Dynamics in European Political Identity

The creation of a political community is a difficult yet vital task for the European Union. Using Eurobarometer time series of 25 years and the European Election Study of 2004, this article reviews the state of the development of a 'sense of community' with regard to two concepts: Identity is measured in terms of perceived citizenship and pride to be a European citizen; we‐feeling is captured by assessing trust in European people and acceptance of new member countries. A collective identity is growing slowly among the European citizens, but the data suggest a center-periphery distinction between the core members and the joiners of the different enlargement waves. EU citizens trust each other, but the East-West continental divide still remains detectable

Pro Deo et Populo: Die Porträts Josephs II. (1765 – 1790)

The portraits of the Habsburg Emperor Joseph II (1765-1790) provide a good opportunity for a study of imperial portraiture in the Age of the Enlightenment. As a sitter of the highest rank in Eighteenth-Century Europe, Joseph was known to hold enlightened ideas on sovereignty, and his portraits - emerging on the eve of the French Revolution - mark a point at which leaders were forced to re-evaluate their understanding of authority. The widely popular medium of portraiture in the second half of the Eighteenth Century proved to be particularly responsive to these developments. This dissertation traces how the visual representation of Joseph II adapted to the paradigm shifts of the age, and begins by presenting and categorizing the different types of his portrait versions. Then it draws upon written sources from court archives to examine the contexts in which portraits were produced, displayed and distributed. Finally, I set out the distinct iconographic changes discernible in the portraits of Joseph II and their importance for Nineteenth-Century portraiture. It will be suggested that these portraits depart from the norms of Baroque iconography in favour of a more reduced form, in which the Emperor is characterized by bourgeois values such as a strong work ethic, a sense of duty and the popular touch in order to legitimate his sovereignty.Die Porträts Kaiser Josephs II. (1765-1790) bieten eine günstige Schnittstelle für die Untersuchung des Herrscherbildnisses in der Aufklärung: Sie entstanden zum einen am Vorabend der französischen Revolution, in der das Herrschaftsverständnis neu überdacht werden mußte und stellen gleichzeitig einen der Vordenker einer aufgeklärten Staatsidee dar. Da zudem im ausgehenden 18. Jahrhundert ein großes Interesse am Porträt festzustellen ist, ist zu erwarten, daß sich in diesem Medium Veränderungen schnell niederschlugen. Die vorliegende Dissertation zeigt, wie sich das Herrscherbildnis Josephs II. den neuen Paradigmen der Zeit anpaßte. Hierzu werden zunächst die bekannten Porträts Josephs II. vorgestellt und Kategorien von Porträtversionen erstellt. Mittels schriftlichen Quellenmaterials wird zudem untersucht, unter welchen Voraussetzungen das kaiserliche Bildnis entstand, verwendet und verbreitet wurde. Anschließend werden die ikonographischen Veränderungen aufgezeigt, die sich in den Porträts Josephs II. vollzogen und die eine wegweisende Rolle für das Herrscherbildnis des 19. Jahrhunderts einnehmen. Es wird gezeigt werden, daß sie sich der althergebrachten Schemata der barocken Herrschaftsikonographie entledigen und eine neue und verknappte Formensprache finden, die bereits bürgerliche Werte wie Arbeitsethos, Pflichtbewußtsein und Volksnähe zur Legitimation der Herrscherwürde rekrutieren

Nitric oxide synthase modulates CFA-induced thermal hyperalgesia through cytokine regulation in mice

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Although it has been largely demonstrated that nitric oxide synthase (NOS), a key enzyme for nitric oxide (NO) production, modulates inflammatory pain, the molecular mechanisms underlying these effects remain to be clarified. Here we asked whether cytokines, which have well-described roles in inflammatory pain, are downstream targets of NO in inflammatory pain and which of the isoforms of NOS are involved in this process.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Intraperitoneal (i.p.) pretreatment with 7-nitroindazole sodium salt (7-NINA, a selective neuronal NOS inhibitor), aminoguanidine hydrochloride (AG, a selective inducible NOS inhibitor), L-N(G)-nitroarginine methyl ester (L-NAME, a non-selective NOS inhibitor), but not L-N(5)-(1-iminoethyl)-ornithine (L-NIO, a selective endothelial NOS inhibitor), significantly attenuated thermal hyperalgesia induced by intraplantar (i.pl.) injection of complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA). Real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) revealed a significant increase of nNOS, iNOS, and eNOS gene expression, as well as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), and interleukin-10 (IL-10) gene expression in plantar skin, following CFA. Pretreatment with the NOS inhibitors prevented the CFA-induced increase of the pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF and IL-1β. The increase of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 was augmented in mice pretreated with 7-NINA or L-NAME, but reduced in mice receiving AG or L-NIO. NNOS-, iNOS- or eNOS-knockout (KO) mice had lower gene expression of TNF, IL-1β, and IL-10 following CFA, overall corroborating the inhibitor data.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>These findings lead us to propose that inhibition of NOS modulates inflammatory thermal hyperalgesia by regulating cytokine expression.</p

