Adams Renée Birgit , Ferreira Daniel
Published: June 2012

The primary way in which directors obtain necessary information is by attending board meetings. Bank directors, in particular, are strongly urged to attend meetings by regulators. We investigate whether such pressure is sufficient for bank directors to have good attendance records. Using data on whether directors were named in proxy statements as attending fewer meetings than they were supposed to, we find that (1) bank directors appear to have worse attendance records than their counterparts in nonfinancial firms, (2) their attendance behavior is related to explicit and implicit incentives for attendance, and (3) past attendance records are not related to the likelihood a director departs the board. Our results suggest that explicit and implicit incentives may provide important complements to regulatory pressure in influencing director behavior.
Faith, Race‐Ethnicity, and Public Policy Preferences: Religious Schemas and Abortion Attitudes Among U.S. Latinos
Authors: Bartkowski John P. , Ramos‐Wada Aida I. , Ellison Chris G. , Acevedo Gabriel A.
Published: June 2012

Research has demonstrated that white conservative Protestants are more opposed to abortion than their Catholic counterparts. At the same time, conservative Protestantism has made significant inroads among U.S. Latinos. This study augments existing research on religion and racial‐ethnic variations in abortion attitudes by comparing levels of support for legalized abortion among Catholic and conservative Protestant Latinos. Data are drawn from a nationally representative sample of U.S. Latinos. Significantly greater opposition to abortion is found among religiously devout conservative Protestant Latinos when compared with their Catholic counterparts. Latino Catholicism, which functions as a near‐monopolistic, highly institutionalized faith tradition among Hispanics, produces weaker antiabortion attitudes than those exhibited in Latino conservative Protestantism. Among Latinos, conservative Protestantism operates as a niche voluntaristic faith. These factors produce a religious schema that yields robust antiabortion attitudes. This study has important implications for understanding the intersection of race‐ethnicity, religion, and public policy preferences.
Comparing the Geographic Distributions and Growth of Mormons, Adventists, and Witnesses
Authors: Lawson Ronald , Cragun Ryan T.
Published: June 2012

Mormons, Adventists, and Witnesses have all felt called to take their teachings to the world and have experienced growth. However, they have varied considerably in both their geographic spread—where they have developed a presence over time—and also in where they have been more successful numerically. The result is sharply differing profiles: Adventists are concentrated more in the developing world; Witnesses and Mormons are proportionately stronger in the developed world, but in different parts of it. Within countries, Witnesses and Mormons are more urban, while Adventists are more concentrated in rural regions; Adventists also tend to be poorer than Witnesses and especially practicing Mormons. The article explores why these differing patterns developed, expanding on a recently developed theoretical model by Cragun and Lawson that religious growth depends on the synchronization of supply and demand and their corresponding components.
Getting what you pay for: the challenge of measuring success in conservation
Authors: Jones J. P. G.
Published: June 2012

Read the Feature Paper: Evaluating indices of conservation success: a comparative analysis of outcome‐ and output‐based indices

Other Commentaries on this paper: How can we sell evaluating, analyzing and synthesizing to young scientists?

Response from the authors: The view from the office is not all bad: conservation evaluation as a ‘sexy’ research goal
Did Asperger's Cases Have Asperger Disorder? A Research Note
Authors: Miller Judith N. , Ozonoff Sally
Published: June 2012

With publication of the fourth edition of the Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (DSM—IV), standardized criteria for Asperger Disorder, a putative subtype of Pervasive Developmental Disorder, are now available. This paper examines the four cases Asperger originally presented in his seminal paper (1991/1944), using DSM‐IV criteria to determine whether a diagnosis of Autistic or Asperger Disorder is most appropriate. We found that all four cases met DSM‐IV criteria for Autistic Disorder, rather than Asperger Disorder. This suggests that the syndrome Asperger originally described may not be captured by present diagnostic criteria. Implications for future research are discussed.
Effect of social system on allosuckling and adoption in zebras
Authors: Olléová M. , Pluháček J. , King S. R. B.
Published: June 2012

