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Kinds of Break Terms modified by Break Selected AbstractsINVESTIGATING OKUN's LAW BY THE STRUCTURAL BREAK WITH THRESHOLD APPROACH: EVIDENCE FROM CANADA,THE MANCHESTER SCHOOL, Issue 5 2005HO-CHUAN (RIVER) HUANG This study proposes a structural change with threshold approach to re-evaluate the empirical validity of Okun's law using data from Canada. Based on the Hodrick,Prescott and band-pass filtered data, we find strong support of structural change as well as threshold nonlinearity. This suggests that the use of purely linear specifications for analyzing Okun's law may lead to misleading results. The implications of the empirical results for macroeconomic policy are also briefly discussed. [source] FURTHER COMMENTS ON STATIONARITY TESTS IN SERIES WITH STRUCTURAL BREAKS AT UNKNOWN POINTSJOURNAL OF TIME SERIES ANALYSIS, Issue 2 2003Fabio Busetti First page of article [source] HYSTERESIS IN UNEMPLOYMENT REVISITED: EVIDENCE FROM PANEL LM UNIT ROOT TESTS WITH HETEROGENEOUS STRUCTURAL BREAKSBULLETIN OF ECONOMIC RESEARCH, Issue 4 2009Jun-De Lee C22; C23; J64 ABSTRACT This paper applies the panel LM unit root tests with heterogeneous structural breaks in level by Im,et al. (Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, 67 (2005), pp. 393,419) to re-examine the validity of hysteresis in the unemployment rates of 19 OECD countries. Our empirical findings are favourable to the stationarity of the unemployment rates, i.e., the unemployment hysteresis hypothesis is strongly rejected. Our results suggest that shocks to unemployment rates are temporary and soon converge when we control for breaks. A major policy implication of the study is that a fiscal or monetary stabilization policy would not have permanent effects on the unemployment rates of the 19 OECD countries. [source] Innovational Outlier Unit Root Tests With an Endogenously Determined Break in LevelOXFORD BULLETIN OF ECONOMICS & STATISTICS, Issue 5 2001David I. Harvey We show that a standard unit root test that permits an endogenously determined break in level can generate spurious rejections in practically interesting sample sizes when a large break occurs under the null hypothesis. This problem, which occurs for breaks of the innovational outlier type, can be corrected through a simple modification of the test procedure. [source] Writing Experience: Does Ethnography Convey a Crisis of Representation, or an Ontological Break with the Everyday World?CANADIAN REVIEW OF SOCIOLOGY/REVUE CANADIENNE DE SOCIOLOGIE, Issue 4 2008WING-CHUNG HOArticle first published online: 18 DEC 200 L'auteur pose comme prémisse la «brisure ontologique», telle qu'imaginée par Alfred Schutz, qui sépare deux champs: le «monde des coassociés», dans lequel la réalité sociale est directement expérimentée en face à face avec le présent intense, et l'«univers des contemporanéités», dans lequel l'autre est représenté selon des «types». Il soutient que cette coupure constitue un véhicule incitant à présenter une méta-exposition de revendications majeures problématisant l'autorité traditionnelle en ethnographie. À la lumière de cette brisure, les tentatives postmodernistes d'acquérir ou de conserver la compréhension ici et maintenant de la signification subjective, ou de la «voix» des ethnographies, ne forment que des impossibilités épistémologiques. L'auteur conclut que le privilège postmoderniste accordéà une «ethnographie naïve» insistant sur les processus «expérimentaux», «interprétatifs», «dialogiques» et «polyphoniques» ne peut remplir sa promesse sur le plan méthodologique, pas plus qu'il n'est adaptable à la brisure ontologique de Schutz sur le plan théorique. This paper is premised on the "ontological break" as coined by Alfred Schutz that disconnects two realms: the "world of consociates" where social reality is directly experienced face-to-face in the vivid present, and the "world of contemporaries" where the other is interpreted in terms of "types." It is argued that this break is a suggestive vehicle for conducting a meta-exposition of major claims which problematize the traditional authority of ethnography. In the light of the break, the postmodernist attempts to attain or retain the here-and-now understanding of subjective meaning, or "voice" in ethnographies are but epistemological impossibilities. It is concluded that the postmodernist privileging of a "naive ethnography" which emphasizes "experiential,""interpretive,""dialogical," and "polyphonic" processes is neither able to deliver on its promise at the methodic level, nor amendable to Schutz's ontological break at the theoretical level. [source] A Break from the Past: Impacts and Implications of the Canada Foundation for Innovation and the Canada Research Chairs Initiatives,CANADIAN REVIEW OF SOCIOLOGY/REVUE CANADIENNE DE SOCIOLOGIE, Issue 3 2002Claire Polster Cet article cherche à explorer de façon préliminaire la nature et l'im-pact de deux récentes initiatives fédérales concernant la recherche universitaire, soit la Fondation canadienne pour