The Monstrous ‘White Theory Boy’: Symbolic Capital, Pedagogy and the Politics of Knowledge

This article presents a critical uncovering of the continued dominance of whiteness and maleness in processes and practices of knowledge formation. Tracking the figure of the ‘white theory boy’ or ‘dead white man’ across experiential accounts of theory, scholarship on canonicity, and pedagogical strategies, the article demonstrates his enduring authority in theoretical knowledge making and dissemination. Where this article moves somewhere different is its suggestion that a space of sympathy be extended to this hegemonic figure. Though the dominance of the ‘white theory boy’ undoubtedly perpetuates inequalities throughout social theoretic thought, it is necessary to locate a new method of tackling such ingrained problems. Though extending sympathy to the ‘white theory boy’ is perhaps initially counter-intuitive, my suggestion is that he does not hold the sort of monolithic power we might first assume. Bringing an intersectional analysis of gender, class, ‘race’ and ethnicity to bear on this figure, creates a space in which a more critical and fine-grained account of the relationship between power, knowledge, and social status can be uncovered. It is through extending this space of sympathy and mutual cooperation to ‘white theory boys’ that the practical and conceptual machinations of their power are further revealed. From here a more thorough dismantling of this power becomes possible

Angiotensin II Facilitates Breast Cancer Cell Migration and Metastasis

Breast cancer metastasis is a leading cause of death by malignancy in women worldwide. Efforts are being made to further characterize the rate-limiting steps of cancer metastasis, i.e. extravasation of circulating tumor cells and colonization of secondary organs. In this study, we investigated whether angiotensin II, a major vasoactive peptide both produced locally and released in the bloodstream, may trigger activating signals that contribute to cancer cell extravasation and metastasis. We used an experimental in vivo model of cancer metastasis in which bioluminescent breast tumor cells (D3H2LN) were injected intra-cardiacally into nude mice in order to recapitulate the late and essential steps of metastatic dissemination. Real-time intravital imaging studies revealed that angiotensin II accelerates the formation of metastatic foci at secondary sites. Pre-treatment of cancer cells with the peptide increases the number of mice with metastases, as well as the number and size of metastases per mouse. In vitro, angiotensin II contributes to each sequential step of cancer metastasis by promoting cancer cell adhesion to endothelial cells, trans-endothelial migration and tumor cell migration across extracellular matrix. At the molecular level, a total of 102 genes differentially expressed following angiotensin II pre-treatment were identified by comparative DNA microarray. Angiotensin II regulates two groups of connected genes related to its precursor angiotensinogen. Among those, up-regulated MMP2/MMP9 and ICAM1 stand at the crossroad of a network of genes involved in cell adhesion, migration and invasion. Our data suggest that targeting angiotensin II production or action may represent a valuable therapeutic option to prevent metastatic progression of invasive breast tumors

The Prognostic PDE4D7 Score in a Diagnostic Biopsy Prostate Cancer Patient Cohort with Longitudinal Biological Outcomes

Purpose. To further validate the prognostic power of the biomarker PDE4D7, we investigated the correlation of PDE4D7 scores adjusted for presurgical clinical variables with longitudinal postsurgical biological outcomes. Methods. RNA was extracted from biopsy punches of resected tumors (550 patients; RP cohort) and diagnostic needle biopsies (168 patients; DB cohort). Cox regression and survival were applied to correlate PDE4D7 scores with patient outcomes. Logistic regression was used to combine the clinical CAPRA score with PDE4D7. Results. In univariate analysis, the PDE4D7 score was significantly associated with PSA recurrence after prostatectomy in both studied patient cohorts' analysis (HR 0.53; 95% CI 0.41-0.67; p<1.0E-04 and HR 0.47; 95% CI 0.33-0.65; p<1.0E-04, respectively). After adjustment for the presurgical clinical variables preoperative PSA, PSA density, biopsy Gleason, clinical stage, percentage tumor in the biopsy (data only available for RP cohort), and percentage of positive biopsies, the HR was 0.49 (95% CI 0.38-0.64; p<1.0E-04) and 0.43 (95% CI 0.29-0.63; p<1.0E-04), respectively. The addition of the PDE4D7 to the clinical CAPRA score increased the AUC by 5% over the CAPRA score alone (0.82 versus 0.77; p=0.004). This combination model stratified 14.6% patients of the DB cohort to no risk of biochemical relapse (NPV 100%) over a follow-up period of up to 15 years. Conclusions. The PDE4D7 score provides independent risk information for pretreatment risk stratification. Combining CAPRA with PDE4D7 scores significantly improved the clinical risk stratification before surgery

Extracellular Hsp90 and TGFP regulate adhesion, migration and anchorage independent growth in a paired colon cancer cell line model

Tumour metastasis remains the major cause of death in cancer patients and, to date, the mechanism and signalling pathways governing this process are not completely understood. The TGF-ß pathway is the most commonly mutated pathway in cancer, however its role in cancer progression is controversial as it can function as both a promoter and a suppressor of metastasis. Although previous studies have suggested a role for the molecular chaperone Hsp90 in regulating the TGF-ß pathway, the level at which this occurs as well as the consequences in terms of colon cancer metastasis are unknown

Embodying gender Sociology, feminism and the body

'In 'Embodying gender' the author examines the status and meaning of body and gender in the new sociology of the body and the new philosophies of the body. She raises the question of what both offer to a feminist sociological project of recuperating the lost matters of bodies. The author argues that 'the absent women in sociology was the woman in the body absent from sociology' and makes a case for the necessity of gendering the social and embodying gender.' (author's abstract)Die Autorin untersucht die Beziehung zwischen feministischer Soziologie, der neuen Soziologie des Koerpers und den neuen feministischen Philosophien der Koerpers. Dabei geht es um die Bedeutung von Koerper und Geschlecht vor dem Hintergrund, dass feministische Positionen sich traditionell gegen die klassische soziologische Trennung von Koerper (Frau) und Geist (Mann) gewandt haben. Ziel des Beitrags ist es, anhand der relevanten Literatur aufzuzeigen, welche Probleme sich der feministischen Soziologie bei der Ueberwindung der Unterscheidung des Dualismus von biologischem und sozialem Geschlecht angesichts des soziologischen Erbes stellen und andererseits zu eruieren, welchen Beitrag die neuen feministischen Philosophien zu einer 'Verkoerperlichung' des Geschlechts leisten koennen. (ICH)German title: Die Verkoerperlichung des Geschlechts: Soziologie, Feminismus und der KoerperAvailable from UuStB Koeln(38)-20020108003 / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekSIGLEDEGerman

La méningo-encéphalite à tiques (Situation actuelle en Alsace)

STRASBOURG-Medecine (674822101) / SudocPARIS-BIUM (751062103) / SudocSudocFranceF

Gender, careers and organisations: current developments in banking, nursing and local government

Is the position of women in the workplace changing? In addressing the broad range of issues raised by this question, Gender, Careers and Organisations engages in diverse contemporary debates about economic and organisational restructuring, human agency and strategy, embodiment and sexuality. Drawing on original empirical research into contemporary British banking, nursing and local government, the book both contributes to a reformulation of current debates and to the development of theoretical perspectives on gender, careers and organisations