bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
GEOGRAPHERS AND PILGRIMAGES: CHANGING CONCEPTS IN PILGRIMAGE TOURISM RESEARCH
Authors: COLLINS‐KREINER NOGA 
Published: October 2009

ABSTRACTPilgrimage is one of the basic and oldest population mobilities in the human world, and it has wide implications: political, social, cultural and economic. In this paper, geographical research on pilgrimage is reviewed, with attention to relevant findings from neighbouring disciplines. The aim of this research is to examine key issues, arguments and conceptualisations regarding the research of pilgrimage. This is in order to indicate the shifts that the study of pilgrimage has undergone. As part of this goal the research will also attempt to point out the dedifferentiation between the various types of researchers dealing with pilgrimage. It has become clear that the study of pilgrimage shifted towards blurring between tourism and pilgrimage, namely, secular pilgrimage and religious pilgrimage. Dedifferentiation has penetrated this study in terms of its features and its multidisciplinary treatment by researchers.
ANALYSING REGIONAL IDENTITIES IN THE NETHERLANDS
Authors: SIMON CAROLA , HUIGEN PAULUS , GROOTE PETER 
Published: October 2009

ABSTRACTScale‐enlargement processes have made people more conscious of the identity of their region. Professionals, or those actors involved professionally in the development of a region, also recognise this impact on popular perception and they use characteristics of regions to fulfil their goals. They play an important role in employing the identity of a region. The extent to which this occurs varies between regions, which mean that some regions have stronger identities than others. In this paper evidence from two case studies in the Netherlands, Waterland and the Noordoostpolder, is used to explore why these differences occur. By counting the occurrence of names of regions, which are thought to be the most important symbols of a region's identity, insight is gained in the embeddedness of a region in social perception. Representations of regions commodified by professionals show that these actors influence the embeddedness of regions and as such regional differences; so professionals have a great impact on the strength of a region's identity.
The Uneven Impact of Neoliberalism on Housing Opportunities
Authors: FORREST RAY , HIRAYAMA YOSUKE 
Published: October 2009

AbstractNeoliberalism has dominated policy discourse and policy formulation for at least two decades and has been particularly influential in reshaping housing systems and housing opportunities. The timing, pace and impact of these policy developments have, however, varied between and within societies. This article explores the experiences of Japan and the UK as a way of illustrating that while there has been a shared discourse of neoliberalism, there have been important contextual differences in relation to the economic cycle, welfare systems and political complexion. These have affected the progress and development of neoliberal policy reforms in housing and in other related spheres and the extent of global financial integration. In both countries, a key social change is the striking reduction in levels of home ownership among younger age groups. The article explores the common and different causes and consequences of these trends and points to the significance of these emerging generational fissions for the neoliberal project.Résumé Cela fait au moins vingt ans que le néolibéralisme a envahi le discours et la formulation de l'action publique. Son influence a été considérable sur la reconfiguration des systèmes et des opportunités de logement. Le moment, le rythme et l'impact de ces évolutions politiques ont néanmoins varié d'une sociétéà une autre, et au sein de chacune. Les expériences du Japon et du Royaume‐Uni sont examinées ici afin de montrer que, malgré un discours néolibéral commun, on peut repérer de nettes différences contextuelles en lien avec le cycle économique, les systèmes de protection sociale et la coloration politique. Ces facteurs ont pesé sur la progression et l'ampleur des réformes politiques néolibérales dans le domaine du logement et d'autres sphères connexes, ainsi que sur la portée de l'intégration financière mondiale. Les deux pays révèlent une transformation sociale cruciale: les propriétaires de leur logement sont en forte diminution dans les tranches d’âge les plus jeunes. L’étude s'intéresse aux causes, communes et différentes, ainsi qu'aux conséquences de ces tendances, tout en marquant l'importance, pour le projet néolibéral, de ces ruptures générationnelles récentes.
Community Services and Out‐Migration
Authors: Massey Douglas S. , Williams Nathalie , Axinn William G. , Ghimire Dirgha J. 
Published: October 2009

