bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Elevated Levels of a Disintegrin and Metalloproteinase 8 in Gingival Crevicular Fluid of Patients With Periodontal Diseases
Authors: Khongkhunthian Sakornrat , Techasatian Prattana , Supanchart Chayarop , Bandhaya Panwadee , Montreekachon Pattanin , Thawanaphong Saranya , Krisanaprakornkit Suttichai
Published: May 2012

Background: A disintegrin and metalloproteinase 8 (ADAM8) is involved in inflammation and is essential for osteoclastogenesis. Elevated ADAM8 levels are detected in human serum and other body fluids in several inflammatory conditions. Therefore, we hypothesized that ADAM8 levels are also raised in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) of patients with periodontal diseases.

Methods: Forty‐five patients with periodontal diseases (n = 15 for each group: the group of patients with gingivitis, the group with aggressive periodontitis [AgP], and the group with chronic periodontitis [CP]) and 15 volunteers who exhibited healthy gingiva were recruited. Four periodontal parameters, gingival index, plaque index, probing depth, and clinical attachment level, were recorded before GCF collection. The presence of ADAM8 in GCF was shown by immunoblotting using anti‐human ADAM8 polyclonal antibody against its prodomain, and the ADAM8 levels were measured by an enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay.

Results: Four immunoreactive bands at 120, 70, 50, and <30 kDa were detected in the groups of patients with periodontitis, whose intensities were stronger than those in the group of patients with gingivitis, consistent with significantly greater ADAM8 levels in both groups of patients, with either CP or AgP, than those in the group of patients with gingivitis and in the group that was healthy (P <0.001). Moreover, the ADAM8 levels correlated significantly with the four periodontal parameters (P <0.001), indicating that ADAM8 levels are positively associated with the degree of periodontal tissue inflammation and destruction.

Conclusions: The ADAM8 levels are elevated in the GCF of patients with periodontal diseases, including gingivitis, CP, and AgP, in comparison to control participants who are healthy, and they correlate with four clinical parameters that reflect the degree of disease severity.
Confounding in Observational Studies Explained
Authors: Mann Bikaramjit , Wood Evan
Published: May 2012

Practical and ethical constraints mean that many clinical and/or epidemiological questions cannot be answered
through the implementation of a randomized controlled trial. Under these circumstances, observational studies are often
required to assess relationships between certain exposures and disease outcomes. Unfortunately, observational studies are
notoriously vulnerable to the effect of different types of “confounding,” a concept that is often a source of confusion
among trainees, clinicians and users of health information. This article discusses the concept of confounding by way of
examples and offers a simple guide for assessing the impact of is effects for learners of evidence-based medicine.
Wrist MRI Arthrogram v Wrist Arthroscopy: What are we Finding?
Authors: Mahmood Aatif , Fountain James , Vasireddy Naveen , Waseem Mohammed
Published: May 2012

The aim of the study was to compare the radiological findings of wrist arthrogram with wrist arthroscopy. This allowed us to establish the accuracy (sensitivity, specificity) of MRI arthrogram as a diagnostic tool. Thirty patients (20 female and 10 male) have undergone both wrist MRI arthrogram and wrist arthroscopy over the last 3 years at a District General Hospital. The mean age at arthrogram was 42.4 years with an average 6.7 month interval between the two procedures.

The MRI arthrogram was reported by a consultant radiologist with an interest in musculoskeletal imaging and the arthroscopies performed by two upper limb surgeons. Patients who underwent both procedures were identified. The arthrogram reports and operation notes were examined for correlation. Three main areas of pathology were consistently examined: TFCC (triangular fibrocartilage complex), scapholunate and lunotriquetral ligament tears. The sensitivity and specificity of arthrogram was calculated for each. Other areas of pathology were also noted.

In the case of TFCC tears MRI arthrogram had 90% sensitivity and 75% specificity. The lunotriquetral ligament examination with this technique was 100% sensitivity and specificity. However for scapholunate ligament tears it only had 91% sensitivity and 88% specificity.

Wrist arthrogram and arthroscopy are both invasive techniques. In cost terms the arthrogram remains cheaper but is superseded by arthroscopy as it is both diagnostic and therapeutic.
Structure Factorielle et Cohérence Interne de l'Échelle De Mesure du Sentiment D'efficacité Personnelle
Authors: Albert Valérie , Coutu Marie-France , Durand Marie-José
Published: May 2012

Description. Le sentiment d'efficacité personnelle relié au travail est un déterminant du retour au travail pour une clientèle présentant des troubles musculosquelettiques (TMS). À notre connaissance, l'Échelle de mesure du sentiment d'efficacité personnelle est le seul questionnaire qui est spécifique au travail, mais ses propriétés psychométriques sont actuellement peu documentées. But. Évaluer la cohérence interne et la structure factorielle de cette échelle de mesure. Méthodologie. Le questionnaire a été administré à 36 travailleurs absents du travail en lien avec un TMS en phase chronique de la douleur. Résultats. La cohérence interne est satisfaisante (alpha de Cronbach: 0,925). L'analyse factorielle révèle une structure unidimensionnelle (expliquant 65,5 % de la variance). Conséquences pour la pratique. Les résultats soutiennent l'utilisation du questionnaire en recherche et en clinique. Cependant, la triangulation avec d'autres observations demeure nécessaire pour augmenter la validité de l'évaluation du sentiment d'efficacité personnelle relié au travail.
French Canadian Cross-Cultural Adaptation of the Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire '07: DCDQ-FC
Authors: Martini Rose , St-Pierre Marie-France , Wilson Brenda N.
Published: May 2012

