bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Chemical improvement of chitosan-modified beads for the immobilization of Enterococcus faecium DBFIQ E36 l-arabinose isomerase through multipoint covalent attachment approach
Authors: Manzo Ricardo M , de Sousa Marylane , Fenoglio Cecilia L , Gonçalves Luciana Rocha Barro , Mammarella Enrique J
Published: August 2015

d-tagatose is produced from d-galactose by the enzyme l-arabinose isomerase (L-AI) in a commercially viable bioprocess. An active and stable biocatalyst was obtained by modifying chitosan gel structure through reaction with TNBS, d-fructose or DMF, among others. This led to a significant improvement in L-AI immobilization via multipoint covalent attachment approach. Synthetized derivatives were compared with commercial supports such as Eupergit® C250L and glyoxal-agarose. The best chitosan derivative for L-AI immobilization was achieved by reacting 4 % (w/v) d-fructose with 3 % (w/v) chitosan at 50 °C for 4 h. When compared to the free enzyme, the glutaraldehyde-activated chitosan biocatalyst showed an apparent activity of 88.4 U ggel  −1 with a 211-fold stabilization factor while the glyoxal-agarose biocatalyst gave an apparent activity of 161.8 U ggel  −1 with an 85-fold stabilization factor. Hence, chitosan derivatives were comparable to commercial resins, thus becoming a viable low-cost strategy to obtain high active L-AI insolubilized derivatives.
Ecological impacts of the austral‐most population of Crassostrea gigas in South America: a matter of time?
Authors: Mendez María M. , Schwindt Evangelina , Bortolus Alejandro , Roche Andrea , Maggioni Matías , Narvarte Maite
Published: August 2015

The Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas is one of the most invasive species worldwide. This oyster has a preponderant ecological role in the invaded environments, for example structuring the benthic community through the provision of micro‐habitats. Twenty‐five years after its introduction in Argentina, the species is colonizing new areas along the coast, extending northwards and southwards its local distribution. In this study, we provide the first ecological characterization of the southern‐most population of C. gigas; where the composition, density, richness and diversity of the macroinvertebrate assemblages associated with zones with oysters were compared with zones where it is absent at four different times of the year. Additionally, the main epibionts taxa settled on the oyster shells were studied. Our results showed differences in the assemblage composition between zones. However, these differences were not consistent throughout the year. Furthermore, density, richness and diversity were higher in the zones with oysters only in one of the surveys and the parameters did not differ between zones in the remaining months. Moreover, the majority of oysters were used as settlement substrate by the sessile common species present in the area. Thus, our work provides new information about the ecology of C. gigas in recently invaded areas that enhance our understanding of the role that facilitation plays in physically stressful ecosystems and the importance that density and time since the invasion may have in the engineering effects of the species.
The effects of platelet lysate on maturation, fertilization and embryo development of NMRI mouse oocytes at germinal vesicle stage
Authors: Pazoki Hassan , Eimani Hussein , Farokhi Farah , Shahverdi Abdol‐Hossein , Tahaei Leila Sadat
Published: August 2015

Purpose

Improving in vitro maturation could increase the rate of pregnancy from oocytes matured in vitro. Consequently, patients will be prevented from using gonadotropin with its related side effects. In this study, the maturation medium was enriched by platelet lysate (PL), then maturation and subsequent developments were monitored.

Methods

Oocytes at germinal vesicle stage with cumulus cells (cumulus–oocyte complex) and without cumulus cells (denuded oocytes) were obtained from mature female mice. The maturation medium was enriched by 5 and 10 % PL and 5 % PL + 5 % fetal bovine serum (FBS) as experimental groups; the control groups’ media consisted of 5 and 10 % FBS. After 18 h, the matured oocytes were collected and, after fertilization, subsequent development was monitored.

Results

The rates of maturation, fertilization and 2‐cell embryo development for the denuded oocyte groups in experimental media 5 % PL and 5 % PL + 5 % FBS were significantly higher than those of the control groups (P < 0.05), while the results for the cumulus–oocyte complex groups were similar between the experimental groups and control groups.

Conclusions

The results of this study indicated that platelet lysate could improve the maturation rate in the absence of granulosa cells compared to media with FBS. This extract also had positive effects on fertilization and embryo development.
Understanding adolescent psychopathic traits from early risk and protective factors: Relations among inhibitory control, maternal sensitivity, and attachment representation
Authors: Buck Katharine Ann
Published: August 2015

Psychopathic traits reflect deficits in behavioral, affective, and interpersonal functioning (Cooke & Michie, 2001). Children with poor inhibitory control may display these traits. Maternal sensitivity and attachment have been implicated in psychopathic traits, but whether they may reduce the likelihood of psychopathic trait expression in adolescence for uninhibited children is largely unknown. The current study attempted to shed light on this issue. Data came from 957 adolescents, followed from 54 months through 15 years. Findings demonstrated that maternal sensitivity was associated with a reduced likelihood of psychopathic traits for males with low inhibitory control. For females, secure attachment mediated the interaction of sensitivity and inhibitory control to psychopathic traits. The current study offers insight into the temperamental traits, parenting, and relational processes involved in psychopathic trait expression during adolescence.
Correlación de inteligencia emocional con bienestar psicológico y rendimiento académico en alumnos de licenciatura
Authors: Sánchez-López Dolores , León-Hernández Saúl Renán , Barragán-Velásquez Clemente
Published: August 2015