AbstractThis paper investigates the relationship between changing community context and out‐migration in one of today’s poor countries, seeking to document the various mechanisms by which infrastructure affects the migratory behavior. We focus on the expansion of social and physical facilities and services near to rural people’s homes, including transportation, new markets, employment, schools, health clinics, and mass media outlets such as movie halls. We draw upon detailed data from Nepal to estimate the hypothesized effects. The direct effects of expanding economic and human capital infrastructure are clearly negative, reducing out‐migration. However, increased economic infrastructure is associated with a greater accumulation of human and social capital among respondents and their parents. Through these intervening mechanisms, economic and social infrastructure increased the odds of migrating out. These results reveal the often countervailing nature of short‐ and long‐term effects of economic and social change, and the complex pathways influencing migration outcomes.
Area and family effects on the psychopathology of the Millennium Cohort Study children and their older siblings
Authors: Flouri Eirini , Tzavidis Nikos , Kallis Constantinos 
Published: October 2009

Background:  To model and compare contextual (area and family) effects on the psychopathology of children nested in families nested in areas.Method:  Data from the first two sweeps of the UK’s Millennium Cohort Study were used. The final study sample was 9,630 children clustered in 6,052 families clustered in 1,681 Lower‐layer Super Output Areas. The mean age of the children at Sweep 2 was 4.96 (SD = 2.76) years. Contextual risk was measured at area level with the Index of Multiple Deprivation (Sweep 1), and at family level with the number of proximal (Sweep 2) and distal (Sweep 1) adverse life events experienced. Psychopathology was measured at Sweep 2 with the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire.Results:  At baseline, both proximal and distal family risk and area risk predicted broad psychopathology, although the most parsimonious was the proximal family risk model, and both the family‐level and the area‐level variability were significant. The area risk/broad psychopathology association remained significant even when family risk was controlled, but not when family socioeconomic status was controlled. The full model added parenting and paternal and maternal psychopathology. When parental qualifications were excluded from the family‐level contextual controls the effect of area risk remained significant on both externalizing and internalizing psychopathology.Conclusions:  The effect of area on child psychopathology operated via the socioeconomic characteristics of the child’s family, not just the adverse characteristics of the neighbors. Multiple family risk predicted child psychopathology directly and independently, and not because it was associated with family socioeconomic status. Family socioeconomic status explained the association between area risk and broad psychopathology.
Diurnal cortisol secretion at home and in child care: a prospective study of 2‐year‐old toddlers
Authors: Ouellet‐Morin Isabelle , Tremblay Richard E. , Boivin Michel , Meaney Michael , Kramer Michael , Côté Sylvana M. 
Published: October 2009

Background:  Previous studies indicate that children may experience disrupted cortisol secretion in child care. The extent to which this is a transient or long‐term disruption is not known, as most studies have relied on cross‐sectional designs, and age‐heterogeneous small sample sizes. This study aims to (a) compare cortisol secretion measured at home and in child care at 2 and 3 years of age, (b) investigate cortisol changes from 2 to 3 years of age, (c) examine whether age at initiation of child care is associated with cortisol secretion, and (d) investigate whether cortisol secretion in child care is linked to behavioural problems.Methods:  Saliva samples were collected in a cohort of children recruited at 2 years of age from a larger population sample composed of women seen for the first time during pregnancy. Saliva was sampled twice a day (morning and afternoon) over two consecutive days at home and in child care at 2 (n = 155) and 3 years of age (n = 116). Interviews regarding the familial socioeconomic background and child care history were conducted with the mothers.Results:  At 2 years of age, children showed a flat diurnal cortisol pattern in child care and a decreasing pattern at home. At age 3 years, children showed decreasing patterns both at home and in child care. Also at 3 years, children with less child care experience (i.e., entry after 16 months) had higher cortisol levels in child care and lower levels at home. In contrast, those with more experience (i.e., entry prior to 8 months) had lower cortisol in child care and higher cortisol at home.Conclusion:  The different patterns of diurnal secretion observed in child care as compared to home is transient for most children, diminishing as they get older, whereas home and child care overall levels later on may be influenced by the cumulated experience with child care.
Cholesterol metabolism and transport in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease
Authors: Martins Ian J. , Berger Tamar , Sharman Matthew J. , Verdile Giuseppe , Fuller Stephanie J. , Martins Ralph N. 
Published: October 2009

AbstractAlzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative disorder, affecting millions of people worldwide. Apart from age, the major risk factor identified so far for the sporadic form of AD is possession of the ɛ4 allele of apolipoprotein E (APOE), which is also a risk factor for coronary artery disease (CAD). Other apolipoproteins known to play an important role in CAD such as apolipoprotein B are now gaining attention for their role in AD as well. AD and CAD share other risk factors, such as altered cholesterol levels, particularly high levels of low density lipoproteins together with low levels of high density lipoproteins. Statins – drugs that have been used to lower cholesterol levels in CAD, have been shown to protect against AD, although the protective mechanism(s) involved are still under debate. Enzymatic production of the beta amyloid peptide, the peptide thought to play a major role in AD pathogenesis, is affected by membrane cholesterol levels. In addition, polymorphisms in several proteins and enzymes involved in cholesterol and lipoprotein transport and metabolism have been linked to risk of AD. Taken together, these findings provide strong evidence that changes in cholesterol metabolism are intimately involved in AD pathogenic processes. This paper reviews cholesterol metabolism and transport, as well as those aspects of cholesterol metabolism that have been linked with AD.
Microglial phagocytosis attenuated by short‐term exposure to exogenous ATP through P2X7receptor action
Authors: Fang Kuan‐Min , Yang Chung‐Shi , Sun Synthia H. , Tzeng Shun‐Fen 
Published: October 2009

AbstractMicroglia, the CNS resident macrophages responsible for the clearance of degenerating cellular fragments, are essential to tissue remodeling and repair after CNS injury. ATP can be released in large amounts after CNS injury and may mediate microglial activity through the ionotropic P2X and the metabotropic P2Y receptors. This study indicates that exposure to a high concentration of ATP for 30 min rapidly induces changes of the microglial cytoskeleton, and significantly attenuates microglial phagocytosis. A pharmacological approach showed that ATP‐induced inhibition of microglial phagocytotic activity was due to P2X7R activation, rather than that of P2YR. Activation of P2X7R by its agonist, 2′‐3′‐O‐(4‐benzoyl)benzoyl‐ATP (BzATP), produced a Ca2+‐independent reduction in microglial phagocytotic activity. In addition, the knockdown of P2X7R expression by lentiviral‐mediated shRNA interference or the blockade of P2X7R activation by the specific antagonists, oxidized ATP (oxATP) and brilliant blue G, has efficiently restored the phagocytotic activity of ATP and BzATP‐treated microglia. Our results reveal that P2X7R activation may induce the formation of a Ca2+‐independent signaling complex, which results in the reduction of microglial phagocytosis. This suggests that exposure to ATP for a short‐term period may cause insufficient clearance of tissue debris by microglia through P2X7R activation after CNS injury, and that blockade of this receptor may preserve the phagocytosis of microglia and facilitate CNS tissue repair.
Down‐regulation of lipocalin 2 contributes to chemoresistance in glioblastoma cells
Authors: Zheng Long Tai , Lee Shinrye , Yin Guo Nan , Mori Kiyoshi , Suk Kyoungho 
Published: October 2009

