bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Emergence
Authors: Raven John
Published: March 2012

In this paper I first list a number of areas in which recent research seems to reinforce the need to follow through on activities identified in Simonetta Magari’s article (Magari, Cavaleri 2009). A careful review of research in these areas would lead us into deeply mysterious psychological processes and underline the need to change the most fundamental assumptions on which modern psychology is built. Unfortunately, I am in no position to undertake this review.

Accordingly, I have settled for the lesser objective of discussing (i) the problems posed by the phenomenon of emergence; (ii) the dominant role that networks of external social forces play in determining behaviour (and the way these networks of social forces perpetuate and elaborate themselves), and (iii) the emergence of a network of negative social forces which seems to have the future of mankind and the planet in its grip.

I start by showing that one of the most important uses of the slippery word “intelligence” is to refer to an emergent property of a group. Groups can, to a greater or lesser extent, harness (or neglect and destroy) the diverse talents available to them to create cultures of intelligence or enterprise on the one hand and despondency and conflict on the other.

Whereas we, as a species, currently have the highest levels of individual intelligence ever, it seems that we have the lowest levels of collective intelligence ever.

But group and individual characteristics are not the only things transformed by networks of social forces. Time after time we see that well intentioned social action is transformed into its opposite by networks of social forces.

A systemogram of the social forces which transform the “educational” system into its opposite is then used as a basis for a discussion of the role of social forces more generally.

Two issues then stare one in the face. One is that our governance systems are ill equipped to promoting the kind of experimentation and societal learning that is needed…especially to enable us to survive as a species. The other is the dominance of the “sociological” forces pressing unrelentingly toward the societal hierarchy and division that is leading us so forcefully toward our self-destruction.

Unexpectedly, therefore, it emerges that two key tasks for psychologists, qua psychologists, are (i) to contribute to the design of a societal management system which will act more effectively in the long term public interest – that is to say, in the interests of maintaining life itself – and (ii) to map the network of social forces which are driving us so relentlessly toward our own extinction.
The Way We Are Together Today: Identity and Relationships in Contemporary Societies
Authors: Menditto Maria
Published: March 2012

The last century has catapulted us into a world full of instability, uncertainty, and a sense of bewilderment.

The financial-economic crisis has been added to our difficulties, further polluting our environment, our relationships, our feelings, our wounds. Pre-cariousness, lack of work and of a vision for the future have been added to our sense of emptiness and disorientation. Hope has given way to darkness. We are immersed in the crisis. The feeling of tranquillity and security that we desire is fading, far away, and even forgotten. We are poised upon unstable ground, which makes us tremble and amplifies our need for stability and support. The single person favours self control and mastery, retiring narcissistically into him or herself and refusing help from anyone, not accepting any kind of wound or fragility.

Behind these widespread attitudes lies the myth of total independence and of self sufficiency.

Psychological and psychotherapeutic disciplines bring a change, within this context, towards a “relational turning point”, discovering in the dynamics of reciprocity the source of individual wellbeing, balance in relationships, and a sense of belonging to a community. The connection with another person makes it possible to build up a sense of oneself where multiplicity and unity, difference and belonging, individual and community coexist. Individuality and belonging are no longer opposed to one another, causing irresolvable conflict in the development of the self, but thanks to reciprocity, to the capacity of self giving and to ethics, they can be fully integrated and contribute to the daily activities, both in the individual and collective dimension, of each person.
The Mediating Role of Well-Being and Self-Regulation of Emotions in Daily Executive Dysfunctions and Psychological Distress
Authors: García-Villamisar Domingo , Armentia Araceli Del Pozo
Published: March 2012

An emerging literature has begun to document the emotional consequences of everyday executive functions on emotional distress. Little is known, however, about whether this relation is mediated by other variables.

