bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Dépaysement d’une géographe
Authors: Jolivet Violaine
Published: September 2015

La notion de dépaysement est souvent abordée en géographie notamment quand il s’agit d’évoquer le terrain ou des champs de la géographie comme les mobilités et plus particulièrement le tourisme. Cependant il est rare que les géographes s’intéressent à cette notion pour une mobilité professionnelle et c’est ce que cet article se propose de faire sous la forme d’un récit personnel. Toutefois ce récit d’un dépaysement prend des allures particulières car il s’attache à conter le passage d’un continent à un autre, tout en restant au sein de pays francophones. La position de la géographie humaine au Québec est alors explorée et donne à réfléchir sur la combinaison de modes opératoires au sein de la géographie québécoise à la fois si loin et si proche de la géographie française.
Diseases and their origins in the traditional worldview of Buryats : folk medicine methods
Authors: Sodnompilova Marina , Bashkuev Vsevolod
Published: September 2015

La nature des maladies dans les perceptions traditionnelles des peuples mongols est un phénomène peu étudié qui nécessite une étude approfondie. Dans les croyances des gens de culture traditionnelle toute maladie est considérée comme un écart par rapport à une norme. C’est une mauvaise conséquence d’une perturbation humaine de l’ordre des interactions entre le monde des hommes et le monde des divinités et des esprits, et, comme tel, il est inscrit dans la langue. Traiter une maladie consistait en une « correction» ou élimination magique de la perturbation, suivie par des pratiques et des rites associés à des méthodes thérapeutiques pratiques de type magique elles aussi.
An outpost of socialism in the Buddhist Orient: geopolitical and eugenic implications of medical and anthropological research on Buryat-Mongols in the 1920s
Authors: Bashkuev Vsevolod
Published: September 2015

Cet article dévoile les contextes géopolitiques et eugéniques de la recherche médicale et anthropologique sur les Bouriates, dont l’état de santé s’est détérioré au point de devenir un sujet de grave préoccupation au début des années 1920, lorsque l’autonomie nationale bouriate fut créée au sein de la RSFSR.
‘Remote’ areas and minoritized spatial orders at the Russia – Mongolia border
Authors: Humphrey Caroline
Published: September 2015

The article first outlines how ‘remoteness’ was conceived and constructed during the Soviet and post-Soviet periods in Russia. Using the ideas of the social geographer Boris Rodoman, it argues that centric structures of power, communications and state provision created scalar zones of non-development and isolation at borders between internal administrative regions. In post-Soviet times this structure continued, but according to Vladimir Kagansky it has been disturbed by recent ‘spontaneous transformations’ whereby state international borders are becoming areas of contact and enterprise, rather than isolation. The paper suggests to the contrary that, with the increasing centralisation of the Putin era, Kagansky’s theory has not been realised on the Russia-Mongolia-China border, and that the reduction of border crossing points in fact deepen the residents’ sense of being situated ‘at a dead end’. However, the indigenous people living in border zones, notably the Buryat, operate not only with these state-constructed geographies, but also with their own quite different spatial concepts. These are so much the converse to the Russian that they can be seen as a distinctive minoritized vision. The Buryat ideas and ritual practices reach across political boundaries. In effect they create a subtle challenge to the spatiality of the Russian state. It is argued that roads in this situation become particularly concentrated vectors of contradictory values.
Performing “culture” : diverse audiences at the International Shaman’s Conference and Tailgan on Ol’khon Island
Authors: Quijada Justine Buck , Stephen Eric
Published: September 2015

Cet article examine la session annuelle de la Conférence Chamanique Internationale et du Tailgan sur l’île d’Ol’hon, dans le lac Baïkal, sous l’angle de la prestation “culturelle” qu’elle présentait. Il en découle une question de méthode : les données relatives aux participants aident-elles à comprendre la cérémonie ? L’enquête démographique montre la grande diversité du public ; du fait de la variété des raisons d’assister et des attentes, les impressions retirées de cette session sont très différentes. La cérémonie elle-même reflète cette diversité, que les discours d’ouverture ont pragmatiquement tenté d’encadrer en parlant de “culture locale à valeur globale”. Du fait que “local” et “culture” restent non définis, les Bouriates locaux et les membres de l’association Tengeri peuvent percevoir cette “culture locale” comme une contribution à la revitalisation des pratiques chamaniques bouriates, tout en permettant aux pèlerins New Age de trouver quelque chose d’universel sous une forme bouriate locale.
rNgon-pa’i ’don… : A few thoughts on the preliminary section of a-lce lha-mo performances in Central Tibet
Authors: Henrion-Dourcy Isabelle
Published: September 2015

Le propos de cet article est de fournir une analyse structurelle et performative de la section introductive des représentations d’a-lce lha-mo (théâtre tibétain) au Tibet central. Trois types de personnages effectuent tour à tour sur scène des actions spécifiques destinées à préparer l’espace scénique pour la pièce principale. D’abord, les chasseurs piétinent et soumettent la terre. Ensuite, les princes appellent des bénédictions. Enfin, les déesses accomplissent par leurs chants et leurs danses la transformation de l’espace en un lieu hors de ce monde. La nature rituelle et le symbolisme de ces trois personnages sont analysés, en montrant l’apport significatif de la pièce Chos-rgyal Nor-bzang.
La terminologie de parenté au Ladakh (Leh)
Authors: Kaplanian Patrick
Published: September 2015