Introducción: Existen numerosos estudios que destacan la relación de la inteligencia emocional con el desempeño académico; sin embargo, la mayoría de los instrumentos empleados para medir la inteligencia emocional han sido diseñados y validados para poblaciones diferentes a la mexicana. Hasta la fecha, no existe estudio alguno que correlacione la Escala de Bienestar Psicológico con la del Perfil de Inteligencia Emocional, diseñada en México, y analice su probable relación en el rendimiento académico de alumnos de licenciatura.
Objetivo: ¿Qué grado de correlación encontraremos entre las escalas de inteligencia emocional y de bienestar psicológico? y, en caso de estar correlacionadas, ¿predecirán el rendimiento académico de los alumnos de licenciatura?
Método: Encuesta transversal, descriptiva y observacional aplicada a un total de 90 alumnos de licenciatura. Las correlaciones de las escalas se efectuaron con r de Pearson o rho de Spearman, según el caso, y las diferencias en los promedios de las escalas según rendimiento académico se contrastaron por análisis de varianza o con la prueba de Kruskal-Wallis.
Resultados: La Escala de Inteligencia Emocional arrojó un coeficiente de confiabilidad alfa de Cronbach 0.82 (IC 95%: 0.77-0.87, p = 0.0001) y el de bienestar psicológico fue de 0.716 (p = 0.09). A mayor puntaje de inteligencia emocional correspondió mayor puntaje en bienestar psicológico subjetivo y mayor bienestar psicológico material. En general, un hallazgo fue que a menor bienestar psicológico subjetivo hubo mayor promedio de calificaciones en el rendimiento académico (rho: −0.220, p = 0.03).
Conclusiones: Encontramos que, en efecto, las escalas de inteligencia emocional y bienestar psicológico están fuertemente correlacionadas, especialmente las dimensiones de optimismo, logro y autoestima de la inteligencia emocional con la dimensión de bienestar psicológico subjetivo de la de bienestar psicológico; sin embargo, un hallazgo interesante fue encontrar que el mayor rendimiento académico no parece estar necesariamente asociado a mayor inteligencia emocional.
Proceso de validación de un instrumento para medir la lectura crítica de informes de investigación médica
Authors: Cobos Aguilar Héctor , Pérez Cortés Patricia , De la Garza Quintanilla Héctor , Ochoa Castro Carlos Enrique
Published: August 2015

Introducción: La lectura crítica de investigación es una herramienta de aprendizaje que debe ser manejada por profesores y alumnos. Las estrategias educativas deben enfocarse al aprendizaje activo del alumno. Instrumentos válidos y confiables deben elaborarse para medir los avances en este campo.
Objetivo: Construir, validar y determinar la consistencia de un instrumento para evaluar la lectura crítica.
Método: Instrumento: se revisaron artículos publicados sobre construcción de instrumentos, encuestas, casos y controles, pruebas diagnósticas, ensayo clínico aleatorizado, cohortes, seguimiento y metaanálisis. Se seleccionaron finalmente 8 artículos con los respectivos diseños. Se realizaron resúmenes y se derivaron enunciados y reactivos que exploraban la validez, la consistencia y los diseños, los estadísticos, resultados y discusión. Los reactivos se sustentaban en los indicadores de la lectura crítica: interpretación, enjuiciamiento y propuestas. Se realizó validación por técnica de Delphi en 2 rondas con 6 doctores o másteres en ciencias o educación, con experiencia en estos instrumentos. Finalmente se equilibró con 96 reactivos, 16 por diseño y 32 por indicador, con 48 respuestas falsas y verdaderas. Se calificó en forma ciega y con un programa para evitar errores de captura. Se obtuvieron medianas para el análisis. Se aplicó prueba piloto con 2 grupos de internos de pregrado (neófito G1 e intervenido G 2) y se determinó la consistencia por Kuder-Richardson. Se compararon extremos con U de Mann-Whitney. Se determinó también el nivel de azar. 
Resultados: Se obtuvo una consistencia de 0.79, aunque una validez concurrente inadecuada (Spearman = 0.31). Hubo diferencias globales en las medianas grupales G1 vs. G2 (11 vs. 29) así como en respuestas por azar (70% vs.8) y una comparación de extremos significativa (p < 0.0019). 
Conclusiones: Es necesario construir y actualizar instrumentos de medición para medir el desarrollo de esta habilidad compleja trascendental en la crítica de la información médicapublicada.
Appraisal of Parental Bias in Twin Studies.Ascribed Zygosity and IQ Differences in Twins
Authors: Matheny Adam P.
Published: August 2015

A criticism of twin studies has been that the difference between the behavioral similarities of identical and fraternal twins is largely created by parental influences based on their perception of the twins' zygosity. This issue is examined for differences in the IQ scores found within pairs classified by parents and bloodtyping. The systematic differences in IQ scores could be attributed to zygosity classified by bloodtyping rather than by parental belief. The available evidence indicates that the twin method is still appropriate for human behavior genetics.
Computational logics and verification techniques of multi-agent commitments: survey
Authors: El Menshawy Mohamed , Bentahar Jamal , El Kholy Warda , Yolum Pinar , Dssouli Rachida
Published: August 2015

Agent communication languages (ACLs) are fundamental mechanisms that enable agents in multi-agent systems totalk, communicate with each other in order to satisfy their individual and social goals in a cooperative and competitive manner. Social approaches are advocated to overcome the shortcomings of ACL semantics delineated by using mental approaches in the figure of agents’ mental notions. Over the last two decades,socialcommitments have been the subject of considerable research in some of those social approaches as they provide a powerful representation for modeling and reasoning upon multi-agent interactions in the form of mutual contractual obligations. They particularly provide a declarative, flexible, verifiable, and social semantics for ACL messages while respecting agents’ autonomy, heterogeneity, and openness.

