bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Characterization of crystalline phases of bone ash
Authors: Ahsan M , Dewan AH , Mustafi S , Ahmed S
Published: December 2012

Bone ash has been prepared from waste cattle bone choosing two different calcination temperatures (1050°C and 1100°C). The heat treatment was performed by conducting quenching and without quenching techniques. The prepared bone ash was characterized using XRF, XRD and FTIR techniques which revealed that the observed data were in excellent agreement with the standard values for hydroxyapatite (the prime raw material of bone china) and could be used as the raw material for bone china ceramic ware. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjsir.v47i3.13057 Bangladesh J. Sci. Ind. Res. 47(3), 265-268, 2012
In vitro mass propagation of Plumbago zeylanica L., through direct organogenesis
Authors: Hassan AKMS , Haque F , Jahan MAA , Roy SK
Published: December 2012

An efficient protocol was developed for in vitro mass propagation of an important medicinal shrub, Plumbago zeylanica L., (Plumbaginaceae) through direct organogenesis using shoot tip and nodal explants. Best shoot induction was observed on MS basal medium supplemented with 0.5 mg/l BAP, in which 86.4% of nodal explants responded to produce maximum number (12.4 ± 0.66) of shoots per culture. In vitro raised shoots rooted on half strength MS medium with 0.5 mg/l IAA. For acclimatization and transplantation, the plantlets in the rooted culture tubes were kept in normal room temperature for 7 days before transplanting in pots where plantlets were reared for three weeks. The survival rate of regenerated plantlets was 85%. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjsir.v47i3.13063 Bangladesh J. Sci. Ind. Res. 47(3), 297-302 2012
Increasing incidence of hepatitis A in Bangladesh
Authors: Amin MZ , Siddique LN , Slatter MA , Biswas KK
Published: December 2012

Hepatitis A (HAV) infection is caused by the hepatitis A virus which is transmitted through the fecal-oral route. Life long protective antibodies are present after infection. The number of cases of adult hepatitis A has progressively been increasing during the last several decades in Bangladesh. In addition, the pattern of age-specific seroprevalence of anti-HAV has changed with economic growth. The prevalence of anti-HAV in 20-40 year age range has declined rapidly during the last 3 decades. As a result, this age groups has a high risk for HAV infection and clinically overt hepatitis A is increasing in adolescents and adult. The aim of the present study were to assess whether the proportion of adults with acute HAV infection has been increasing over the years and analyze the seroprevalence of immunoglobulin M(IgM) anti- HAV antibodies in young adults below the age of 20 years as well as in cases of chronic liver disease. Sera collected from 530 patients with acute and chronic liver disease attends the Somorita Hospital Ltd. during the previous 2 years and 6 months (Jan. 2008- Jun. 2010) were tested for various serological markers of acute and chronic hepatitis. In addition, 530 normal healthy attendants of the patients above the age of 20 years were tested for IgM anti-HAV as controls. Of 530 patients with acute hepatitis (13.42%) were positive for immunoglobulin M. The patients who were IgM anti-HAV negative were found to be hepatitis B (106 patients), hepatitis C, (10 patients), hepatitis E (150 patients) and unclassified (273 patients). Although the frequency of HAV infection among young adult (< 20 age) had increased (33.33% to 42.35%) in the 2 years and 6 months period, the frequency of HAV infection among adults had also increased (15.38% to 28.13%) during the same period. This study should be helpful for the identification of high risk population for vaccination of hepatitis A. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjsir.v47i3.13065 Bangladesh J. Sci. Ind. Res. 47(3), 309-312 2012
Ergodic theory of one dimensional Map
Authors: Biswas HR , Islam MS
Published: December 2012

In this paper we study one dimensional linear and non-linear maps and its dynamical behavior. We study measure theoretical dynamical behavior of the maps. We study ergodic measure and Birkhoff ergodic theorem. Also, we study some problems using Birkhoff's ergodic theorem. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjsir.v47i3.13067 Bangladesh J. Sci. Ind. Res. 47(3), 321-326 2012
Electrochemical studies on the removal of cadmium by methylated xanthine bases from aqueous solution
Authors: Jabbar Md Abdul , Sabuj Md Riad Hossain
Published: December 2012

No abstract available DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjsr.v25i1.13046 Bangladesh J. Sci. Res. 25(1): 11-22, 2012
Non-linear age-time-population dependent stochastic population model
Authors: Hossain Md Jamal , Islam Md Shahidul
Published: December 2012

No abstract available DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjsr.v25i1.13052 Bangladesh J. Sci. Res. 25(1): 73-85, 2012
Mind Bending, Mental Seduction and Menticide: Brainwashing in British Spy Dramas of the 1960s
Authors: Burton Alan
Published: December 2012

Brainwashing assumed the proportions of a cultural fantasy during the Cold War period. The article examines the various political, scientific and cultural contexts of brainwashing, and proceeds to a consideration of the place of mind control in British spy dramas made for cinema and television in the 1960s and 1970s. Particular attention is given to the films The Mind Benders (1963) and The Ipcress File (1965), and to the television dramas Man in a Suitcase (1967–8), The Prisoner (1967–8) and Callan (1967–81), which gave expression to the anxieties surrounding thought-control. Attention is given to the scientific background to the representations of brainwashing, and the significance of spy scandals, treasons and treacheries as a distinct context to the appearance of brainwashing on British screens.
‘That's going to happen to us. It is’:Threadsand the Imagination of Nuclear Disaster on 1980s Television
Authors: Cordle Daniel
Published: December 2012