Although nursing non‐filial offspring (allonursing) represents costly behaviour to the female, it occurs in a variety of taxa, including ungulates. The only three currently existing species of zebra differ in their ecology and social system. In the wild, mountain zebra Equus zebra and Grevy's zebra Equus grevyi live in arid environments, while plains zebra Equus quagga inhabit savannahs. Mountain and plains zebra mares form long‐term stable herds associated with a social hierarchy, whereas Grevy's zebra mares form loose associations of short duration. In this study, we investigated the occurrence of allosuckling in three zebra species at the Dvůr Králové Zoo, Czech Republic, during 1626 h of observation. We recorded no successful allosuckling bouts and only 1 and 22 attempts to allosuckle by foals of mountain and plains zebra, respectively, whereas we observed 117 attempts and 13 successful allosuckling bouts by Grevy's zebra foals. Moreover, more than half of all observed Grevy's zebra foals succeeded in allosuckling at least once. When rejecting an allosuckling attempt, Grevy's zebra mares were less aggressive than mountain and plains zebra mares. When a Grevy's zebra mare allowed occasional allosuckling by a non‐filial foal, the probability of long‐term allosuckling was smaller than that in mountain and plains zebra. We also present the first evidence of adoption in Grevy's zebra. We suggest that higher tolerance towards non‐filial offspring, including the occurrence of allosuckling in Grevy's zebra, was affected by the different social systems of zebra species.
Needle electromyography at 1 month predicts paralysis of elbow flexion at 3 months in obstetric brachial plexus lesions
Authors: VAN DIJK J GERT , PONDAAG WILLEM , BUITENHUIS SONJA M , VAN ZWET ERIK W , MALESSY MARTIJN J A
Published: June 2012

Aim  Treatment decisions in obstetric brachial plexus lesions are often based on clinical paralysis of elbow flexion at 3 months of age, when electromyography (EMG) is misleading because motor unit potentials (MUPs) occur in clinically paralytic muscles. We investigated whether EMG at 1 week or 1 month identifies infants with flexion paralysis at 3 months, allowing early referral.

Method  Forty‐eight infants (27 females, 21 males) were prospectively studied. The presence or absence of flexion paralysis at around 1 week (median 9d; range 5–17d), 1 month (median 31d; range 24–53d), and 3 months of age (median 87d; range 77–106d) was noted for clinical (shoulder external rotation, elbow flexion, extension, and supination) and EMG parameters (denervation activity, MUPs and polyphasic MUPs in the deltoid, biceps, and triceps muscles).

Results  At 1 month, the absence of biceps MUPs had a sensitivity of 95% for later flexion paralysis, and absence of deltoid MUPs had a sensitivity of 100% for flexion paralysis; the false‐positive rates for the same findings were 21% and 33% respectively. EMG at 3 months was highly misleading as MUPs were seen in 19 of 20 clinically paralytic biceps muscles.

Interpretation  EMG at 1 month can identify severe cases of flexion paralysis for early referral EMG of the biceps at 3 months is highly misleading; the discrepancy between the EMG and clinical testing may be due to abnormal axonal branching and aberrant central motor control.
Why wait 3 months before doing electromyography in obstetric brachial plexus lesions? Challenging the norm
Authors: PITT MATTHEW
Published: June 2012

This commentary is on the original article by van Dijk et al. on pages 753‐758 of this issue
Repeatability of corneal biomechanical measurements in children wearing spectacles and orthokeratology lenses
Authors: Hon Ying , Cheung Sin W , Cho Pauline , Lam Andrew KC
Published: June 2012

Citation information: Hon Y, Cheung SW, Cho P & Lam AKC. Repeatability of corneal biomechanical measurements in children wearing spectacles and orthokeratology lenses. Ophthalmic Physiol Opt 2012, 32, 349–354. doi: 10.1111/j.1475‐1313.2012.00920.x

Purpose:  To determine the repeatability of corneal hysteresis (CH) and corneal resistance factor (CRF) measurements in children wearing spectacles and children under orthokeratology (ortho‐k) therapy using the Ocular Response Analyzer (ORA).

Methods:  CH and CRF were measured twice at a 10‐min interval using ORA on the same day in both eyes of 25 children (mean age = 10.6 ± 1.2 years) wearing spectacles and 34 children (mean age = 10.9 ± 1.0 years) wearing ortho‐k lenses. Four measurements were obtained from each eye in each set of measurements. Only data from the right eyes were analyzed.

Results:  No significant between‐measurement differences in CH and CRF were found in either group of subjects (paired t‐tests, p > 0.05) and no correlations were found between the mean differences and their means (Pearson’s correlations, −0.09 < r < 0.21, 0.24 < p < 0.85). The 95% limits of agreement (LA) were −1.87 mmHg to +2.59 mmHg and −1.53 mmHg to +1.41 mmHg for CH and −1.86 mmHg to +2.22 mmHg and −1.45 mmHg to +1.57 mmHg for CRF in the spectacle and ortho‐k groups, respectively. A significant between‐group difference in CRF was found (unpaired t‐tests, p = 0.02).