Background. Parent-report measures, such as the Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire'07 (DCDQ'07), are used to identify developmental coordination disorder (DCD) in children. Early identification of this condition is important to mitigate its social-emotional and health consequences. Unfortunately, few French-language assessments are available to therapists working with francophone populations. Purpose. The aim of this study was to undertake a formal translation of the English DCDQ'07 and begin to examine its psychometric properties. Methods. The translation was done using Beaton, Bombardier, and Guillemin's (2000) guidelines for cross-cultural adaptation. Methodologies described by Haccoun (1987) and Vallerand (1989) were used to address the psychometric qualities of the translation. Findings. The DCDQ'07 and its French translation (DCDQ-FC) are equivalent, with excellent internal consistency and test-retest reliability. Concurrent and construct validity were adequate for a screening measure; however, low sensitivity was obtained with both measures. Implications. The DCDQ-FC is a valid translation for use with a French Canadian population.
The Influence of Collectivism and Rater Error on Organizational Citizenship and Impression Management Behaviors
Authors: Kim Philsung , Lee Ji-Hwan
Published: May 2012

Although the employer may not necessarily recognize this, organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) enhances organizational performance. However, most contemporary appraisal measures fail to distinguish between OCB and other types of employee behaviors such as impression management
behavior (IMB) and in-role behavior (IRB), all of which employees could display in order to gain higher performance ratings. In this paper we distinguished empirically between OCB, IMB, and IRB, and examined their selection factors. Our regression results showed that an employee's collectivism
was positively associated with his/her OCBs. Contrary to our prediction, however, collectivism was also positively related to IMBs. In the context of human resource management, an employee's perception of rater error had a negative effect on OCBs and IRBs. Implications for management and future
research are discussed.
Measurement of Aging Anxiety in Taiwan: An Application of a Multidimensional Item Response Model
Authors: Gao Yu-Jing
Published: May 2012

The reliability and validity of the Anxiety about Aging Scale–Taiwan version (AAST), translated from the Anxiety about Aging Scale (AAS) developed by Lasher and Faulkender (1993) was investigated using both classical and multidimensional Rasch analysis. Age and gender effects
were also investigated in terms of 4 latent traits: fear of old people, psychological concerns, physical appearance, and fear of losses. Taiwanese adults (N = 334) participated and analytical results allowed for empirical validation of the 16-item AAST and demonstration of it being
a reliable measure of aging anxiety. Young adults experienced more aging anxiety than older adults did and females exhibited more anxiety about their physical appearance in relation to aging compared to males.
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DICHOTOMOUS THINKING AND MUSIC PREFERENCES AMONG JAPANESE UNDERGRADUATES
Authors: Oshio Atsushi
Published: May 2012

The relationship between dichotomous thinking and music preferences was investigated with a sample of 176 Japanese undergraduates (111 males, 65 females). Participants completed the Dichotomous Thinking Inventory (Oshio, 2009) and the Short Test of Music Preferences (Rentfrow &
Gosling, 2003). Individuals who thought dichotomously preferred intense and rebellious, energetic and rhythmic, and fast and contemporary music rather than music that was complex and conventional. Specifically, they most liked rock, alternative, soul, funk, and heavy metal and disliked classical
music.
The Relationship Between Abuse within the Family and Social Skills of Turkish Senior Primary School Children
Authors: Durmuşoglu-Saltali Neslihan
Published: May 2012

I investigated instances of child abuse that second-stage primary school children experienced in the family environment and their social skills. The research sample consisted of 347 children aged between 12 and 14 who attended primary education 6th, 7th, and 8th grades in the province
of Konya, Turkey. To collect the data I used the Matson Evaluation of Social Skills with Youngsters (MESSY) Scale, which was developed by Matson, Rotatory, and Hessel in 1983, adapted to Turkish and tested for reliability and validity by Bacanlı and Erdoğan (2003); and the Domestic
Child Abuse Scale-B Form (Bekçi, 2006). I found that physical abuse, directing to crime and sexual abuse, neglect and emotional threat, educational abuse, lack of rules and lack of support had a positive relationship with negative social skills. There was a negative relationship between
supporting development and negative social skills.
A Comparison of Self-Assessment and Tutor Assessment of Undergraduate Psychology Students
Authors: Karnilowicz Wally
Published: May 2012

The capacity for self-assessment amongst undergraduate psychology students (N = 64) was investigated in comparison to tutor assessments. Students were able to assess their own performance reasonably and accurately. However, higher achieving students underestimated their performance,
while the opposite was found for lower achieving students. These results reflect the characteristics of self-enhancement and self-diminishment bias.
Acceptance of Information Technology and the Internet by People Aged Over Fifty in Taiwan
Authors: Tseng Kevin C. , Hsu Chien-Lung , Chuang Yu-Hao
Published: May 2012