The broadcast of Threads (BBC) on 23 September 1984 was a key moment in the Cold War imagination of nuclear catastrophe. Directed by Mick Jackson, and scripted by Barry Hines, the docudrama was widely trailed, attracted a large audience and was influential in defining a vision of what nuclear war would mean. The early 1980s had seen a resurgence in Cold War tensions with both superpowers adopting more bellicose rhetoric and actions; with nuclear war felt by many to be a distinct possibility, nuclear protest had also re-emerged as a shaping influence on the political landscape. Yet Threads is now, if not quite forgotten, certainly little known: with some notable exceptions, few critics have written about it and it has rarely been screened since its first broadcast. This article seeks to recover Threads and argue for its significance in providing 1980s Britain with a vision of what nuclear war would mean. It shows how it works within and against established television genres, exploiting the tensions between dramatic and documentary aesthetics, and how scheduling framed it as significant by placing it within the context of other documentary and discussion programmes. Finally, the article assesses the long-term impact of Threads. Although it swiftly faded from popular memory, it had a lasting impact on a specific demographic within its original audience: those who were adolescents or young adults when it was first broadcast. Not coincidentally, it was this generation who provided many of the new recruits for CND and other protest groups during the 1980s.
‘Terrible things happen’: Peter Bowker's Occupation and the Representation of the Iraq War in British Television Drama
Authors: Harper Stephen
Published: December 2012

Peter Bowker and Laurie Borg's three-part television drama Occupation (2009) chronicles the experiences of three British soldiers involved in the 2003 invasion of Iraq. By means of an historically situated textual analysis, this article assesses how far the drama succeeds in presenting a progressive critique of the British military involvement in Iraq. It is argued that although Occupation devotes some narrative space to subaltern perspectives on Britain's military involvement in Iraq, the production – in contrast to some other British television dramas about the Iraq war – tends to privilege pro-war perspectives, elide Iraqi experiences of suffering, and, through the discursive strategy of ‘de-agentification’, obfuscate the extent of Western responsibility for the damage the war inflicted on Iraq and its population. Appearing six years after the beginning of a war whose prosecution provoked widespread public dissent, Occupation's political silences perhaps illustrate the BBC's difficulty in creating contestatory drama in what some have argued to be the conservative moment of post-Hutton public service broadcasting.
Generation of a Monoclonal Antibody Specifically Reacting with Neuron-specific TATA-Box Binding Protein-Associated Factor 1 (N-TAF1)
Authors: Makino Satoshi , Masuda Chiaki , Ando Satoshi , Tamiya Gen , Tooyama Ikuo
Published: December 2012

TATA-box binding protein-associated factor 1 (TAF1), the largest subunit of the transcription factor IID complex, plays an important role in the RNA polymerase II-mediated gene transcription pathway regulating the transcription of a large number of genes related to cell division. The neuron-specific isoform of the TAF1 gene (N-TAF1) may have an essential role in neurons through transcriptional regulation of many neuron-specific genes. The present study reports the preparation and properties of a monoclonal antibody directed against N-TAF1. The monoclonal antibody, 3A-11F, specifically recognized N-TAF1 protein with no reactivity to TAF1 protein, as evidenced by immunocytochemistry and immunoprecipitation using cultured cells expressing recombinant N-TAF1 or TAF1 protein. Immunohistochemistry using 3A-11F showed that N-TAF1-imunoreactivity was detected in the nuclear region of neurons in the rat brain. The 3A-11F monoclonal antibody promises to be a useful tool for determining the expression pattern and biological function of N-TAF1 in the brain.
Molecular Insights into Poly(ADP-ribose) Recognition and Processing
Authors: Žaja Roko , Mikoč Andreja , Barkauskaite Eva , Ahel Ivan
Published: December 2012

Poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation is a post-translational protein modification involved in the regulation of important cellular functions including DNA repair, transcription, mitosis and apoptosis. The amount of poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation (PAR) in cells reflects the balance of synthesis, mediated by the PARP protein family, and degradation, which is catalyzed by a glycohydrolase, PARG. Many of the proteins mediating PAR metabolism possess specialised high affinity PAR-binding modules that allow the efficient sensing or processing of the PAR signal. The identification of four such PAR-binding modules and the characterization of a number of proteins utilising these elements during the last decade has provided important insights into how PAR regulates different cellular activities. The macrodomain represents a unique PAR-binding module which is, in some instances, known to possess enzymatic activity on ADP-ribose derivatives (in addition to PAR-binding). The most recently discovered example for this is the PARG protein, and several available PARG structures have provided an understanding into how the PARG macrodomain evolved into a major enzyme that maintains PAR homeostasis in living cells.
Long-Term Consequences of Developmental Alcohol Exposure on Brain Structure and Function: Therapeutic Benefits of Physical Activity
Authors: Klintsova Anna , Hamilton Gillian , Boschen Karen
Published: December 2012