Conclusions:  Repeatability of CH and CRF measurements using the ORA is within ±2 mmHg in children wearing spectacles or ortho‐k lenses. We suggest that the ORA can be used to monitor long‐term corneal biomechanical changes during ortho‐k treatment.
DO INSTITUTIONS PREFER HIGH‐VALUE ACQUIRERS? AN ANALYSIS OF TRADING IN STOCK‐FINANCED ACQUISITIONS
Authors: Burch Timothy R. , Nanda Vikram , Silveri Sabatino
Published: June 2012

If owners of target shares in a stock‐for‐stock merger perceive the acquirer as overvalued, they should sell their holdings more aggressively to profit before such overvaluation dissipates. We study institutional owners of targets and find that slightly more than half liquidate their shares in stock mergers, consistent with high institutional‐share turnover rates found in the prior literature. However, share retention is higher when valuation measures suggest greater acquirer overvaluation, regardless of whether institutional owners generally prefer growth or value stock. Institutions that prefer large‐cap, growth stock are most enthusiastic about bids from large, high‐valuation acquirers, and substantially increase their stakes in such deals.
Internal Conflict, the International Community and the Promotion of Principled Compromise
Authors: Jones Peter , O'Flynn Ian
Published: June 2012

The international community has many reasons to promote compromise between the parties to internal conflicts. Yet to do so effectively, the international community ought to treat principled rather than strategic compromise as its default position. To make this case, we begin by defining ‘compromise’ and by distinguishing principled from strategic compromise. We then defend the idea of principled compromise against the realist who thinks that that idea is implausible. We conclude by offering a number of practical reasons why principled compromise ought to be preferred. Our argument does not deny that strategic compromise will sometimes be the only option. But, unlike principled compromise, strategic compromise does not provide the parties with any particular reason to look beyond their own particular concerns or to give any ground beyond what is absolutely necessary.
Gossip as News: On Modern U.S. Celebrity Culture and Journalism
Authors: Feeley Kathleen A.
Published: June 2012

Scholars over the last half‐century have begun to explore how gossip – spoken, printed, broadcast, or blogged – can serve to challenge, support, and/or reflect social, cultural, and political norms and ideals. Of particular interest here is how gossip, as amplified by the 20th‐ and 21st‐century mass media, has transformed journalistic practice and the nature of public life in the United States. In the last decade, scholarship on the history of U.S. celebrity gossip culture and journalism has come of age; the much‐studied classical Hollywood era has come under closer scrutiny, while study of the pre‐ and post‐classical Hollywood periods has emerged to enrich our understanding of the production, distribution, and consumption of such news. An interdisciplinary and transnational literature, this body of work challenges old binaries of ‘hard’ versus ‘soft’ news to consider instead the long‐term impact of celebrity journalism on modern meanings of selfhood and nationhood. These contributions to U.S. cultural, social, journalism, women’s and gender, and media history explore what it means to be a celebrated figure in modern America and the ever‐evolving media individuals, institutions, products, and practices that produce and manage celebrity. Work remains to be done to explore fully how U.S. legal and political change has effected the development of celebrity journalism; the racial, ethnic, and sexual politics of celebrity gossip also deserve more in‐depth analysis. We also await more work on the challenges and changes (or not) in the production, distribution, and consumption of gossip in this age of New Media.
Heritability of non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease and association with abnormal vascular parameters: A twin study
Authors: Tarnoki Adam D. , Tarnoki David L. , Bata Pal , Littvay Levente , Osztovits Janos , Jermendy Gyorgy , Karlinger Kinga , Lannert Agnes , Preda Istvan , Kiss Robert G. , Molnar Andrea A. , Garami Zsolt , Baffy Gyorgy , Berczi Viktor
Published: June 2012

Background

Non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has been linked to increased cardiovascular morbidity. However, genetic factors have an unclear role in this condition.

Aims

To analyse heritability of NAFLD and its association with abnormal vascular parameters in a large twin cohort.

Methods

Anthropometric and lipid metabolic parameters were obtained from 208 adult Hungarian twins (63 monozygotic and 41 dizygotic pairs; 58 men and 150 women; age 43.7 ± 16.7 years). B‐mode ultrasonography was performed to detect steatosis and categorize severity. Brachial and aortic augmentation indices and aortic pulse wave velocity were assessed using oscillometry (TensioMed Arteriograph). Carotid intima media thickness (IMT) was measured using ultrasonography on the proximal common, distal common and internal carotid arteries.