Effects of methylphenidate: the cellular point of view

The psychostimulant methylphenidate (MPH) is the first choice of treatment in attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and is based mainly on inhibition of dopamine transporter (DAT). Nonetheless, the complete cellular effects of MPH are still unknown. We attempted to determine whether MPH influences neurotransmitter levels, synaptic gene expression, and cell proliferation in a dose-dependent manner in rat pheochromocytoma cells (PC12) lacking DAT. PC12 were treated in a dose-dependent manner with MPH. Gene expression level of synaptotagmin (Syt) 1 and 4, syntaxin 1a (Stx1a), and synaptic vesicle glycoprotein 2C (SV2C) was measured using quantitative real-time RT-PCR. Different Neurotransmitter release was measured using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Differences in cell proliferation were evaluated via BrdU incorporation. Treatment with low-dose MPH (1-100nM) altered intra-/extracellular neurotransmitter levels, down-regulated all investigated genes as well as enhanced cell proliferation significantly. These data point to diverse effects of MPH on cell metabolism independent of inhibiting DA

Living in a Dangerous World: The Shaping of Behavioral Profile by Early Environment and 5-HTT Genotype

Anxiety and anxiety disorders are influenced by both, environmental and genetic factors. One genetic factor under scrutiny for anxiety disorders is the genetically encoded variation of the serotonin transporter (5-HTT). The aim of this study was to elucidate the effects of a threatening environment during early phases of life on anxiety-like (ANX) and exploratory behavior (EXP) in adult mice, varying in serotonin transporter (5-HTT) genotype. For this purpose, pregnant and lactating 5-HTT +/− dams were repeatedly exposed to olfactory cues of unfamiliar adult males by introducing small amounts of soiled bedding to their home cage. These stimuli signal the danger of infanticide and simulate a threatening environment. Control females were treated with neutral bedding. The offspring (5-HTT +/+, +/−, −/−) were examined for their ANX and EXP. The main results were: (1) a main effect of genotype existed, with 5-HTT −/− showing higher levels of ANX and lower levels of EXP than 5-HTT +/− and wildtypes. (2) When mothers had lived in a threatening environment, their offspring showed increased ANX and reduced EXP compared to controls. (3) These effects were most pronounced in 5-HTT −/− mice. By applying a new ecologically relevant paradigm we conclude: If 5-HTT +/− mothers live in a threatening environment during pregnancy and lactation, their offspring behavioral profile will, in principle, be shaped in an adaptive way preparing the young for an adverse environment. This process is, however, modulated by 5-HTT genotype, bearing the risk that individuals with impaired serotonergic neurotransmission (5-HTT −/−) will develop an exaggerated, potentially pathological level of anxiety from gene × environment interactions

Evidence of the causal role of human papillomavirus type 58 in an oropharyngeal carcinoma

Persistent human papillomavirus infection (HPV) is recognized as an important etiologic factor for a subset of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (SCC), especially those arising from the oropharynx. Whereas HPV16 accounts for the majority of HPV DNA-positive oropharyngeal SCC, infections with other mucosal high-risk HPV types are quite rare and biological data demonstrating their causal involvement are insufficient. Here we present the first case of an oropharyngeal SCC driven by HPV type 58. A 69-year-old Caucasian woman presented with an enlarged and firm left tonsil. A computed tomography scan showed a left tonsillar mass, extending to the soft palate and the glossotonsillar sulcus. The patient underwent extended radical tonsillectomy and ipsilateral selective neck dissection. Pathology confirmed an infiltrating, poorly differentiated SCC of the left tonsil with node metastasis (pT2N1). Adjuvant external beam radiation therapy (60 Grays (Gy)) was administered. After 1 year of follow-up, the patient is well with no evidence of cancer recurrence. HPV analyses of the tumor tissue by BSGP5+/6+-PCR/MPG, targeting 51 mucosal HPV types, showed single positivity for HPV type 58. Presence of HPV58 E6*I RNA demonstrated biological activity of the virus in the tumor tissue, and presence of serum antibodies to HPV58 oncoproteins E6 and E7 indicated presence of an HPV58-driven cancer. Overexpression of cellular protein p16(INK4a) and reduced expression of pRb, two cellular markers for HPV-induced cell transformation, were observed. Exons 4-10 of TP53 showed no mutations or polymorphisms. The presence of HPV58 as single HPV infection in combination with a broad variety of direct and indirect markers of HPV transformation provides comprehensive evidence that this oropharyngeal SCC was driven by HPV58