Developmental alcohol exposure both early in life and during adolescence can have a devastating impact on normal brain structure and functioning, leading to behavioral and cognitive impairments that persist throughout the lifespan. This review discusses human work as well as animal models used to investigate the effect of alcohol exposure at various time points during development, as well as specific behavioral and neuroanatomical deficits caused by alcohol exposure. Further, cellular and molecular mediators contributing to these alcohol-induced changes are examined, such as neurotrophic factors and apoptotic markers. Next, this review seeks to support the use of aerobic exercise as a potential therapeutic intervention for alcohol-related impairments. To date, few interventions, behavioral or pharmacological, have been proven effective in mitigating some alcohol-related deficits. Exercise is a simple therapy that can be used across species and also across socioeconomic status. It has a profoundly positive influence on many measures of learning and neuroplasticity; in particular, those measures damaged by alcohol exposure. This review discusses current evidence that exercise may mitigate damage caused by developmental alcohol exposure and is a promising therapeutic target for future research and intervention strategies.
Changes in Translational Control after Pro-Apoptotic Stress
Authors: Lasfargues Charline , Martineau Yvan , Bousquet Corinne , Pyronnet Stéphane
Published: December 2012

In stressed cells, a general decrease in the rate of protein synthesis occurs due to modifications in the activity of translation initiation factors. Compelling data now indicate that these changes also permit a selective post-transcriptional expression of proteins necessary for either cell survival or completion of apoptosis when cells are exposed to severe or prolonged stress. In this review, we summarize the modifications that inhibit the activity of the main canonical translation initiation factors, and the data explaining how certain mRNAs encoding proteins involved in either cell survival or apoptosis can be selectively translated.
Expression and Functional Studies on the Noncoding RNA, PRINS
Authors: Szegedi Krisztina , Göblös Anikó , Bacsa Sarolta , Antal Mária , Németh István , Bata-Csörgő Zsuzsanna , Kemény Lajos , Dobozy Attila , Széll Márta
Published: December 2012

PRINS, a noncoding RNA identified earlier by our research group, contributes to psoriasis susceptibility and cellular stress response. We have now studied the cellular and histological distribution of PRINS by using in situ hybridization and demonstrated variable expressions in different human tissues and a consistent staining pattern in epidermal keratinocytes and in vitro cultured keratinocytes. To identify the cellular function(s) of PRINS, we searched for a direct interacting partner(s) of this stress-induced molecule. In HaCaT and NHEK cell lysates, the protein proved to be nucleophosmin (NPM) protein as a potential physical interactor with PRINS. Immunohistochemical experiments revealed an elevated expression of NPM in the dividing cells of the basal layers of psoriatic involved skin samples as compared with healthy and psoriatic uninvolved samples. Others have previously shown that NPM is a ubiquitously expressed nucleolar phosphoprotein which shuttles to the nucleoplasm after UV-B irradiation in fibroblasts and cancer cells. We detected a similar translocation of NPM in UV-B-irradiated cultured keratinocytes. The gene-specific silencing of PRINS resulted in the retention of NPM in the nucleolus of UV-B-irradiated keratinocytes; suggesting that PRINS may play a role in the NPM-mediated cellular stress response in the skin.
The Controversial Role of Retinoic Acid in Fibrotic Diseases: Analysis of Involved Signaling Pathways
Authors: Zhou Tian-Biao , Drummen Gregor , Qin Yuan-Han
Published: December 2012

Fibrotic diseases, such as liver, pulmonary and renal fibrosis, are common end-stage conditions and represent a major global health problem. Furthermore, effective therapeutic measures are presently unavailable. Extracellular matrix accumulation is the most prominent characteristic in the pathogenesis of fibrotic disease. Retinoic acid, including all-trans retinoic acid, 9-cis and 13-cis retinoic acid, play important roles in various physiological processes, such as in embryonic development, reproduction, vision, cell growth, differentiation, apoptosis and inflammation. Present studies report that retinoic acid treatment may affect various processes involved in the onset and progression of fibrotic disease. However, the therapeutic effects of retinoic acid in such diseases remain controversial. Several reports indicate that retinoic acid positively affects the progression of fibrosis and alleviates the accumulation of the extracellular matrix, whereas other studies report the opposite; that retinoic acid exacerbates fibrosis and induces extracellular matrix accumulation. Signaling pathways might be an important influencing factor and differences in signaling events might be responsible for the contradictory role of retinoic acid in fibrotic diseases. Since there was no review available that investigated the role of retinoic acid and the signaling pathways involved, we retrospectively studied the literature and provide a comprehensive analysis of retinoic acid’s role in fibrotic diseases, and provide an overview of the signal transduction pathways involved in its pathogenesis.
Morphological Change of Heat Treated Bovine Bone: A Comparative Study
Authors: Pramanik Sumit , Hanif Asyikin , Pingguan-Murphy Belinda , Abu Osman Noor
Published: December 2012

In this work, untreated bovine cortical bones (BCBs) were exposed to a range of heat treatments in order to determine at which temperature the apatite develops an optimum morphology comprising porous nano hydroxyapatite (nanoHAp) crystals. Rectangular specimens (10 mm × 10 mm × 3–5 mm) of BCB were prepared, being excised in normal to longitudinal and transverse directions. Specimens were sintered at up to 900 °C under ambient pressure in order to produce apatites by two steps sintering. The samples were characterized by thermogravimetric analysis, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) attached to an energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy detector. For the first time, morphology of the HAp particles was predicted by XRD, and it was verified by SEM. The results show that an equiaxed polycrystalline HAp particle with uniform porosity was produced at 900 °C. It indicates that a porous nanoHAp achieved by sintering at 900 °C can be an ideal candidate as an in situ scaffold for load-bearing tissue applications.
Mechanical Properties and Tensile Failure Analysis of Novel Bio-absorbable Mg-Zn-Cu and Mg-Zn-Se Alloys for Endovascular Applications
Authors: Persaud-Sharma Dharam , Budiansky Noah , McGoron Anthony
Published: December 2012