In this manuscript, we go through prominent and predominate proposals in the literature to explore the state of the art on how temporal logics can be devoted to define a formal semantics for ACL messages in terms of social commitments and associated actions. We explain each proposal and point out if and how it meetssevencrucial criteria, four of them introduced by Munindar P. Singh to have a well-defined semantics for ACL messages. Far from deciding the best proposal, our aim is to present the advantages (strengths) and limitations of those proposals to designers and developers using a concrete running example and to compare between them, so that they can make the best choice with regard to their needs. We explore and evaluate current specification languages and different verification techniques that have been discussed within those proposals to, respectively, specify and verify commitment-based protocols. We also investigate logical languages of actions advocated to specify, model, and execute commitment-based protocols in other contributed proposals. Finally, we suggest some solutions that can contribute to address the identified limitations.
Completeness and Accuracy of a Wide-Area Maritime Situational Picture based on Automatic Ship Reporting Systems
Authors: Greidanus Harm , Alvarez Marlene , Eriksen Torkild , Gammieri Vincenzo
Published: August 2015

Automatic ship reporting systems (AIS – Automatic identification System, LRIT – Long Range Identification and Tracking, VMS – Vessel Monitoring System) today allow global tracking of ships. One way to display the results is in a map of current ship positions over an area of interest, the Maritime Situational Picture (MSP). The MSP is dynamic and must be created by fusing the reporting systems' messages, constructing ship tracks and predicting ship positions to correct for latency especially in the case of AIS received by satellite which forms the bulk of the data. This paper discusses the completeness of the resulting MSP and the accuracy of its positions, quantifying the additional value of the individual data sources.
The Public Health Consequences of Disasters
Authors: Noji Eric K.
Published: August 2015

Although disasters have exacted a heavy toll of death and suffering, the future seems more frightening. Good disaster management must link data collection and analysis to the decision-making process. The overall objectives of disaster management from the viewpoint of public health are: 1) needs assessments; 2) matching available resources with defined needs; 3) prevention of further adverse health effects; 4) implementation of disease-control strategies; 5) evaluation of the effectiveness of the application of these strategies; and 6) improvement in contingency planning for future disasters.

The effects of sudden-onset, natural disasters on humans are quantifiable. Knowledge of the epidemiology of deaths, injuries, and illnesses is essential to determine effective responses; provide public education; establish priorities, planning, and training. In addition, the temporal patterns for the medical care required must be established so that the needs in future disasters can be anticipated.

This article discusses: 1) the nature of disasters due to sudden-onset, natural events; 2) the medical and health needs associated with such events and disasters; 3) practical issues of disaster responses; and 4) the advance organization and management of disasters. The discussion also includes: 1) discussions of past problems in disaster management including non-congruence between available supplies and the actual needs of the affected population; 2) information management; 3) needs assessments; 4) public health surveillance; and 5) linking information with decision-making. This discussion is followed by an analysis of what currently is known about the health-care needs during some specific types of sudden-onset, natural disasters: 1) floods; 2) tropical cyclones; 3) tornadoes; 4) volcanic eruptions; and 5) earthquakes. The article concludes with descriptions of some specific public-health problems associated with disasters including epidemics and disposition of corpses.

All natural disasters are unique in that the regions affected have different social, economic, and health backgrounds. But, many similarities exist, and knowledge about these can ensure that the health and emergency medical relief and limited resources are well-managed.
Making progress towards food security: evidence from an intervention in three rural districts of Rwanda
Authors: Nsabuwera Vincent , Hedt-Gauthier Bethany , Khogali Mohammed , Edginton Mary , Hinderaker Sven G , Nisingizwe Marie Paul , Tihabyona Jean de Dieu , Sikubwabo Benoit , Sembagare Samuel , Habinshuti Antoinette , Drobac Peter
Published: August 2015

Objective

Determining interventions to address food insecurity and poverty, as well as setting targets to be achieved in a specific time period have been a persistent challenge for development practitioners and decision makers. The present study aimed to assess the changes in food access and consumption at the household level after one-year implementation of an integrated food security intervention in three rural districts of Rwanda.

Design

A before-and-after intervention study comparing Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS) scores and household Food Consumption Scores (FCS) at baseline and after one year of programme implementation.

Setting

Three rural districts of Rwanda (Kayonza, Kirehe and Burera) where the Partners In Health Food Security and Livelihoods Program (FSLP) has been implemented since July 2013.

Subjects

All 600 households enrolled in the FSLP were included in the study.