L’un des traits caractéristiques de la terminologie de parenté au Ladakh est l’existence de mots différents de M et F pour MyZ et FyB alors que MeZ et FeB s’appellent comme M et F. Cette constatation met à mal les théories de l’anthropologie anglaise qui fait dériver la terminologie de parenté de l’existence de groupe exogamiques, mais renforce par contre celle de Kohler pour qui la terminologie est liée à l’idée de mariage de groupe. L’auteur montre que le mariage de groupe ladakhi est néanmoins assez différent du mariage de groupe omaha étudié par Kohler. Quelques lignes sont aussi consacrées au modèle tétradique d’Allen.
An archaeological survey of the Nubra Region (Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir, India)
Authors: Devers Quentin , Bruneau Laurianne , Vernier Martin
Published: September 2015

La Nubra est la région la plus septentrionale du Ladakh (état de Jammu et Cachemire, Inde). Bien que des prospections archéologiques y aient été menées de manière épisodique depuis les années 1990 aucune étude d’ensemble n’a été proposée. Cet article vise à combler ce manque et présente les résultats de prospections approfondies conduites par les auteurs. Six campagnes, menées entre 2006 et 2014, ont mis au jour une soixantaine de sites, pour la plupart précédemment inconnus. Parmi les vestiges répertoriés se trouvent non seulement des sites funéraires protohistoriques, un vaste et riche site d’art rupestre attribuable à l’Âge du Bronze, des bas-reliefs et ruines de monuments bouddhiques mais aussi des vestiges fortifiés révélant des liens forts avec l’Asie Centrale.
Lucir: aspectos tipológicos, tecnológicos y funcionales en el diseño de una apariencia distintiva (circa 1900)
Authors: Paola Kaczan Gisela
Published: September 2015

Este trabajo indaga en la forma de componer la apariencia femenina hacia el inicio del siglo XX, como signo altamente valorado de un estilo de vida. Se hará hincapié en la moda para el ocio en la playa. En el marco de una práctica insipiente, se priorizó la necesidad de exaltar la distinción por sobre la vivencia de las sensaciones que podrían provocar el contacto con la naturaleza. Se entiende que para esto fueron decisivas las pautas tipológicas, tecnológicas y funcionales del vestir. Los atributos como forma, materialidad, modos de confección y de uso trascendieron su rol técnico para volverse condicionantes de las formas de comportamiento e interacción social y para comunicar los modos que podía asumir el gusto por el lujo.
Le développement de l’hôtellerie de luxe dans le tourisme en Haïti
Authors: Paul Bénédique , Séraphin Hugues
Published: September 2015

Les consommateurs des services touristiques, en particulier les touristes fortunés, sont aussi des consommateurs de services hôteliers de luxe. Dans le cas d’Haïti, la nouvelle orientation de l’hôtellerie haut de gamme semblerait augurer un tel principe. Cependant, notre analyse montre qu’à ce stade, et pour des raisons essentiellement socio-institutionnelles, il n’est pas exact de parler d’une industrie du luxe, même s’il y a de plus en plus d’hôtels haut de gamme dans le pays.
Étudier le luxe
Authors: Dehoorne Olivier , Theng Sopheap
Published: September 2015

Cette réflexion propose d’étudier le luxe à travers une approche pluridisciplinaire, de la philosophie à la sociologie, de la psychologie à l’économie. Tout d’abord, il s’agit d’identifier les fondements de luxe avec les travaux de Veblen (consommation ostentatoire), de Bourdieu (distinction et habitus) et Lipovetsky (esthétisation), et de définir les contours du luxe. Le luxe s’inscrit dans une construction historique, il est associé à « l’excellence matérielle, symbolique et sociale » (Karpik). Raffinement, quête intériorisée, distinction, plaisir de la créativité et de l’innovation, le luxe est un ensemble composite, matériel et immatériel. Sur le plan économique, le luxe relève de l’économie de singularité (Karpik). La valeur monétaire du lien est le principal indicateur mesurable qui permet de distinguer le marché du luxe.
1958 : l’État irlandais prend son avenir économique en main
Authors: Boullet Vanessa
Published: September 2015

Cet article analyse le changement de politique
économique de la République d’Irlande à la fin des années 1950. En
1958, avec la publication de Economic
Development et du premier plan économique, l’Irlande change de
paradigme économique, passant d’un État nationaliste à un État plus
interventionniste et libéral. Cette mutation est rendue possible grâce
à la présence d’hommes nouveaux dans les hautes sphères du
pouvoir.
Heurs et malheurs de deux saints nationaux : Patrick et Brigitte dans la tourmente politique (1850-2014)
Authors: Maignant Catherine
Published: September 2015

Les saints irlandais, particulièrement Patrick et
Brigitte, ont été mis à contribution dès le 19e
siècle pour construire la nation catholique. La vogue de
l’hagiographie, et la manière de rédiger les vies de saints au cours
des dernières décennies du siècle, en portent témoignage. Au moment de
l’indépendance et dans les années qui ont suivi, le culte organisé de
saints privilégiés, ainsi que son étatisation ont assigné à ces
personnages une fonction nationale à visée identitaire et politique.
Après avoir retracé les grandes étapes de l’instrumentalisation des
grands saints nationaux, l’article s’interroge sur l’effet de la prise
de distance de l’Etat vis-à-vis de l’Eglise catholique sur leur
culte.
From local to global: selling Belfast abroad
Authors: Alfaro-Hamayon Hélène
Published: September 2015