In this paper, the mechanical properties and tensile failure mechanism of two novel bio-absorbable as-cast Mg-Zn-Se and Mg-Zn-Cu alloys for endovascular medical applications are characterized. Alloys were manufactured using an ARC melting process and tested as-cast with compositions of Mg-Zn-Se and Mg-Zn-Cu, being 98/1/1 wt.% respectively. Nanoindentation testing conducted at room temperature was used to characterize the elastic modulus (E) and surface hardness (H) for both the bare alloys and the air formed oxide layer. As compared to currently available shape memory alloys and degradable as-cast alloys, these experimental alloys possess superior as-cast mechanical properties that can increase their biocompatibility, degradation kinetics, and the potential for medical device creation.
Synthesis of New Optically Active 2-Pyrrolidinones
Authors: Moutevelis-Minakakis Panagiota , Papavassilopoulou Eleni , Mavromoustakos Thomas
Published: December 2012

A new class of optically active 2-pyrrolidinones was synthesized, starting from S-pyroglutamic acid, a well known natural chiral synthon. The synthetic design followed led to the insertion of various substituents at positions 1 and 5 of the 2-pyrrolidinone ring, including the imidazole moiety. Some of them possess two or three stereogenic centers, the configuration of which was retained under the mild conditions used. The new compounds also carry an imidazole moiety, which, along with the 2-pyrrolidinone template, may prove pivotal to several biological processes.
Brønsted Acidic Ionic Liquid Accelerated Halogenation of Organic Compounds with N-Halosuccinimides (NXS)
Authors: Vražič Dejan , Jereb Marjan , Laali Kenneth , Stavber Stojan
Published: December 2012

The Brønsted-acidic ionic liquid 1-methyl-3-(4-sulfobutyl)imidazolium triflate [BMIM(SO3H)][OTf] was demonstrated to act efficiently as solvent and catalyst for the halogenation of activated organic compounds with N-halosuccinimides (NXS) under mild conditions with short reaction times. Methyl aryl ketones were converted into α-halo and α,α-dihaloketones, depending on the quantity of NXS used. Ketones with activated aromatic rings were selectively halogenated, however in some cases mixtures of α-halogenated ketone and ring-halogenated ketones were obtained. Activated aromatics were regioselectively ring halogenated to give mono- and dihalo-substituted products. The [BMIM(SO3H)][OTf] ionic liquid (IL-A) was successfully reused eight times in a representative monohalogenation reaction with no noticeable decrease in efficiency. An effective halogenation scale-up in this IL is also presented. The reactivity trend and the observed chemo- and regioselectiivities point to an ET process in these IL-promoted halofunctionalization reactions.
Organic Nitrate Maintains Bone Marrow Blood Perfusion in Ovariectomized Female Rats: A Dynamic, Contrast-Enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Study
Authors: Wang Yi-Xiang , Ko Chun , Griffith James , Deng Min , Wong Hing , Gu Tao , Huang Yu
Published: December 2012

This study investigated the effects of nitrate on bone mineral density (BMD) and bone marrow perfusion in ovariectomized (OVX) female rats, and also the effects of nitrate on in vitro osteoblastic activity and osteoclastic differentiation of murine monocyte/ macrophage RAW 264.7 cells. Female Sprague–Dawley rats were divided into OVX + nitrate group (isosorbide-5-mononitrate, ISM, 150 mg/kg/ day b.i.d), OVX + vehicle group, and control group. Lumbar spine CT bone densitometry and perfusion MRI were performed on the rats at baseline and week 8 post-OVX. The OVX rats’ BMD decreased by 22.5% ± 5.7% at week 8 (p < 0.001); while the OVX + ISM rats’ BMD decreased by 13.1% ± 2.7% (p < 0.001). The BMD loss difference between the two groups of rats was significant (p = 0.018). The OVX rats’ lumbar vertebral perfusion MRI maximum enhancement (Emax) decreased by 10.3% ± 5.0% at week 8 (p < 0.005), while in OVX + ISM rats, the Emax increased by 5.5% ± 6.9% (p > 0.05). The proliferation of osteoblast-like UMR-106 cells increased significantly with ISM treatment at 0.78 µM to 50 μM. Treatment of UMR-106 cells with ISM also stimulated the BrdU uptake. After the RAW 264.7 cells were co-treated with osteoclastogenesis inducer RANKL and 6.25 μM ~ 100 μM of ISM for 3 days, a trend of dose-dependent increase of osteoclast number was noted.
Calling for Justice in the Goldfields of Tanzania
Authors: Makene Madoshi , Emel Jody , Murphy James
Published: December 2012

Tanzania is the third largest gold exporter in Africa, thanks in part to the liberalization of the mining sector which started in the early 1990s. Neoliberal mining reforms promised a win-win situation in which government, investors and local host communities would benefit through export earnings, profits, local employment, and corporate social responsibility initiatives (e.g., the building of schools and clinics). While the rising price of gold and foreign investments in mining activities have delivered on some of these promises, many residents in mining regions have not benefited socioeconomically. Worse still, their communities have unjustly borne the brunt of the environmental, social, and public-health costs associated with large-scale mining operations. This paper examines these injustices through research in Geita and Kahama, two of the most active gold mining areas of Tanzania. Drawing on Kuehn’s [1] taxonomy of environmental injustice, we detail the negative impacts of mining activities in these communities and describe how residents have developed strategies of resistance as means to obtain reparations. We then explore the political, financial, organizational, and social limitations on these resistance strategies and argue that the social movements associated with mining lack the political space necessary to affect significant changes to structure, quality, and impact of the industry in western Tanzania.
Influence of Cobalt on the Properties of Load-Sensitive Magnesium Alloys
Authors: Klose Christian , Demminger Christian , Mroz Gregor , Reimche Wilfried , Bach Friedrich-Wilhelm , Maier Hans , Kerber Kai
Published: December 2012

