Characterization of polymorphic microsatellites for the periwinkle gastropod, Littorina littorea (Linnaeus, 1758) and their cross-amplification in four congeners

Eight polymorphic microsatellite loci are described for Littorina littorea (Linnaeus, 1758). Data on allelic variation in Irish and Celtic Sea samples are reported. The average number of alleles per locus was 11 (range 4-29), and observed and expected heterozygosities ranged from 6.9 to 84.3% and from 9.4 to 95.2%, respectively. Loci did not deviate from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium and no linkage disequilibrium between loci pairs was detected. Microsatellites were not highly conserved in the congeners, L. fabalis, L. saxatilis, L. compressa and L. obtusata as evidenced by a low rate of cross-amplification. These microsatellites should prove useful in population genetic studies.

Characterization of polymorphic microsatellites for the rough periwinkle gastropod, Littorina saxatilis (Olivi, 1792) and their cross-amplification in four congeners.

Eight new microsatellite loci were characterized for Littorina saxatilis (Olivi, 1792) and tested for their cross-hybridization in congeners. All loci were polymorphic in Irish and Celtic Sea samples, with an average number of alleles per locus of 15 (range, 6–31). Observed and expected locus heterozygosities ranged from 26 to 85% and from 53 to 92%, respectively. Three loci showed excess homozygosity and significant departures from Hardy–Weinberg expectations in one sample, possibly due to null alleles, population structuring or inbreeding. No linkage disequilibrium was detected among loci within samples. A high degree of cross-hybridization was observed in closely related congeners and most loci were polymorphic. These markers will be useful for investigating population genetic diversity and connectivity in coastal populations, especially for marine reserve design.

Generation of entangled coherent states via cross-phase-modulation in a double electromagnetically induced transparency regime

The generation of an entangled coherent state is one of the most important ingredients of quantum information processing using coherent states. Recently, numerous schemes to achieve this task have been proposed. In order to generate travelling-wave entangled coherent states, cross-phase-modulation, optimized by optical Kerr effect enhancement in a dense medium in an electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) regime, seems to be very promising. In this scenario, we propose a fully quantized model of a double-EIT scheme recently proposed [D. Petrosyan and G. Kurizki, Phys. Rev. A 65, 33 833 (2002)]: the quantization step is performed adopting a fully Hamiltonian approach. This allows us to write effective equations of motion for two interacting quantum fields of light that show how the dynamics of one field depends on the photon-number operator of the other. The preparation of a Schrodinger cat state, which is a superposition of two distinct coherent states, is briefly exposed. This is based on nonlinear interaction via double EIT of two light fields (initially prepared in coherent states) and on a detection step performed using a 50:50 beam splitter and two photodetectors. In order to show the entanglement of an entangled coherent state, we suggest to measure the joint quadrature variance of the field. We show that the entangled coherent states satisfy the sufficient condition for entanglement based on quadrature variance measurement. We also show how robust our scheme is against a low detection efficiency of homodyne detectors.

Beyond Compliance – Below Expectations? Cross-Border CSR, Development and the UN Global Compact.

In this paper, the results of an empirical analysis of a set of 416 descriptive case studies published by corporate members of the UN Global Compact are presented. Although these cases cannot be viewed as representative of the Compact itself or of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and development in general, they can illustrate which kinds of projects are deemed appropriate as best practice examples among Compact members, and therefore indicate the direction, in which predominantly voluntary and business-led CSR might at best be evolving. To help contextualize the analysis, the paper starts with a brief overview of recent academic work on the strengths and limitations of CSR in the light of international development, followed by the empirical analysis of Compact case studies. The results raise doubts regarding the general suitability of contemporary CSR initiatives to tackle some of the most pressing developmental challenges. Instead, only certain topics are commonly addressed, while a number of issues such as anti-corruption measures or labour rights are underrepresented in the case study sample. Regarding the target regions of the best practice examples, the majority is reported on activities based in OECD countries and a small number of emerging markets such as South Africa, India or China, while neglecting other regions such as sub-Saharan Africa (excluding South Africa). From a European Union policy perspective, these results indicate that there is a role to play for the state in order to create a better fit between CSR agendas and the actual developmental needs in the South.