AbstractMalignant gliomas are the most common primary brain tumor and have a poor clinical prognosis. 1, 3‐Bis (2‐chloroethyl)‐1‐nitrosourea (BCNU) is an alkylating agent that is commonly used in glioma therapy. However, BCNU chemotherapy often fails due to drug resistance. To gain better understanding of molecular mechanisms underlying the drug resistance of glioma, a BCNU‐resistant variant (C6R) of C6 rat glioma cells was selected and characterized. The established C6R cells were resistant to BCNU‐induced cell death and cell cycle arrest as confirmed by 3‐(4, 5‐dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl)‐2, 5‐diphenyltetrazolium bromide reduction assay and flow cytometric analysis of DNA content. C6R cells showed an increased expression of common drug resistance‐related genes such as O6‐methylguanine‐DNA methyltransferase and multiple drug resistance 1. In contrast, C6R cells showed a decreased expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein, therefore, displaying shorter cellular processes compared with parental C6 cells. More importantly, in conjunction with the morphological changes, the expression of lipocalin‐2 (lcn2), a 25‐kDa secreted proapoptotic protein, was markedly reduced in the BCNU‐resistant C6R cells. However, there was no significant change in the expression of lcn2 receptors. Addition of recombinant LCN2 protein or introduction of lcn2 cDNA significantly increased the sensitivity of C6 cells and human glioma cells to BCNU or other anticancer drugs, while knockdown of lcn2 expression by antisense cDNA transfection decreased the sensitivity. When lcn2 was re‐expressed in C6R cells, the BCNU sensitivity was restored. Lcn2 enhanced BCNU‐induced Akt dephosphorylation providing a molecular basis of apoptosis sensitization. These results suggest that LCN2 protein may be involved in glioma drug resistance and may provide a new approach to sensitizing glioblastoma to chemotherapy.
α‐Synuclein modulation of Ca2+signaling in human neuroblastoma (SH‐SY5Y) cells
Authors: Hettiarachchi Nishani T. , Parker Andrew , Dallas Mark L. , Pennington Kyla , Hung Chao‐Chun , Pearson Hugh A. , Boyle John P. , Robinson Philip , Peers Chris 
Published: October 2009

AbstractParkinson’s disease (PD) is characterized in part by the presence of α‐synuclein (α‐syn) rich intracellular inclusions (Lewy bodies). Mutations and multiplication of the α‐synuclein gene (SNCA) are associated with familial PD. Since Ca2+dyshomeostasis may play an important role in the pathogenesis of PD, we used fluorimetry in fura‐2 loaded SH‐SY5Y cells to monitor Ca2+homeostasis in cells stably transfected with either wild‐type α‐syn, the A53T mutant form, the S129D phosphomimetic mutant or with empty vector (which served as control). Voltage‐gated Ca2+influx evoked by exposure of cells to 50 mM K+was enhanced in cells expressing all three forms of α‐syn, an effect which was due specifically to increased Ca2+entry via L‐type Ca2+channels. Mobilization of Ca2+by muscarine was not strikingly modified by any of the α‐syn forms, but they all reduced capacitative Ca2+entry following store depletion caused either by muscarine or thapsigargin. Emptying of stores with cyclopiazonic acid caused similar rises of [Ca2+]iin all cells tested (with the exception of the S129D mutant), and mitochondrial Ca2+content was unaffected by any form of α‐synuclein. However, only WT α‐syn transfected cells displayed significantly impaired viability. Our findings suggest that α‐syn regulates Ca2+entry pathways and, consequently, that abnormal α‐syn levels may promote neuronal damage through dysregulation of Ca2+homeostasis.
Amyloid β serves as an NGF‐like neurotrophic factor or acts as a NGF antagonist depending on its concentration
Authors: Arevalo Maria‐Ángeles , Roldan Pedro M. , Chacón Pedro J. , Rodríguez‐Tebar Alfredo 
Published: October 2009