Once described as too parochial and lacking a clear sense of where it is headed, Belfast is now actively seeking to market its local culture at home as well as abroad. Responding to new world trends such as cultural and experiential tourism that gives emphasis to creating experiences, the City Council’s latest cultural strategy (2012-2015) reflects the Council’s commitment to promoting new ways of visiting and discovering Belfast, notably through site-specific arts projects. Focusing on the year 2012, which saw Belfast host a series of world-class events, this article examines how central culture and the arts have become to the city’s developmental strategy and its re-branding process as a cultural place with a distinct flavor. Drawing upon a host of recent artistic projects – occurring in a variety of contexts – this article examines the move towards the globalization of local culture and the internationalization of the arts sector and the consequences of this shift. It argues that while the inclusive dimension of some major urban development projects like the Titanic Quarter is questionable, the city’s endorsement of a model that places culture at the heart of the city’s rebranding process has led to a redefinition of what local culture stands for, opening up new avenues for arts organizations that wish to embrace the local as well as the global and explore all the possibilities the creative space offers including in the realm of conflict transformation, social inclusion and place-making.
“Into the West”: The West of Ireland in the Writings of French Travellers
Authors: Neville Grace
Published: September 2015

Through nine texts written between the late
eighteenth and early twentieth century and representative of a far
larger corpus, this study focuses on depictions of the west of Ireland
by French travellers of that period. The west looks not Irish but
Spanish (people’s physiognomy, their clothes, urban and rural
landscapes). For some commentators, the west is exotic but also
“authentic” in its loyalty to old ways (religion and language, for
instance). They deplore the homogenising power of encroaching
modernity. Others lambast old ways as proof of primitivism and even
degeneracy.
“You can’t grab anything with a closed fist”: Reflections on Ulster Protestant Identity in Derek Lundy’s Men That God Made Mad
Authors: Gray Billy
Published: September 2015

In Ireland and within Irish studies itself,
considerable effort has been expended in the attempt to disclose the
complex interaction between past conflicts and contemporary attempts
to recoup their significance in the present. Derek Lundy´s Men that God Made Mad: A Journey Through Truth, Myth and
Terror in Northern Ireland a work of non-fiction published in
2006, is an invaluable and timely contribution to our understanding of
the selectivity of national memory and the indelible link that exists
between familial remembrance and its communal counterpart. A
generically hybrid work, part historical investigation, part memoir,
Lundy’s text combines a blend of meticulous research with
autobiographical snapshots, interspersed with an exploration of the
connection between personal and collective identities. Claiming that
“the lives of my ancestors resonate in the very core of Ulster
history” Lundy uses the lives of three such ancestors as a prism
through which to examine the standard, received stories of myth and
history so prominent within the Ulster Protestant tradition. Moreover,
my article will seek to show how Lundy, through an engagement with his
own personal background as a member of an Ulster Protestant family,
positions himself in a metaphorical space where individual memory,
cultural allegiance and concepts of the self merge.
Empathy, Mirror Neurons and the Subversion of Certitude: Political Writing and Creative Reading in Short-Stories by Bernard MacLaverty, William Trevor and Colum McCann
Authors: Majola-Leblond Claire
Published: September 2015

This paper aims at bringing together literary
discourse analysis and neurosciences to consider the impact the
discovery of mirror-neurons might have on our understanding of empathy
phenomena and consequently on the power of literature to subvert
certitude. Examining short-stories set against the backdrop of The
Troubles by William Trevor, Bernard MacLaverty or Colum McCann, we
shall see how writers make readers literally experience in their
bodies and minds conflicting perspectives, hopefully leaving them no
other choice but to discard preconceived ideas. In this perspective,
any act of writing becomes a political act. Paul Brennan’s academic
works have always seemed to me tireless efforts to develop the
understanding of the other. This is offered in resonance with his deep
power of empathy.
Développer des pratiques d’enseignement des sciences et des technologies : selon quels critères et dans quelle perspective ?
Authors: Couture Christine , Dionne Liliane , Savoie-Zajc Lorraine , Aurousseau Emmanuelle
Published: September 2015

Afin de contribuer à l’élaboration d’une vue d’ensemble des recherches en didactique des sciences et des technologies, ce texte tente d’identifier des critères pour travailler au développement des pratiques d’enseignement. Pour ce faire, il présente une rétrospective d’études portant sur le développement des pratiques avant et après les années 2000 et ce, dans différents pays. Dans le prolongement de cette rétrospective, des travaux de recherche portant sur des pratiques efficaces sont examinés pour voir selon quels critères et avec quelles approches les chercheurs qui empruntent cette voie travaillent au développement des pratiques. Cette exploration amène à considérer les communautés d’apprentissage pour développer des pratiques d’enseignement des sciences et des technologies à partir de critères qui intègrent le point de vue de la pratique, de la recherche et des programmes. Ce travail d’analyse sert d’amorce à un projet de recherche participative réalisé avec des enseignants, en Ontario et au Québec.
Mondes possibles et fiction réaliste. Des albums de jeunesse pour modéliser en science à l’école primaire
Authors: Soudani Mohamed , Héraud Jean-Loup , Soudani-Bani Olfa , Bruguière Catherine
Published: September 2015