Results

NAFLD was identified in 47 subjects (22.6%), of which 44 (93.6%) had mild and 3 (6.4%) had moderate steatosis. These subjects were older (age: 50.9 ± 14.3 vs. 41.5 ± 16.7 years, P < 0.001) and had a higher body mass index (BMI; 30.1 ± 5.2 vs. 24.6 ± 4.1 km/m2, P < 0.001) than non‐NAFLD twins. Based on 91 same‐sex twin pairs, heritability analysis indicated no discernible role for genetic components in the presence of NAFLD (95% confidence interval, 0.0–36.0%), while shared and unshared environmental effects accounted for 74.2% and 25.8% of variations adjusted for age and BMI. Augmentation indices and carotid IMT in twins with NAFLD were increased at most examined locations (P < 0.05–P < 0.001).

Conclusion

These findings do not support heritability of NAFLD, although it coexists with vascular parameters linked to increased cardiovascular risk, underscoring the importance and value of prevention in this very common disorder.
Collateral‐free lending with risk‐contingent credit for agricultural development: indemnifying loans against pulse crop price risk in India
Authors: Shee Apurba , Turvey Calum G.
Published: June 2012

This article addresses the problem of collateral‐free lending in the context of agricultural development. We investigate a viable alternative to traditional credit products through the development of risk‐contingent credit for operating loans and farm mortgages and apply the concept to agricultural loans for pulse crops in India. Risk‐contingent credit mitigates business and financial risk by reducing debt obligations depending on the embedded commodity options whose payoffs are linked with commodity price fluctuations. We analyze daily commodity spot prices for pulse crops in India and show how risk‐contingent structured financial instruments can be priced in practice.
The role of tissue factor and protease‐activated receptor 2 in endometriosis
Authors: Lin Min , Weng Huinan , Wang Xuefeng , Zhou Bing , Yu Ping , Wang Yifeng
Published: June 2012

Problem

Little is known about the roles of TF and PAR‐2 in endometriosis. This article investigated the expression of TF and PAR‐2 in ectopic and eutopic endometrium with endometriosis and their relationship with the menstrual cycle.

Methods

Ectopic and eutopic endometrium tissues from 42 women with ovarian endometrioma and endometrium tissues from 20 women without endometriosis were obtained. All the samples were assessed for TF and PAR‐2 protein location using immunohistochemistry and for relative TF and PAR‐2 mRNA expression using real‐time florescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction (FQ‐PCR).

Results

Total TF and PAR‐2 expression were significantly higher in ectopic and eutopic endometrium of women with endometriosis when compared with controls. Moreover, TF expression in ectopic and eutopic endometrium and PAR‐2 expression in ectopic endometrium were significantly increased through the whole menstrual cycle. However, in eutopic endometrium with endometriosis, PAR‐2 expression only in secretory phase was higher than its cycle‐matched normal controls. There is no such difference in the proliferative phase.

Conclusion

The abnormal co‐upregulated expression of TF and PAR‐2 in eutopic and ectopic endometrium may affect the development and growth of endometriotic lesions and highlighted the pathologic role of TF and PAR‐2 in eutopic endometrium in endometriosis.
On Infeasibilities of Cosmopolitan Democracy – Lessons from the European Union
Authors: Hüller Thorsten
Published: June 2012

Abstract:  This article critically examines institutional versions of cosmopolitan democracy and institutional ideas of global federalism. Assuming global institutions to be as they are designed in conceptions of cosmopolitan democracy, the paper addresses a feasibility question: (To what degree) would such global democratic structures meet normative standards of democratic accountability. As there is no global democracy existing, the argumentation makes a detour, first investigating the experiences of the most advanced project of cosmopolitan democracy – the European Union – and then, second extrapolating from persistent, structural democratic deficits in the EU to the feasibility of global democracy. Compared to national arenas, the EU faces a gradual deficit in democratic capacities and the global reality of cosmopolitan democracy would be –even compared to the EU – a downgraded democracy as well. The main findings are: Vertical accountability is either more ineffective or more inegalitarian or both. Neither unitary nor federal systems should be seen as a plausible solution for the threat of ‘Verselbständigung’ caused by multilevel politics. And nationally segmented public spheres will not promote a similar type of politicised discourses around ‘common’ global issues.
Objectives and applications of phenotyping network set‐up for livestock
Authors: HOCQUETTE Jean‐François , CAPEL Carine , DAVID Valérie , GUÉMENÉ Daniel , BIDANEL Joël , PONSART Claire , GASTINEL Pierre‐Louis , BAIL Pierre‐Yves Le , MONGET Philippe , MORMÈDE Pierre , BARBEZANT Maurice , GUILLOU Florian , PEYRAUD Jean‐Louis
Published: June 2012