Results

There were significant improvements (P<0·001) in HFIAS and FCS. The median decrease in HFIAS was 8 units (interquartile range (IQR) −13·0, −3·0) and the median increase for FCS was 4·5 units (IQR −6·0, 18·0). Severe food insecurity decreased from 78 % to 49 %, while acceptable food consumption improved from 48 % to 64 %. The change in HFIAS was significantly higher (P=0·019) for the poorest households.

Conclusions

Our study demonstrated that an integrated programme, implemented in a setting of extreme poverty, was associated with considerable improvements towards household food security. Other government and non-government organizations’ projects should consider a similar holistic approach when designing structural interventions to address food insecurity and extreme poverty.
On the search for artificial Dyson-like structures around pulsars
Authors: Osmanov Z.
Published: August 2015

Assuming the possibility of existence of a supercivilization we extend the idea of Freeman Dyson considering pulsars instead of stars. It is shown that instead of a spherical shell the supercivilization must use ring-like constructions. We have found that a size of the ‘ring’ should be of the order of (10−4–10−1) AU with temperature interval (300–600) K for relatively slowly rotating pulsars and (10–350) AU with temperature interval (300–700) K for rapidly spinning neutron stars, respectively. Although for the latter the Dyson construction is unrealistically massive and cannot be considered seriously. Analyzing the stresses in terms of the radiation and wind flows it has been argued that they cannot significantly affect the ring construction. On the other hand, the ring in-plane unstable equilibrium can be restored by the energy which is small compared with the energy extracted from the star. This indicates that the search for infrared ring-like sources close to slowly rotating pulsars seems to be quite promising.
Women and wrongful convictions: concepts and challenges
Authors: Parkes Debra , Cunliffe Emma
Published: August 2015

This paper draws from the wrongful convictions of women to interrogate the limits of dominant conceptions of wrongful conviction. Most North American innocence projects turn on a conception of demonstrable factual innocence. The paper argues that this focus is problematic as a matter of criminal law principle and presents particular difficulties for women. The paper identifies that family violence forms the primary context for both the conviction of women for violent crimes, and for women's wrongful convictions. Taking two key examples of family violence – child homicide and intimate partner violence – we illustrate that the prevailing focus on demonstrable factual innocence fits awkwardly with identified wrongful convictions in these areas, and argue that this focus may deflect attention from unidentified miscarriages of justice. We suggest that focusing on factual innocence undermines the criminal justice system's proper focus on state responsibilities, including the responsibility to protect women and children from harm, and the asymmetric burden of proof that applies in criminal cases.
From homo economicus to homo roboticus: an exploration of the transformative impact of the technological imaginary
Authors: Shaw Julia J. A.
Published: August 2015

The largely unfettered realm of hardware and software code offers limitless possibilities in expanding the use and influence of information and communication technologies. As transcendent technologies they are unrestrained by the divergent equivalence of human categories of difference such as gender, race and class, or conceptual binary oppositions such as good/evil, happy/sad, freedom/oppression. Whilst a material grounding in earlier forms of embodied social experience remains an essential precondition of interaction with virtual systems, it is suggested that the virtual world is in the process of transforming the real world or, at least, subordinating it as slave to the machine world. This shift has fostered an imbalance of power between human and the posthuman, and consequently the epoch of the machine is often alleged to be both modern miracle and monster. Just as at a human level, rational thought processes restrain ideas which are unruly and require control, ICT advancements have proliferated to the point where these technologies also need to be classified, constrained where necessary, and diluted into the real world in real time. In this current climate of endless technological transformation, along with the growth of mass surveillance technologies together with the expansion of regulatory state powers, it is clear that any further innovations cannot be left to market forces without first considering the groundwork for the development of an appropriate monitoring mechanism. Before an appropriate set of regulatory mechanisms can be explicated, it is first necessary to consider the nature of the evolving transgressive human–machine relationship and the possible implications for humanity in the modern hypermediated world.
Gender, Islam and judgeship in Egypt
Authors: Sonneveld Nadia , Tawfik Ahmed
Published: August 2015

The issue of women serving as judges has been a contentious one in Egyptian society for nearly eight decades. While other Muslim majority countries started appointing women judges as early as the 1950s and 1960s, it was not until 2003 that the Egyptian government announced the appointment of its first ever female judge. Despite the approval of Egypt's religious scholars, her appointment was fiercely contested, among both the general public and the legal profession. In this paper we explore the question of why the appointment of women as judges provokes so much controversy in Egyptian society, and in the judiciary in particular. We show that the debate reveals a preoccupation with the proper place of women in society. With both traditionally educated religious scholars and people lacking formal religious training justifying their point of view by resorting to religious argumentation, the debate is also a clear example of the fragmentation of religious authority in Islam.
childLex–Eine lexikalische Datenbank zur Schriftsprache für Kinder im Deutschen
Authors: Schroeder Sascha , Würzner Kay-Michael , Heister Julian , Geyken Alexander , Kliegl Reinhold
Published: August 2015