Macro impacts on caseworker decision-making in child welfare: a cross-national comparison

This paper focuses on the factors impacting on decision-making in child and family social work through a cross-national comparison. In doing so, the larger arena of the political and social contexts of both the United States and Northern Ireland are examined. For each of the countries we describe the historical and political context of child welfare, particularly the tension between child safety and family support, and how children’s rights are attended to and interpreted in each country. This discussion also examines the extent to which decision-making in each jurisdiction is influenced by constitutional imperatives, with particular reference to the US Constitution and the European Convention on Human Rights. From this general comparison we conclude with observations about child welfare decision-making within the national context and offer suggestions for further theoretical development in this area whilst also examining where the practices in each jurisdiction may benefit from review.

It's Better to Stick to your own Kind: Teenagers' Views on Cross-community marriages in Northern Ireland

This article presents the attitudes of 80 teenagers-growing up in one of the most contested localities in Northern Ireland-to cross-community marriages, i.e. those between Catholics and Protestants. Research suggests that adults in interface areas continue to exhibit ethno-sectarian prejudices despite wider political developments such as the Good Friday Agreement. The teenagers perceived that their families would be largely unsupportive of cross-community unions but felt that their own views were much less prejudiced than those of their parents. However, while the majority of teenagers had no objections in principle to marrying outside their religious group, they outlined a number of practical difficulties which couples from cross-community unions would face. These included deciding where to live, in which religion, if any, to bring children up and where to send children to school. Most of the teenagers suggested that these potential problems would work against them marrying outside their own religious group. These practical dilemmas provide a more nuanced set of reasons for marrying within one's own community than dilemmas based on traditional prejudices and stereotypes and suggest that teenagers living in sectarian enclaves are more receptive to cross-community marriages than their parents.

Delivery of Methylene Blue and meso-tetra (N-methyl-4-pyridyl) porphine tetra tosylate from cross-linked poly(vinyl alcohol) hydrogels: A potential means of photodynamic therapy of infected wounds

Poly(vinyl alcohol)-borate complexes were evaluated as a potentially novel drug delivery platform suitable for in vivo use in photodynamic antimicrobial chemotherapy (PACT) of wound infections. An optimised formulation (8.0%w/w PVA, 2.0% w/w borax) was loaded with 1.0 mg ml(-1) of the photosensitisers Methylene Blue (MB) and meso-tetra (N-methyl-4-pyridyl) porphine tetra tosylate (TMP). Both drugs were released to yield receiver compartment concentrations (>5.0 mu g ml(-1)) found to be phototoxic to both planktonic and bicifilm-grown methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), a common cause of wound infections in hospitals. Newborn calf serum, used to simulate the conditions prevalent in an exuding wound, did not adversely affect the properties of the hydrogels and had no significant effect on the rate of TMP-mediated photodynamic kill of MRSA, despite appreciably reducing the fluence rate of incident light. However, MB-mediated photodynamic kill of MRSA was significantly reduced in the presence of calf serum and when the clinical isolate was grown in a biofilm. Results support the contention that delivery of MB or TMP using gel-type vehicles as part of PACT could make a contribution to the photodynamic eradication of MRSA from infected wounds. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

CD207+ CD103+ dermal dendritic cells cross-present keratinocyte-derived antigens irrespective of the presence of Langerhans cells.

Recent studies have challenged the view that Langerhans cells (LCs) constitute the exclusive antigen-presenting cells of the skin and suggest that the dermal dendritic cell (DDC) network is exceedingly complex. Using knockin mice to track and ablate DCs expressing langerin (CD207), we discovered that the dermis contains five distinct DC subsets and identified their migratory counterparts in draining lymph nodes. Based on this refined classification, we demonstrated that the quantitatively minor CD207+ CD103+ DDC subset is endowed with the unique capability of cross-presenting antigens expressed by keratinocytes irrespective of the presence of LCs. We further showed that Y-Ae, an antibody that is widely used to monitor the formation of complexes involving I-Ab molecules and a peptide derived from the I-E alpha chain, recognizes mature skin DCs that express I-Ab molecules in the absence of I-E alpha. Knowledge of this extra reactivity is important because it could be, and already has been, mistakenly interpreted to support the view that antigen transfer can occur between LCs and DDCs. Collectively, these data revisit the transfer of antigen that occurs between keratinocytes and the five distinguishable skin DC subsets and stress the high degree of functional specialization that exists among them.