Reconstructing World Politics: Norms, Discourse, and Community

This Article argues that the conventional (rationalist) approach to world politics characterized by political bargain cannot fully capture the new social reality under the contemporary global ambience where ideational factors such as ideas, values, culture, and norms have become more salient and influential not only in explaining but also in prescribing state behaviors. After bringing rationalism’s paradigmatic limitations into relief, the Article offers a sociological framework that highlights a reflective, intersubjective communication among states and consequent norm-building process. Under this new paradigm, one can understand an international organization as a “community” (Gemeinschaft), not as a mere contractual instrument of its contracting parties (Gesellschaft). The Article applies the new paradigm to the World Trade Organization (WTO) as it describes the WTO’s institutional evolution from a power-oriented, tariff-reducing contract to a norm-oriented world trade community

Dissidents and God-Talk in the Johannine Epistles

Peer reviewe

Ginsenoside F1 Promotes Cytotoxic Activity of NK Cells via Insulin-Like Growth Factor-1-Dependent Mechanism

Ginsenosides are the principal active components of ginseng and are considered attractive candidates for combination cancer therapy because they can kill tumors and have favorable safety profiles. However, the overall benefit of ginsenosides remains unclear, particularly in cancer immunosurveillance, considering the controversial results showing repression or promotion of immune responses. Here we identify a potentiating role of ginsenoside F1 (G-F1) in cancer surveillance by natural killer (NK) cells. Among 15 different ginsenosides, G-F1 most potently enhanced NK cell cytotoxicity in response to diverse activating receptors and cancer cells. G-F1 also improved cancer surveillance in mouse models of lymphoma clearance and metastatic melanoma that rely on NK cell activity. G-F1-treated NK cells exhibited elevated cytotoxic potential such as upregulation of cytotoxic mediators and of activation signals upon stimulation. NK cell potentiation by G-F1 was antagonized by insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1 blockade and recapitulated by IGF-1 treatment, suggesting the involvement of IGF-1. Thus, our results suggest that G-F1 enhances NK cell function and may have chemotherapeutic potential in NK cell-based immunotherapy. We anticipate our results to be a starting point for further comprehensive studies of ginsenosides in the immune cells mediating cancer surveillance and the development of putative therapeutics

Nurses' perceptions of aids and obstacles to the provision of optimal end of life care in ICU

Contains fulltext : 172380.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access

Regulation of the beta-Adrenergic Receptor Signaling Pathway in Sustained Ligand-Activated Preconditioning

Sustained ligand-activated preconditioning (SLP), induced with chronic opioid receptor (OR) agonism, enhances tolerance to ischemia/reperfusion injury in young and aged hearts. Underlying mechanisms remain ill-defined, although early data implicate phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt) during the induction phase, and β2-adrenoceptor (β2-AR), Gs alpha subunit (Gαs), and protein kinase A (PKA) involvement in subsequent cardioprotection. Here, we tested for induction of a protective β2-AR/Gαs/PKA signaling axis with SLP to ascertain whether signaling changes were PI3K-dependent (by sustained cotreatment with wortmannin), and whether the downstream PKA target Rho kinase (ROCK) participates in subsequent cardioprotection (by acute treatment with fasudil). A protected phenotype was evident after 5 days of OR agonism (using morphine) in association with increased membrane versus reduced cytosolic levels of total and phosphorylated β2-ARs; increased membrane and cytosolic expression of 52 and 46 kDa Gαs isoforms, respectively; and increased phosphorylation of PKA and Akt. Nonetheless, functional sensitivities of β2-ARs and adenylyl cyclase were unchanged based on concentration-response analyses for formoterol, fenoterol, and 6-[3-(dimethylamino)propionyl]-forskolin. Protection with SLP was not modified by ROCK inhibition, and changes in β2-AR, Gαs, and PKA expression appeared insensitive to PI3K inhibition, although 5 days of wortmannin alone exerted unexpected effects on signaling (also increasing membrane β2-AR and PKA expression/phosphorylation and Gαs levels). In summary, sustained OR agonism upregulates cardiac membrane β2-AR expression and phosphorylation in association with increased Gαs subtype levels and PKA phosphorylation. While Akt phosphorylation was evident, PI3K activity appears nonessential to OR upregulation of the β2-AR signal axis. This opioidergic remodeling of β2-AR signaling may explain β2-AR, Gαs, and PKA dependence of SLP protection.No Full Tex