Zusammenfassung. In diesem Beitrag stellen wir childLex vor, eine online-Datenbank zur Schriftsprache für Kinder im Deutschen. childLex basiert auf einem Korpus aus Kinder- und Schulbüchern, das ca. 10 Millionen Wörter umfasst, und stellt verschiedene linguistische Normen auf der lexikalischen, superlexikalischen und sublexikalischen Ebene zur Verfügung. Diese werden in der psychologischen Forschung dringend zur Erstellung von altersadäquaten Stimulus- und Trainingsmaterialien benötigt. Separate Normen sind für drei verschiedene Altersbereiche verfügbar: 6 – 8 Jahre (1. – 2. Klasse), 9 – 10 Jahre (3. – 4. Klasse) und 11 – 12 Jahre (5. – 6. Klasse). Hier beschreiben wir Aufbau und Analyse von childLex und vergleichen Frequenznormen auf der lexikalischen, superlexikalischen und sublexikalischen Ebene mit denen des DWDS-Kernkorpus, eines umfassenden Korpus zur Schriftsprache für Erwachsene. Dabei zeigt sich, dass die beiden Korpora im hochfrequenten Bereich und auf der sublexikalischen Ebene gut übereinstimmen, während sie auf der lexikalischen und superlexikalischen Ebene sowie im mittel- bis niederfrequenten Bereich stark voneinander abweichen. Abschließend erläutern wir, welche Variablen in childLex verfügbar sind und wie sie sich abfragen lassen.
Structuring Situational Information
Authors: Rauthmann John F.
Published: August 2015

Abstract. There is as yet no consensually agreed-upon situational taxonomy. The current work addresses this issue and reviews extant taxonomic approaches by highlighting a “road map” of six research stations that lead to the observed diversity in taxonomies: (1) theoretical and conceptual guidelines, (2) the “type” of situational information studied, (3) the general taxonomic approach taken, (4) the generation of situation pools, (5) the assessment and rating of situational information, and (6) the statistical analyses of situation data. Current situational taxonomies are difficult to integrate because they follow different paths along these six stations. Some suggestions are given on how to spur integrated taxonomies toward a unified psychology of situations that speaks a common language.
DRP1 inhibition rescues retinal ganglion cells and their axons by preserving mitochondrial integrity in a mouse model of glaucoma
Authors: Kim K-Y , Perkins G A , Shim M S , Bushong E , Alcasid N , Ju S , Ellisman M H , Weinreb R N , Ju W-K
Published: August 2015

Glaucoma is the leading cause of irreversible blindness and is characterized by slow and progressive degeneration of the optic nerve head axons and retinal ganglion cell (RGC), leading to loss of visual function. Although oxidative stress and/or alteration of mitochondrial (mt) dynamics induced by elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) are associated with this neurodegenerative disease, the mechanisms that regulate mt dysfunction-mediated glaucomatous neurodegeneration are poorly understood. Using a mouse model of glaucoma, DBA/2J (D2), which spontaneously develops elevated IOP, as well as an in vitro RGC culture system, we show here that oxidative stress, as evidenced by increasing superoxide dismutase 2 (SOD2) and mt transcription factor A (Tfam) protein expression, triggers mt fission and loss by increasing dynamin-related protein 1 (DRP1) in the retina of glaucomatous D2 mice as well as in cultured RGCs exposed to elevated hydrostatic pressure in vitro. DRP1 inhibition by overexpressing DRP1 K38A mutant blocks mt fission and triggers a subsequent reduction of oxidative stress, as evidenced by decreasing SOD2 and Tfam protein expression. DRP1 inhibition promotes RGC survival by increasing phosphorylation of Bad at serine 112 in the retina and preserves RGC axons by maintaining mt integrity in the glial lamina of glaucomatous D2 mice. These findings demonstrate an important vicious cycle involved in glaucomatous neurodegeneration that starts with elevated IOP producing oxidative stress; the oxidative stress then leads to mt fission and a specific form of mt dysfunction that generates further oxidative stress, thus perpetuating the cycle. Our findings suggest that DRP1 is a potential therapeutic target for ameliorating oxidative stress-mediated mt fission and dysfunction in RGC and its axons during glaucomatous neurodegeneration. Thus, DRP1 inhibition may provide a new therapeutic strategy for protecting both RGCs and their axons in glaucoma and other optic neuropathies.
The potential of mesenchymal stem cells in the management of radiation enteropathy
Authors: Chang P-Y , Qu Y-Q , Wang J , Dong L-H
Published: August 2015

Although radiotherapy is effective in managing abdominal and pelvic malignant tumors, radiation enteropathy is still unavoidable. This disease severely affects the quality of life of cancer patients due to some refractory lesions, such as intestinal ischemia, mucositis, ulcer, necrosis or even perforation. Current drugs or prevailing therapies are committed to alleviating the symptoms induced by above lesions. But the efficacies achieved by these interventions are still not satisfactory, because the milieus for tissue regeneration are not distinctly improved. In recent years, regenerative therapy for radiation enteropathy by using mesenchymal stem cells is of public interests. Relevant results of preclinical and clinical studies suggest that this regenerative therapy will become an attractive tool in managing radiation enteropathy, because mesenchymal stem cells exhibit their pro-regenerative potentials for healing the injuries in both epithelium and endothelium, minimizing inflammation and protecting irradiated intestine against fibrogenesis through activating intrinsic repair actions. In spite of these encouraging results, whether mesenchymal stem cells promote tumor growth is still an issue of debate. On this basis, we will discuss the advances in anticancer therapy by using mesenchymal stem cells in this review after analyzing the pathogenesis of radiation enteropathy, introducing the advances in managing radiation enteropathy using regenerative therapy and exploring the putative actions by which mesenchymal stem cells repair intestinal injuries. At last, insights gained from the potential risks of mesenchymal stem cell-based therapy for radiation enteropathy patients may provide clinicians with an improved awareness in carrying out their studies.
Adiponectin receptor-mediated signaling ameliorates cerebral cell damage and regulates the neurogenesis of neural stem cells at high glucose concentrations: an in vivo and in vitro study
Authors: Song J , Kang S M , Kim E , Kim C-H , Song H-T , Lee J E
Published: August 2015

