bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Torres Strait Islander Perspective on the Concept of Indigenous Knowledge
Authors: Whap Georgina
Published: August 2016

The concept of Indigenous knowledge itself has life; it
is ‘living’ knowledge. This Indigenous knowledge or
‘living’ knowledge is not written, but rather transmitted
orally by the gatekeepers and holders of knowledge,
especially from our Elders ‘
Athe’ (grandfather), ’
Aka’ (grandmother), our parents ‘
Baba’ (father), and ‘
Ama’ (mother), as well as our (uncles) ‘
Awahdeh’ and our (aunties) ‘
Ama’. These holders of knowledge play a
major part in our individual lives as they mould or shape
our minds, values, ethics, morals and opinions about
society today and its influences on us as individuals. The
Elders also influence where we place ourselves in our
community and in the wider community. This transmission of
Indigenous knowledge is ‘
passed on’ through traditional language,
traditional lores, understandings of totems, kinship ties,
performance of dances, songs, stories, myths, legends,
rituals, ceremonies and activities or events which
influence our lives daily.
Educational Issues Facing Aboriginal Families in Rural Australia: A Case Study
Authors: Appleyard Susan
Published: August 2016

This paper will provide a detailed plan of how the Aboriginal community of Geraldton could plausibly go about correcting its educational problems. Such a correction could foreseeably result in the easing of much poverty and the associated ramifications. The success of this plan is entirely based on the cooperation of not only the schools and the parents, but will require the support of students (both Aboriginal and non Aboriginal), the Education Department (National, State and local levels), Non Government Organisations in Geraldton, school staff and the wider community.
Voices Still to be Heard
Authors: Gool Sophia , Patton Wendy
Published: August 2016

In a climate of self-determination it is essential to clarify what Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people themselves feel about their cultural identity and future. These voices exist in a context of the great potential in Aboriginal culture and by contrast the severe problems which Aboriginal people face.

Lippman (1994) argues that, although there is some evidence of Aboriginal status becoming more equitable, education being one instance to avail self-determination, data continue to reveal that Aboriginal mortality and morbidity rates lie in stark contrast to those of the general population of Australia. The death rate for Aboriginal men and women of 35 to 44 years is eight times higher than for the average non-Aboriginal (Ferrari, 1997). Queensland Health (1996) recently reported that Cape York has yet to experience the mortality gains seen by Indigenous populations in New Zealand and North America.
Addressing Issues of Equity and Access in the Delivery of Arts Education to Aboriginal Students
Authors: Smith R.G.
Published: August 2016

The over-riding objective of an Aboriginal Education Policy should be to achieve equity between Aboriginal people and other Australians in participation at all stages of education by the turn of the century. Education opportunities must be available to Aboriginal people regardless of where they live and in a manner that is appropriate to the diverse cultural and social situations in which they live. It is therefore essential to ensure access for Aboriginal children and adults to school and tertiary education, to ensure that Aboriginal communities are able to influence the way in which education is provided, and to ensure that it reflects their social and cultural values (Hughes Report, 1987: 17).
Verbal Reasoning Abilities of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Tertiary Applicants
Authors: White Colin
Published: August 2016

The data reported in this article were collected in 1990 and 1991. To determine if verbal reasoning abilities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander tertiary applicants have changed over the years, data for a more recent group of applicants were examined. Data from a sample of 100 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander tertiary applicants for 1994, 1995 and 1996 were subjected to analysis.
Dhinthun Wayawu - Looking for a Pathway to Knowledge: Towards a Vision of Yolngu education in Milingimbi
Authors: Tamisari Franca , Milmilany Elizabeth
Published: August 2016

Abstract
In this paper we present a brief history of education at
the community of Milingimbi in northeast Arnhem Land,
Northern Territory from the mission times to today. In
focusing on the emergence and implementation of bicultural
curriculum initiatives we explore some of the difficulties
and ever present challenges encountered by Yolngu
educators, leaders and elders in developing a local vision
of education which, in order to meet community needs and
aspirations, needs to be grounded in Yolngu stages of
learning, cultural values of identity, responsibility and
structures of authority.
Nēhîthâwâk of Reindeer Lake, Canada: Worldview, Epistemology and Relationships with the Natural World
Authors: Michell Herman
Published: August 2016

Abstract The purpose of this exploratory article is to illustrate the worldview, epistemology and relationship with the natural world from a Nēhîthâwâk (Woodlands Cree) perspective. The contents of the article represent a personal narrative of an educator of Woodlands Cree cultural heritage from the Reindeer Lake area of northern Canada. A brief history of the Woodlands Cree is shared in order to provide a context for my perspectives as “an insider” of this way of life. This is followed by an attempt to articulate fundamental key concepts in relation to traditional Woodlands Cree education, worldview, epistemology, language, values and practices as they are informed by relationships with the land, plants and animals. The text is highly subjective and culturally contextualised.
He Āpiti Hono, He Tātai Hono: That Which is Joined Remains an Unbroken Line: Using Whakapapa (Genealogy) as the Basis for an Indigenous Research Framework
Authors: Graham James
Published: August 2016