In this study, magnesium is alloyed with varying amounts of the ferromagnetic alloying element cobalt in order to obtain lightweight load-sensitive materials with sensory properties which allow an online-monitoring of mechanical forces applied to components made from Mg-Co alloys. An optimized casting process with the use of extruded Mg-Co powder rods is utilized which enables the production of magnetic magnesium alloys with a reproducible Co concentration. The efficiency of the casting process is confirmed by SEM analyses. Microstructures and Co-rich precipitations of various Mg-Co alloys are investigated by means of EDS and XRD analyses. The Mg-Co alloys’ mechanical strengths are determined by tensile tests. Magnetic properties of the Mg-Co sensor alloys depending on the cobalt content and the acting mechanical load are measured utilizing the harmonic analysis of eddy-current signals. Within the scope of this work, the influence of the element cobalt on magnesium is investigated in detail and an optimal cobalt concentration is defined based on the performed examinations.
A Genetic Approach to the Development of New Therapeutic Phages to Fight Pseudomonas Aeruginosa in Wound Infections
Authors: Krylov Victor , Shaburova Olga , Krylov Sergey , Pleteneva Elena
Published: December 2012

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a frequent participant in wound infections. Emergence of multiple antibiotic resistant strains has created significant problems in the treatment of infected wounds. Phage therapy (PT) has been proposed as a possible alternative approach. Infected wounds are the perfect place for PT applications, since the basic condition for PT is ensured; namely, the direct contact of bacteria and their viruses. Plenty of virulent (“lytic”) and temperate (“lysogenic”) bacteriophages are known in P. aeruginosa. However, the number of virulent phage species acceptable for PT and their mutability are limited. Besides, there are different deviations in the behavior of virulent (and temperate) phages from their expected canonical models of development. We consider some examples of non-canonical phage-bacterium interactions and the possibility of their use in PT. In addition, some optimal approaches to the development of phage therapy will be discussed from the point of view of a biologist, considering the danger of phage-assisted horizontal gene transfer (HGT), and from the point of view of a surgeon who has accepted the Hippocrates Oath to cure patients by all possible means. It is also time now to discuss the possible approaches in international cooperation for the development of PT. We think it would be advantageous to make phage therapy a kind of personalized medicine.
A role for lipid‐mediated signaling in plant gravitropism
Authors: Smith Caroline M. , Desai Mintu , Land Eric S. , Perera Imara Y.
Published: December 2012

Gravitropism is a universal plant response. It is initiated by the sensing of the primary signal (mass or pressure), which is then converted into chemical signals that are transduced and propagated in a precise spatial and temporal fashion, resulting in a differential growth response. Our thesis is that membrane lipids and lipid‐mediated signaling pathways play critical roles in the initial signaling and in the establishment of polarity. In this review, we highlight results from recent literature and discuss the major questions that remain unanswered.
Diamond nanophotonics
Authors: Beha Katja , Fedder Helmut , Wolfer Marco , Becker Merle C , Siyushev Petr , Jamali Mohammad , Batalov Anton , Hinz Christopher , Hees Jakob , Kirste Lutz , Obloh Harald , Gheeraert Etienne , Naydenov Boris , Jakobi Ingmar , Dolde Florian , Pezzagna Sébastien , Twittchen Daniel , Markham Matthew , Dregely Daniel , Giessen Harald , Meijer Jan , Jelezko Fedor , Nebel Christoph E , Bratschitsch Rudolf , Leitenstorfer Alfred , Wrachtrup Jörg
Published: December 2012

We demonstrate the coupling of single color centers in diamond to plasmonic and dielectric photonic structures to realize novel nanophotonic devices. Nanometer spatial control in the creation of single color centers in diamond is achieved by implantation of nitrogen atoms through high-aspect-ratio channels in a mica mask. Enhanced broadband single-photon emission is demonstrated by coupling nitrogen–vacancy centers to plasmonic resonators, such as metallic nanoantennas. Improved photon-collection efficiency and directed emission is demonstrated by solid immersion lenses and micropillar cavities. Thereafter, the coupling of diamond nanocrystals to the guided modes of micropillar resonators is discussed along with experimental results. Finally, we present a gas-phase-doping approach to incorporate color centers based on nickel and tungsten, in situ into diamond using microwave-plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition. The fabrication of silicon–vacancy centers in nanodiamonds by microwave-plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition is discussed in addition.
SHIPS LEAVING A PORT UNDER EMERGENCY CONDITIONS
Authors: Paulauskas Vytautas , Lukauskas Valdas , Plačiene Birute , Barzdžiukas Raimondas
Published: December 2012

Emergency conditions in a port request special precaution measures taken by ships when in the majority of cases they necessitate leaving port waters in the shortest time. Good management, awareness and timely actions can help with avoiding difficulties encountered by ships under emergency conditions at ports. The conducted research suggested in the article has been based on investigation into ship maneuverability considering complicated weather conditions, theoretical methods for the feasibility of ship maneuverability referring to difficult conditions, experimental tests using the calibrated Simulator and evaluation of real ships under similar conditions. The results of the presented research could be used for analyzing the situation in different ports with different ships regarding practical preparation for vessels to leave the port under emergency conditions without any delay.
ATMOSPHERIC EFFECTS IN GEODETIC LEVELLING
Authors: Breznikar Aleš , Aksamitauskas Česlovas
Published: December 2012