Providing phenotypic information, which is accurate, reliable, repeatable and comparable across countries or laboratories, is critical to gain a better understanding of the relationship between genes and phenotypes. So far, it is indeed extremely difficult to combine different sources of phenotypic data from multiple origins, partly because of the variability in the methods of phenotyping. The phenotyping program of livestock involves the definition of complex phenotypes obtained from data integration at different levels (from molecules to herds), the implementation of the latest technologies to accurately characterize at high speed and low cost, the greatest number of animals in a better characterized environment, and the development and sharing of large databases for data analysis and modeling. Such a program also involves the construction of a coordinated network of research and professional facilities and a common language with shared definition of unambiguous animal traits and of methods to assess them. To this end, it will build on the ‘Animal Trait Ontology of Livestock’ (ATOL) project with the objective of defining precisely the phenotypes of interest for farm animals. Then, it will be necessary to combine an environmental information system related to animal husbandry and associated methods to capture the phenotypic differences between animals.
Distribution of protein disulfide isomerase during maturation of pig oocytes
Authors: OHASHI Yumi , HOSHINO Yumi , TANEMURA Kentaro , SATO Eimei
Published: June 2012

Oocyte maturation in mammals is characterized by a dramatic reorganization of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). In mice, the ER forms accumulations in the germinal vesicle (GV) stage and distinctive cortical clusters in metaphase II (MII) of the oocyte. Multiple evidence suggests that this ER distribution is important in preparing the oocyte for Ca2+ oscillations, which trigger oocyte activation at fertilization. In this study, we investigated the time course and illustrated the possible functional role of ER distribution during maturation of porcine oocytes by immunostaining with protein disulfide isomerase (PDI). PDI forms clusters in the cytoplasm of oocytes. After immunostaining, PDI clusters were identified throughout the cytoplasm from the GV to metaphase I (MI) stage; however, at the MII stage, the PDI formed large clusters (1–2 µm) in the animal pole around the first polar body. PDI distribution was prevented by bacitracin, a PDI inhibitor. Our experiments indicated that, during porcine oocyte maturation, PDI undergoes a dramatic reorganization. This characteristic distribution is different from that in the mouse oocyte. Moreover, our study suggested that formation of PDI clusters in the animal pole is a specific characteristic of matured porcine oocytes.
THE CHICAGO COURIERS UNION, 2003–2010: A CASE STUDY IN SOLIDARITY UNIONISM
Authors: Bossen Colin
Published: June 2012

In recent years, historian and social activist Staughton Lynd has an advanced his theory of solidarity unionism as a way to rebuild the labor movement from below. To date, there have been relatively few unions organized using Lynd's theory and even fewer articles reflecting upon its utility for organizing. This essay critiques solidarity unionism by drawing upon the author's experience using Lynd's theory to build the Chicago Couriers Union (CCU). The history of the CCU is documented with primary sources including union newsletters, meeting minutes, and interviews with union organizers. Its successes suggest solidarity unionism's strengths while its failures point to ways in which the theory might be adjusted to gain greater utility.
WHY WE NEED A SURVEY OF UNIONS
Authors: Fiorito Jack , Gall Gregor
Published: June 2012

Unions represent millions of workers in both Britain and the U.S. despite substantial membership declines over the last thirty years. Union influence and trends contained therein are major concerns to a broad range of social sciences and business‐related disciplines, as well as to unions themselves. Data on unions as organizations are, however, woefully inadequate for the purpose of assessing the activities and influence of unions, as well as their status and prospects. In this article, we assess what we know and do not know about unions as organizations, and offer suggestions for what we need to know and how to get from where we are presently to where we would like to be.
LABOR UNIONS IN CONTEMPORARY RUSSIA: AN ASSESSMENT OF CONTRASTING FORMS OF ORGANIZATION AND REPRESENTATION
Authors: Olimpieva Irina
Published: June 2012

This article provides analytical description of the labor movement in Russia with a particular focus on the differences between two types of labor unions: the “official” unions, affiliated with the Soviet‐legacy Federation of Independent Trade Unions (FNPR), and the so‐called free or alternative labor unions, which do not belong to FNPR. Free labor unions differ from official unions in many respects, including their militant nature and conflict‐based ideology, grassroots methods of labor mobilization and organization, and the economic resources that they use. Today, one can speak about two different modes of labor interest representation at the enterprise level that exist at the same time. The first is the distributional mode based on cooperation between the employer and union that is more typical for the “official” unions. The second is the protest mode, which is focused on the defense of labor rights, confrontation with the employer, and which is mainly applied by “free” labor unions. While official labor unions continue to dominate the organized labor scene, in recent years, they faced growing competition from their alternative counterparts. Overall, the dominance of the distributive system over the protest model signifies the preservation of the dominance of management in labor relations, squeezing unions to the sidelines in serving workers. The generally antiunion new Labor Code, based on the tripartite model of social partnership, has solidified the institutional exclusion of free labor unions from the system of labor–capital relations and provides almost no possibility for organized labor protest. However, in recent years, according to independent monitoring, the overall number of unregistered protest actions, as well as the intensity of the actions, has been growing.
Exploring Women’s Postpartum Sexuality: Social, Psychological, Relational, and Birth-Related Contextual Factors
Authors: Hipp Lauren E. , Kane Low Lisa , van Anders Sari M.
Published: June 2012

Introduction

Women’s postpartum sexuality can be influenced by factors related to physical, personal, and relationship transitions after the newborn arrives. Despite this, many experiential and social factors remain unexplored.