Information technology and the Internet are becoming increasingly important in daily life for acquiring knowledge or information. Unfortunately, although the population aged over 50 is increasing, many current websites are not suitable for their use (Payne, 2002; Ryu, Kim, & Lee,
2009). We constructed a research model based on the technology acceptance model (TAM; Davis, 1986) and analyzed acceptance of accessible page systems by people aged over 50, using the Taoyuan Gueishan Township Office website as a representative sample. Results revealed a strong inclination
toward using the websites and most users rated the webpage as easy to use and said it was a positive learning experience. The tangible benefits of this study are that the requirements for websites by those in the 50+ age group are identified, web developers can use the results to design a
suitable website, and thus the results could lead to the development of more accessible pages for those ages 50 and over.
School Adjustment and Internalizing Problems in Chinese Adolescents: Implications of Social Change
Authors: Liu Junsheng , Zhou Ying , Li Dan
Published: May 2012

We examined the relationships between internalizing problems and school adjustment in 2 cohorts (1994 and 2008) of Chinese adolescents (N = 540 and 728, respectively; M age = 13 years). The 2 time points occurred during different phases of social and economic reform in
Chinese society. Data were obtained from peers, teachers, and school records. The results indicated that whereas, in the 1994 cohort, internalizing problems was only slightly and negatively associated with sociability and academic achievement, and strongly associated with externalizing problems,
internalizing problems was significantly associated with social and school adjustment in the 2008 cohort. The results indicated the implications of changing context for adolescent socioemotional functioning.
Context and Creativity: The Theory of Planned Behavior as an Alternative Mechanism
Authors: Choi Jin Nam
Published: May 2012

Creativity researchers have identified intrinsic motivation as the critical intervening process that explains the effects of contextual characteristics on individual creativity. Departing from this prevailing focus on intrinsic motivation, in the present study an alternative theoretical
model was advanced based on the theory of planned behavior (TBP; Ajzen, 1991). Specifically, it was proposed that TPB-based psychological mechanisms (attitude toward creativity, creative self-efficacy, and creativity intention) would mediate the effects of contextual factors (leader encouragement
and peer support) on individual creative performance. Multisource data collected at 3 time points from 386 students and their 28 instructors largely supported the hypothesized mediating role of creative self-efficacy. The current findings suggest a need to rethink the role of intrinsic motivation
in the context-creativity link by identifying alternative psychological mechanisms.
Do Consumers' Perceptions of Price Fairness Differ According to Type of Firm Ownership?
Authors: Huangfu Gang , Zhu Liqi
Published: May 2012

We investigated Chinese consumers' perceptions of price fairness by introducing the type of firm ownership (state-owned monopoly, and non-state-owned corporation) as an independent variable, to investigate whether or not people's feelings of price fairness differ between stateand non-state-owned
firms. Results showed that our participants tended to accept price rise because of cost increase, but not price rise because of an increase in demand. Participants also regarded as unfair the price remaining high when cost decreased. Auction in the situation of shortage of goods, was also
regarded as unfair. State-owned monopolies raising their prices was viewed by participants as being more unfair than a price rise by a non-state-owned corporation.
Approximation of the steady state system state distribution of the M/G/1 retrial queue with impatient customers
Authors: Stihi Nadjet , Djellab Natalia
Published: May 2012

For M/G/1 retrial queues with impatient customers, we review the results,
concerning the steady state distribution of the system state, presented in
the literature. Since the existing formulas are cumbersome (so their
utilization in practice becomes delicate) or the obtaining of these formulas
is impossible, we apply the information theoretic techniques for estimating
the above mentioned distribution. More concretely, we use the principle of
maximum entropy which provides an adequate methodology for computing a unique
estimate for an unknown probability distribution based on information
expressed in terms of some given mean value constraints.
“Longing for the Past“
Authors: Haydn Terry
Published: May 2012

Scrutiny of the statements of UK politicians about the nature and purposes of teaching history in schools shows a strong desire to return to the “traditional“ form of history education which was dominant in the UK until the 1970s, with its strong emphasis on a positive and heroic rendering of the national past and movement away from the idea of history education to develop intellectual autonomy and provide historical perspectives on contemporary issues and problems. The concluding section of the paper considers the implications of this attempt to “turn back the clock“ and argues that it is intensifying the polarization between policymakers and history education professionals, perhaps ultimately leading to a form of school history which many young people consider to be irrelevant and implausible.
The Contemporary Turn
Authors: Nygren Thomas
Published: May 2012

In 2010, a proposal for a new history syllabus was criticized in the Swedish media for emphasizing contemporary history at the expense of ancient history. This study shows how contemporary history has increasingly been the focus of the guidelines developed by UNESCO and the Council of Europe, the national curricula, and students' work since the 1950s, while graduating students had generally rather chosen to focus on the early modern era up until the 1930s. Although history and civics were given status as separate school subjects in 1961, students' work in history continued to focus on contemporary subject matter. This study shows that the dominance of contemporary history in students' history is by no means a new phenomenon.
Structural Aspects of the Bechgaard and Fabre Salts: An Update
Authors: Pouget Jean-Paul
Published: May 2012

