Earlier Submission Research Articles

Molecular characterization of Nosema bombi (Microsporidia: Nosematidae) and a note on its sites of infection in Bombus terrestris (Hymenoptera: Apoidea)

SUMMARYInvestigations of queen, worker and male bumble bees (Bombus terrestris) showed that all individuals became infected with Nosema bombi. Infections were found in Malpighian tubules, thorax muscles, fat body tissue and nerve tissue, including the brain. Ultrastructural studies revealed thin walled emptied spores in host cell cytoplasm interpreted as autoinfective spores, besides normal spores (environmental spores) intended for parasite transmission between hosts. The nucleotide sequence of the gene coding for the small subunit rRNA (SSU-rRNA) from Microsporidia isolated from B. terrestris, B. lucorum, and B. hortorum were identical, providing evidence that N. bombi infects multiple hosts. The sequence presented here (GenBank Accession no AY008373) is different from an earlier submission to GenBank (Accession no U26158) of a partial sequence of the same gene based on material collected from B. terrestris. It still remains to be investigated if there is species diversity among Microsporidia found in bumble bees.

The Asian Crisis: introduction

The floating of the Thai baht on 2 July 1997 marked the onset of the 'Asian Crisis', which had serious repercussions for the 'miracle' economies of East Asia, for developing countries in general and for financial markets worldwide. The Asian Crisis has also generated a heated debate on fundamental issues of economics, finance, and economic policy-making in general. For this Special Issue we have assembled a collection of papers which contribute to these debates from informed, but 'non-mainstream' points of view. We were initially prompted to do so by concern about simplistic—and reductionist— attempts to pin the Asian Crisis on issues such as 'cronyism', which would foreclose rather than stimulate serious discussion, particularly on the role of market failures in this crisis. We were, we felt, witnessing a revival of Orientalism, in which all manner of fantasies and prejudices are projected onto Asia, with no real concern for their veracity. The above mentioned 'cronyism', for example, was becoming the modern substitute for 'Oriental despotism' or 'Asiatic absolutism'. To challenge such tendencies we invited contributions from researchers either with specialist knowledge of the countries in question, or of issues critical for the understanding of the Crisis. As we were aiming for early publication, and for a wide range of perspectives, we placed limitations on paper lengths. The objective was to produce focused arguments, some based on research still in progress, rather than exhaustive accounts. Although this edit orial policy was intended to encourage early submission, some contributors clearly felt uneasy about not being able to develop their arguments or introduce full supporting evi dence. The responsibility lies with us. Tight deadlines also meant that there are some gaps, notably Thailand and China. We are able, however, to present a set of articles which provides an overview, country-specific analyses, thematic analyses and theoretical elabo ration. As there are many articles, we shall not attempt to summarise them here, but rather we shall amplify some of the underlying themes and main findings. The most contentious issue is whether the Crisis resulted primarily from institutional and structural weaknesses of the Asian economies such as 'cronyistic' political economic structures, non-transparent corporate governance or misguided government policies, or from market failures which are characteristic of (or endogenous to) under-regulated and over-liquid international financial markets. Almost all the articles address this issue, and by and large they come down on the side of the latter type of explanation. This is particu larly significant because it has major implications for policy prescriptions. Wade suggests that the debate about causes is less a debate than a case of paradigms ('parrot-times') talking past each other, reflecting basic beliefs about rationality and

Informing Physicians About Promising New Treatments for Severe Illnesses

Physicians are increasingly informed of promising new treatments for severe illnesses through unconventional communications such as press releases, press conferences, and direct mailings. These highly publicized announcements disseminate information quickly, often many months before new data are presented at medical meetings or published in peer-reviewed medical journals. Such unconventional communications, however, usually do not provide sufficient detail for physicians to evaluate new studies, answer patients' questions, or make recommendations. We suggest that physicians would be better informed about therapeutic advances through (1) expanded information in unconventional communications, (2) increased availability of information from the Food and Drug Administration, (3) early submission and accelerated review of key medical journal articles, and (4) expanded use of on-line computerized information sources. A commitment to inform physicians better about promising new treatments may help save or prolong the lives of patients with severe illnesses.

Volume on symbolism

After a preliminary plan had received favorable response from the Coordinating Committee, collaborators were solicited along the guide-lines of the outline and according to the scope determined by it. As director and coordinator of the wolume I selected as major collaborators, M. Ddcaudin to direct research dealing with the origins and development of Symbolism as a literary school in Paris; M. Szabolcsi to solicit and initiate studies from the Eastern zone and in problems of relationship between East and West; other areas of leadership:include the Northern European Countries and the Spanish and Hispano American connections of the Symbolist Movement. Moreover, the study of the interrelationship of symbolism with parallel developments in Art and Music was assigned to Philippe Jullian and Marcel Schneider. The Work was viewed in four stages: 1. Preparation of bibliography of the area of research; (This has been going on now for almost two years and is near completion: a separate report is herewith attached.) 2. The soliciting of collaborators: there are currently 52 scholars actively at work on the project; ten have already submitted tentative manuscripts (as of August 1, 1973); five have submitted detailed outlines, and another ten have projected early fall submission of preliminary papers. 1