S’appuyant sur la théorie des mondes possibles de D. Lewis, ce travail cherche à caractériser une classe d’albums de jeunesse, que nous qualifions d’albums de fiction réaliste, pour la formation scientifique à l’école primaire. Adoptant une démarche dite de navigation inductive, nous dégageons deux enjeux : sur le plan épistémologique, nous montrons, à partir de l’album Plouf ! de P. Corentin, en quoi le récit de fiction embarque un monde possible présentant une similitude avec notre monde. Sur le plan didactique, nous montrons qu’une lecture problématisée de cet album génère un questionnement épistémologique sur ce monde possible qui peut conduire l’élève à modéliser son propre monde physique.
La représentation de l’intérêt collectif environnemental devant le juge civil : après l’affaire Erika et avant l’introduction dans le Code civil du dommage causé à l’environnement
Authors: Camproux Duffrene Marie-Pierre
Published: September 2015

Cette étude envisage la possibilité de considérer l’environnement non pas comme un intérêt personnel ou général, mais comme un intérêt collectif. Cette notion peu usitée, voire occultée, est ainsi analysée en droit français et dans le domaine de l’environnement afin de caractériser l’intérêt collectif environnemental. L’analyse permet alors de révéler toute la spécificité, mais aussi la cohérence que pourrait recéler l’action en responsabilité civile en termes de recevabilité comme de bien fondé en cas d’atteinte à l’environnement. En effet, l’intérêt collectif environnemental facilite la distinction à opérer entre action de groupe (défendant l’addition d’intérêts individuels) et action en défense d’intérêts collectifs indivisibles (comme en matière environnementale). Il apporte aussi des précisions utiles sur le préjudice écologique encore bien flou (préjudice collectif) et les modalités de sa réparation en nature si possible.
La réparation du préjudice écologique en Espagne, l’affaire du Prestige
Authors: González Albert Ruda
Published: September 2015

Cet article étudie l’approche du droit espagnol face aux dommages écologiques, spécialement après la marée noire du Prestige. L’auteur analyse la réponse du système juridique espagnol et international à ce type de catastrophe et se demande si l’environnement naturel est suffisamment protégé.
La représentation de la nature devant le juge : Plaidoyer pour une épistémologie juridique du fictif
Authors: Sohnle Jochen
Published: September 2015

Dans une perspective à la fois historique et théorique, la présente contribution explore la notion de nature. Pour le juriste, elle a essentiellement deux significations. Au sens étroit, qui correspond à la dimension écologique, la nature est l’objet de l’une des spécialités du droit de l’environnement (droit de la protection de la nature). Au sens large, véhiculé depuis l’antiquité (natura), elle correspond à la réalité qui est régie par les « lois » (des sciences) naturelles (la « nature des choses » du juriste). Dans la perception occidentale, cette réalité peut être opposée au droit, simple système fictif. L’auteur défend effectivement cette dichotomie entre réalité physique (nature lato sensu) et fictionnalisme juridique. Il démontre par ce biais, y compris à travers les techniques fictives de la personnalité et de la représentation juridiques, que la nature stricto sensu peut être protégée efficacement. Dans ce contexte, le rôle du juge s’analyse, grâce à l’opération du droit, comme celui d’un intermédiaire entre le monde réel et le monde juridique.
De avonturen van een kostschoolmeisje
Authors: De Potter Linde
Published: September 2015

The adventures of a schoolgirl. Dorothea van Male, Schola Nostra (1971), and Hugo Claus’s rewriting practice

While Hugo Claus’s oeuvre has been studied abundantly (and fruitfully) from the perspective of erudite intertextuality, the rewriting of popular narrative culture in his novels has been neglected. This one-sided focus has clouded the protean nature of Claus’s texts, in which high and low, literate and vulgar coexist. By means of a case-study on the experimental novel Schola Nostra (1971), this article demonstrates the significance of popular narrative culture for the understanding of Claus’s oeuvre. Schola Nostra caused a lot of interpretative difficulties for contemporary literary critics, who dismissed it as a senseless ‘curiosity cabinet’; the novel has been overlooked ever since. By introducing reading keys which take Claus’s rewriting of literary as well as popular genres into account, it is however possible to shed light on this volatile publication. The approach is twofold: the first reading key is provided by the popular genre of the girl’s book, the second is related to the rewriting of markedly literary genres. This combination of reading perspectives enables a meaningful interpretation of the work; at the same time, it reveals Schola Nostra’s opposition to unambiguous reading schemes. By doing so, the analysis provides new poetical and interpretative tools to study the author’s novelistic oeuvre.
Classroom Instructional Practices of Islamic Education Teachers in the Basic Stage at Al-Mafraq Governorate and Its Relation to Gender and Experience Variables
Authors: Al-Mousa Nusaiba Ali
Published: September 2015