The knowledge of physical processes and changes in the atmosphere is essential when addressing the fundamental problem, i.e. the accuracy of geodetic measurements. In levelling operations, all these changes are explained as the effect of refraction, which systematically distorts the results of levelling. Different ways of addressing the effect of refraction are represented based on the modelling of the vertical temperature gradient as the quantity that has the most influence on the refraction phenomenon.
Réflexions sur l'identité italienne dans la « question de la langue » au xvie siècle
Authors: D’Amico Silvia
Published: December 2012

Résumé Au xvi e siècle la langue littéraire du Trecento florentin devient un modèle prestigieux pour toutes les nations européennes qui sont en train de définir leur unité à travers l’affirmation de la langue vernaculaire par rapport au latin. À travers les ouvrages de Castiglione, Bartolomeo Carli Piccolomini, Gabriele Simeoni, Benedetto Varchi et grâce à l’édit de 1561 d’Emmanuel-Philibert, nous pouvons constater l’impact politique de la « question de la langue » et son lien fondamental avec l’identité nationale.
Langue(s) et nation(s) dans une monarchie composite
Authors: Merle Alexandra
Published: December 2012

Résumé Cet article examine les rapports entre langue et nation dans le cas particulier de la monarchie espagnole, qui se distingue à l’époque moderne par la variété de ses possessions et celles des langues vernaculaires qui y sont parlées, et par une tension constante entre cohésion et séparation, y compris dans la seule péninsule Ibérique. Il s’agira de savoir d’une part si les progrès indéniables de la langue castillane répondent à une politique menée par la couronne, et s’ils vont de pair avec le développement d’une « idée de nation », et d’autre part si la préservation d’autres langues vernaculaires, notamment dans les territoires de la couronne d’Aragon, a une portée « nationaliste ».
Langue et nation : l'invention du « siècle de louis le grand »
Authors: Guion Béatrice
Published: December 2012

Résumé Les contemporains de Louis XIV s’accordent à célébrer dans le « siècle de Louis le Grand » un double apogée, politique et littéraire, qui permet à la France d’égaler, voire de surpasser, la Rome d’Auguste : on croit pleinement réalisée la translatio imperii et studii , thèse soutenue de longue date par les érudits gallicans. La conviction de l’excellence de la langue, dont on s’accorde à juger, après 1650, qu’elle a atteint un point de perfection ; on s’accorde aussi a voir, dans le « génie de la langue », une expression du « génie français ».
Evolution of the gut microbiota and the influence of diet
Authors: Rothe M. , Blaut M.
Published: December 2012

Diet is a major force that shapes the composition and activity of the gut microbiota. This is evident from alterations in gut microbiota composition after weaning or drastic dietary changes. Owing to the complexity of the microbiota, interactions of intestinal bacteria with the host are difficult to study. Gnotobiotic animal models offer the opportunity to reduce the complexity and the interindividual variability of the intestinal microbiota. Germ-free animals were associated with a simplified microbial community consisting of eight bacterial species, that are found in the human gut. These microbes were selected because their genome sequences are available, and they mimic to some extent the metabolic activity of the human gut microbiota. The microbiota responded to dietary modifications by changes in the relative proportions of the community members. This model offers the chance to better define the role of intestinal bacteria in obesity development, but little is known on how diet affects intestinal bacteria at the cellular level. Mice monoassociated with Escherichia coli were used as a simplified model to investigate the influence of dietary factors on bacterial protein expression in the intestine. The mice were fed three different diets: a carbohydrate (lactose)-rich diet, a protein-rich diet and a diet rich in starch. The lactose-rich diet led to an induction of proteins involved in E. coli's oxidative stress response (Fur, AhpF, Dps). The corresponding genes are under control of the OxyR transcriptional regulator which is activated by oxidative stress. Further experiments demonstrated that osmotic stress exerted by various carbohydrates leads to an upregulation of proteins belonging to the oxyR regulon. The data suggest that the upregulated proteins enable intestinal E. coli to better cope with diet-induced osmotic stress. These examples demonstrate that gnotobiotic animal models are a valuable tool for studying diet-induced changes at the community and the cell level.
La ciencia de la resurrección
Authors: Solís Carlos
Published: December 2012

Hasta la Ilustración era común considerar que la religión revelada contenía información empírica. La doctrina cristiana de la resurrección de los muertos planteó problemas biomédicos y a su vez se apoyó en teorías médicas, embriológicas y químicas. A partir del Renacimiento las doctrinas paracelsianas y estoicas de las razones seminales capaces de organizar y animar la materia dieron pie a experimentos sobre resurrección artificial o palingenesia. Se estudia el origen de la doctrina religiosa, su confluencia con las filosofías renacentistas, su reelaboración mecánico-corpuscular en manos de Boyle y la paulatina extinción de las creencias en esos fenómenos con el desarrollo de los informes de laboratorio de las academias nacionales.
Frígidos y maleficiados. Las mujeres y los remedios contra la impotencia en la Edad Media
Authors: Moral de Calatrava Paloma
Published: December 2012