Aims

This study aims to (i) investigate a range of variables thought to influence postpartum sexuality; (ii) expand the focus beyond latency to penis–vagina intercourse; and (iii) assess positive aspects of postpartum sexuality.

Methods

Via retrospective reporting on the first 3 months postpartum, 304 women completed an online questionnaire.

Main Outcome Measures

The main outcome measures were retrospective reports of sexual desire (Sexual Desire Inventory), latency to resumption of sexual activity, and perceptions of partner’s sexual desire. Other measures were birth experience (Questionnaire Measuring Attitudes About Labor and Delivery), breastfeeding status, perceptions of social support (Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support), stress (Perceived Stress Scale), and body image (Body Image Self-Consciousness Scale).

Results

Significant differences in time to resumption were found. Women performed oral sex on their partners earlier than engaging in masturbation, which was followed by intercourse and then receiving oral sex. Post hoc analyses identified birth experience, social support, importance of partner’s sexual fulfillment, and perception of partner’s desire as contributors to this pattern. Women’s postpartum sexual desire was influenced by their perceptions of their partner’s postpartum sexuality and individual’s level of fatigue. Results suggested that postpartum desire was not significantly influenced by breastfeeding status, vaginal issues, or psychosocial variables including stress, body image, or social support.

Conclusion

Results suggest that women’s perceptions of their partner’s sexuality impact postpartum sexuality more than the physical factors most commonly studied (e.g., vaginal trauma and breastfeeding). These results portray postpartum sexuality as a multidimensional phenomenon and highlight the need for further research that addresses its social context.
Recognition of HLA‐A*24:137 allele in a Taiwanese unrelated bone marrow stem cell donor and the plausible HLA haplotype associated with A*24:137
Authors: Yang K. L. , Lee S. K. , Kao R. H. , Lin C. L. , Lin P. Y.
Published: June 2012

We detected a rare HLA‐A*24:137 allele in an unrelated Taiwanese haematopoietic stem cell donor during a routine SBT (sequence‐based typing) HLA typing exercise. The DNA sequence of A*24:137 is identical to the sequence of A*24:02:01:01 in exons 2 and 3 except at codon 21 where CGC was replaced with CAA. The DNA variation caused an amino acid alteration at amino acid residue 21 (R‐>Q). The HLA haplotype in association with A*24:137 may be deduced as A*24:137‐B*15‐DRB1*14. The formation of A*24:137 was probably the result of a nucleotide point mutation involving A*24:02:01:01. It remains to be determined whether A*24:137 is restricted to Taiwanese/Chinese ethnicity.
Desiccation Tolerance and Global Change: Implications for Tropical Bryophytes in Lowland Forests
Authors: Pardow Alexandra , Lakatos Michael
Published: June 2012

Global change puts an increasing pressure on tropical forests and their inherent diversity by the risk of longer droughts and drier microclimatic conditions within the forest. How organisms will respond is uncertain, especially for organisms highly depending on their microclimatic environment such as bryophytes. An adequate tolerance to desiccation is important to face these changes, however, little is known for tropical bryophytes. We investigated for the first time the desiccation tolerance of epiphytic bryophytes from contrasting microsites at the tropical lowland forest in French Guiana. Using chlorophyll‐fluorescence (Fv/Fm) as an indicator of recovery, we tested: (1) desiccation tolerance for short (3 d) and long (9 d) desiccation events; (2) different desiccation intensities; and (3) recovery by rehydration with water vapor. Species from the canopy were well adapted to desiccation events. Thirteen of 18 species maintained more than 75 percent of their photosynthetic capacity after recovery at the strongest desiccation treatment of 9 d at 43 percent relative humidity (RH). In contrast, species from the understory were sensitive and withstood desiccation only at humid conditions of 75 percent RH and higher. The photosystem of the studied bryophytes was reactivated efficiently in equilibration with water vapor only—a yet neglected phenomenon in bryology. A novel introduced desiccation tolerance index allows global comparison of desiccation tolerances and highlights the sensitivity of understory species. Our results suggest that decreasing humidity caused by climate change and forest degradation could be a concerning threat for understory species.
Identification and Quantification of Base Flow Using Carbon Isotopes
Authors: Meredith Elizabeth L. , Kuzara Shawn L.
Published: June 2012