This study aimed to identify Classroom Instructional Practices of Islamic education teachersat basic stage in AL- Mafraq and to identify the relationship between these practices andgender and experience variables as well as interaction between them. The researcher prepareda scale which its reliability and validity were checked to measure the level of classroominstructional practices. The sample of study which consisted of (64) teachers (male andfemale) was chosen randomly.Data were collected and analyzed statistically using means, standard deviation, t-test andTuky test. Results revealed that the classroom studying practices of Islamic educationteachers in basic stage in AL- Mafraq agreed with acceptable educational and social standard(80%), whereas the percentage of the classroom instructional practices was (81-89%). Theresults also revealed lack of statistical significant differences in the classroom instructionalpractices of Islamic education teachers in the basic stage in AL- Mafraq due to the gendervariable but there were statistical significant differences at (0,05=OC) in classroominstructional practices due to experience variable in favor of respondents with experiences ( 4years and less) and 10 years and more).Additionally, there were no statistical significantdifferences in the classroom instructional practices of Islamic education teachers due tointeraction between gender and experience variable. The researcher recommended conductingfurther studies with different variables.
Significance of the 1982–2014 Campi Flegrei seismicity: Preexisting structures, hydrothermal processes, and hazard assessment
Authors: Di Luccio F. , Pino N. A. , Piscini A. , Ventura G.
Published: September 2015

We find that the double‐difference relocated seismicity, which occurred over the last 30 years at Campi Flegrei, was triggered by the uprising of fluids preferentially concentrated along onshore and offshore NW striking preexisting caldera faults. Focal volumes of the 2005–2014 seismicity do not overlap that of the 1982–1984 period, when a major uplift of 1.8 m occurred in the central sector of the caldera. This indicates a transition from an elastic to a plastic behavior due to fluid saturation and heating of the rocks in the hydrothermal reservoir. The 2012–2014 deeper earthquakes are located in a low VP/VS zone at the western boundary of the hydrothermal reservoir, where a volume increase from a magmatic body at 3.5 km depth has been recognized. The progressive rheological change from elastic to plastic in the upper 4 km of the crust implies that a slow upward migration of magma may not necessarily be preceded by earthquakes or swarms.
Multistation observations of the azimuth, polarization, and frequency dependence of ELF/VLF waves generated by electrojet modulation
Authors: Maxworth A. S. , Gołkowski M. , Cohen M. B. , Moore R. C. , Chorsi H. T. , Gedney S. D. , Jacobs R.
Published: September 2015

Modulated ionospheric heating experiments are performed with the High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program facility in Gakona, Alaska, for the purpose of generating extremely low frequency (ELF) and very low frequency (VLF) waves. Observations are made at three different azimuths from the heating facility and at distances from 37 km to 99 km. The polarization of the observed waves is analyzed in addition to amplitude as a function of modulation frequency and azimuth. Amplitude and eccentricity are observed to vary with both azimuth and distance from the heating facility. It is found that waves radiated at azimuths northwest of the facility are generated by a combination of modulated Hall and Pedersen currents, while waves observed at other azimuths are dominated by modulated Hall currents. We find no evidence for vertical currents contributing to ground observations of ELF/VLF waves. Observed amplitude peaks near multiples of 2 kHz are shown to result from vertical resonances in the Earth‐ionosphere waveguide, and variations of the frequency of these resonances can be used to determine the D region ionosphere electron density profile in the vicinity of the HF heater.
Cobalt recovery from leached solutions of lithium‐ion batteries using waste materials as adsorbents
Authors: da Cunha Jeanine Muller , Klein Laura , Bassaco Mariana Moro , Tanabe Eduardo Hiromitsu , Bertuol Daniel Assumpção , Dotto Guilherme Luiz
Published: September 2015

In this research, chitin and rice husks were used as adsorbents to recover cobalt from leached solutions of lithium‐ion batteries. The waste materials were obtained and characterized. At first, the adsorption study was performed in batch systems using synthetic solutions, where the pH effect, kinetic, equilibrium, and thermodynamic aspects were investigated. Later, in the best conditions, chitin and rice husks were applied to recover cobalt from real leached solutions of lithium‐ion batteries. For both materials, the adsorption was favoured at pH = 6.0. The maximum adsorption capacities were 50.0 mg g−1 and 17.6 mg g−1 for chitin and rice husks, respectively, obtained at 318 K. The Co+2 recovery percentages from real leached solutions were 95.0 % and 40.0 % for chitin and rice husks respectively. These results revealed that chitin can be used as an alternative and low‐cost waste material to recover Co+2 from real leached solutions of lithium‐ion batteries.
Targeting c‐Met in Cancer by MicroRNAs: Potential Therapeutic Applications in Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Karagonlar Zeynep F. , Korhan Peyda , Atabey Neşe
Published: September 2015

Preclinical Research

Cancer is one of the world's deadliest diseases, with very low survival rates and increased occurrence in the future. Successfully developed target‐based therapies have significantly changed cancer treatment. However, primary and/or acquired resistance in the tumor is a major challenge in current therapies and novel combinational therapies are required. RNA interference‐mediated gene inactivation, alone or in combination with other current therapies, provides novel promising therapeutics that can improve cure rate and overcome resistance mechanisms to conventional therapeutics. Hepatocyte Growth Factor/c‐Met signaling is one of the most frequently dysregulated pathways in human cancers and abnormal c‐Met activation is correlated with poor clinical outcomes and drug resistance in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In recent years, a growing number of studies have identified several inhibitors and microRNAs (miRNAs), specifically targeting c‐Met in various cancers, including HCC. In this review, we discuss current knowledge regarding miRNAs, focusing on their involvement in cancer and their potential as research tools and therapeutics. Then, we focus on the potential use of c‐Met targeting miRNAs for suppressing aberrant c‐Met signaling in HCC treatment. Drug Dev Res 76 : 357–367, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Developmental time course of peripheral cross‐modal sensory interaction of the trigeminal and gustatory systems
Authors: Omelian Jacquelyn M. , Berry Marissa J. , Gomez Adam M. , Apa Kristi L. , Sollars Suzanne I.
Published: September 2015