We review structural aspects of the Bechgaard and Fabre salts in relationship with their electronic, magnetic and superconducting properties. We emphasize the role of bond and charge modulations of the quarter filled organic stack in the various instabilities and ground states exhibited by these salts. A special consideration is also devoted to the influence of anions and methyl groups in these processes. In particular we point out the importance of the anions in achieving the inter-stack coupling by either direct or indirect (via the polarization of the methyl group cavities) interactions with the donors. In this framework we discuss the role of anions and methyl group disorders in the inhibition of the divergence of the high temperature bond order wave instability of the Bechgaard salts. We analyze the modulation in the magnetic ground states by considering explicitly the coupling of the magnetization with structural degrees of freedom. We consider the role of the anions and methyl groups in stabilizing the charge ordering pattern in the Fabre salts. We also discuss the spin-Peierls transition of the Fabre salts in relation with the charge ordering transition and the adiabaticity of the phonon field. We review the anion ordering transitions by considering more particularly the influence of the ordering process on the electronic structure and on the ground states which results. In this framework we show that the texture of the anion ordered structure has direct consequences on the superconducting properties of (TMTSF)2ClO4. Finally we conclude on the essential implication of the structural degrees of freedom on the generic phase diagram of the Bechgaard and Fabre salts.
DC Flashover Performance of Various Types of Ice-Covered Insulator Strings under Low Air Pressure
Authors: Hu Jianlin , Sun Caixin , Jiang Xingliang , Xiao Daibo , Zhang Zhijin , Shu Lichun
Published: May 2012

In this study, icing flashover performance tests of typical DC porcelain, glass, and composite insulators are systematically carried out in a multifunction artificial climate chamber. The DC icing flashover voltages of seven typical insulators under various conditions of icing thickness, pollution severity before icing, string length, and atmospheric pressure are obtained. The relationships between icing thickness, salt deposit density as well as atmospheric pressure and the 50% icing flashover voltage are analyzed, and the formulas are obtained by regression method. In addition, the DC icing flashover voltage correction method of typical porcelain, glass, and composite insulator in the coexisting condition of high altitude, contamination, and icing is proposed.
Seasonal Variation of Lipids and Fatty Acids of the Microalgae Nannochloropsis oculata Grown in Outdoor Large-Scale Photobioreactors
Authors: Olofsson Martin , Lamela Teresa , Nilsson Emmelie , Bergé Jean Pascal , Del Pino Victória , Uronen Pauliina , Legrand Catherine
Published: May 2012

While focus in oil-producing microalgae is normally on nutrient deficiency, we addressed the seasonal variations of lipid content and composition in large-scale cultivation. Lipid content, fatty acid profiles and mono- di- and triglycerides (MAGs, DAGs, and TAGs) were analyzed during May 2007–May 2009 in Nannochloropsis oculata grown outdoors in closed vertical flat panels photobioreactors. Total lipids (TL) ranged from 11% of dry weight (DW) in winter to 30% of DW in autumn. 50% of the variation in TL could be explained by light and temperature. As the highest lipid content was recorded during autumn indicating an optimal, non-linear, response to light and temperature we hypothesize that enhanced thylakoid stacking under reduced light conditions resulted in more structural lipids, concomitantly with the increase in glycerides due to released photo-oxidative stress. The relative amount of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) increased during autumn. This suggested a synthesis, either of structural fatty acids as MUFA, or a relative increase of C16:1 incorporated into TAGs and DAGs. Our results emphasize the significant role of environmental conditions governing lipid content and composition in microalgae that have to be considered for correct estimation of algal oil yields in biodiesel production.
A Power Smoothing Control Strategy and Optimized Allocation of Battery Capacity Based on Hybrid Storage Energy Technology
Authors: Han Xiaojuan , Chen Fang , Cui Xiwang , Li Yong , Li Xiangjun
Published: May 2012

Wind power parallel operation is an effective way to realize the large scale use of wind power, but the fluctuations of power output from wind power units may have great influence on power quality, hence a new method of power smoothing and capacity optimized allocation based on hybrid energy storage technology is proposed in terms of the uncontrollable and unexpected characteristics of wind speed in wind farms. First, power smoothing based on a traditional Inertial Filter is introduced and the relationship between the time constant, its smoothing effect and capacity allocation are analyzed and combined with Proportional Integral Differential (PID) control to realize power smoothing control of wind power. Then wavelet theory is adopted to realize a multi-layer decomposition of power output in some wind farms, a power smoothing model based on hybrid energy storage technology is constructed combining the characteristics of the Super Capacitor (SC) and Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) technologies. The hybrid energy storage system is available for power fluctuations with high frequency-low energy and low frequency-high energy to achieve good smoothing effects compared with a single energy storage system. The power fluctuations filtered by the Wavelet Transform is regarded as the target value of BESS, the charging and discharging control for battery is completed quickly by Model Algorithm Control (MAC). Because of the influence of the inertia and the response speed of the battery, its actual output is not completely equal to the target value which mainly reflects in high-frequency part, the difference part uses SC to compensate and makes the output of battery and SC closer to the target value on the whole. Compared with the traditional Inertial Filter and PID control method, the validity of the model was verified by simulation results. Finally under the premise of power grid standards, the corresponding capacity design had been given to reduce the size of the energy storage devices as far as possible, which has a certain practical engineering value.
A Smart Green Building: An Environmental Health Control Design
Authors: Chen Shang-Yuan , Huang Jui-Ting
Published: May 2012