In the central nervous system (CNS), hyperglycemia leads to neuronal damage and cognitive decline. Recent research has focused on revealing alterations in the brain in hyperglycemia and finding therapeutic solutions for alleviating the hyperglycemia-induced cognitive dysfunction. Adiponectin is a protein hormone with a major regulatory role in diabetes and obesity; however, its role in the CNS has not been studied yet. Although the presence of adiponectin receptors has been reported in the CNS, adiponectin receptor-mediated signaling in the CNS has not been investigated. In the present study, we investigated adiponectin receptor (AdipoR)-mediated signalingin vivousing a high-fat diet andin vitrousing neural stem cells (NSCs). We showed that AdipoR1 protects cell damage and synaptic dysfunction in the mouse brain in hyperglycemia. At high glucose concentrationsin vitro, AdipoR1 regulated the survival of NSCs through the p53/p21 pathway and the proliferation- and differentiation-related factors of NSCs via tailless (TLX). Hence, we suggest that further investigations are necessary to understand the cerebral AdipoR1-mediated signaling in hyperglycemic conditions, because the modulation of AdipoR1 might alleviate hyperglycemia-induced neuropathogenesis.
Region-specific variation in the properties of skeletal adipocytes reveals regulated and constitutive marrow adipose tissues
Authors: Scheller Erica L. , Doucette Casey R. , Learman Brian S. , Cawthorn William P. , Khandaker Shaima , Schell Benjamin , Wu Brent , Ding Shi-Ying , Bredella Miriam A. , Fazeli Pouneh K. , Khoury Basma , Jepsen Karl J. , Pilch Paul F. , Klibanski Anne , Rosen Clifford J. , MacDougald Ormond A.
Published: August 2015

Marrow adipose tissue (MAT) accumulates in diverse clinical conditions but remains poorly understood. Here we show region-specific variation in MAT adipocyte development, regulation, size, lipid composition, gene expression and genetic determinants. Early MAT formation in mice is conserved, whereas later development is strain dependent. Proximal, but not distal tibial, MAT is lost with 21-day cold exposure. Rat MAT adipocytes from distal sites have an increased proportion of monounsaturated fatty acids and expression of Scd1/Scd2, Cebpa and Cebpb. Humans also have increased distal marrow fat unsaturation. We define proximal ‘regulated’ MAT (rMAT) as single adipocytes interspersed with active haematopoiesis, whereas distal ‘constitutive’ MAT (cMAT) has low haematopoiesis, contains larger adipocytes, develops earlier and remains preserved upon systemic challenges. Loss of rMAT occurs in mice with congenital generalized lipodystrophy type 4, whereas both rMAT and cMAT are preserved in mice with congenital generalized lipodystrophy type 3. Consideration of these MAT subpopulations may be important for future studies linking MAT to bone biology, haematopoiesis and whole-body metabolism.
An on-chip electrical transport spectroscopy approach for in situ monitoring electrochemical interfaces
Authors: Ding Mengning , He Qiyuan , Wang Gongming , Cheng Hung-Chieh , Huang Yu , Duan Xiangfeng
Published: August 2015

In situ monitoring electrochemical interfaces is crucial for fundamental understanding and continued optimization of electrocatalysts. Conventional spectroscopic techniques are generally difficult to implement for in situ electrochemical studies. Here we report an on-chip electrical transport spectroscopy approach for directly probing the electrochemical surfaces of metallic nanocatalysts in action. With a four-electrode device configuration, we demonstrate that the electrical properties of ultrafine platinum nanowires are highly sensitive and selective to the electrochemical surface states, enabling a nanoelectronic signalling pathway that reveals electrochemical interface information during in-device cyclic voltammetry. Our results not only show a high degree of consistency with generally accepted conclusions in platinum electrochemistry but also offer important insights on various practically important electrochemical reactions. This study defines a nanoelectronic strategy for in situ electrochemical surface studies with high surface sensitivity and surface specificity.
Qubit entanglement between ring-resonator photon-pair sources on a silicon chip
Authors: Silverstone J. W. , Santagati R. , Bonneau D. , Strain M. J. , Sorel M. , O’Brien J. L. , Thompson M. G.
Published: August 2015