l'innovation et les Chaires de recherche du Canada. Une description des faits saillants de ces initiatives sera suivie d'une analyse centrée sur la manière dont ces initiatives contribuent à réorganiser les relations sociales entre les universités, le gouvernement, le secteur privé et le public général, de même que les relations au sein même de ces organismes. L'analyse considère ègalement les conséquences de cette réorganisation pour les groupes en cause afin d'éclairer les discussions et actions qu'ont engendrées ces initiatives singulières et significatives pour les études supérieures au Canada. This paper aims to explore,in a broad and preliminary way,the nature and impacts of two recent federal initiatives related to university research, namely the creation of the Canada Foundation for Innovation and the Canada Research Chairs Program. After describing and highlighting key features of these initiatives, the paper examines how they are helping to reorganize social relations within and between universities, government, the private sector, and the general public. It also considers some implications of these changes for the various parties involved, as a means of informing the latter's discussions of, and responses to, these unique and significant developments in Canadian higher education. [source] Non-solid oncogenes in solid tumors: EML4,ALK fusion genes in lung cancerCANCER SCIENCE, Issue 12 2008Hiroyuki Mano It is generally accepted that recurrent chromosome translocations play a major role in the molecular pathogenesis of hematological malignancies but not of solid tumors. However, chromosome translocations involving the e26 transformation-specific sequence transcription factor loci have been demonstrated recently in many prostate cancer cases. Furthermore, through a functional screening with retroviral cDNA expression libraries, we have discovered the fusion-type protein tyrosine kinase echinoderm microtubule-associated protein like-4 (EML4),anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) specimens. A recurrent chromosome translocation, inv(2)(p21p23), in NSCLC generates fused mRNA encoding the amino-terminal half of EML4 ligated to the intracellular region of the receptor-type protein tyrosine kinase ALK. EML4,ALK oligomerizes constitutively in cells through the coiled coil domain within the EML4 region, and becomes activated to exert a marked oncogenicity both in vitro and in vivo. Break and fusion points within the EML4 locus may diverge in NSCLC cells to generate various isoforms of EML4,ALK, which may constitute ~5% of NSCLC cases, at least in the Asian ethnic group. In the present review I summarize how detection of EML4,ALK cDNA may become a sensitive diagnostic means for NSCLC cases that are positive for the fusion gene, and discuss whether suppression of ALK enzymatic activity could be an effective treatment strategy against this intractable disorder. (Cancer Sci 2008; 99: 2349,2355) [source] The Surgical Looking Glass: A Readily Available Safeguard Against Eye Splash Injury/Contamination During Infiltration of Anesthesia for Cysts and Other "Porous" Lesions of the SkinDERMATOLOGIC SURGERY, Issue 4 2002Patrick R. Carrington MD Background. "Breaks" in barrier precautions are a definite abrogating influence on the effectiveness of "universal precautions." Dermatologists and dermatologic surgeons are exposed to significant infectious agents on a daily basis, especially due to the high number of minor surgical procedures performed. Backsplash, spray, and eye splash of bodily fluids during these procedures place the surgeon at a high risk of contamination/infection via the conjunctival membranes. The surgical looking glass is a simple utility based on inexpensive equipment already in place in the physician's office which protects the eyes and face during infiltrative anesthesia or incision of cysts and other lesions. Objective. To offer a simple and inexpensive utility to assist with protection from and reduction of contamination/infection of the ocular mucous membranes during surgical procedures. Methods. Utilizing one or two readily available microscope slides overlying the injection site during local infiltrative anesthesia, backsplash or spray can be contained. Results. This utility is effective in containment of backsplash or spray of anesthesia or bodily fluids during even minor surgical procedures. Conclusion. The surgical looking glass can enhance safety and promote "universal precautions" during even minor surgical procedures or infiltration of anesthesia into more porous areas or lesions for the practicing dermatologist or dermatologic surgeon. The pragmatic, practical, and inexpensive nature of the surgical looking glass invites its use on a daily basis by the practicing dermatologist. [source] The Effect of Short Warm Breaks during Chilling on Photosynthesis and the Activity of Antioxidant Enzymes in Plants Sensitive to ChillingJOURNAL OF AGRONOMY AND CROP SCIENCE, Issue 4 2000G. Skrudlik The effect of short warm breaks (from 15 min to 5 h) during chilling of three