This study proposes the establishment of an environmental health information management platform providing residential users with a comfortable, healthy indoor environment. Taking the S House as an example, the study: (1) assigned environmental health performance indicators, (2) established constraints to maintain environmental conditions, and (3) provided optimized management control mechanisms and methods. The environmental health information management platform provides an optimized control and solution pathway ensuring the quality of the indoor health environment and equipment energy conservation.
Assessing the Adoption of e-Government Services by Teachers in Greece
Authors: Zafiropoulos Kostas , Karavasilis Ioannis , Vrana Vasiliki
Published: May 2012

Technological developments and governments’ understanding of what citizens need usually determine the design of public online services. For successful implementation of e-Government services, governments have to place the user in the center of future developments, understand what citizens need and measure what increases citizens’ willingness to adopt e-government services. The paper uses the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), the extended TAM, the Diffusion of Innovations (DOI) theory and the important determinants of user acceptance perceived risk and trust, in order to describe teachers’ behavioral intensions to adopt e-Government services. A model containing trust and risk, along with cognitive, social and intrinsic factors is used to study the intentions of e-Government use by Greek primary and secondary education teachers. Two hundred and thirty teachers responded to an online survey. Findings reveal that cognitive and intrinsic factors have significant effects on intentions to use e-Government websites.
Phytochemicals Analysis and Medicinal Potentials of Hydroalcoholic Extract from Curtisia dentata (Burm.f) C.A. Sm Stem Bark
Authors: Oyedemi Sunday Oyewole , Oyedemi Blessing Ogochukwuamaka , Arowosegbe Sunday , Afolayan Anthony Jide
Published: May 2012

Curtisia dentata (CD) is a vulnerable medicinal plant used for the treatment of stomach ailments in South Africa. However, there is a lack of sufficient data on its phytochemical components and medicinal properties. The phytochemical analysis of the extract was estimated using standard assay methods while its antibacterial activity was determined by the agar dilution method against selected bacteria. The antioxidant activity of the extract was done using ferric reducing power, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2'-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic-acid (ABTS), nitric oxide (NO), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and lipid peroxidation (LPO). The cytotoxicity assay of the extract was assessed using the brine shrimp lethality test with LC50 value of 0.302 mg/mL. The antibacterial activity of the extract demonstrated an appreciable broad spectrum activity against the tested bacteria with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) ranges between 5000 and 0.5 mg/L. Both phenol and flavonoid concentrations were 14.86 mg tannic acid equivalent/g and 13.64 mg quercetin equivalent/g, respectively. The percentage composition of saponins (13.26) was highest, followed by steroids (1.42), while alkaloids and tannins had the same value of 0.51. Similarly, IC50 values of the extract against DPPH, ABTS, H2O2, LPO and NO were 0.017, 0.018, 0.159, 0.06 and 0.052 mg/mL, respectively. The reducing power of the extract was found to be concentration dependent. Our data suggest that the 70% ethanol extract from the CD extract has antibacterial and antioxidant properties due to the presence of bio-active compounds and thus support its folkloric use in the treatment of diseases.
Characterization of ARF-BP1/HUWE1 Interactions with CTCF, MYC, ARF and p53 in MYC-Driven B Cell Neoplasms
Authors: Qi Chen-Feng , Kim Yong-Soo , Xiang Shao , Abdullaev Ziedulla , Torrey Ted A. , Janz Siegfried , Kovalchuk Alexander L. , Sun Jiafang , Chen Delin , Cho William C. , Gu Wei , Morse III Herbert C.
Published: May 2012

Transcriptional activation of MYC is a hallmark of many B cell lineage neoplasms. MYC provides a constitutive proliferative signal but can also initiate ARF-dependent activation of p53 and apoptosis. The E3 ubiquitin ligase, ARF-BP1, encoded by HUWE1, modulates the activity of both the MYC and the ARF-p53 signaling pathways, prompting us to determine if it is involved in the pathogenesis of MYC-driven B cell lymphomas. ARF-BP1 was expressed at high levels in cell lines from lymphomas with either wild type or mutated p53 but not in ARF-deficient cells. Downregulation of ARF-BP1 resulted in elevated steady state levels of p53, growth arrest and apoptosis. Co-immunoprecipitation studies identified a multiprotein complex comprised of ARF-BP1, ARF, p53, MYC and the multifunctional DNA-binding factor, CTCF, which is involved in the transcriptional regulation of MYC, p53 and ARF. ARF-BP1 bound and ubiquitylated CTCF leading to its proteasomal degradation. ARF-BP1 and CTCF thus appear to be key cofactors linking the MYC proliferative and p53-ARF apoptotic pathways. In addition, ARF-BP1 could be a therapeutic target for MYC-driven B lineage neoplasms, even if p53 is inactive, with inhibition reducing the transcriptional activity of MYC for its target genes and stabilizing the apoptosis-promoting activities of p53.
Chemical Composition of Artemisia annua L. Leaves and Antioxidant Potential of Extracts as a Function of Extraction Solvents
Authors: Iqbal Shahid , Younas Umer , Chan Kim Wei , Zia-Ul-Haq Muhammad , Ismail Maznah
Published: May 2012

