The rhetoric of Islamophobia: an analysis of the means of persuasion in Hege Storhaug’s writings on Islam and Muslims

Few actors have had a greater impact on the “framing of Muslims” as a social and political “problem” in Norway since 2001 than Hege Storhaug of the government- and corporate billionaire funded civil society organization Human Rights Service (HRS). Using the methodological tools of the “rhetorical branch” of Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), and applying the Aristotelian concepts of ethos, logos and pathos, we analyze the bestselling popular title on Islam and Muslims ever published in Norway, namely Storhaug’s self-published 2015 title “Islam – The Eleventh Plague”. We argue that Storhaug’s popular success must be understood in light of her rhetorical appeals to femonationalism, the critique of religion and “Enlightenment” values. We show how she in her writings incites fear of the Muslim “Other” through specific rhetorical devices and a positioning of herself as a defender of the “nation” and the “people” – against national and international “elites”.     

Aortal collagen polymorphism in monkey and man

Aortal collagen typing in monkey and man showed the presence of types I, HI and V in human aorta and types I and III in monkey aorta. Type III collagen was found to be a predominate type in both species. The molecular weight of type III collagen was similar in these species while type I collagen was different. Both monkey and human collagen types I and III were found to be immunogenic. Type I collagen was significantly increased while type III was decreased in human atherosclerotic plaque. Collagen typing in fatty streak remained unaltered.     

内皮细胞特异性启动子pvWF和pVE的克隆及表达

目的:克隆并验证内皮细胞(Endothelial Cells,ECs)特异性启动子,为转染人胚胎干细胞(h ESC)后实时监测ECs的定向分化情况以及利用干细胞实施血友病A的基因治疗研究提供基础。方法:通过酶消化法原代分离人脐静脉内皮细胞(HUVECs),结合RT-PCR和免疫荧光验证分离后的HUVECs表达内皮细胞特异性标志基因血管性血友病因子(v WF)和血管内皮钙粘素(VE-cadherin/CDH5)。抽提HUVECs的g DNA,通过PCR扩增内皮细胞特异性表达基因v WF和VE-cadherin转录起始位点上游不同大小的启动子片段,将其取代报告基因载体p EGFP-N1中的广谱启动子CMV,构建4个质粒,即pv WF-1、pv WF-2、p VE-1、p VE-2,分别转染HUVECs和h ESCs,48 h后观察并比较各启动子片段启动绿色荧光蛋白GFP表达情况,筛选最具特异性及转录活性的启动子片段。结果:通过酶消化法,本研究成功分离出具有典型上皮样细胞的HUVECs。RT-PCR和免疫荧光结果表明HUVECs特异性表达v WF和VE-cadherin。酶切及测序证实所构建的4个含ECs特异性启动子片段的质粒与理论序列相符,通过核转染至HUVECs及h ESCs后,48 h后观察到所克隆的VE-cadherin 2105bp启动子片段具有内皮细胞表达的特异性和较强的转录活性。结论:本研究成功筛选出具有内皮细胞表达特异性及较强转录活性的启动子片段。     

A Mass Spectrometric Study for Comparative Analysis and Evaluation of Metabolite Recovery from Plasma by Various Solvent Systems

A solvent system that extracts a maximum number of metabolites belonging to diverse chemical classes from complex biofluids, such as plasma, may offer useful inputs to understand the metabolic and physiological state of an individual. The present study compared seven solvent systems for extraction of metabolites from plasma. The extracts were analyzed by mass spectrometry (MS) and MS/MS (MS2) using a quadrupole time-of-flight liquid chromatography/MS system in positive and negative modes of ionization. Metabolites with molecular mass below 400 were identified using Human Metabolome Database MS2 and MS search interfaces. The acetone/isopropanol (2:1) system yielded promising results in positive ionization mode, as the maximum number of MS and MS2 features was detected in the extract. It was found to be superior in extraction of various classes of metabolites, especially organic acids, nucleosides and nucleoside derivatives, and heterocyclic molecules. Glycerophosphocholines in the mass range of 400–700 were found to be efficiently extracted by the methanol/chloroform/water (8:1:1) system. In negative mode as well, the maximum number of MS2 features was detected in methanol/chloroform/water and acetone/isopropanol extracts. The fingerprints of molecular features obtained in the negative and positive modes differed from each other to a significant extent.     

Evidence for Feedback Regulation of Glutamate Decarboxylase by γ-Aminobutyric Acid

Abstract: The concentration of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in the human ovary and the capacity of a membrane preparation from the same organ to bind [³H]GABA specifically were examined. The GABA concentration in the ovary was found to be 214 ± 66 nmol/g frozen tissue (mean ± SEM of six independent determinations). Moreover, a single population of high-affinity GABA binding sites has been identified in the ovarian membranes. The apparent dissociation constant ( K _d) and maximum binding capacity ( B _max) were 38.3 n M and 676 fmol/mg protein, respectively. The specific binding of [³H]GABA was displaced by muscimol, unlabelled GABA, or (+)bicuculline, but was unaffected by (±)baclofen and picrotoxin. The present results show that GABA and an extremely high density of GABA_A receptor binding sites are present in the human ovary, indicating a physiological significance of this amino acid in the female reproductive system.     