chilling-sensitive species (tomato, maize and soybean) was investigated. Injuries, intensity of net photosynthesis and antioxidant enzyme activity were measured. Throughout chilling treatment, plants were warmed by transferring them during the last few hours of the light phase from chilling temperature (5 °C for tomato and maize, 2 °C for soybean) to 20 °C. After warming, seedlings were moved back to chilling conditions. Warm breaks of 5 h almost entirely prevented the appearance of injuries, as measured by changes in leakage of electrolytes and tissue water content, during 12 days of chilling. Even a 15-min warm break ensured a significant decrease in injuries in chilled maize seedlings compared to continuously chilled seedlings. Inhibition of gas exchange and fluorescence in seedlings of two maize genotypes differing in chilling resistance was, to a small extent, prevented by 1-h warm breaks, while 4-h warm breaks reduced inhibition significantly. The length of the warm break (1 or 4 h) had no influence on changes in SOD activity compared to continuously chilled plants, but warm breaks of 4 h produced a significant increase in CAT activity. The possible influence of an alternative pathway in preventing injuries is discussed. Zusammenfassung Der Einfluß kurzer warmer Phasen (5 Std. bis 15 Min.) während der Kuühlephase auf drei kühleempfindliche Arten (Tomate, Mais und Sojabohne) wurden untersucht. Schäden, Intensität der Netto-Photosynthese und antioxidierender Enzymaktivität wurden gemessen. Während der Kühlebehandlung wurden die Pflanzen erwärmt, indem sie in den letzten Stunden der Belichtungsphase von den Kühletemperaturen (5 °C für Tomate und Mais, 2 °C für Sojabohnen) unter eine Temperatur von 20 °C verbracht wurden. Nach dem Aufwärmen der Sämlinge wurden sie unter die Kühlebedingungen zurückgebracht. 5 h Wärmeunterbrechungen vermieden nahezu vollständig das Auftreten von Beschädigungen, wie eine Messung der Änderungen im Austritt von Elektrolyten und dem Gewebewassergehalt während der 12 Stunden Kühle zeigten. Selbst 15-Min. Wärmeunterbrechung sicherten eine signifikante Abnahme der Schädigungen von gekühlten Maissämlingen im Vergleich zu ununterbrochen gekühlten Pflanzen. Der Gasaustausch und die Fluoreszensinhibierung von zwei Maisgenotypensämlingen mit unterschiedlicher Kühleresistenz waren in einem geringen Ausmaß vermindert bei 1 h Warmunterbrechung; lediglich 4 h Wärmunterbrechung erwies sich als günstig. Die Länge der Warmunterbrechungen (1 oder 4 h) hatte keinen Einfluß auf Änderungen in der SOD-Aktivität im Vergleich zu kontinuierlich gekühlten Pflanzen; Verlängerungen bis zuf vier Stunden Warmunterbrechungen führten zu einer signifikanten Zunahme der CAT-Aktivität. Eine mögliche Einwirkung alternativer Wege in der Verhinderung von Schäden wird diskutiert. [source] When the Levee Breaks: Treating Adolescents and Families in the Aftermath of Hurricane KatrinaJOURNAL OF MARITAL AND FAMILY THERAPY, Issue 2 2008Cynthia L. Rowe Hurricane Katrina brought to the surface serious questions about the capacity of the public health system to respond to community-wide disaster. The storm and its aftermath severed developmentally protective family and community ties; thus its consequences are expected to be particularly acute for vulnerable adolescents. Research confirms that teens are at risk for a range of negative outcomes under conditions of life stress and family disorganization. Specifically, the multiple interacting risk factors for substance abuse in adolescence may be compounded when families and communities have experienced a major trauma. Further, existing service structures and treatments for working with young disaster victims may not address their risk for co-occurring substance abuse and traumatic stress reactions because they tend to be individually or peer group focused, and fail to consider the multi-systemic aspects of disaster recovery. This article proposes an innovative family-based intervention for young disaster victims, based on an empirically supported model for adolescent substance abuse, Multidimensional Family Therapy (MDFT; Liddle, 2002). Outcomes and mechanisms of the model's effects are being investigated in a randomized clinical trial with clinically referred substance-abusing teens in a New Orleans area community impacted by Hurricane Katrina. [source] New Improved Tests for Cointegration with Structural BreaksJOURNAL OF TIME SERIES ANALYSIS, Issue 2 2007Joakim Westerlund C12; C32; C33 Abstract., This article proposes Lagrange multiplier-based tests for the null hypothesis of no cointegration. The tests are general enough to allow for heteroskedastic and serially correlated errors, deterministic trends, and a structural break of unknown timing in both the intercept and slope. The limiting distributions of the test statistics are derived, and are found to be invariant not only with respect to the trend and structural break, but also with respect to the regressors. A small Monte Carlo study is also conducted to investigate the small-sample properties of