AbstractIn the nervous system, both the shape and connectivity of neurons are strongly influenced by soluble, extracellular factors. Indeed, we recently demonstrated that after binding to p75NTR, the common neurotrophin receptor, nerve growth factor (NGF) controls the morphology and connectivity of cultured mouse hippocampal neurons by encouraging the production of fewer yet longer dendrites, and by augmenting GABAergic connectivity. These effects of NGF are mediated by the differential expression of Enhancer‐of‐split 1/5 homologs and neurogenin 3. Amyloid β (Aβ), a pathogenic agent in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is known to bind to p75NTR, hence we studied its influence on cultured hippocampal neurons. At 800 nM, Aβ(1–40) prevents NGF‐induced activation of NF‐κB and consequently, it depresses the expression of Enhancer‐of‐split 1. Thus, at this concentration, the effect of Aβ on neurons is antagonistic to those provoked by NGF and accordingly, neurons sprout more yet shorter dendrites and their GABAergic input decreases. In contrast, at lower concentration, 20 nM, the amyloid induces cellular effects similar to those induced by NGF, both in terms of gene expression, neuronal morphology, and GABAergic connectivity. Our results demonstrate that Aβ may act as a neurotrophic factor that mimics the activity of NGF. However, at higher concentrations, the amyloid behaves as an antagonist of NGF, contributing to the advent of AD.
Relative positioning of diazepam in the benzodiazepine‐binding‐pocket of GABAAreceptors
Authors: Tan Kelly R. , Baur Roland , Charon Sébastien , Goeldner Maurice , Sigel Erwin 
Published: October 2009

AbstractGABAAreceptors are the major inhibitory neurotransmitter receptors in the brain. Some of them are targets of benzodiazepines that are widely used in clinical practice for their sedative/hypnotic, anxiolytic, muscle relaxant and anticonvulsant effects. In order to rationally separate these different drug actions, we need to understand the interaction of such compounds with the benzodiazepine‐binding pocket. With this aim, we mutated residues located in the benzodiazepine‐binding site individually to cysteine. These mutated receptors were combined with benzodiazepine site ligands carrying a cysteine reactive group in a defined position. Proximal apposition of reaction partners will lead to a covalent reaction. We describe here such proximity‐accelerated chemical coupling reactions of α1S205C and α1T206C with a diazepam derivative modified at the C‐3 position with a reactive isothiocyanate group (–NCS). We also provide new data that identify α1H101C and α1N102C as exclusive sites of the reaction of a diazepam derivative where the –Cl atom is replaced by a –NCS group. Based on these observations we propose a relative positioning of diazepam within the benzodiazepine‐binding site of α1β2γ2receptors.
Differences in biometrics and moult of non‐breeding Red Knots Calidris canutus in southern Africa and Scotland reflect contrasting climatic conditions
Authors: SUMMERS RON W. , UNDERHILL LES G. , WALTNER MANFRED , SWANN ROBERT L. 
Published: October 2009

We describe the migration, biometrics and moult of Red Knot Calidris canutus canutus in southern Africa and compare them with the biometrics and moult of Calidris canutus islandica in northern Europe to examine possible adaptations to different environments during the non‐breeding season. Northward and southward migration of C. c. canutus took place along the coast of Western Europe and there was one recovery in West Africa (Mauritania), suggesting a coastal migration round West Africa rather than migration across the Sahara, as recorded in other waders. Adult Knots in South Africa had no additional fattening in November–January (fat index of 7%), in contrast to C. c. islandica wintering in Britain. This is consistent with the theory that extra fat is required only where food shortages are likely. The bills of canutus were longer than those of islandica but their wings were shorter, confirming the sub‐specific assignments and origin of this population. The average duration of primary moult in South Africa was 95 days, shorter than that of other Arctic‐breeding waders that moult in South Africa, but longer than of islandica moulting in Scotland (77 days). Mean starting and completion dates were 20 July and 5 October for islandica and 25 October and 28 January for canutus. The timing and duration of primary moult for these two subspecies suggest that waders need to complete moult before the northern winter when food supplies are limited, whilst waders in benign climates face no such pressures. First‐year canutus either retained old primaries for much of their first year or had a partial moult of inner or other primaries. Adults departed on northward migration in mid‐April, having attained a mean departure mass of c. 190 g (maximum 232 g). The mean fat index at this time was 24% (maximum 29%) and the fat‐free flight muscle mass increased. The predicted flight range of 4000 km falls short of the distance to the first likely refuelling site in West Africa, suggesting that birds rely on assistance from favourable winds.