Inhibition of glycoconjugate secretion by colchicine and cytochalasin B

Summary The effects have been analyzed of cytochalasin B and colchicine on the secretion of glycoconjugates by human bronchial expiants labeled in vitro with radioactive glucosamine. Both cytochalasin B and colchicine had no effect on baseline ¹⁴C-labeled glycoconjugate release but caused a dose-dependent (10^–7–10^–4 M) inhibition of ¹⁴C-glycoconjugate release and discharge of labeled macromolecules from mucous and serous cells induced by 5 · 10^–5 M methacholine.Quantitative autoradiographic analyses showed that neither cytochalasin B nor colchicine inhibited ³H-threonine or ³H-glucosamine incorporation into mucous and serous cells of the submucosal glands or goblet cells of the airway epithelium. Colchicine (10^–5 M) but not cytochalasin B significantly reduced the rate at which labeled macromolecules were transported through mucous, serous and goblet cells but this effect was not observed until 4 h after the addition of colchicine. Neither cytochalasin B nor colchicine affected the basal rate of labeled-macromolecule discharge from mucous, serous or goblet cells. At a concentration of 10^–5 M, both agents completely inhibited the increase in labeled-macromolecule discharge induced in mucous and serous cells by methacholine.Our results suggest that in the submucosal gland of human airways microtubules and microfilaments may be important in secretagogue-induced but not in baseline cellular glycoconjugate discharge, implying that the mechanisms of the two processes differ significantly. Furthermore, a role for microtubules is suggested in the transport of secretory granules through mucous, serous and goblet cells.Supported by National Institutes of Health Research Grant 5R01HL22444. The authors gratefully acknowledge the technical assistance of Mr. Tudor Williams, Mr. Eduardo Quintanilla and Ms. Maureen Hayes     

Seasonal changes in circadian rhythms of body temperatures in humans living in a dry tropical climate

Seven volunteers (3 females and 4 males; 3 Caucasians and 4 Africans) participated in two 24 h sessions during the cool dry (CD) and the hot dry (HD) seasons of the sahelian tropical climate. Body temperatures were taken on portable cassette recorders for 24 h. Rectal (Tre) and mean skin (Tsk) temperatures decreased in the HD compared to the CD conditions, meeting one of the criteria for adaptation to heat. No ethnic differences in thermal responses were found. Males and females differed in their body temperature rhythms and in their reactions to heat. Body temperatures were higher in females than in males. Males reacted to heat with a decrease in Tre, without change in the Tre-Tsk gradient. Females showed a decrease in both Tre and Tsk, more marked for Tsk, with an increase in the Tre-Tsk gradient. It was concluded that males showed seasonal acclimatization to heat via a decrease in metabolism confirmed by a decrease in plasma levels of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) in the HD condition. Females showed a mixed metabolic and thermolytic type of acclimatization, with an absence of variation in plasma TSH levels. In conclusion, the steady rise in temperature between the CD and HD conditions was sufficient to trigger an acclimatization to heat similar in Caucasian and African subjects, although exposure to the external climate differed widely.     

Human leukocyte formin: a novel protein expressed in lymphoid malignancies and associated with Akt

The very large family of Formin proteins is involved in processes such as morphogenesis, embryonic differentiation, cell polarity, and cytokinesis. A novel human gene from the Formin family, denominated human leukocyte formin gene, was cloned. The cDNA of the gene was determined to be 3959bp long with an open reading frame of 3302bp and computational analysis located this gene on chromosome 17, suggesting that it is composed of 27 exons. Northern blot analysis revealed a restricted expression of mRNA in the thymus, spleen, and peripheral blood leukocytes in normal human tissues. Western blot analysis demonstrated that the protein encoded by this gene is overexpressed in lymphoid malignancies; cancer cell lines and peripheral blood leukocyte from chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) patients. Furthermore, the human leukocyte formin protein was observed to associate with Akt, a critical survival regulator in many different cell types.     

Human papillomavirus is associated with monoclonal gammopathies of unknown significance

When monoclonal gammopathies arise in persons without evidence of plasma cell malignancy or lymphoproliferative disease, the term monoclonal gammopathy of unknown significance (MGUS) can be used. MGUS is believed to be the preneoplastic phase of lymphoproliferative diseases because many of these patients eventually develop malignant disease, mainly multiple myeloma. We have previously identified human papillomavirus (HPV) in a chronic benign plasma cell tumor of the cervix and in the bone marrow of multiple-myeloma patients. In the following study, we expanded upon our initial observation by analyzing 14 patients with MGUS. Bone marrow biopsies of the patients were analyzed for HPV sequences using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and in situ hybridization. Normal controls included 26 bone marrow specimens, 24 analyzed by PCR and two by in situ hybridization. A significant association was found to exist between HPV and MGUS (p=0.001). Among 14 patients iwth MGUS, HPV sequences have been identified in 10 of the bone marrow biopsies. These results suggest that HPV can reside in the bone marrow of a premalignant lymphoproliferative disease.     

Proteomic analysis of testis biopsies in men treated with transient scrotal hyperthermia reveals the potential targets for contraceptive development

Mild testicular heating safely and reversibly suppresses spermatogenesis. In this study, we attempted to clarify the underlying molecular mechanism(s) involved in heat‐induced spermatogenesis suppression in human testis. We conducted global proteomic analyses of human testicular biopsies before, and at 2 and 9 wk after heat treatment. Thirty‐one and Twenty‐six known proteins were identified with significant differential expression at 2 and 9 wk after heat treatment, respectively. These were used to characterize the cellular and molecular events in the testes when seminiferous epithelia became damaged (2 wk) and recovered (9 wk). At 2 wk post‐treatment, the changed expression of a series of proteins could promote apoptosis or suppress proliferation and cell survival. At 9 wk post‐treatment, the changed expression of proteins mainly promoted cell proliferation, differentiation and survival, but resisted cell apoptosis. Among those heat‐regulated proteins, HNRNPH1 was selected for the further functional study. We found that HNRNPH1 was an anti‐apoptosis protein that could regulate the expression of other heat‐induced proteins. In conclusion, heat‐induced reversible suppression of spermatogenesis occurred by modulating the expression of proteins related to proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis and cell survival pathways. These differentially expressed proteins were found to be key molecular targets affecting spermatogenesis after heat treatment.