Abstract
This paper explores the notion of
whakapapaas providing a legitimate
research framework for engaging in research with Māori
communities. By exploring the tradition and meaning of
whakapapa, the paper will legitimate how
whakapapaand an understanding of
whakapapacan be used by Māori researchers
working among Māori communities. Therefore, emphasis is
placed on a research methodology framed by
whakapapathat not only authenticates Māori
epistemology in comparison with Western traditions, but
that also supports the notion of a
whakapaparesearch methodology being
transplanted across the Indigenous world; Indigenous
peoples researching among their Indigenous communities.
Consequently, Indigenous identity is strengthened as is the
contribution of the concept of
whakapapato Indigenous research paradigms
worldwide.
Moving and Dancing Towards Decolonisation in Education: An Example from an Indigenous Australian Performance Classroom
Authors: Mackinlay Elizabeth
Published: August 2016

Abstract In this paper I explore the special type of thinking, moving and dancing place which is opened up for decolonisaton when students engage in an embodied pedagogical practice in Indigenous education. I examine what decolonisation means in this context by describing the ways in which the curriculum, the students and me, and more generally the discipline of ethnomusicology itself, undergo a process to question, critique, and move aside the pedagogical script of colonialism in order to allow Indigenous ways of understanding music and dance to be presented, privileged and empowered. Key questions are: What is the relationship between embodiment and disembodiment and decolonisation and colonisation? In what ways is embodiment more than, or other than, the presence of moving bodies? In what ways is performativity an aspect of power/knowledge/subject formations? How can it be theorised? What could the pedagogical scripts of decolonisation look like?
Insights on First Nations Humanities
Authors: Henderson James (Sákéj) Youngblood
Published: August 2016

Abstract The question of what is humanity and how it is expressed has endless and dynamic answers. My paper is an attempt to construct and explain the answer based on the insights Indigenous humanity expressed in the continent called North America. The four fundamental insights are organised around the concept of creation as ecology, the insights of embodied spirits, the implicate order, and transformation. These complementary insights inform the depth of Indigenous worldview. These insights are replicated and revealed in structure and meaning of Indigenous languages, ceremonies and stories. These cognitive insights suggest a starting point for reflecting about whatever is most significant in Indigenous humanities in curriculum.
Enhancing Indigenous Participation in Higher Education Health Courses in Rural Victoria
Authors: Kippen Sandra , Ward Bernadette , Warren Lyn
Published: August 2016

Abstract
The poor health status of Australia’s Indigenous people
is well-documented, as are the links between health and
education. Aboriginal communities recognise the utmost
importance of improving educational, physical, social and
economic well-being in an environment where
disproportionate numbers of Aboriginal students fail to
complete secondary schooling. The aim of this paper is to
highlight the issues of access, participation, retention
and outcomes for Indigenous students wishing to study or
currently studying health courses at a tertiary level. This
project used a qualitative descriptive approach, conducting
in-depth interviews with a number of key stakeholders and
students in rural Victoria. Sixteen participants were
interviewed, 14 of whom were from the Indigenous
community.
Participants identified key issues that were linked to
the university and broader community environment. Factors
in the university environment included lack of Indigenous
staff within the mainstream university system, limited
support and culturally inappropriate teaching that lead to
negative learning experiences and poor motivation to
continue with education. In the broader community, the
isolating experience of leaving close-knit rural
communities and the influence of past experiences on
students’ aspirations for tertiary education was
highlighted. The importance of community support and
liaison with the university and marketing of health courses
to the Indigenous communities in the region were key issues
that participants identified as needing further
attention.
Transdisciplinary Research and Aboriginal Knowledge
Authors: Christie Michael
Published: August 2016

Abstract
Indigenous academic researchers are involved in
Indigenist, interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary
research, all of which present problems and opportunities
for Indigenous knowledge traditions.
Transdisciplinaryresearch is different
from
interdisciplinaryresearch because it moves
beyond the disciplinarity of the university and takes into
account knowledge practices which the university will never
fully understand. Indigenous knowledge traditions resist
definition from a Western academic perspective - there are
Indigenous knowledge practices which will never engage with
the academy, just as there are some branches of the academy
which will never acknowledge Indigenous knowledge
practices. In this paper I present the story of my own
non-Indigenous perspective on Indigenous research and what
happens to it in a university. I am not concerned here with
the knowledge production work Aboriginal people do in their
own ways and contexts for their own purposes, but rather
turn my attention to some of the issues which emerge when
transdisciplinary research practice involves Australian
Indigenous communities.
Where Do We Look Now? The Future of Research in Indigenous Australian Education
Authors: Harrison Neil
Published: August 2016

Abstract
Research in Indigenous Australian education is at a
dead-end. Researchers are still heading out into the field
to look for new knowledge to answer old questions. The same
epistemology dominates how we look, and where, while the
methodology provides the researcher with a forced choice,
one where either the student or the teacher is blamed for
the lack of outcomes in Indigenous education. Where do we
look now, and can we find something that has not been found
before? The unequal historical relation that persists
across Australia suggests that the process of research
itself could be given as much attention as the search for
quantifiable outcomes. The paper proposes that this process
focus on the production of relations between schools and
communities as well as on the search for knowledge.
Climbing the Educational Mountain: A Metaphor for Real Culture Change for Indigenous Students in Remote Schools
Authors: Hewitson Robyn
Published: August 2016