the tests. The results reveal that the tests have small size distortions and good power relative to other tests. [source] Range Unit-Root (RUR) Tests: Robust against Nonlinearities, Error Distributions, Structural Breaks and OutliersJOURNAL OF TIME SERIES ANALYSIS, Issue 4 2006Felipe Aparicio Abstract., Since the seminal paper by Dickey and Fuller in 1979, unit-root tests have conditioned the standard approaches to analysing time series with strong serial dependence in mean behaviour, the focus being placed on the detection of eventual unit roots in an autoregressive model fitted to the series. In this paper, we propose a completely different method to test for the type of long-wave patterns observed not only in unit-root time series but also in series following more complex data-generating mechanisms. To this end, our testing device analyses the unit-root persistence exhibited by the data while imposing very few constraints on the generating mechanism. We call our device the range unit-root (RUR) test since it is constructed from the running ranges of the series from which we derive its limit distribution. These nonparametric statistics endow the test with a number of desirable properties, the invariance to monotonic transformations of the series and the robustness to the presence of important parameter shifts. Moreover, the RUR test outperforms the power of standard unit-root tests on near-unit-root stationary time series; it is invariant with respect to the innovations distribution and asymptotically immune to noise. An extension of the RUR test, called the forward,backward range unit-root (FB-RUR) improves the check in the presence of additive outliers. Finally, we illustrate the performances of both range tests and their discrepancies with the Dickey,Fuller unit-root test on exchange rate series. [source] Seasonal Unit Root Tests Under Structural Breaks,JOURNAL OF TIME SERIES ANALYSIS, Issue 1 2004Uwe Hassler C12; C22 Abstract., In this paper, several seasonal unit root tests are analysed in the context of structural breaks at known time and a new break corrected test is suggested. We show that the widely used HEGY test, as well as an LM variant thereof, are asymptotically robust to seasonal mean shifts of finite magnitude. In finite samples, however, experiments reveal that such tests suffer from severe size distortions and power reductions when breaks are present. Hence, a new break corrected LM test is proposed to overcome this problem. Importantly, the correction for seasonal mean shifts bears no consequence on the limiting distributions, thereby maintaining the legitimacy of canonical critical values. Moreover, although this test assumes a breakpoint a priori, it is robust in terms of misspecification of the time of the break. This asymptotic property is well reproduced in finite samples. Based on a Monte-Carlo study, our new test is compared with other procedures suggested in the literature and shown to hold superior finite sample properties. [source] When the Bough Breaks the Cradle Will Fall: Promoting the Health and Well Being of Infants and Toddlers in Juvenile CourtJUVENILE AND FAMILY COURT JOURNAL, Issue 4 2001JUDGE CINDY S. LEDERMAN ABSTRACT Approximately one-third of the children in the child welfare system are under the age of six. These children are almost invisible in our juvenile courts. It is now clear from the emerging science of early childhood development that during the first few years of life children develop the foundation and capabilities on which all subsequent development builds. Living in emotional and environmental impoverishment and deprivation provides a poor foundation for healthy development. These very young and vulnerable children are exhibiting disproportionate developmental and cognitive delays, medical problems, and emotional disorders. However, there is growing evidence that early planned interventions can help. The juvenile court must take a leadership role in focusing on the very young child and learning more about risk, prevention, and early intervention in order to facilitate the healing process. [source] Testing for Hysteresis in Unemployment in OECD Countries: New Evidence using Stationarity Panel Tests with Breaks,OXFORD BULLETIN OF ECONOMICS & STATISTICS, Issue 2 2006Mariam Camarero Abstract This paper tests hysteresis effects in unemployment using panel data for 19 Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries covering the period 1956,2001. The tests exploit the cross-sectional variations of the series, and additionally, allow for a different number of endogenous breakpoints in the unemployment series. The critical values are simulated based on our specific panel sizes and time periods. The findings stress the importance of accounting for exogenous shocks in the series and support the natural-rate hypothesis of unemployment for the majority of the countries analysed. [source] Cointegration Testing Under Structural Breaks: A Robust Extended Error Correction ModelOXFORD BULLETIN OF ECONOMICS & STATISTICS, Issue 1 2000Miguel