A multiple mediation model was proposed to integrate core concepts of daily executive dysfunctions with emotional distress in order to increase understanding of their relationship to psychological well-being and emotional regulation. The working hypothesis was that dimensions of well-being and emotional regulation may be a suitable mediator. It was hypothesized that dimensions of well-being and emotional regulation are a possible mediator between the executive dysfunctions and psychological distress. Participants were 122 undergraduate students from university courses in General Education and Social Education at, the Universidad Complutense de Madrid, with a mean age of 21.76. Results indicate that several dimensions of psychological well-being and emotional reappraisal strategies mediate the relationships between daily executive dysfunctions and psychological distress. Implications of these data are discussed.
From Economy of Communion to Ecology of Communion
Authors: Raven John
Published: March 2012

By way of introduction I have to say that I know little about the Focolari movement or the Economy of Communion group. This paper is offered on the assumption that the movement is dedicated to the radical transformation of society and not just tinkering at the edges in order to keep the economy as we know it going.
Enhancement of Photodetector Responsivity in Standard SOI CMOS Processes by introducing Resonant Grating Structures
Authors: Auer M. , Brenner K.-H.
Published: March 2012

A new photodetector concept is described, which is fully compatible with the standard SOI CMOS process and does not require any post-processing steps. Our simulations are based on two-dimensional RCWA (Rigorous Coupled Wave Analysis) and local absorption theory (K.-H. Brenner, “Aspects for calculating local absorption with the rigorous coupled-wave method” Optics Express 2010, Vol. 18, Iss. 10, pp. 10369-10376, (2010)). The simulations show that optimized lateral grating structures are able to enhance the absorption efficiency of thin semi-conductor detectors by a factor of 32 compared to non-enhanced approaches.
Production of Heterotic Hybrid in Rohu (Labeo rohita) Through Strain Crossing
Authors: Shah Md Saifuddin , Ghosh Alokesh Kumar , Rahi Md Lifat , Huq Khandaker Anisul , Rahaman SM Bazlur , Sabbir Wasim
Published: March 2012

As a genetic means of aquaculture development, hybridization can increase production quickly in fishes because of heterotic effect. At the backdrop of reports on the decline of growth and reproduction of the hatchery population of Labeo rohita in Bangladesh, a 3 months study was undertaken to see the heterotic effect by intra-specific crossing among the Padma, Jamuna and Hatchery strains of rohu. Six reciprocal crosses and 3 pure crosses were obtained. The fertilization and hatching rates of the developing embryos were found better in the parental crosses than the reciprocal intra-specific hybrids. The growth performance of reciprocal crosses showed significant differences (P< 0.05) over the parental crosses. The best growth performance was observed in Padma ? X Jamuna ? hybrids; providing 72% positive heterosis. Since the growth rate of strain crossed hybrids were reasonably high, this technique can be profitably applied for the production of fast growing seed to ensure higher fish production and more profit.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/ijls.v5i1.5035 International Journal of Life Sciences Vol.5(1) 2011 32-38
Absence of Wolbachia in the workers of Asian honeybee, Apis cerana indica
Authors: Pattabhiramaiah Mahesh , Brueckner Dorothea , Reddy MS
Published: March 2012

Wolbachia is a group of cytoplasmically inherited bacteria that can cause reproductive alterations in arthropods including parthenogenesis, reproductive incompatibility and feminization of genetic males. Wolbachia are found in a well studied group of insects, but there is a lack of data on their distribution. Workers of the honeybee sub species Apis cerana indica, collected from different parts of Karnataka, India were screened by PCR for Wolbachia, because this endosymbiont has been implicated in causing thelytoky in other Hymenoptera. In the present communication, we report the absence of Wolbachia endosymbiont in the workers of honeybee collected from different geographic locations of Karnataka using Wolbachia specific 16S rDNA polymerase chain reaction enzymes.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/ijls.v5i1.5230 International Journal of Life Sciences Vol.5(1) 2011 19-24
Abundance and Diversity of Zooplankton in Semi-Intensive Shrimp (Penaeus monodon) Farm
Authors: Ghosh Alokesh Kumar , Saha Suman Kumar , Islam Md Rashedul , Bazlur SM
Published: March 2012