This study was conducted to investigate the chemical and nutritional composition of Artemisia annua leaves in addition to determination of antioxidant potential of their extracts prepared in different solvents. Chemical composition was determined by quantifying fat, protein, carbohydrate, fiber, tocopherol, phytate, and tannin contents. Extraction of A. annua leaves, for antioxidant potential evaluation, was carried out using five solvents of different polarities, i.e., hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, methanol and water. Antioxidant potential was evaluated by estimating total phenolic (TPC), flavonoid (TFC) contents, ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC), DPPH radical scavenging activity and lipid peroxidation. Efficiency of different solvents was compared for the yield of antioxidant extracts from leaf samples and a clear variation was observed. The highest TPC, TFC, TEAC, DPPH radical scavenging and lowest lipid peroxidation were observed in MeOH extracts, whereas aqueous extract exhibited high ferric reducing antioxidant power; suggesting MeOH to be the most favorable extractant.
Effect of Soluble Sulfide on the Activity of Luminescent Bacteria
Authors: Shao Ying , Wu Ling-Ling , Gao Hong-Wen , Wang Feng
Published: May 2012

Sulfide is an important water pollutant widely found in industrial waste water that has attracted much attention. S2−, as a weak acidic anion, is easy hydrolyzed to HS− and H2S in aqueous solution. In this study, biological tests were performed to establish the toxicity of sulfide solutions on luminescent bacteria. Considering the sulfide solution was contained three substances—S2−, HS− and H2S—the toxicity test was performed at different pH values to investigate which form of sulfide increased light emission and which reduced light emission. It was shown that the EC50 values were close at pH 7.4, 8.0 and 9.0 which were higher than pH 5 and 10. The light emission and sulfide concentrations displayed an inverse exponential dose-response relationship within a certain concentration range at pH 5, 6.5 and 10. The same phenomenon occurred for the high concentration of sulfide at pH 7.4, 8 and 9, in which the concentration of sulfide was HS− >> H2S > S2−. An opposite hormesis-effect appeared at the low concentrations of sulfide.
Antioxidant, Antimicrobial and Tyrosinase Inhibitory Activities of Xanthones Isolated from Artocarpus obtusus F.M. Jarrett
Authors: Hashim Najihah Mohd. , Rahmani Mawardi , Ee Gwendoline Cheng Lian , Sukari Mohd Aspollah , Yahayu Maizatulakmal , Amin Muhamad Aizat Mohd , Ali Abd Manaf , Go Rusea
Published: May 2012

One of the most promising plants in biological screening test results of thirteen Artocarpus species was Artocarpus obtusus FM Jarrett and detailed phytochemical investigation of powdered dried bark of the plant has led to the isolation and identification of three xanthones; pyranocycloartobiloxanthone A (1), dihydroartoindonesianin C (2) and pyranocycloartobiloxanthone B (3). These compounds were screened for antioxidant, antimicrobial and tyrosinase inhibitory activities. Pyranocycloartobiloxanthone A (1) exhibited a strong free radical scavenger towards DPPH free radicals with IC50 value of 2 µg/mL with prominent discoloration observed in comparison with standard ascorbic acid, α-tocopherol and quercetin, The compound also exhibited antibacterial activity against methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC3359) and Bacillus subtilis (clinically isolated) with inhibition zone of 20 and 12 mm, respectively. However the other two xanthones were found to be inactive. For the tyrosinase inhibitory activity, again compound (1) displayed strong activity comparable with the standard kojic acid.
Synthesis and Evaluation of New β-Carboline-3-(4-benzylidene)-4H-oxazol-5-one Derivatives as Antitumor Agents
Authors: Savariz Franciele Cristina , Foglio Mary Ann , De Carvalho João Ernesto , Ruiz Ana Lúcia T. G. , Duarte Marta C. T. , Da Rosa Mauricio Ferreira , Meyer Emerson , Sarragiotto Maria Helena
Published: May 2012

In the present work, we report the synthesis and in vitro anticancer and antimicrobial activity evaluation of a new series of 1-substituted-β-carboline derivatives bearing a 4-benzylidene-4H-oxazol-5-one unity at C-3. The compound 2-[1-(4-methoxyphenyl)-9H-β-carbolin-3-yl]-4-(benzylidene)-4H-oxazol-5-one (11) was the most active derivative, exhibiting a potent cytotoxic activity against glioma (U251), prostate (PC-3) and ovarian (OVCAR-03) cancer cell lines with IC50 values of 0.48, 1.50 and 1.07 µM, respectively. An in silico study of the ADME properties of the novel synthesized β-carboline derivatives was also performed.
Detection of AI-2 Receptors in Genomes of Enterobacteriaceae Suggests a Role of Type-2 Quorum Sensing in Closed Ecosystems
Authors: Rezzonico Fabio , Smits Theo H. M. , Duffy Brion
Published: May 2012