Abstract The history of remote school education in the Northern Territory can best be summarised as years of lost opportunities, pedagogies of discrimination, and diminished lives for those parents and children who trusted and responded to the government’s invitation to come to school. From late 2001 to 2005 historic educational change occurred in the remote Community Education Centre of Kalkaringi and Daguragu in the Northern Territory, the site for the delivery of the Northern Territory’s first Year 12 Indigenous graduates studying in their own community school. At the heart of the historic achievement was a radical change in thinking about education for Indigenous students. This paper discusses some of the policy parameters and educational circumstances that prevented significant change in the delivery model of education for the Community Education Centres in addition to a conceptualisation of how that school circumvented the policy parameters and instituted real change from the ground up. The paper examines, through a critical lens, the nature of the culture change that was crafted and built upon within Kalkaringi School and its communities, despite an initial and significant sense of powerlessness felt by families and to some extent the teachers and principal within the school. Through the development and embrace of a metaphor of possibility and hope - the challenge of climbing the educational mountain formed the foundation for a dedicated and committed enactment of an equitable educational entitlement for remote Indigenous students.
Aboriginal Education in the 1990s
Authors: Darvall Ken
Published: August 2016

1988, the year of the Bicentenary, was considered by some as the start of a new era for Aborigines. However, despite excellent media exposure on Aboriginal issues, the bicentennial year concluded with just memories of various celebrations.

We enter the 1990s at a time of increasing change throughout the world. I believe that it is necessary for everyone involved in Aboriginal education to focus on some important issues that encompass this delicate area.
Challenges and Inequalities of Opportunities in European Psychiatry	Research
Authors: Bölte Sven , Tomalski Przemyslaw , Marschik Peter B. , Berggren Steve , Norberg Joakim , Falck-Ytter Terje , Pokorska Olga , Jones Emily J.H. , Charman Tony , Roeyers Herbert , Kostrzewa Elzbieta ,   COST-ESSEA Action Members (BM1004 work groups)
Published: August 2016

Abstract. Europe is diverse in terms of economy, cultures, socio-demography, and languages. A crucial aspect of psychiatric research is the availability of standardized screening, diagnostic, and characterization instruments. We fine-mapped the accessibility of 14 clinical scales and cognitive tests for the assessment of early childhood Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD; e.g., ADOS, ADI-R, SCQ, SRS, CHAT, MESL) within 21 European countries. These tools are essential for internationally competitive early ASD detection research. We identified a considerable variation not only in the availability, but also psychometric standardization, and formal distribution of the instruments between the countries, privileging English speaking, high-income, and highly populated European countries. Absence of country-specific standardization was a problem across many countries, independent of income and size. Findings demonstrate, on a concrete level, the challenges in creating equal early ASD identification research opportunities in Europe, and the need for increased funding for instrument development and validation. We discuss the reasons, implications, and consequences of this inequity and ways of reducing it.
Assessing the Psychometric Properties of the Managerial Job Satisfaction Scale-MJSS-16
Authors: Ferretti Maria Santa , Argentero Piergiorgio
Published: August 2016

Abstract. Increasing globalization has resulted in an emerging line of research addressing the cross-national generalizability of job satisfaction measures and its correlates. In this study the authors tested the measurement equivalence of the Italian Managerial Job Satisfaction Survey (MJSS) in six countries. Study 1 involved a group of 800 Italian managers from a multinational firm based in Italy. The MJSS was validated and used to assess four dimensions of job satisfaction. Study 2 cross-nationally verified the findings of Study 1 in five countries: 3,886 managers from Germany, France, Poland, Spain, and Brazil provided data on the four satisfaction facets. Results showed that the four-factor solution of the MJSS-16 was invariant across samples, with data supporting configural, metric, and factor variance and covariance invariance. The Managerial Job Satisfaction Scale may be used for future research to draw meaningful structure-level comparisons across countries (i.e., comparisons dealing with cause-effect relationships).
Transgelin is a TGFβ-inducible gene that regulates osteoblastic and adipogenic differentiation of human skeletal stem cells through actin cytoskeleston organization
Authors: Elsafadi M , Manikandan M , Dawud R A , Alajez N M , Hamam R , Alfayez M , Kassem M , Aldahmash A , Mahmood A
Published: August 2016

Regenerative medicine is a novel approach for treating conditions in which enhanced bone regeneration is required. We identified transgelin (TAGLN), a transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ)-inducible gene, as an upregulated gene during in vitro osteoblastic and adipocytic differentiation of human bone marrow-derived stromal (skeletal) stem cells (hMSC). siRNA-mediated gene silencing of TAGLN impaired lineage differentiation into osteoblasts and adipocytes but enhanced cell proliferation. Additional functional studies revealed that TAGLN deficiency impaired hMSC cell motility and in vitro transwell cell migration. On the other hand, TAGLN overexpression reduced hMSC cell proliferation, but enhanced cell migration, osteoblastic and adipocytic differentiation, and in vivo bone formation. In addition, deficiency or overexpression of TAGLN in hMSC was associated with significant changes in cellular and nuclear morphology and cytoplasmic organelle composition as demonstrated by high content imaging and transmission electron microscopy that revealed pronounced alterations in the distribution of the actin filament and changes in cytoskeletal organization. Molecular signature of TAGLN-deficient hMSC showed that several genes and genetic pathways associated with cell differentiation, including regulation of actin cytoskeleton and focal adhesion pathways, were downregulated. Our data demonstrate that TAGLN has a role in generating committed progenitor cells from undifferentiated hMSC by regulating cytoskeleton organization. Targeting TAGLN is a plausible approach to enrich for committed hMSC cells needed for regenerative medicine application.
TLR and NLRP3 inflammasome-dependent innate immune responses to tumor-derived autophagosomes (DRibbles)
Authors: Xing Y , Cao R , Hu H-M
Published: August 2016