A. Arranz First page of article [source] Trend Breaks in Money Growth and the Money-output Relation in the U.S.OXFORD BULLETIN OF ECONOMICS & STATISTICS, Issue 1 2000Jon Vilasuso First page of article [source] Induction of Persistent Double Strand Breaks Following Multiphoton Irradiation of Cycling and G1 -arrested Mammalian Cells,Replication-induced Double Strand BreaksPHOTOCHEMISTRY & PHOTOBIOLOGY, Issue 6 2008Jane V. Harper DNA double strand breaks (DSBs) are amongst the most deleterious lesions induced within the cell following exposure to ionizing radiation. Mammalian cells repair these breaks predominantly via the nonhomologous end joining pathway which is active throughout the cell cycle and is error prone. The alternative pathway for repair of DSBs is homologous recombination (HR) which is error free and active during S- and G2/M-phases of the cell cycle. We have utilized near-infrared laser radiation to induce DNA damage in individual mammalian cells through multiphoton excitation processes to investigate the dynamics of single cell DNA damage processing. We have used immunofluorescent imaging of ,-H2AX (a marker for DSBs) in mammalian cells and investigated the colocalization of this protein with ATM, p53 binding protein 1 and RAD51, an integral protein of the HR DNA repair pathway. We have observed persistent DSBs at later times postlaser irradiation which are indicative of DSBs arising at replication, presumably from UV photoproducts or clustered damage containing single strand breaks. Cell cycle studies have shown that in G1 cells, a significant fraction of multiphoton laser-induced prompt DSBs persists for >4 h in addition to those induced at replication. [source] Fluorometric Analysis of DNA Unwinding (FADU) as a Method for Detecting Repair-induced DNA Strand Breaks in UV-irradiated Mammalian Cells,PHOTOCHEMISTRY & PHOTOBIOLOGY, Issue 4 2000Christa Baumstark-Khan ABSTRACT Fluorometric analysis of DNA unwinding (FADU assay) was originally designed to detect X-ray,induced DNA damage in repair-proficient and repair-deficient mammalian cell lines. The method was modified and applied to detect DNA strand breaks in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells exposed to ionizing radiation as well as to UV light. Exposed cells were allowed to repair damaged DNA by incubation for up to 1 h after exposure under standard growth conditions in the presence and in the absence of the DNA synthesis inhibitor aphidicolin. Thereafter, cell lysates were mixed with 0.15 M sodium hydroxide, and DNA unwinding took place at pH 12.1 for 30 min at 20°C. The amount of DNA remaining double-stranded after alkaline reaction was detected by binding to the Hoechst 33258 dye (bisbenzimide) and measuring the fluorescence. After exposure to X-rays DNA strand breaks were observed in all cell lines immediately after exposure with subsequent restitution of high molecular weight DNA during postexposure incubation. In contrast, after UV exposure delayed production of DNA strand break was observed only in cell lines proficient for nucleotide excision repair of DNA photoproducts. Here strand break production was enhanced when the polymerization step was inhibited by adding the repair inhibitor aphidicolin during repair incubation. These results demonstrate that the FADU approach is suitable to distinguish between different DNA lesions (strand breaks versus base alterations) preferentially induced by different environmental radiations (X-rays versus UV) and to distinguish between the different biochemical processes during damage repair (incision versus polymerization and ligation). [source] Why Anti-Realism Breaks up RelationshipsTHE HEYTHROP JOURNAL, Issue 1 2002Christopher J. Insole Some theologians are inclined to regard realism with hostility or indifference. I do not present an argument for realism, but for why realism matters, and what is at stake. First of all, I separate the heart of realism from gratuitous doctrines which are too often associated with it. Religious realism is the claim that truth is independent of our beliefs about truth, and that we can in principle hope to have true beliefs about God. Realism is not intrinsically concerned with the existence of ,objects', with natural theology or rational justification. I then show that even thinkers who are hostile or indifferent to religious realism so defined, usually make an implicit appeal to a similar realism in the sphere of ethics. To establish that realism matters in religion as well as ethics I draw an analogy with realism/anti-realism about persons, to show that anti-realism makes mutually risk-taking and courageous relationships impossible. I go on to argue that far from it being a realist who is obsessed with rational certainty, this is one of the worst vices of the anti-realist, who cannot bear there to be a gap between her beliefs and reality. I conclude that the most vital feature of religious realism is not certainty of belief, but the opposite , the acknowledged risk that all our hope could be in vain. In closing the possibility on