The LuxS enzyme, an S-ribosyl-homocysteine lyase, catalyzes the production of the signal precursor for autoinducer-2 mediated quorum sensing (QS-2) in Vibrio. Its widespread occurrence among bacteria is often considered the evidence for a universal language for interspecies communication. Presence of the luxS gene and production of the autoinducer-2 (AI-2) signal have repeatedly been the only evidences presented to assign a functional QS-2 to the most diverse species. In fact, LuxS has a primary metabolic role as part of the activated methyl cycle. In this review we have analyzed the distribution of QS-2 related genes in Enterobacteriaceae by moving the focus of the investigation from AI-2 production to the detection of potential AI-2 receptors. The latter are common in pathogens or endosymbionts of animals, but were also found in a limited number of Enterobacteriaceae of the genera Enterobacter, Klebsiella, and Pantoea that live in close association with plants or fungi. Although a precise function of QS-2 in these species has not been identified, they all show an endophytic or endosymbiontic lifestyle that suggests a role of type-2 quorum sensing in the adaptation to closed ecosystems.
Latest Insights on Adenovirus Structure and Assembly
Authors: San Martín Carmen
Published: May 2012

Adenovirus (AdV) capsid organization is considerably complex, not only because of its large size (~950 Å) and triangulation number (pseudo T = 25), but also because it contains four types of minor proteins in specialized locations modulating the quasi-equivalent icosahedral interactions. Up until 2009, only its major components (hexon, penton, and fiber) had separately been described in atomic detail. Their relationships within the virion, and the location of minor coat proteins, were inferred from combining the known crystal structures with increasingly more detailed cryo-electron microscopy (cryoEM) maps. There was no structural information on assembly intermediates. Later on that year, two reports described the structural differences between the mature and immature adenoviral particle, starting to shed light on the different stages of viral assembly, and giving further insights into the roles of core and minor coat proteins during morphogenesis [1,2]. Finally, in 2010, two papers describing the atomic resolution structure of the complete virion appeared [3,4]. These reports represent a veritable tour de force for two structural biology techniques: X-ray crystallography and cryoEM, as this is the largest macromolecular complex solved at high resolution by either of them. In particular, the cryoEM analysis provided an unprecedented clear picture of the complex protein networks shaping the icosahedral shell. Here I review these latest developments in the field of AdV structural studies.
Molecularly Engineered Islet Cell Clusters for Diabetes Mellitus Treatment
Authors: Yook Simmyung , Jeong Jee-Heon , Jung Yoon Suk , Hong Sung Woo , Im Bok Hyeon , Seo Jin Won , Park Jun Beom , Lee Minhyung , Ahn Cheol-Hee , Lee Haeshin , Lee Dong Yun , Byun Youngro
Published: May 2012

Pancreatic islet transplantation is a promising method for curing diabetes mellitus. We proposed in this study a molecularly engineered islet cell clusters (ICCs) that could overcome problems posed by islet transplantation circumstances and host's immune reactions. A gene containing highly releasable exendin-4, an insulinotropic protein, was delivered into single islet cells to enhance glucose sensitivity; thereafter, the cells were reaggregated into small size ICCs. Then the surface of ICCs was modified with biocompatible poly(ethylene glycol)-lipid (PEG) (C18) for preventing immune reactions. The regimen of ICCs with low doses of anti-CD154 mAb and tacrolimus could effectively maintain the normal glucose level in diabetic mice. This molecularly engineered PEG-Sp-Ex-4 ICC regimen prevented cell death in transplantation site, partly through improving the regulation of glucose metabolism and by preventing hypoxia- and immune response-induced apoptosis. Application of this remedy is also potentially far-reaching; one would be to help overcome islet supply shortage due to the limited availability of pancreas donors and reduce the immunosuppressant regimens to eliminate their adverse effects.
Causality Between Foreign Direct Investment and Tourism: Empirical Evidence from India
Authors: Selvanathan Saroja , Selvanathan E. A. , Viswanathan Brinda
Published: May 2012

India's liberalization and deregulation policies during the early 1990s have attracted a huge amount of foreign direct investment (FDI) into India in recent years. India has been ranked as the second most favored FDI destination in the world, just behind China. Policy makers in many
countries believe that FDI will lead their country's overall development, including the tourism sector. This article investigates the causal link between FDI and tourist arrivals in India by employing the Granger causality test under a VAR framework. A two-way causality link is found between
FDI and tourist arrivals in India. This explains the rapid growth in the tourism sector as well as FDI in India during the last decade. Our two-way causality results in relation to India are similar to the findings of a number of small island developing states (SIDS).
The Semiotic Construction of a Holiday Country: The Case of Croatia
Authors: Bertoša Mislava , Muhvić-Dimanovski Vesna , Horvat Anita Skelin
Published: May 2012

Using Croatia as an example, this article analyses modes of constructing a country as a tourist destination, from a semiotic perspective. From this perspective, tourism may be viewed as a practice that contrasts with everyday life. It encompasses dimensions including the following aspects
of the journey: travel, absence of obligation, entertainment, and relaxation. To be a tourist and to practice tourism involves dislocation and transferring from one's place of residence to another place. This “other place” is constructed and represented to potential tourists as
a “tourist destination.” The article focuses on the contents and targets of the tourist's travel, or, semiotically speaking, their valorizations. The principal starting point is the typology of valorizations elaborated by Floch. A place becomes a tourist destination when it has
been semiotically valorized (i.e., when it is ascribed a certain value). This value may be represented to potential travelers/tourists via different modes of expression including catalogues, brochures, websites, and advertisements. The analysis has been thematically narrowed to the field of
Croatian cultural heritage, with particular reference to history, art, architecture, monuments, and festivals. The subject of the analysis is a brochure published by the Croatian National Tourist Board in 2009. The authors examine semiotic strategies and modes of ascribing values and meanings
to places that are presented as historical and cultural destinations. They take into consideration both verbal and visual modes, and identify the types of semiotic valorizations that have been used in the construction of a place as a tourist target.
En quête d'entreprises jouant la liberté et le partage du rêve
Authors: Getz Isaac
Published: May 2012