Entanglement—one of the most delicate phenomena in nature—is an essential resource for quantum information applications. Scalable photonic quantum devices must generate and control qubit entanglement on-chip, where quantum information is naturally encoded in photon path. Here we report a silicon photonic chip that uses resonant-enhanced photon-pair sources, spectral demultiplexers and reconfigurable optics to generate a path-entangled two-qubit state and analyse its entanglement. We show that ring-resonator-based spontaneous four-wave mixing photon-pair sources can be made highly indistinguishable and that their spectral correlations are small. We use on-chip frequency demultiplexers and reconfigurable optics to perform both quantum state tomography and the strict Bell-CHSH test, both of which confirm a high level of on-chip entanglement. This work demonstrates the integration of high-performance components that will be essential for building quantum devices and systems to harness photonic entanglement on the large scale.
Structural basis for the blockade of MATE multidrug efflux pumps
Authors: Radchenko Martha , Symersky Jindrich , Nie Rongxin , Lu Min
Published: August 2015

Multidrug and toxic compound extrusion (MATE) transporters underpin multidrug resistance by using the H+ or Na+ electrochemical gradient to extrude different drugs across cell membranes. MATE transporters can be further parsed into the DinF, NorM and eukaryotic subfamilies based on their amino-acid sequence similarity. Here we report the 3.0 Å resolution X-ray structures of a protonation-mimetic mutant of an H+-coupled DinF transporter, as well as of an H+-coupled DinF and a Na+-coupled NorM transporters in complexes with verapamil, a small-molecule pharmaceutical that inhibits MATE-mediated multidrug extrusion. Combining structure-inspired mutational and functional studies, we confirm the biological relevance of our crystal structures, reveal the mechanistic differences among MATE transporters, and suggest how verapamil inhibits MATE-mediated multidrug efflux. Our findings offer insights into how MATE transporters extrude chemically and structurally dissimilar drugs and could inform the design of new strategies for tackling multidrug resistance.
Diacetin, a reliable cue and private communication channel in a specialized pollination system
Authors: Schäffler Irmgard , Steiner Kim E. , Haid Mark , van Berkel Sander S. , Gerlach Günter , Johnson Steven D. , Wessjohann Ludger , Dötterl Stefan
Published: August 2015

The interaction between floral oil secreting plants and oil-collecting bees is one of the most specialized of all pollination mutualisms. Yet, the specific stimuli used by the bees to locate their host flowers have remained elusive. This study identifies diacetin, a volatile acetylated glycerol, as a floral signal compound shared by unrelated oil plants from around the globe. Electrophysiological measurements of antennae and behavioural assays identified diacetin as the key volatile used by oil-collecting bees to locate their host flowers. Furthermore, electrophysiological measurements indicate that only oil-collecting bees are capable of detecting diacetin. The structural and obvious biosynthetic similarity between diacetin and associated floral oils make it a reliable cue for oil-collecting bees. It is easily perceived by oil bees, but can’t be detected by other potential pollinators. Therefore, diacetin represents the first demonstrated private communication channel in a pollination system.
The Bounds Of Education In The Human Brain Connectome
Authors: Marques P. , Soares J. M. , Magalhães R. , Santos N. C. , Sousa N.
Published: August 2015

Inter-individual heterogeneity is evident in aging; education level is known to contribute for this heterogeneity. Using a cross-sectional study design and network inference applied to resting-state fMRI data, we show that aging was associated with decreased functional connectivity in a large cortical network. On the other hand, education level, as measured by years of formal education, produced an opposite effect on the long-term. These results demonstrate the increased brain efficiency in individuals with higher education level that may mitigate the impact of age on brain functional connectivity.
Molecular and chemical dialogues in bacteria-protozoa interactions
Authors: Song Chunxu , Mazzola Mark , Cheng Xu , Oetjen Janina , Alexandrov Theodore , Dorrestein Pieter , Watrous Jeramie , van der Voort Menno , Raaijmakers Jos M.
Published: August 2015

Protozoan predation of bacteria can significantly affect soil microbial community composition and ecosystem functioning. Bacteria possess diverse defense strategies to resist or evade protozoan predation. For soil-dwelling Pseudomonas species, several secondary metabolites were proposed to provide protection against different protozoan genera. By combining whole-genome transcriptome analyses with (live) imaging mass spectrometry (IMS), we observed multiple changes in the molecular and chemical dialogues between Pseudomonas fluorescens and the protist Naegleria americana. Lipopeptide (LP) biosynthesis was induced in Pseudomonas upon protozoan grazing and LP accumulation transitioned from homogeneous distributions across bacterial colonies to site-specific accumulation at the bacteria-protist interface. Also putrescine biosynthesis was upregulated in P. fluorescens upon predation. We demonstrated that putrescine induces protozoan trophozoite encystment and adversely affects cyst viability. This multifaceted study provides new insights in common and strain-specific responses in bacteria-protozoa interactions, including responses that contribute to bacterial survival in highly competitive soil and rhizosphere environments.
Estrogen deficiency heterogeneously affects tissue specific stem cells in mice
Authors: Kitajima Yuriko , Doi Hanako , Ono Yusuke , Urata Yoshishige , Goto Shinji , Kitajima Michio , Miura Kiyonori , Li Tao-Sheng , Masuzaki Hideaki
Published: August 2015