this risk, the anti-realist demonstrates an unfaithful and uncourageous movement of thought. [source] Breaks and task switches in prospective memoryAPPLIED COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 5 2006Kraig Finstad Based on research showing that easing task demands improves prospective memory, we examined the effects of breaks and task switches on prospective memory. The first experiment suggested that people tend not to take advantage of breaks to improve prospective memory unless specifically instructed to do so. The next two experiments showed that both breaks and task switches interfered with prospective memory. The results indicate that work settings with frequent breaks and task switches may be especially susceptible to prospective memory failure. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] A pooled analysis of karyotypic patterns, breakpoints and imbalances in 783 cytogenetically abnormal multiple myelomas reveals frequently involved chromosome segments as well as significant age- and sex-related differencesBRITISH JOURNAL OF HAEMATOLOGY, Issue 6 2003Thérèse Nilsson Summary. The cytogenetic features (ploidy, complexity, breakpoints, imbalances) were ascertained in 783 abnormal multiple myeloma (MM) cases to identify frequently involved chromosomal regions as well as a possible impact of age/sex. The series included MM patients from the Mitelman Database of Chromosome Aberrations in Cancer and from our own laboratory. Hyperdiploidy was most common, followed by hypodiploidy, pseudodiploidy and tri-/tetraploidy. Most cases were complex, with a median of eight changes per patient. The distribution of modal numbers differed between younger and older patients, but was not related to sex. No sex- or age-related differences regarding the number of anomalies were found. The most frequent genomic breakpoints were 14q32, 11q13, 1q10, 8q24, 1p11, 1q21, 22q11, 1p13, 1q11, 19q13, 1p22, 6q21 and 17p11. Breaks in 1p13, 6q21 and 11q13 were more common in the younger age group. The most frequent imbalances were +,9, ,,13, +,15, +,19, +,11 and ,,Y. Trisomy 11 and monosomy 16 were more common among men, while ,X was more frequent among women. Loss of Y as the sole change and +,5 were more common in elderly patients, and ,,14 was more frequent in the younger age group. The present findings strongly suggest that some karyotypic features of MM are influenced by endogenous and/or exogenous factors. [source] Identification of the CAB2/hCOS16 Gene Required for the Repair of DNA Double-strand Breaks on a Core Amplified Region of the 17ql2 Locus in Breast and Gastric CancersCANCER SCIENCE, Issue 11 2002Masahiko Nezu We previously reported that CAB1 and c -ERBB-2 genes were found to be located in a core amplified region of the 17q12 locus, which is frequently amplified in various cancers. During identification of this core region, CAB2, a human homologue of the yeast COS16 required for the repair of DNA double-strand breaks was cloned. Autofluorescence analysis of cells transfected with its GFP fusion protein demonstrated that CAB2 translocates into vesicles, suggesting that overexpression of CAB2 may decrease intercellular Mn2+ by accumulating it in the vesicles, in the same way as yeast COS16. This is the first report identifying all of the genes on the core amplified region of the 17q12 locus in breast and gastric cancers. [source] Comprehensive Analysis of DNA Strand Breaks at the Guanosine Site Induced by Low-Energy Electron AttachmentCHEMPHYSCHEM, Issue 1 2010Jiande Gu Prof. Dr. Abstract To elucidate the role of guanosine in DNA strand breaks caused by low-energy electrons (LEEs), theoretical investigations of the LEE attachment-induced CO ,-bonds and N-glycosidic bond breaking of 2,-deoxyguanosine-3,,5,-diphosphate (3,,5,-dGMP) were performed using the B3LYP/DZP++ approach. The results reveal possible reaction pathways in the gas phase and in aqueous solutions. In the gas phase LEEs could attach to the phosphate group adjacent to the guanosine to form a radical anion. However, the small vertical detachment energy (VDE) of the radical anion of guanosine 3,,5,-diphosphate in the gas phase excludes either CO bond cleavage or N-glycosidic bond breaking. In the presence of the polarizable surroundings, the solvent effects dramatically increase the electron affinities of the 3,,5,-dGDP and the VDE of 3,,5,-dGDP,. Furthermore, the solvent,solute interactions greatly reduce the activation barriers of the CO bond cleavage to 1.06,3.56 kcal,mol,1. These low-energy barriers ensure that either C5,O5, or C3,O3, bond rupture takes place at the guanosine site in DNA single strands. On the other hand, the comparatively high energy barrier of the N-glycosidic bond rupture implies that this reaction pathway is inferior to CO bond cleavage. Qualitative agreement was found between the theoretical sequence of the bond breaking reaction pathways in the PCM model and the ratio for the corresponding bond breaks observed in the experiment of LEE-induced damage in oligonucleotide tetramer CGTA. This concord