Autophagosomes derived from tumor cells, also referred to as defective ribosomal products in blebs (DRibbles), have been previously shown to stimulate potent T-cell responses and mediate tumor regression when used as therapeutic cancer vaccines in multiple preclinical cancer models. In this report, we investigated the underlining mechanisms by which DRibbles induced T-cell activation, particularly how DRibbles activated antigen-presenting cells (APCs). We found that DRibbles could induce a rapid differentiation of monocytes and DC precursor (pre-DC) cells into functional APCs. DRibbles triggered innate receptor signaling via Toll-like Receptors (TLR)-2, TLR4, TLR7, TLR8, and nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-containing protein 2 (NOD2), but not TLR3, TLR5, or TLR9. DRibbles induced PBMCs to produce pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α, and IL-1β. DRibbles induced IL-1β release from PBMC or THP-1 cells without LPS priming, but required the core machinery of NLRP3 inflammasomes. Active endocytosis was required for inflammasome activation and cross presentation, and blocking endosome acidification or the ER-associated degradation (ERAD) pathway resulted in opposite effects on these two processes. Our data show that DRibbles could induce strong innate immune responses via multiple pattern recognition receptors, and explain why DRibbles could function as excellent antigen carriers to induce adaptive immune responses to both tumor cells and viruses. In contrast to the well-established inhibitory effect of autophagy on the inflammasome activation of APCs, our study demonstrates that isolated autophagosomes (DRibbles) from antigen donor cells activate inflammasomes by providing first and second signals required for IL-1β production by PMBC.
Inhibitor of apoptosis protein expression in glioblastomas and their in vitro and in vivo targeting by SMAC mimetic GDC-0152
Authors: Tchoghandjian A , Soubéran A , Tabouret E , Colin C , Denicolaï E , Jiguet-Jiglaire C , El-Battari A , Villard C , Baeza-Kallee N , Figarella-Branger D
Published: August 2016

Glioblastomas (GBMs) are the most aggressive primary brain tumors in adult and remain a therapeutic challenge. Targeting key apoptosis regulators with the ultimate aim to restore apoptosis in tumor cells could be an interesting therapeutic strategy. The inhibitors of apoptosis proteins (IAPs) are regulators of cell death and represent attractive targets, especially because they can be antagonized by SMAC mimetics. In this study, we first investigated the expression of cIAP1, cIAP2, XIAP and ML-IAP in human GBM samples and in four different cell lines. We showed that all GBM samples and GBM cell lines expressed all these IAPs, although the expression of each IAP varied from one case to another. We then showed that high level of ML-IAP predicted worse progression-free survival and overall survival in both univariate and multivariate analyses in two independent cohorts of 58 and 43 primary human GBMs. We then used GDC-0152, a SMAC mimetic that antagonizes these IAPs and confirmed that GDC-0152 treatment in vitro decreased IAPs in all the cell lines studied. It affected cell line viability and triggered apoptosis, although the effect was higher in U87MG and GL261 than in GBM6 and GBM9 cell lines. In vivo, GDC-0152 effect on U87MG orthotopic xenografts was dose dependent; it postponed tumor formation and slowed down tumor growth, significantly improving survival of GBM-bearing mice. This study revealed for the first time that ML-IAP protein expression correlates with GBM patient survival and that its antagonist GDC-0152 improves outcome in xenografted mouse.
Load-induced enhancement of Dynein force production by LIS1–NudE in vivo and in vitro
Authors: Reddy Babu J. N. , Mattson Michelle , Wynne Caitlin L. , Vadpey Omid , Durra Abdo , Chapman Dail , Vallee Richard B. , Gross Steven P.
Published: August 2016

Most sub-cellular cargos are transported along microtubules by kinesin and dynein molecular motors, but how transport is regulated is not well understood. It is unknown whether local control is possible, for example, by changes in specific cargo-associated motor behaviour to react to impediments. Here we discover that microtubule-associated lipid droplets (LDs) in COS1 cells respond to an optical trap with a remarkable enhancement in sustained force production. This effect is observed only for microtubule minus-end-moving LDs. It is specifically blocked by RNAi for the cytoplasmic dynein regulators LIS1 and NudE/L (Nde1/Ndel1), but not for the dynactin p150Glued subunit. It can be completely replicated using cell-free preparations of purified LDs, where duration of LD force production is more than doubled. These results identify a novel, intrinsic, cargo-associated mechanism for dynein-mediated force adaptation, which should markedly improve the ability of motor-driven cargoes to overcome subcellular obstacles.
Evolution of a G protein-coupled receptor response by mutations in regulatory network interactions
Authors: Di Roberto Raphaël B. , Chang Belinda , Trusina Ala , Peisajovich Sergio G.
Published: August 2016