En la Edad Media las causas y origen de la impotencia masculina no sólo se atribuyó a diversas causas naturales, sino que también al poder de la brujería. Los médicos podían utilizar recetas antiguas, pero también recogieron remedios que fueron conocidos y utilizados por las mujeres. De modo que el mismo remedio era aceptable cuando lo respaldaba la medicina académica o se consideraba hechicería si lo utilizaban las viejas sabias (vetulae). Este trabajo explora los conocimientos de las mujeres sobre los tratamientos disponibles y su papel como sanadoras del cuerpo y la masculinidad de los hombres
El testamento de Juan Moliner (†1403): un físico al servicio de la monarquía navarra durante la Baja Edad Media
Authors: Serrano Larráyoz Fernando
Published: December 2012

A través del testamento de Juan Moliner, médico de los reyes Carlos II y Carlos III de Navarra, el presente estudio pretende acercarse a su persona, familia, ámbito social y nivel socioeconómico en el que desarrolla su vida. Los datos que aporta dicho documento arrojan algo de luz sobre su ciclo vital, hasta el momento bastante desconocido, pese a ser uno de los más importantes médicos cristianos que atendieron a Carlos III ‘el Noble’. A todo esto hay que añadir la dimensión espiritual y religiosa de sus últimas voluntades, que vienen a completar la mentalidad y el modo de vida de este personaje.
Benito Arias Montano y Francisco Arceo: la redacción del De recta curandorum vulnerum ratione
Authors: Montero Cartelle Enrique
Published: December 2012

La comparación sistemática de la lengua y de los recursos literarios del tratado De recta curandorum vulnerum ratione, obra del cirujano práctico del siglo XVI Francisco Arceo, con la lengua del Prólogo que le puso su huésped, amigo y paisano, el humanista Arias Montano, muestra semejanzas tan significativas que prueban la intervención de este último arreglando el texto o redactándolo con el latín que le caracteriza. Arias Montano, además, hizo anotar la obra y se la publicó en Amberes en la imprenta de su buen amigo Cristóbal Plantino.
La palabra más brutal: definiciones de la enfermedad incurable en la medicina francesa del siglo XIX
Authors: Zaragoza Juan Manuel
Published: December 2012

En el presente artículo se ofrece un análisis de la compleja definición del concepto de «enfermedad incurable» en la medicina francesa durante el siglo XIX. Tras un examen detenido de las distintas definiciones de «enfermedad» manejadas durante ese siglo, el texto se centra en el estudio de tres categorías íntimamente relacionadas: las enfermedades de la vejez, las enfermedades crónicas y las enfermedades incurables. Se presenta un panorama, tanto teórico como práctico, en el que estas tres categorías funcionan dentro de un marco institucional en el que, a todos los efectos, es prácticamente imposible diferenciar una de otras, al compartir tanto los espacios, como las prácticas e incluso las representaciones.
El problema de la consanguinidad en la medicina francesa (1850- 1880): cuando heredar demasiado era un riesgo y un deseo
Authors: Vallejo Mauro Sebastián
Published: December 2012

El presente trabajo aborda el problema de la consanguinidad en la medicina francesa de la segunda mitad del siglo XIX. En el transcurso de unos pocos años, el asunto de los matrimonios entre parientes cercanos acaparó fuertemente la atención de los profesionales de ese país. Múltiples tesis, artículos y tratados fueron enteramente dedicados a describir los efectos de tales uniones sobre la descendencia. Se reconstruyen aquí las dos teorías más importantes construidas respecto de ese nuevo capítulo del saber médico.
Dinámicas científicas, técnicas e institucionales en el desarrollo de la diálisis y los trasplantes renales en la Argentina
Authors: Romero Lucía
Published: December 2012

En este trabajo se analiza la emergencia y la evolución de las investigaciones experimentales y clínicas sobre trasplantes renales y diálisis en la Argentina, llevadas a cabo, a partir de 1957, en el Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas (IIM) de la Facultad de Medicina, de la Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA).
Se intenta mostrar cómo estas realizaciones fueron posibles gracias a la convergencia de dinámicas sociales y cognitivas. El impulso que recibieron las investigaciones y las prácticas sobre trasplantes y diálisis en el IIM fueron a) parte central de las apuestas institucionales llevadas adelante por Alfredo Lanari, director administrativo y autoridad política y académica del IIM; b) la continuidad y el aprovechamiento de una acumulación previa de recursos humanos y capacidades de investigación en trasplantes en el país y, a la vez, c) consecuencias de nuevos flujos de colaboración entablados entre los investigadores del IIM con los pioneros en este campo de saber, los cuales habilitaron la adquisición de los aparatos técnicos y los aprendizajes para su uso y aplicación en el medio local.
La progresiva estabilización de dichas investigaciones no sólo redundó en el modo a través del cual el IIM construyó y acumuló prestigio científico sino que produjo cambios significativos para los enfermos que padecían Insuficiencia Renal Aguda (IRA) y Crónica (IRC), quienes hasta entonces no disponían de tratamientos ni cura para sus dolencias.
A model for the overwintering process of European grapevine moth Lobesia botrana (Denis & Schiffermüller) (Lepidoptera, Tortricidae) populations
Authors: Baumgärtner Johann , Gutierrez Andrew Paul , Pesolillo Simone , Severini Maurizio
Published: December 2012