Postmenopausal disorders are frequently observed in various organs, but their relationship with estrogen deficiency and mechanisms remain unclear. As tissue-specific stem cells have been found to express estrogen receptors, we examined the hypothesis that estrogen deficiency impairs stem cells, which consequently contributes to postmenopausal disorders. Six-week-old C57BL/6 female mice were ovariectomized, following which they received 17β-estradiol replacement or vehicle (control). Sham-operated mice were used as healthy controls. All mice were killed for evaluation 2 months after treatments. Compared with the healthy control, ovariectomy significantly decreased uterine weight, which was partially recovered by 17β-estradiol replacement. Ovariectomy significantly increased the numbers of c-kit-positive hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells in bone marrow, but impaired their capacity to grow mixed cell-type coloniesin vitro. Estrogen replacement further increased the numbers of c-kit-positive hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells in bone marrow, without significantly affecting colony growthin vitro. The number of CD105-positive mesenchymal stem cells in bone marrow also significantly decreased after ovariectomy, but completely recovered following estrogen replacement. Otherwise, neither ovariectomy nor estrogen replacement changed the number of Pax7-positive satellite cells, which are a skeletal muscle-type stem cell. Estrogen deficiency heterogeneously affected tissue-specific stem cells, suggesting a likely and direct relationship with postmenopausal disorders.
Serum miRNA expression profile as a prognostic biomarker of stage II/III colorectal adenocarcinoma
Authors: Li Jialu , Liu Yang , Wang Cheng , Deng Ting , Liang Hongwei , Wang Yifei , Huang Dingzhi , Fan Qian , Wang Xia , Ning Tao , Liu Rui , Zhang Chen-Yu , Zen Ke , Chen Xi , Ba Yi
Published: August 2015

We sought to identify a serum miRNA expression profile to improve disease surveillance and to predict post-operative disease recurrence for stage II/III colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. Using the TaqMan Low-Density Array (TLDA), we performed an initial survey to analyze 749 miRNAs in the pooled serum of 20 paired pre- and post-operative CRC patients and 20 matched normal subjects. Using individual RT-qPCR verification in 175 stage II/III CRC patients, we identified that miR-145, miR-106a and miR-17-3p were significantly differentially expressed between pre- and post-operative CRC patients and between pre-operative CRC patients and normal controls (P < 0.0001). The area under the ROC curve (AUC) for the three-miRNA panel was 0.886 (95% CI 0.850–0.921) for discriminating between pre-operative CRC patients and normal subjects and 0.850 (95% CI 0.809–0.891) for discriminating between pre- and post-operative CRC patients. Furthermore, using the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazards analysis, we found that miR-17-3p and miR-106a were powerful and independent prognostic indicators and that high levels of these miRNAs were associated with shorter disease-free survival (DFS) (P < 0.0001 for miR-17-3p and P = 0.001 for miR-106a). The present study reveals novel serum-miRNA-based biomarkers for monitoring tumor dynamics as well as for predicting disease recurrence in patients with stage II/III CRC.
Turing instabilities on Cartesian product networks
Authors: Asllani Malbor , Busiello Daniel M. , Carletti Timoteo , Fanelli Duccio , Planchon Gwendoline
Published: August 2015

The problem of Turing instabilities for a reaction-diffusion system defined on a complex Cartesian product network is considered. To this end we operate in the linear regime and expand the time dependent perturbation on a basis formed by the tensor product of the eigenvectors of the discrete Laplacian operators, associated to each of the individual networks that build the Cartesian product. The dispersion relation which controls the onset of the instability depends on a set of discrete wavelengths, the eigenvalues of the aforementioned Laplacians. Patterns can develop on the Cartesian network, if they are supported on at least one of its constitutive sub-graphs. Multiplex networks are also obtained under specific prescriptions. In this case, the criteria for the instability reduce to compact explicit formulae. Numerical simulations carried out for the Mimura-Murray reaction kinetics confirm the adequacy of the proposed theory.
Antibacterial and residual antimicrobial activities against Enterococcus faecalis biofilm: A comparison between EDTA, chlorhexidine, cetrimide, MTAD and QMix
Authors: Zhang Rui , Chen Min , Lu Yan , Guo Xiangjun , Qiao Feng , Wu Ligeng
Published: August 2015

We compared the antibacterial and residual antimicrobial activities of five root canal irrigants (17% EDTA,2% chlorhexidine,0.2% cetrimide, MTAD and QMix) in a model of Enterococcus faecalis biofilm formation. Sixty dentin blocks with 3-week E. faecalis biofilm were divided into six equal groups and flushed with irrigant for 2 min or left untreated. A blank control group was also established. Antibacterial activities of the irrigants were evaluated by counting colony forming units. To test residual antimicrobial activities, 280 dentin blocks were divided into seven equal groups and flushed with irrigant for 2 min or left untreated and then incubated with E. faecalis suspension for 48 h, or used as a blank. No bacteria were observed in the blank control group. The number of viable E. faecalis was significantly fewer in the irrigant-treated groups compared with the untreated control (P < 0.05). Among the five irrigants, QMix had the strongest antibacterial activity. Residual antimicrobial activities of CHX were significantly higher at 12 h, 24 h and 36 h compared to untreated control (P < 0.05). All five root canal irrigants were effective to some extent against E. faecalis, but QMix and CHX had the strongest and CHX the longest (up to 36 h), antimicrobial activity.