All cellular functions depend on the concerted action of multiple proteins organized in complex networks. To understand how selection acts on protein networks, we used the yeast mating receptor Ste2, a pheromone-activated G protein-coupled receptor, as a model system. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Ste2 is a hub in a network of interactions controlling both signal transduction and signal suppression. Through laboratory evolution, we obtained 21 mutant receptors sensitive to the pheromone of a related yeast species and investigated the molecular mechanisms behind this newfound sensitivity. While some mutants show enhanced binding affinity to the foreign pheromone, others only display weakened interactions with the network’s negative regulators. Importantly, the latter changes have a limited impact on overall pathway regulation, despite their considerable effect on sensitivity. Our results demonstrate that a new receptor–ligand pair can evolve through network-altering mutations independently of receptor–ligand binding, and suggest a potential role for such mutations in disease.
Correction: Corrigendum: Generation of stem cell-derived β-cells from patients with type 1 diabetes
Authors: Millman Jeffrey R. , Xie Chunhui , Van Dervort Alana , Gürtler Mads , Pagliuca Felicia W. , Melton Douglas A.
Published: August 2016

Nature Communications 7: Article number: 11463 (2016); Published: 10 May 2016; Updated: 4 August 2016. The source of reagents for this Article was not fully acknowledged. The Acknowledgements should have included the following: ‘We thank Professors Robin Goland and Dieter Egli (https://www.cellhub.org) for patient fibroblasts.
Enhanced hydrogenation activity and diastereomeric interactions of methyl pyruvate co-adsorbed with R-1-(1-naphthyl)ethylamine on Pd(111)
Authors: Mahapatra Mausumi , Burkholder Luke , Garvey Michael , Bai Yun , Saldin Dilano K. , Tysoe Wilfred T.
Published: August 2016

Unmodified racemic sites on heterogeneous chiral catalysts reduce their overall enantioselectivity, but this effect is mitigated in the Orito reaction (methyl pyruvate (MP) hydrogenation to methyl lactate) by an increased hydrogenation reactivity. Here, this effect is explored on a R-1-(1-naphthyl)ethylamine (NEA)-modified Pd(111) model catalyst where temperature-programmed desorption experiments reveal that NEA accelerates the rates of both MP hydrogenation and H/D exchange. NEA+MP docking complexes are imaged using scanning tunnelling microscopy supplemented by density functional theory calculations to allow the most stable docking complexes to be identified. The results show that diastereomeric interactions between NEA and MP occur predominantly by binding of the C=C of the enol tautomer of MP to the surface, while simultaneously optimizing C=O····H2N hydrogen-bonding interactions. The combination of chiral-NEA driven diastereomeric docking with a tautomeric preference enhances the hydrogenation activity since C=C bonds hydrogenate more easily than C=O bonds thus providing a rationale for the catalytic observations.
Phylogeographic Patterns in Africa and High Resolution Delineation of Genetic Clades in the Lion (Panthera leo)
Authors: Bertola L. D. , Jongbloed H. , van der Gaag K. J. , de Knijff P. , Yamaguchi N. , Hooghiemstra H. , Bauer H. , Henschel P. , White P. A. , Driscoll C. A. , Tende T. , Ottosson U. , Saidu Y. , Vrieling K. , de Iongh H. H.
Published: August 2016

Comparative phylogeography of African savannah mammals shows a congruent pattern in which populations in West/Central Africa are distinct from populations in East/Southern Africa. However, for the lion, all African populations are currently classified as a single subspecies (Panthera leo leo), while the only remaining population in Asia is considered to be distinct (Panthera leo persica). This distinction is disputed both by morphological and genetic data. In this study we introduce the lion as a model for African phylogeography. Analyses of mtDNA sequences reveal six supported clades and a strongly supported ancestral dichotomy with northern populations (West Africa, Central Africa, North Africa/Asia) on one branch and southern populations (North East Africa, East/Southern Africa and South West Africa) on the other. We review taxonomies and phylogenies of other large savannah mammals, illustrating that similar clades are found in other species. The described phylogeographic pattern is considered in relation to large scale environmental changes in Africa over the past 300,000 years, attributable to climate. Refugial areas, predicted by climate envelope models, further confirm the observed pattern. We support the revision of current lion taxonomy, as recognition of a northern and a southern subspecies is more parsimonious with the evolutionary history of the lion.
Ceramide mediates FasL-induced caspase 8 activation in colon carcinoma cells to enhance FasL-induced cytotoxicity by tumor-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes
Authors: Coe Genevieve L. , Redd Priscilla S. , Paschall Amy V. , Lu Chunwan , Gu Lilly , Cai Houjian , Albers Thomas , Lebedyeva Iryna O. , Liu Kebin
Published: August 2016

FasL-mediated cytotoxicity is one of the mechanisms that CTLs use to kill tumor cells. However, human colon carcinoma often deregulates the Fas signaling pathway to evade host cancer immune surveillance. We aimed at testing the hypothesis that novel ceramide analogs effectively modulate Fas function to sensitize colon carcinoma cells to FasL-induced apoptosis. We used rational design and synthesized twenty ceramide analogs as Fas function modulators. Five ceramide analogs, IG4, IG7, IG14, IG17, and IG19, exhibit low toxicity and potent activity in sensitization of human colon carcinoma cells to FasL-induced apoptosis. Functional deficiency of Fas limits both FasL and ceramide analogs in the induction of apoptosis. Ceramide enhances FasL-induced activation of the MAPK, NF-κB, and caspase 8 despite induction of potent tumor cell death. Finally, a sublethal dose of several ceramide analogs significantly increased CTL-mediated and FasL-induced apoptosis of colon carcinoma cells. We have therefore developed five novel ceramide analogs that act at a sublethal dose to enhance the efficacy of tumor-specific CTLs, and these ceramide analogs hold great promise for further development as adjunct agents in CTL-based colon cancer immunotherapy.
Analysis of aflatoxins in traditional Chinese medicines: Classification of analytical method on the basis of matrix variations
Authors: Zhao Sheng-Ping , Zhang Dan , Tan Li-Hong , Yu Bao , Cao Wei-Guo
Published: August 2016