Few sensory modalities appear to engage in cross‐modal interactions within the peripheral nervous system, making the integrated relationship between the peripheral gustatory and trigeminal systems an ideal model for investigating cross‐sensory support. The present study examined taste system anatomy following unilateral transection of the trigeminal lingual nerve (LX) while leaving the gustatory chorda tympani intact. At 10, 25, or 65 days of age, rats underwent LX with outcomes assessed following various survival times. Fungiform papillae were classified by morphological feature using surface analysis. Taste bud volumes were calculated from histological sections of the anterior tongue. Differences in papillae morphology were evident by 2 days post‐transection of P10 rats and by 8 days post in P25 rats. When transected at P65, animals never exhibited statistically significant morphological changes. After LX at P10, fewer taste buds were present on the transected side following 16 and 24 days survival time and remaining taste buds were smaller than on the intact side. In P25 and P65 animals, taste bud volumes were reduced on the denervated side by 8 and 16 days postsurgery, respectively. By 50 days post‐transection, taste buds of P10 animals had not recovered in size; however, all observed changes in papillae morphology and taste buds subsided in P25 and P65 rats. Results indicate that LX impacts taste receptor cells and alters epithelial morphology of fungiform papillae, particularly during early development. These findings highlight dual roles for the lingual nerve in the maintenance of both gustatory and non‐gustatory tissues on the anterior tongue. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol 76: 626–641, 2016
Adult thymic epithelial cell (TEC) progenitors and TEC stem cells: Models and mechanisms for TEC development and maintenance
Authors: Hamazaki Yoko
Published: September 2015

The thymus is the primary lymphoid organ for generating self‐restricted and self‐tolerant functional T cells. Its two distinct anatomical regions, the cortex and the medulla, are involved in positive and negative selection, respectively. Thymic epithelial cells (TECs) constitute the framework of this tissue and function as major stromal components. Extensive studies for more than a decade have revealed how TECs are generated during organogenesis; progenitors specific for medullary TECs (mTECs) and cortical TECs (cTECs) as well as bipotent progenitors for both lineages have been identified, and the signaling pathways required for the development and maturation of mTECs have been elucidated. However, little is known about the initial commitment of mTECs and cTECs during ontogeny, and how regeneration of both lineages is sustained in the postnatal/adult thymus. Recently, stem cell activities in TECs have been demonstrated, and TEC progenitors have been identified in the postnatal thymus. In this review, recent advances in studying the development and maintenance of TECs are summarized, and the possible mechanisms of thymic regeneration and involution are discussed.
Pharmaceutical concentrations in screened municipal wastewaters in Victoria, British Columbia: A comparison with prescription rates and predicted concentrations
Authors: Saunders Leslie J. , Mazumder Asit , Lowe Christopher J.
Published: September 2015

Pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) are emerging chemicals of concern detected in surface waters globally. Recent reviews advocate that PPCP occurrence, fate, and exposure need to be better predicted and characterized. The use of pharmaceutical prescription rates to estimate PPCP concentrations in the environment has been suggested. Concentrations of 7 pharmaceuticals (acetylsalicylic acid, diclofenac, fenoprofen, gemfibrozil, ibuprofen, ketoprofen, and naproxen) were measured in municipal wastewater using gas chromatography/ion trap–tandem mass spectroscopy (GC/IT-MS/MS). Subregional pharmaceutical prescription data were investigated to determine whether they could predict measured effluent concentrations (MECs) in wastewaters. Predicted effluent concentrations (PECs) for 5 of the 7 pharmaceuticals were within 2-fold agreement of the MECs when the fraction of parent pharmaceutical excreted was not considered. When the fraction of parent pharmaceutical excreted was considered, the respective PECs decreased, and most were within an order of magnitude of the MECs. Regression relationships of monthly PECs versus MECs were statistically significant (p < 0.05) but weak (R2 = 0.18–0.56) for all pharmaceuticals except ketoprofen. This suggests high variability in the data and may be the result of factors influencing MECs such as the analytical methods used, wastewater sampling frequency, and methodology. The PECs were based solely on prescription rates and did not account for inputs of pharmaceuticals that had a significant over-the-counter component or were from other sources (e.g., hospitals). Environ Toxicol Chem 2016;35:919–929. © 2015 SETAC
The efficacy of polycaprolactone/hydroxyapatite scaffold in combination with mesenchymal stem cells for bone tissue engineering
Authors: Chuenjitkuntaworn Boontharika , Osathanon Thanaphum , Nowwarote Nunthawan , Supaphol Pitt , Pavasant Prasit
Published: September 2015