Résumé Des entreprises où les patrons s’attachent à forger un rêve et à le partager avec leurs salariés en leur laissant une grande capacité d’initiative, et qui seraient parmi les plus performantes : Isaac Getz est sur la piste de ces entreprises d’un nouveau type...
Une seule Europe, deux lois pénales : une harmonisation impossible ?
Authors: Cassuto Thomas , Michelini Gualtiero , J. Horsington Simon
Published: May 2012

Résumé Selon que vous serez sujet de droit romain ou de common law, le juge vous traitera différemment. Toutefois, au niveau européen, la notion d’harmonisation du droit pénal n’est plus un tabou et plusieurs indices témoignent d’une lente convergence.
Le Secours Catholique en quête d'une identité de groupe
Authors: Soulage François
Published: May 2012

Résumé Bien qu’on en parle comme d’une entité unique, le Secours Catholique regroupe nombre d’associations variées et la cohérence et la continuité des actions menées ne sont pas toujours faciles à assurer. D’où l’objectif de constituer une vraie identité de groupe.
Spatial Assessment of Selected Soil Properties within an Industrial Poultry Production Site
Authors: Shange Raymon S. , Ankumah Ramble O. , Githinji Leonard , Zabawa Robert
Published: May 2012

Waste resulting from industrial poultry production systems is becoming an increasingly significant environmental problem in the US, threatening both soil and water quality. The goal of this study was to assess the spatial variability and interactions of selected soil properties (physical, chemical, and biochemical), viz., particle size, pH, enzymatic activity, Soil Organic Carbon (SOC), and Total Nitrogen (TN), across an agricultural landscape used for industrial poultry production. The measured soil properties were separated according to biochemical constituents and soil texture based on the first two principal components, accounting for approximately 60% of the variability across the site. These principal components were then used to generate soil surface maps, indicating areas of possible catalytic activity. Surface maps showed possible increases in biochemical activity around areas of stored poultry litter, suggesting the utility of these methods in determining changes to soil management.
Leiomyomatosis Peritonealis Disseminata Associated with Endometriosis and Multiple Uterus-Like Mass: Report of Two Cases
Authors: Carvalho Filomena M. , Carvalho Jesus Paula , Pereira Ricardo Mendes Alves , Junior Benito Pio Vitório Ceccato , Lacordia Rafael , Baracat Edmund Chada
Published: May 2012

Leiomyomatosis peritonealis disseminate (LPD) is a rare benign disease of unknown etiology of women in reproductive age. A few reported cases of association with endometriosis have been described suggesting a possible origin from submesothelial multipotential cells. We present two cases of LPD associated with endometriosis expressing smooth muscle metaplasia, and some of the nodules with aspects of uterus-like mass. Laparoscopy, gross findings, and the pathological and immunohistochemical study of the surgical specimens were described. Our findings suggest an endometriotic origin for the LPD and indicate that the therapeutic approach might contemplate the surgical reduction of the nodules and endometriosis treatment.
Growth in NOx emissions from power plants in China: bottom-up estimates and satellite observations
Authors: Wang S. W. , Zhang Q. , Streets D. G. , He K. B. , Martin R. V. , Lamsal L. N. , Chen D. , Lei Y. , Lu Z.
Published: May 2012

Abstract. Using OMI (Ozone Monitoring Instrument) tropospheric NO2 columns and a nested-grid 3-D global chemical transport model (GEOS-Chem), we investigated the growth in NOx emissions from coal-fired power plants and their contributions to the growth in NO2 columns in 2005–2007 in China. We first developed a unit-based power plant NOx emission inventory for 2005–2007 to support this investigation. The total capacities of coal-fired power generation have increased by 48.8% in 2005–2007, with 92.2% of the total capacity additions coming from generator units with size ≥300 MW. The annual NOx emissions from coal-fired power plants were estimated to be 8.11 Tg NO2 for 2005 and 9.58 Tg NO2 for 2007, respectively. The modeled summer average tropospheric NO2 columns were highly correlated (R2 = 0.79–0.82) with OMI measurements over grids dominated by power plant emissions, with only 7–14% low bias, lending support to the high accuracy of the unit-based power plant NOx emission inventory. The ratios of OMI-derived annual and summer average tropospheric NO2 columns between 2007 and 2005 indicated that most of the grids with significant NO2 increases were related to power plant construction activities. OMI had the capability to trace the changes of NOx emissions from individual large power plants in cases where there is less interference from other NOx sources. Scenario runs from GEOS-Chem model suggested that the new power plants contributed 18.5% and 10% to the annual average NO2 columns in 2007 in Inner Mongolia and North China, respectively. The massive new power plant NOx emissions significantly changed the local NO2 profiles, especially in less polluted areas. A sensitivity study found that changes of NO2 shape factors due to including new power plant emissions increased the summer average OMI tropospheric NO2 columns by 3.8–17.2% for six selected locations, indicating that the updated emission information could help to improve the satellite retrievals.