A classification system for analytical methods was developed for the first time to determine the presence of aflatoxins B1, B2, G1 and G2 in traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) based on different matrix types using ultra-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. A useful characteristic of the approach was that the TCMs could be systematically divided into four categories (i.e., volatile oils, proteins, polysaccharides and fatty oils) depending on the matrix types. The approach concluded that different types of TCMs required different optimal sample preparation procedures. Based on the optimized analytical conditions, the limits of detection and quantification, average recoveries and linearity of four aflatoxins were determined and conformed to research limits. Of 22 TCMs samples, 14 samples were contaminated with at least one type aflatoxin at concentrations ranging from 0.2 to 7.5 μg/kg, and the average contents of aflatoxins were significantly different for the different matrix types. Moreover, we found a potential link between the contamination levels of aflatoxins and matrix types. TCMs containing fatty oils were the most susceptible to contamination by aflatoxins and followed by TCMs containing polysaccharides and proteins; TCMs containing abundant amounts of volatile oils were less prone to contamination.
Ultrasensitive sandwich-type electrochemical immunosensor based on trimetallic nanocomposite signal amplification strategy for the ultrasensitive detection of CEA
Authors: Tian Lihui , Liu Li , Li Yueyuan , Wei Qin , Cao Wei
Published: August 2016

A novel and ultrasensitive sandwich-type electrochemical immunosensor was designed for the quantitative detection of carcino-embryonic antigen (CEA). This immunosensor was developed by using the trimetallic NiAuPt nanoparticles on graphene nanosheets (NGs) nanosheets (NiAuPt-NGs) as excellent labels and β-cyclodextrin functionalized reduced graphene oxide nanosheets (CD-NGs) as the platform. The CD-NGs with high specific surface area good biocompatibility and the ideal dispersibility was used to capture the primary antibodies (Ab1) efficiently. The trimetallic NiAuPt-NGs nanocomposites were used as the labels for signal amplification, showing better electrocatalytic activity towards the reduction of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), which is much better than that the monometallic Pt-NGs, bimetallic NiPt-NGs and AuPt-NGs due to the synergetic effect presented in NiAuPt-NGs. The NiAuPt-NGs nanocomposites consist of tightly coupled nanostructures of Au, Ni and Pt, which have neither an alloy nor a core-shell structure. Under the optimal conditions, a linear range from 0.001–100 ng/mL and a low detection limit of 0.27 pg/mL were obtained for CEA. The proposed electrochemical sandwich-type immunosensor may have a promising application in bioassay and it enriches the electrochemical immunoassays.
Exposure to bacterial endotoxin generates a distinct strain of α-synuclein fibril
Authors: Kim Changyoun , Lv Guohua , Lee Jun Sung , Jung Byung Chul , Masuda-Suzukake Masami , Hong Chul-Suk , Valera Elvira , Lee He-Jin , Paik Seung R. , Hasegawa Masato , Masliah Eliezer , Eliezer David , Lee Seung-Jae
Published: August 2016

A single amyloidogenic protein is implicated in multiple neurological diseases and capable of generating a number of aggregate “strains” with distinct structures. Among the amyloidogenic proteins, α-synuclein generates multiple patterns of proteinopathies in a group of diseases, such as Parkinson disease (PD), dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), and multiple system atrophy (MSA). However, the link between specific conformations and distinct pathologies, the key concept of the strain hypothesis, remains elusive. Here we show that in the presence of bacterial endotoxin, lipopolysaccharide (LPS), α-synuclein generated a self-renewable, structurally distinct fibril strain that consistently induced specific patterns of synucleinopathies in mice. These results suggest that amyloid fibrils with self-renewable structures cause distinct types of proteinopathies despite the identical primary structure and that exposure to exogenous pathogens may contribute to the diversity of synucleinopathies.
Allogeneic anorectal transplantation in rats: technical considerations and preliminary results
Authors: Galvão Flavio H. F. , Waisberg Daniel R. , Seid Victor E. , Costa Anderson C. L. , Chaib Eleazar , Baptista Rachel Rossini , Capelozzi Vera Luiza , Lanchotte Cinthia , Cruz Ruy J. , Araki Jun , D’Albuquerque Luiz Carneiro
Published: August 2016