Major drawbacks of using an autograft are the possibilities of insufficient bony source and patient's morbidity after operation. Bone tissue engineering technology, therefore, has been applied for repairing bony defects. Previous study showed that a novel fabricated 3D‐Polycaprolactone/Hydroxyapatite (PCL/HAp) scaffold possessed a good biocompatibility for bone cells. This study aimed to determine the ability of PCL/HAp for supporting cell growth, gene expression, and osteogenic differentiation in three types of mesenchymal stem cells, including bone marrow‐derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs), dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs), and adiposed‐derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADSCs). These were assessed by cell viability assay (MTT), reverse‐transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) analysis, alkaline phosphatase activity, and osteogenic differentiation by alizarin red‐S staining. The results showed that PCL/HAp scaffold could support growth of all three types of mesenchymal stem cells. In addition, DPSCs with PCL/HAp showed the highest level of calcium deposition compared to other groups. In conclusion, DPSCs exhibited a better compatibility with these scaffolds compared to BMSCs and ADSCs. However, the PCL/HAp could be a good candidate scaffold for all tested mesenchymal stem cells in bone tissue engineering. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: A: 264–271, 2016.
The larval head anatomy of Rhyacophila (Rhyacophilidae) with discussion on mouthpart homology and the groundplan of Trichoptera
Authors: Friedrich Frank , Schulz Johannes , Kubiak Martin , Beckmann Felix , Wilde Fabian
Published: September 2015

The external and internal features of the larval head of Rhyacophila fasciata (Trichoptera: Rhyacophilidae) were described in detail. Anatomical examinations were carried out using a multimethod approach including histology, scanning electron microscopy, confocal laser‐scanning microscopy, microcomputed tomography, and computer‐based three‐dimensional reconstructions. Additionally, the information on the larval head of Limnephilus flavicornis (Limnephilidae) and Hydropsyche angustipennis (Hydropsychidae) available in the literature were reinvestigated. These anatomical data were used to address major questions of homology and terminology, that is, the ventral closure of the head capsule, the sclerites, and appendages of labium and maxilla and their muscles. These topics were discussed by summarizing the main hypotheses present in the literature and a critical inclusion of new findings. Consequently, the inner lobe of the maxilla very likely represents the galea. The distal maxillary sclerite (palpifer) is an anatomical composite formation at least including dististipes and lacinia. Based on these homology hypotheses several potential groundplan features of the larval head of Trichoptera were reconstructed. The head of Rhyacophila shows several presumably plesiomorphic features as for instance the prognath orientation of the mouthparts, the well‐developed hypocranial bridge, the triangular submentum and eyes composed of seven stemmata. Derived features of Rhyacophila are the reduced antennae, the anterior directing of three stemmata and the shift of the tentorio‐stipital muscle to the mentum. J. Morphol. 276:1505–1524, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Structural and mechanistic insights on nitrate reductases
Authors: Coelho Catarina , Romão Maria João
Published: September 2015

Nitrate reductases (NR) belong to the DMSO reductase family of Mo‐containing enzymes and perform key roles in the metabolism of the nitrogen cycle, reducing nitrate to nitrite. Due to variable cell location, structure and function, they have been divided into periplasmic (Nap), cytoplasmic, and membrane‐bound (Nar) nitrate reductases. The first crystal structure obtained for a NR was that of the monomeric NapA from Desulfovibrio desulfuricans in 1999. Since then several new crystal structures were solved providing novel insights that led to the revision of the commonly accepted reaction mechanism for periplasmic nitrate reductases. The two crystal structures available for the NarGHI protein are from the same organism (Escherichia coli) and the combination with electrochemical and spectroscopic studies also lead to the proposal of a reaction mechanism for this group of enzymes. Here we present an overview on the current advances in structural and functional aspects of bacterial nitrate reductases, focusing on the mechanistic implications drawn from the crystallographic data.
A model for activation of the hexadecameric phosphorylase kinase complex deduced from zero‐length oxidative crosslinking
Authors: Thompson Jackie A. , Nadeau Owen W. , Carlson Gerald M.
Published: September 2015

Phosphorylase kinase (PhK) is a hexadecameric (αβγδ)4 enzyme complex that upon activation by phosphorylation stimulates glycogenolysis. Due to its large size (1.3 MDa), elucidating the structural changes associated with the activation of PhK has been challenging, although phosphoactivation has been linked with an increased tendency of the enzyme's regulatory β‐subunits to self‐associate. Here we report the effect of a peptide mimetic of the phosphoryltable N‐termini of β on the selective, zero‐length, oxidative crosslinking of these regulatory subunits to form β–β dimers in the nonactivated PhK complex. This peptide stimulated β–β dimer formation when not phosphorylated, but was considerably less effective in its phosphorylated form. Because this peptide mimetic of β competes with its counterpart region in the nonactivated enzyme complex in binding to the catalytic γ‐subunit, we were able to formulate a structural model for the phosphoactivation of PhK. In this model, the nonactivated state of PhK is maintained by the interaction between the nonphosphorylated N‐termini of β and the regulatory C‐terminal domains of the γ‐subunits; phosphorylation of β weakens this interaction, leading to activation of the γ‐subunits.
Development of engineered Escherichia coli whole-cell biocatalysts for high-level conversion of l-lysine into cadaverine
Authors: Oh Young Hoon , Kang Kyoung-Hee , Kwon Mi Jeong , Choi Jae Woo , Joo Jeong Chan , Lee Seung Hwan , Yang Yung-Hun , Song Bong Keun , Kim Il-Kwon , Yoon Ki-Hoon , Park Kyungmoon , Park Si Jae
Published: September 2015