Six surface water samples from locations along Otter Creek in Southeastern Montana and a groundwater sample from a nearby monitoring well completed in the Knobloch coal were analyzed for stable carbon isotope ratios. Along the length of its perennial reach, between the towns of Otter and Ashland, Otter Creek crosses several coal outcrops, including the Knobloch coal zone. The carbon isotope ratio of the creek becomes progressively more similar to that of the Knobloch coal aquifer groundwater in samples collected downgradient from the town of Otter. The isotope ratio of the stream changes from −10.5 to −8.9‰ reflecting the influence of the coal‐aquifer base flow contribution, as represented by Knobloch coal groundwater, which has a carbon isotope value of +3.9‰. The dissolved inorganic carbon concentrations of the groundwater and surface water are similar (∼100 mg/L), which allowed the use of the simplified, first‐order, two‐end‐member mixing equation. Using carbon isotope ratios, calculations of the fraction of water contributed by coal aquifers indicate that approximately 11% of the surface water in Otter Creek at its mouth near Ashland was supplied by groundwater from the coal aquifers that crop out between Otter and Ashland. This study was conducted in December, when Otter Creek is at low flow. At times of higher surface flow, the contribution from groundwater base flow will be correspondingly smaller. This study illustrates that carbon isotopes can be an effective, low‐cost tool in base flow studies.
Korea's Growth Performance: Past and Future
Authors: NOLAND Marcus
Published: June 2012

South Korea is arguably the premier development success story of the last half century. Rapid growth coincided with extensive state interventions in the economy, and considerable controversy exists as to how much this performance should be credited to the country's state‐led development strategy and to what extent the lessons from that experience might be portable or applied elsewhere. The salience of this issue has grown as South Korea has become a more important provider of development assistance and advice. Now the country faces challenges in maintaining its superior economic performance, notably interrelated problems revolving around the country's demographics, long‐term fiscal position, and lagging productivity in the services sector domestically, and a taxing environment externally. Finally, the country confronts scenarios involving potential instability, collapse, and/or absorption of its neighbor, North Korea.
Lipolysis‐stimulated lipoprotein receptor: a novel membrane protein of tricellular tight junctions
Authors: Furuse Mikio , Oda Yukako , Higashi Tomohito , Iwamoto Noriko , Masuda Sayuri
Published: June 2012

Tricellular tight junctions (tTJs) are specialized structural variants of tight junctions that restrict the free diffusion of solutes at the extracellular space of tricellular contacts. Their presence at cell corners, situated in the angles between three adjacent epithelial cells, was identified early by electron microscopy, but despite their potential importance, tTJs have been generally ignored in epithelial cell biology. Tricellulin was the first molecular component of tTJs shown to be involved in their formation and in epithelial barrier function. However, the precise molecular organization and function of tTJs are still largely unknown. Recently, we identified the lipolysis‐stimulated lipoprotein receptor (LSR) as a tTJ‐associated membrane protein. LSR recruits tricellulin to tTJs, suggesting that the LSR‐tricellulin system plays a key role in tTJ formation. In this paper, we summarize the identification and characterization of LSR as a molecular component of tTJs.
Cingulin, paracingulin, and PLEKHA7: signaling and cytoskeletal adaptors at the apical junctional complex
Authors: Citi Sandra , Pulimeno Pamela , Paschoud Serge
Published: June 2012

Cingulin, paracingulin, and PLEKHA7 are proteins localized in the cytoplasmic region of the apical junctional complex of vertebrate epithelial cells. Cingulin has been detected at tight junctions (TJs), whereas paracingulin has been detected at both TJs and adherens junctions (AJs) and PLEKHA7 has been detected at AJs. One function of cingulin and paracingulin is to regulate the activity of Rho family GTPases at junctions through their direct interaction with guanidine exchange factors of RhoA and Rac1. Cingulin also contributes to the regulation of transcription of several genes in different types of cultured cells, in part through its ability to modulate RhoA activity. PLEKHA7, together with paracingulin, is part of a protein complex that links E‐cadherin to the microtubule cytoskeleton at AJs. In this paper, we review the current knowledge about these proteins, including their discovery, the characterization of their expression, localization, structure, molecular interactions, and their roles in different developmental and disease model systems.
Regulation of epithelial barrier function by the inflammatory bowel disease candidate gene, PTPN2
Authors: McCole Declan F.
Published: June 2012