Fecal incontinence is a challenging condition with numerous available treatment modalities. Success rates vary across these modalities, and permanent colostomy is often indicated when they fail. For these cases, a novel potential therapeutic strategy is anorectal transplantation (ATx). We performed four isogeneic (Lewis-to-Lewis) and seven allogeneic (Wistar-to-Lewis) ATx procedures. The anorectum was retrieved with a vascular pedicle containing the aorta in continuity with the inferior mesenteric artery and portal vein in continuity with the inferior mesenteric vein. In the recipient, the native anorectal segment was removed and the graft was transplanted by end-to-side aorta-aorta and porto-cava anastomoses and end-to-end colorectal anastomosis. Recipients were sacrificed at the experimental endpoint on postoperative day 30. Surviving animals resumed normal body weight gain and clinical performance within 5 days of surgery. Isografts and 42.9% of allografts achieved normal clinical evolution up to the experimental endpoint. In 57.1% of allografts, signs of immunological rejection (abdominal distention, diarrhea, and anal mucosa inflammation) were observed three weeks after transplantation. Histology revealed moderate to severe rejection in allografts and no signs of rejection in isografts. We describe a feasible model of ATx in rats, which may allow further physiological and immunologic studies.
Increasing strength and conductivity of Cu alloy through abnormal plastic deformation of an intermetallic compound
Authors: Han Seung Zeon , Lim Sung Hwan , Kim Sangshik , Lee Jehyun , Goto Masahiro , Kim Hyung Giun , Han Byungchan , Kim Kwang Ho
Published: August 2016

The precipitation strengthening of Cu alloys inevitably accompanies lowering of their electric conductivity and ductility. We produced bulk Cu alloys arrayed with nanofibers of stiff intermetallic compound through a precipitation mechanism using conventional casting and heat treatment processes. We then successfully elongated these arrays of nanofibers in the bulk Cu alloys to 400% of original length without breakage at room temperature using conventional rolling process. By inducing such an one-directional array of nanofibers of intermetallic compound from the uniform distribution of fine precipitates in the bulk Cu alloys, the trade-off between strength and conductivity and between strength and ductility could be significantly reduced. We observed a simultaneous increase in electrical conductivity by 1.3 times and also tensile strength by 1.3 times in this Cu alloy bulk compared to the conventional Cu alloys.
The Airway Microbiome at Birth
Authors: Lal Charitharth Vivek , Travers Colm , Aghai Zubair H. , Eipers Peter , Jilling Tamas , Halloran Brian , Carlo Waldemar A. , Keeley Jordan , Rezonzew Gabriel , Kumar Ranjit , Morrow Casey , Bhandari Vineet , Ambalavanan Namasivayam
Published: August 2016

Alterations of pulmonary microbiome have been recognized in multiple respiratory disorders. It is critically important to ascertain if an airway microbiome exists at birth and if so, whether it is associated with subsequent lung disease. We found an established diverse and similar airway microbiome at birth in both preterm and term infants, which was more diverse and different from that of older preterm infants with established chronic lung disease (bronchopulmonary dysplasia). Consistent temporal dysbiotic changes in the airway microbiome were seen from birth to the development of bronchopulmonary dysplasia in extremely preterm infants. Genus Lactobacillus was decreased at birth in infants with chorioamnionitis and in preterm infants who subsequently went on to develop lung disease. Our results, taken together with previous literature indicating a placental and amniotic fluid microbiome, suggest fetal acquisition of an airway microbiome. We speculate that the early airway microbiome may prime the developing pulmonary immune system and dysbiosis in its development may set the stage for subsequent lung disease.
Metformin Enhances the Therapy Effects of Anti-IGF-1R mAb Figitumumab to NSCLC
Authors: Cao Hongxin , Dong Wei , Qu Xiao , Shen Hongchang , Xu Jun , Zhu Linhai , Liu Qi , Du Jiajun
Published: August 2016

The insulin-like growth factor (IGF) signaling system plays a critical role in tumorigenesis, highlighting the potential of targeting IGF-1R as an anti-cancer therapy. Although multiple anti-IGF-1R monoclonal antibody (mAb) drugs have been developed, challenges remain in the validation of the therapeutic effects and understanding the molecular mechanism of these mAbs. Herein, we conducted a study to validate the effect of Figitumumab (CP), an anti-IGF-1R mAb, in a panel of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell lines. We found all tested cell lines were sensitive to CP, and CP could block IGF-1R and the downstream PI3K/AKT pathway activation. Unexpectedly, we found CP could activate ERK signaling pathway in IGF-1R kinase independent manner, which we further verified was mainly mediated by β-arrestin2. We also investigated the anti-tumor effect of metformin alone as well as its combination with CP to target NSCLC. Metformin could target IGF-1R signaling pathway by attenuating PI3K/AKT and MEK/ERK signaling pathways and down-regulating IGF-1R. Finally, we found that combining metformin with CP could further induce IGF-1R down-regulation and was more effective to target NSCLC cells. Our data suggests the combining of metformin with CP has additive therapeutic value against NSCLC.
Strength Training Prevents Hyperinsulinemia, Insulin Resistance, and Inflammation Independent of Weight Loss in Fructose-Fed Animals
Authors: Botezelli José D. , Coope Andressa , Ghezzi Ana C. , Cambri Lucieli T. , Moura Leandro P. , Scariot Pedro P. M. , Gaspar Rodrigo Stellzer , Mekary Rania A. , Ropelle Eduardo Rochete , Pauli José Rodrigo
Published: August 2016