A whole-cell biocatalytic system for the production of cadaverine from l-lysine has been developed. Among the investigated lysine decarboxylases from different microorganisms, Escherichia coli LdcC showed the best performance on cadaverine synthesis when E. coli XL1-Blue was used as the host strain. Six different strains of E. coli expressing E. coli LdcC were investigated and recombinant E. coli XL1-Blue, BL21(DE3) and W were chosen for further investigation since they showed higher conversion yield of lysine into cadaverine. The effects of substrate pH, substrate concentrations, buffering conditions, and biocatalyst concentrations have been investigated. Finally, recombinant E. coli XL1-Blue concentrated to an OD600 of 50, converted 192.6 g/L (1317 mM) of crude lysine solution, obtained from an actual lysine manufacturing process, to 133.7 g/L (1308 mM) of cadaverine with a molar yield of 99.90 %. The whole-cell biocatalytic system described herein is expected to be applicable to the development of industrial bionylon production process.
Discovery of novel drug targets and their functions using phenotypic screening of natural products
Authors: Chang Junghwa , Kwon Ho Jeong
Published: September 2015

Natural products are valuable resources that provide a variety of bioactive compounds and natural pharmacophores in modern drug discovery. Discovery of biologically active natural products and unraveling their target proteins to understand their mode of action have always been critical hurdles for their development into clinical drugs. For effective discovery and development of bioactive natural products into novel therapeutic drugs, comprehensive screening and identification of target proteins are indispensable. In this review, a systematic approach to understanding the mode of action of natural products isolated using phenotypic screening involving chemical proteomics-based target identification is introduced. This review highlights three natural products recently discovered via phenotypic screening, namely glucopiericidin A, ecumicin, and terpestacin, as representative case studies to revisit the pivotal role of natural products as powerful tools in discovering the novel functions and druggability of targets in biological systems and pathological diseases of interest.
The lncRNA MALAT1 protects the endothelium against ox‐LDL‐induced dysfunction via upregulating the expression of the miR‐22‐3p target genes CXCR2 and AKT
Authors: Tang Yong , Jin Xian , Xiang Yin , Chen Yu , Shen Cheng-xing , Zhang Ya-chen , Li Yi-gang
Published: September 2015

CXCR2 plays a key role in protecting the integrity of the endothelium. Emerging evidence has demonstrated that the long ncRNAs (lncRNA) Human metastasis associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 (MALAT1) participates in the regulation of the pathophysiological processes. However, whether there is crosstalk between CXCR2 and MALAT1 remains unknown. In this study, we demonstrated that MALAT1 was upregulated in patients with unstable angina. MALAT1 silencing significantly downregulated the expression of the miR‐22‐3p target gene CXCR2 via reversing the effect of the miR‐22‐3p, resulting in the aggravation of Oxidized low‐density lipoprotein (ox‐LDL)‐induced endothelial injury; this process was associated with the AKT pathway. Thus, MALAT1 protects the endothelium from ox‐LDL‐induced endothelial dysfunction partly through competing with miR‐22‐3p for endogenous RNA.
Modeling chromosomes: Beyond pretty pictures
Authors: Imakaev Maxim V. , Fudenberg Geoffrey , Mirny Leonid A.
Published: September 2015

Recently, Chromosome Conformation Capture (3C) based experiments have highlighted the importance of computational models for the study of chromosome organization. In this review, we propose that current computational models can be grouped into roughly four classes, with two classes ofdata‐driven models: consensus structures and data‐driven ensembles, and two classes ofde novo models: structural ensembles and mechanistic ensembles. Finally, we highlight specific questions mechanistic ensembles can address.
Genome‐wide linkage analyses of non‐Hispanic white families identify novel loci for familial late‐onset Alzheimer's disease
Authors: Kunkle Brian W. , Jaworski James , Barral Sandra , Vardarajan Badri , Beecham Gary W. , Martin Eden R. , Cantwell Laura S. , Partch Amanda , Bird Thomas D. , Raskind Wendy H. , DeStefano Anita L. , Carney Regina M. , Cuccaro Michael , Vance Jeffrey M. , Farrer Lindsay A. , Goate Alison M. , Foroud Tatiana , Mayeux Richard P. , Schellenberg Gerard D. , Haines Jonathan L. , Pericak‐Vance Margaret A.
Published: September 2015

Introduction

Few high penetrance variants that explain risk in late‐onset Alzheimer's disease (LOAD) families have been found.

Methods

We performed genome‐wide linkage and identity‐by‐descent (IBD) analyses on 41 non‐Hispanic white families exhibiting likely dominant inheritance of LOAD, and having no mutations at known familial Alzheimer's disease (AD) loci, and a low burden of APOE ε4 alleles.

Results

Two‐point parametric linkage analysis identified 14 significantly linked regions, including three novel linkage regions for LOAD (5q32, 11q12.2–11q14.1, and 14q13.3), one of which replicates a genome‐wide association LOAD locus, the MS4A6A‐MS4A4E gene cluster at 11q12.2. Five of the 14 regions (3q25.31, 4q34.1, 8q22.3, 11q12.2–14.1, and 19q13.41) are supported by strong multipoint results (logarithm of odds [LOD*] ≥1.5). Nonparametric multipoint analyses produced an additional significant locus at 14q32.2 (LOD* = 4.18). The 1‐LOD confidence interval for this region contains one gene, C14orf177, and the microRNA Mir_320, whereas IBD analyses implicates an additional gene BCL11B, a regulator of brain‐derived neurotrophic signaling, a pathway associated with pathogenesis of several neurodegenerative diseases.

Discussion

Examination of these regions after whole‐genome sequencing may identify highly penetrant variants for familial LOAD.