suggests that the influence of the surroundings in the thin solid film on the LEE-induced DNA damage resembles that of the solvent. [source] Jürgen Habermas's Theory of CosmopolitanismCONSTELLATIONS: AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CRITICAL AND DEMOCRATIC THEORY, Issue 4 2003Robert Fine In this paper we explore the sustained and multifaceted attempt of Jürgen Habermas to reconstruct Kant's theory of cosmopolitan right for our own times. In a series of articles written in the post-1989 period, Habermas has argued that the challenge posed both by the catastrophes of the twentieth century, and by social forces of globalization, has given new impetus to the idea of cosmopolitan justice that Kant first expressed. He recognizes that today we cannot simply repeat Kant's eighteenth-century vision: that if we are to grapple with the complexities of present-day problems, it is necessary to iron out certain inconsistencies in Kant's thinking, radicalize it where its break from the old order of nation-states is incomplete, socialize it so as to draw out the connections between perpetual peace and social justice, and modernize it so as to comprehend the "differences both in global situation and conceptual framework that now separate us from him."1 His basic intuition, however, is that Kant's idea of cosmopolitan right is as relevant to our times as it was to Kant's own. If it was Kant's achievement to formulate the idea of cosmopolitanism in a modern philosophical form, Habermas takes up the challenge posed by Karl-Otto Apel: to "think with Kant against Kant" in reconstructing this idea. What follows is a critical assessment of Habermas's response to this challenge. We focus here on the dilemmas he faces in grounding his normative commitment to cosmopolitan politics and in reconciling his cosmopolitanism with the national framework in which he developed his ideas of constitutional patriotism and deliberative democracy. [source] Education, Values, and Valuing in Cosmopolitan PerspectiveCURRICULUM INQUIRY, Issue 5 2009DAVID T. HANSEN ABSTRACT In this article we describe a cosmopolitan orientation toward the place of values in human life. We argue that a cosmopolitan outlook can assist people in engaging the challenges of being thrown together with others whose roots, traditions, and inheritances differ. We show that cosmopolitanism implies neither an elite nor an aloof posture toward human affairs. On the contrary, the concept illuminates how people everywhere can retain individual and cultural integrity while also keeping themselves open to the larger world. A cosmopolitan outlook positions people to consider not just the specific values they subscribe to, but also their ways of holding and enacting them. This move provides people valuable distance from values although not a break with them. It helps people consider the value of valuing as well as the value of reflecting upon values. We examine three arts, or artful methods, that can fuel this orientation. They are hope, memory, and dialogue: three familiar concepts that we accent in a distinctive way in light of the idea of cosmopolitanism. We show how these arts can be cultivated continuously through education. [source] New Humanitarianism: Does It Provide a Moral Banner for the 21st Century?DISASTERS, Issue 4 2001Fiona Fox There is a ,new humanitarianism' for the new millennium. It is ,principled', ,human-rights based' and politically sensitive. Above all it is new. It marks a break from the past and a rejection of the traditional principles that guided humanitarianism through the last century. New humanitarians reject the political naivety of the past, assess the long-term political impact of relief and are prepared to see humanitarian aid used as a tool to achieve human rights and political goals. New Humanitarianism is compelling, in tune with our times and offers a new moral banner for humanitarians to cling to as we enter the new millennium. Or does it? After outlining the key elements of new humanitarianism, including the human rights approach and developmental relief, the paper spells out some of the dangers. The author claims that new humanitarianism results in an overt politicisation of aid in which agencies themselves use relief as a tool to achieve wider political goals. The paper shows how this approach has spawned a new conditionality which allows for aid to be withheld and has produced a moral hierarchy of victims in which some are more deserving than others. The paper concludes with a plea for a revival of the principle of universalism as the first step to a new set of principles. [source] Impact of hemoglobin level on survival in definitive chemoradiotherapy for T4/M1 lymph node esophageal cancerDISEASES OF THE ESOPHAGUS, Issue 3 2008S. Zenda SUMMARY., We retrospectively investigated the impact of the pre-chemoradiotherapy hemoglobin level (pre-CRT Hb level) for T4 and/or M1 lymph node (LYM) squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus. Chemotherapy consisted of protracted infusion