Protein tyrosine phosphatase nonreceptor type 2 (PTPN2) has been identified as an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) candidate gene. However, the mechanism through which mutations in the PTPN2 gene contribute to the pathogenesis of IBD has not been identified. PTPN2 acts as a negative regulator of signaling induced by the proinflammatory cytokine, interferon‐gamma (IFN‐γ). IFN‐γ is known not only to play an important role in the pathogenesis of Crohn's disease (CD), but also to increase permeability of the intestinal epithelial barrier. We have shown that PTPN2 protects epithelial barrier function by restricting the capacity of IFN‐γ to increase epithelial permeability and prevent induction of expression of the pore‐forming protein, claudin‐2. These data identify an important functional role for PTPN2 as a protector of the intestinal epithelial barrier and provide clues as to how PTPN2 mutations may contribute to the pathophysiology of CD.
Caveolin binds independently to claudin‐2 and occludin
Authors: Itallie Christina M. Van , Anderson James M.
Published: June 2012

Treatment of epithelial and endothelial cells with proinflammatory cytokines can stimulate tight junction protein endocytosis, with associated loss of physiologic barrier function. In some instances, the endocytic scaffolding protein, caveolin‐1, has been implicated in the cytokine‐dependent retrieval of the tight junction proteins occludin and claudins. How caveolin‐1 interacts with these proteins, however, remains undefined. Using co‐immunoprecipitation assays, we found that caveolin‐1 separately interacts with claudin‐2 and occludin, but not with ZO‐1, ZO‐2, or claudin‐4. Further, we found that the interactions of caveolin‐1 with claudin‐2 and occludin were not disrupted by cholesterol removal, suggesting that they were not dependent on co‐localization to cholesterol‐rich lipid rafts. Co‐immunoprecipitation of caveolin‐1 with chimeras between claudin‐2 and ‐4 indicated that the C‐terminal cytoplasmic domain of claudin‐2 is required for association with caveolin‐1; similar analysis showed that the ZO‐1 binding region of occludin is not required for its interaction with caveolin‐1. The finding that caveolin‐1 interacts with claudin‐2 and occludin, but not with claudin‐4 or ZO‐1, suggests a potential mechanism for selective retrieval of tight junction components.
A phosphorylation hotspot within the occludin C‐terminal domain
Authors: Dörfel Max J. , Huber Otmar
Published: June 2012

Tight junctions (TJs) form paracellular barriers defining the permeability characteristics of epithelial and endothelial cell layers in our body. Tetraspanin integral membrane proteins, including occludin, tricellulin, MarvelD3, and a set of claudins, form a network of anastomosing strands bringing the membranes of neighboring cells into close contact. Occludin is assumed to play an important role in the regulation of TJ formation, structure, and function, and is tightly regulated by phosphorylation. We here summarize the role of occludin phosphorylation on assembly/disassembly and function of TJs and specifically focus on a cluster of 11 amino acids in the C‐terminal cytoplasmic domain of occludin (Tyr398–Ser408), including highly conserved phosphorylation sites for c‐Src, PKCs, and CK2. Phosphorylation by these kinases affects occludin localization, dynamics, and interaction with other TJ proteins. Interestingly, this phosphorylation hotspot is localized in an unstructured region close to the ZO‐1 binding site, and a cysteine residue which is involved in intermolecular disulfide‐bond formation thus contributing to occludin dimerization. We discuss potential consequences and open questions in respect to the functional role of this phosphorylation hotspot.
From TER to trans‐ and paracellular resistance: lessons from impedance spectroscopy
Authors: Günzel Dorothee , Zakrzewski Silke S. , Schmid Thomas , Pangalos Maria , Wiedenhoeft John , Blasse Corinna , Ozboda Christopher , Krug Susanne M.
Published: June 2012

In epithelia and endothelia, overall resistance (TER) is determined by all ion‐conductive structures, such as membrane channels, tight junctions, and the intercellular space, whereas the epithelial capacitance is due to the hydrophobic phase of the plasma membrane. Impedance means alternating current resistance and, in contrast to ohmic resistance, takes into account that, e.g., capacitors become increasingly conductive with increasing frequency. Impedance spectroscopy uses the association of the capacitance with the transcellular pathway to distinguish between this capacitive pathway and purely conductive components (tight junctions, subepithelium). In detail, one‐path impedance spectroscopy distinguishes the resistance of the epithelium from the resistance of subepithelial tissues. Beyond that, two‐path impedance spectroscopy allows for the separation of paracellular resistance (governed by tight junctional properties) from transcellular resistance (determined by conductive structures residing in the cell membranes). The present paper reviews the basic principles of these techniques, some historic milestones, as well as recent developments in epithelial physiology.