The aim of this study was to compare the effects of aerobic, strength, and combined training on metabolic disorders induced by a fructose-rich diet. Wistar rats (120 days old) were randomized into five groups (n = 8–14): C (control diet and sedentary), F (fed the fructose-rich diet and sedentary), FA (fed the fructose-rich diet and subject to aerobic exercise), FS (fed the fructose-rich diet and subject to strength exercise), and FAS (fed the fructose-rich diet and subject to combined aerobic and strength exercises). After the 8-week experiment, glucose homeostasis, blood biochemistry, tissue triglycerides, and inflammation were evaluated and analyzed. The strength protocol exerted greater effects on glucose homeostasis, insulin sensitivity, and liver lipid contents than other protocols (all P < 0.05). All three exercise protocols induced a remarkable reduction in inflammation, tissue triglyceride content, and inflammatory pathways, which was achieved through c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK) phosphorylation and factor nuclear kappa B (NFkB) activation in both the liver and the muscle. Our data suggest that strength training reduced the severity of most of the metabolic disorders induced by a fructose-rich diet and could be the most effective strategy to prevent or treat fructose-induced metabolic diseases.
Resting state brain dynamics and its transients: a combined TMS-EEG study
Authors: Bonnard Mireille , Chen Sophie , Gaychet Jérôme , Carrere Marcel , Woodman Marmaduke , Giusiano Bernard , Jirsa Viktor
Published: August 2016

The brain at rest exhibits a spatio-temporally rich dynamics which adheres to systematic behaviours that persist in task paradigms but appear altered in disease. Despite this hypothesis, many rest state paradigms do not act directly upon the rest state and therefore cannot confirm hypotheses about its mechanisms. To address this challenge, we combined transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and electroencephalography (EEG) to study brain’s relaxation toward rest following a transient perturbation. Specifically, TMS targeted either the medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC), i.e. part of the Default Mode Network (DMN) or the superior parietal lobule (SPL), involved in the Dorsal Attention Network. TMS was triggered by a given brain state, namely an increase in occipital alpha rhythm power. Following the initial TMS-Evoked Potential, TMS at MPFC enhances the induced occipital alpha rhythm, called Event Related Synchronisation, with a longer transient lifetime than TMS at SPL and a higher amplitude. Our findings show a strong coupling between MPFC and the occipital alpha power. Although the rest state is organized around a core of resting state networks, the DMN functionally takes a special role among these resting state networks.
High Efficiency Mesoscopic Organometal Halide Perovskite Solar Cells
Authors: Park Nam-Gyu
Published: August 2016

Since the report on a long-term durable and high efficiency all-solid-state perovskite solar cell employing a CH3NH3PbI3-sensitized mesoporous TiO2 film in 2012, a surge of interest in perovskite solar cells has been received due to their super photovoltaic performance along with the unconventional opto-electron properties of halide perovskite containing organic cations. As a result, a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 20.1% was certified at the end of 2014 using mesoscopic perovskite solar cell architecture. In this chapter, high efficiency perovskite solar cells with the embodiment of mesoporous or nanostructured oxide layers are described together with a brief summary on the emergence and progress of perovskite solar cells. The methodologies for high quality organolead halide perovskites with mesoscopic structure are discussed. The opto-electronic properties of three-dimensional (3D) nanocuboid and one-dimensional (1D) nanowire perovskites are studied, and the electron injection behavior in 3D and 1D nanostructured oxide layers is compared. Finally, the factors affecting I–V hysteresis are also investigated and analyzed by impedance spectroscopy.
Photophysics of Hybrid Perovskites
Authors: Kandada Ajay Ram Srimath , D'Innocenzo Valerio , Lanzani Guglielmo , Petrozza Annamaria
Published: August 2016

Hybrid perovskites are an emergent class of materials for optoelectronic applications. The understanding of their photophysics is however lagging behind, hampering the systematic engineering of best performing devices. Disentangling the different photophysical contributions and identifying the intrinsic properties are in demand for a market-scale development of this technology. In this book chapter, we provide the physical basis for the optical properties of these semiconductors. We will focus in particular on the absorption and emission properties of methyl-ammonium lead iodide (CH3NH3PbI3), which is the active semiconductor of the champion solar cells, as well as CH3NH3PbBr3. We will discuss specific photophysical observables and phenomena, such as the bandgap, the carrier lifetime, the trapping dynamics, the carrier diffusion/mobility and the Coulomb correlation effects. Attention will be paid to the role of the microstructure on the photophysics of the material. We will also review various experimental methods used until now to perform photophysical investigations on perovskites, and we will highlight the cautionary steps to be kept in mind while employing such techniques.
The Role of Nanostructured Metal Oxides in Hybrid Solar Cells
Authors: Dorman James A. , Schmidt-Mende Lukas
Published: August 2016

Nanostructured metal oxides have been implemental to the development of hybrid, organic, and perovskite solar cells due to their wide bandgaps, chemical stability, and tunable electronic properties. This chapter covers the fabrication of nanostructured metal oxides for all applications in hybrid solar cells, including transparent conducting oxides (TCOs), electron/hole blocking layers, and charge transport layers. While each layer plays a unique role in the device operation, they share fundamental properties that can be engineered during their synthesis. Specifically, the role of doping and energy level manipulation, high interfacial surface area for charge separation, and ordered nanostructure arrays for photon manipulation are highlighted. The materials presented here are divided into two main groups, 1D and 2D nanostructures for TCOs and TiO2 nanocrystals for electron transport layers. The goal of this chapter is to convey a broad range of top-down and bottom-up synthetic methods that are common throughout semiconductor research but have played a vital role in the development of next generation photovoltaics.