with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) at 400 mg/m2/day on days 1,5 and 8,12, combined with cisplatin at 40 mg/m2/day on days 1 and 8, repeated twice at a 5-week interval. Concurrent radiation therapy was started on day 1 and delivered at 2 Gy/day for five days a week for a total radiation dose of 60 Gy, with a two-week break after a cumulative dose of 30 Gy. Several factors considered to be related with treatment outcome were evaluated by univariate and multivariate analysis. A total of 48 patients with T4/M1 LYM (lymphocyte) esophageal cancer treated with chemoradiotherapy (CRT) between September 2002 and April 2005 were enrolled. The complete response rate to this regimen was 44% and median survival time was 13.6 months, with a median follow-up period of 26.8 months. Median pre-CRT Hb level was 13.5 (10.4,15.3) g/dL. The CR rate in patients with a pre-CRT Hb level of 13 g/dL or less was only 24% but it was 60% in those with a level that was more than 13 g/dL (P=0.01). As for survival, anovarevealed that a pre-CRT Hb of 13 g/dL or less was a significant prognostic factor with a hazard ratio of 0.45 (95% confidence interval [CI]); 0.21,0.97, P=0.04), while on manova, including performance status, tumor size, TNM stage and pre-CRT Hb level, a pre-CRT Hb level of 13 g/dL or less was the only significant prognostic factor, with a hazard ratio of 0.35 (95% CI; 0.13,0.90, P=0.03). In conclusion, the pre-CRT Hb level may be an important determinant of outcome in patients with T4/M1 LYM squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus. [source] Evaluation of systemic oxidative status and mononuclear leukocytes DNA damage in children with caustic esophageal strictureDISEASES OF THE ESOPHAGUS, Issue 4 2006M. Kaya SUMMARY., Esophageal stricture (ES) due to accidentally caustic digestions is a common problem in children. Mucosal damage and repeated dilatations lead to chronic inflammation and finally ES. We investigated the oxidative status and DNA damage of children with ES. Five children with ES were compared with the same age- and sex-matched healthy subjects. Oxidative status of plasma was evaluated by measuring myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, and total peroxide (TP) level. Anti-oxidative status of the plasma was evaluated by measuring catalase (CAT) activity, and total antioxidant response (TAR). We used the Single Cell Gel Electrophoresis (also called Comet Assay) to measure DNA strand break in peripheral blood mononuclear leukocytes. Mean MPO activity and TP levels in the ES group were significantly higher than the control group (0.83 ± 0.35, 0.09 ± 0.03 and 0.98 ± 0.38, 0.34 ± 0.20, P = 0.009 and P = 0.047 respectively). There was no significant difference in CAT activity and TAR levels between the two groups (P = 0.347). DNA damage in patients with ES was increased compared to control subjects (108.8 ± 51.2 and 57.6 ± 31.2 arbitrary units, respectively), but this difference was not significant statistically (P= 0.09). This study shows that systemic oxidative stress and alteration at the nuclear level occur in patients with ES, as a result of multiple dilatations and tissue injury. On the other hand, these results support that patients with ES may benefit from antioxidant treatment. [source] Restoring landscapes: the authenticity problemEARTH SURFACE PROCESSES AND LANDFORMS, Issue 13 2006Isis Brook Abstract Philosophical concerns about restoring landscapes often revolve around two, connected, issues. First is the idea that a restored landscape, even if it is a perfect replica, has lost some of its value. The claim might appeal to a break in the continuity of the landscape and that continuity is part of what is valuable. Alternatively, often in the case of natural landscapes, the appeal is that any human manipulation is inauthentic; here the analogy is sometimes made with the art world and the restoration is deemed a fake. The second problem highlighted in philosophical debates is that the greater the success of restoration projects, the more threatened natural landscapes become: any claim that something must be preserved in its pristine or historically layered state is undermined by the claim that it could be put back again. Initially I discuss two opposing potential responses to these claims: (1) that humans are part of nature and thus cannot be an alien dominating force outside of nature; and (2) that nature is itself a social construct. Neither of these positions is entirely satisfactory, but what they jointly reveal is the reality of our fluid and multifaceted relationship with the world. I then show that Elliot's claim of the additional value of pristine nature is actually not based on an inherent value, but is dependent on the human valuation of it. I propose an alternative that places the source of value in the thing itself and thus arrive at a positive role for restoration as the setting in train and guiding of positive relationships above and beyond their social or public amenity value to us. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||