Using Visual Stimuli in Ethnography

In this article, the work of George and Louise Spindler is reviewed with visual stimuli ranging from the Rorschach technique and Thematic Apperception Technique to inventions of their own, the Cross-Cultural Sensitization Technique, the Instrumental Activities Inventory, and the Cross-Cultural, Comparative, Reflective Interview Technique. The sites of the various researches, the methods of application, and a brief analysis of the results are included.  [interview techniques, culture and personality, ethnography and education]     

Working Images: Visual Research and Representation in Ethnography

Working Images: Visual Research and Representation in Ethnography . Sarah Pink, László Kürti, and Ana Isabel Afonso. New York: Routledge, 2004. 224 pp.     

Ethnography and Human Development: Context and Meaning in Social Inquiry

Ethnography and Human Development: Context and Meaning in Social Inquiry. Richard Jessor. Anne Colby. and Richard Shweder. eds. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1996. pp. 516.     

The Trading Crowd: An Ethnography of the Shanghai Stock Market

The Trading Crowd: An Ethnography of the Shanghai Stock Market. Ellen Hertz. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1998. 238 pp.     

Centenarians and diet: what they eat in the Western part of Sicily

Background

As a chronic antigenic stressor human Cytomegalovirus (CMV) contributes substantially to age-related alterations of the immune system. Even though monocytes have the greatest propensity for CMV-infection and seem to be an important host for the virus during latency, fibroblasts are also discussed to be target cells of CMV in vivo. However, little is known so far about general immunoregulatory properties of CMV in fibroblasts. We therefore investigated the immunoregulatory effects of CMV-infection in human lung fibroblasts and the impact on replicative senescence.

Findings

We observed that CMV-infection led to the induction of several immunoregulatory host cell genes associated with the innate and adaptive immune system. These were genes of different function such as genes regulating apoptosis, cytokines/chemokines and genes that are responsible for the detection of pathogens. Some of the genes upregulated following CMV-infection are also upregulated during cellular senescence, indicating that CMV causes an immunological phenotype in fibroblasts, which is partially reminiscent of replicative senescent cells.

Conclusion

In summary our results demonstrate that CMV not only affects the T cell pool but also induces inflammatory processes in human fibroblasts.     

Centenarians and diet: what they eat in the Western part of Sicily

ABSTRACT: This paper pays attention to the modifiable lifestyle factors such as diet and nutrition that might influence life extension and successful ageing. Previous data reported that in Sicily, the biggest Mediterranean island, there are some places where there is a high frequency of male centenarians with respect to the Italian average. The present data show that in Sicani Mountain zone there are more centenarians with respect to the Italian average. In fact, in five villages of Sicani Mountains, there were 19 people with an age range of 100-107?years old from a total population of 18,328 inhabitants. So, the centenarian number was 4.32-fold higher than the national average (10.37 vs. 2.4/10,000); the female/male ratio was 1.1:1 in the study area, while the national ratio is 4.54:1. Unequivocally, their nutritional assessment showed a high adherence to the Mediterranean nutritional profile with low glycemic index food consumed. To reach successful ageing it is advisable to follow a diet with low quantity of saturated fat and high amount of fruits and vegetables rich in phytochemicals.     

Ticks Infesting Livestock on Farms in Western Sicily, Italy

The results of a 2-year survey on ticks infesting livestock on farms in Western Sicily, Italy, are reported. Several dogs living in the same area were also examined for ticks. Moreover, free-living ticks from one cattle farm were caught by CO₂ traps and flagging. A total of 6208 specimens was collected belonging to 9 species: Rhipicephalus bursa (32.4%), Rhipicephalus turanicus (22.7%), Rhipicephalus sanguineus (19.3%), Hyalomma lusitanicum (12.0%), Haemaphysalis punctata (7.8%), Hyalomma marginatum (3.5%), Dermacentor marginatus (1.4%), Ixodes ricinus (0.8%) and Ixodes hexagonus (0.1%). The species belonging to the genus Rhipicephalus were present on all hosts and habitats monitored, R. bursa was found to be abundant on cattle (46.3%) and sheep (62.0%), R. sanguineus was prevalent on dogs (50.4%), and R. turanicus on donkeys (41.0%) and as free-living species (48.5%).     

The Mexican Aristocracy: An Expressive Ethnography (1910–2000)

The Mexican Aristocracy: An Expressive Ethnography (1910–2000) . Hugo G. Nutini. Austin: University of Texas Press, 2004. 386 pp.     

Japanese Workers in Protest: An Ethnography of Consciousness and Experience

Japanese Workers in Protest: An Ethnography of Consciousness and Experience. Christena L. Turner. Berkeley. University of California Press, 1995. 268 pp.