The paper deals with the development, parametrization and validation of a phenology model of the overwintering process of European grapevine moth Lobesia botrana (Denis & Schiffermüller) populations in northern latitudes. The model is built on diapause and poikilothermic population development theories and represents the phenological events of entries into and emergence from pre-diapause, diapause and post-diapause phases. The rate sum models for pre-diapause and post-diapause development are based on published non-linear temperature dependent rate functions. The rate sum model for diapause, however, is negatively affected by the photoperiod during diapause and positively influenced by the photoperiod at the time of diapause entry. The diapause model is parametrized with 3-year data from 25 locations in Europe and Cyprus, and validated with 1-3 year observations from 18 locations in Europe and California. Despite restrictive assumptions and limitations imposed by weather data recorded at variable distances from the observation sites, and the variable qualities of observation data, the model’s predictive and explanatory capabilities are useful for adaptive pest management and assessments of the invasive potential. The need for controlled experiments is recognized and suggestions are made for improving the model.
Statins as a Novel Therapeutic Strategy in Acute Lung Injury
Authors: Singla Sunit , Jacobson Jeffrey R.
Published: December 2012

Acute lung injury (ALI) is a devastating clinical condition associated with pulmonary and systemic inflammation and characterized by incompetence of the pulmonary microvascular barrier culminating in noncardiogenic pulmonary edema. An understanding of the mechanisms underlying endothelial barrier dysfunction in ALI has been facilitated by study of the effects of statins in relevant cellular and animals models. Many of the pleotropic properties of these drugs, including direct effects on endothelial cell (EC) cytoskeletal rearrangement, NADPH oxidase, and nitric oxide activity, as well as effects on differential EC gene expression, are relevant to the pathobiology of ALI and suggest a potential therapeutic role for statins in this context. Moreover, results from preclinical studies and observations in relevant patient populations support the protective potential of statins in ALI, paving the way now for definitive clinical trials.
Functional Role of Intracellular Labile Zinc in Pulmonary Endothelium
Authors: Thambiayya Kalidasan , Kaynar A. Murat , Croix Claudette M. St. , Pitt Bruce R.
Published: December 2012

After iron, zinc is the most abundant essential trace metal. Intracellular zinc ([Zn]i) is maintained across a wide range of cells and species in a tight quota (100 to 500 μM) by a dynamic process of transport, intracellular vesicular storage, and binding to a large number of proteins (estimated at 3‐10% of human proteome). As such, zinc is an integral component of numerous metalloenzymes, structural proteins, and transcription factors. It is generally assumed that a vanishingly small component of [Zn]i referred to as free or labile zinc, and operationally defined as the pool sensitive to chelation (by agents such as N, N, N', N'‐tetrakis [2‐pyridylmethyl] ethylenediamine [TPEN]) and capable of detection by a variety of chemical and genetic sensors, participates in signal transduction pathways. Zinc deficiencies, per se, can arise from acquired (malnutrition, alcoholism) or genetic (mutations in molecules affecting zinc homeostasis, the informative and first example being acrodermatitis enteropathica) factors or as a component of various diseases (e.g., sickle cell disease, cystic fibrosis, sepsis). Hypozincemia has profound effects on developing humans, and all facets of physiological function (neuronal, endocrine, immunological) are affected, although considerably less is known regarding cardiovascular pathophysiology. In this review, we provide an update on current knowledge of molecular and cellular aspects of zinc homeostasis and then focus on implications of zinc signaling in pulmonary endothelium as it relates to programmed cell death, altered contractility, and septic and aseptic injury to this segment of the lung.
Role of Caveolin‐1 Expression in the Pathogenesis of Pulmonary Edema in Ventilator‐Induced Lung Injury
Authors: Maniatis Nikolaos A. , Kardara Matina , Hecimovich Dan , Letsiou Eleftheria , Castellon Maricela , Roussos Charalambos , Shinin Vasily , Votta‐Vellis E. Gina , Schwartz David E. , Minshall Richard D.
Published: December 2012

Caveolin‐1 is a key regulator of pulmonary endothelial barrier function. Here, we tested the hypothesis that caveolin‐1 expression is required for ventilator‐induced lung injury (VILI). Caveolin‐1 gene‐disrupted (Cav‐1−/−) and age‐, sex‐, and strain‐matched wild‐type (WT) control mice were ventilated using two protocols: volume‐controlled with protective (8 mL/kg) versus injurious (21 mL/Kg) tidal volume for up to 6 hours; and pressure‐controlled with protective (airway pressure = 12 cm H2O) versus injurious (30 cm H2O) ventilation to induce lung injury. Lung microvascular permeability (whole‐lung 125I‐albumin accumulation, lung capillary filtration coefficient [Kf, c]) and inflammatory markers (bronchoalveolar lavage [BAL] cytokine levels and neutrophil counts) were measured. We also evaluated histologic sections from lungs, and the time course of Src kinase activation and caveolin‐1 phosphorylation. VILI induced a 1.7‐fold increase in lung 125I‐albumin accumulation, fourfold increase in Kf, c’ significantly increased levels of cytokines CXCL1 and interleukin‐6, and promoted BAL neutrophilia in WT mice. Lung injury by these criteria was significantly reduced in Cav‐1−/− mice but fully restored by i.v. injection of liposome/Cav‐1 cDNA complexes that rescued expression of Cav‐1 in lung microvessels. As thrombin is known to play a significant role in mediating stretch‐induced vascular injury, we observed in cultured mouse lung microvascular endothelial cells (MLECs) thrombin‐induced albumin hyperpermeability and phosphorylation of p44/42 MAP kinase in WT but not in Cav‐1−/− MLECs. Thus, caveolin‐1 expression is required for mechanical stretch‐induced lung inflammation and endothelial hyperpermeability in vitro and in vivo.