The present study was carried out on the seasonal abundance and diversity of zooplankton in a semi- intensive shrimp farm of Bagerhat district from June to December, 2008. Plankton samples were collected by conical shaped monofilament nylon net (Plankton net) and Lugol’s solution was used for preservation. The zooplankton abundance was influenced by physico-chemical factors. In the present study 5 groups of zooplankton were observed namely rotifer, copepod, cladocera, ostracoda and crustacean larvae. Among the various groups of zooplankton, the percentages of copepod, rotifer, cladocera, ostracoda and crustacean larvae in the culture system were 52%, 39%, 7%, 1% and 1% respectively. The zooplankton was dominated by copepods (52%) which showed more or less two peaks in August (833 individuals/L) and in October (815 individuals/L). Rotifer and copepod were about r awhile one genus Cypris of ostracod was found only in August. Three genus of copepod namely Diaptomus,  Cyclops and Mesocyclops were identified in the study area of which Diaptomus and Mesocyclops were more or less dominant while four genus of which Brachionus and Filinia under rotifer and Daphnia and Diaphanosoma under cladocera were also found during the study period. The findings of the present study will help to improve the management strategies of shrimp culture system.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/ijls.v5i1.5286 International Journal of Life Sciences Vol.5(1) 2011 1-11
Protective Effects of Embelin and Curcumin against Diethylnitrosamine / Phenobarbital induced Experimental Hepatocarcinogenesis in Rats
Authors: Jagadeesh MC , Sreepriya M , Bali Geetha , Manjulakumari D
Published: March 2012

The effects of administration of Curcumin and Embelin on the levels of certain trace elements and other elements of clinical significance, during experimental hepatocarcinogenesis induced by Diethylnitrosamine/ Phenobarbital (DENA/PB) was studied in Wistar strain male albino rats. The levels of calcium, potassium and sodium were determined in the serum of control and experimental groups of rats. Additionally, the levels of chromium, copper, magnesium, molybdenum and zinc were also determined in the serum, liver and kidney of these rats. Furthermore, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity was also assayed in the serum of these rats. Results revealed both significant and non-significant alterations in the levels of few elements during DENA/PB-induced experimental hepatocarcinogenesis. A statistically significant increase in LDH activity was found in the serum during the cancerous condition. Pre- and co-treatment with Curcumin and Embelin was found to protect the liver against the carcinogenic effects of DENA/PB. This protection was i) due to their ability to prevent changes in the levels of elements studied and ii) by the statistically significant decrease in the activity of LDH  that increased in DENA/PB-treated rats and LDH activity in the rats given only Embelin and Curcumin indicating their non-toxic effect. Our present results demonstrate the ability of Embelin and Curcumin to protect against DENA/PB-induced hepatocarcinogenesis in rats.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/ijls.v5i1.5576 International Journal of Life Sciences Vol.5(1) 2011 51-56
Molecular Characterization of Macrophomina phaseolina, the Incitant of Coleus forskohlii Revealed by RAPD Markers
Authors: Mudalige Chathuri , Girisha ST , Raghavendra VB , Niranjan MH , Ravikumar K , Sumantha MG
Published: March 2012

Coleus forskohlii belong to family lamiaceae is one of the commercial plants grown extensively in the country, the chemical found in the Coleus which has both medicinal application and gives great economy to the industrial organizations. Unfortunately, these plants are being highly succumbed to serious diseases like wilt and root rot caused by a fungus, hence the growers and industrialists are facing severe problem in safeguarding this crop in the field irrespective of the agro climatic conditions. Root rot disease, is one of the major diseases of Coleus forskohlii which, is caused by Macrophomina phaseolina, Pathogen variability was studied at both morphological and molecular level using cultural characteristics and Rapid Amplification of Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis respectively. Totally thirty two isolates were isolated from roots of Coleus forskohlii. In RAPD 165 bands were obtained out of them 121 bands (73.3%) were polymorphic with a similarity coefficient of 0.48-0.66. Clusters analysis of RAPD data when Unweighted Pair Group Method with Arithmetic Mean (UPGMA) Tree constructed using NTSYS, it showed 6 groups. Among them two were major clusters and 4 were minor clusters with similarity coefficient 0.48-0.66. The pathogenicity of the isolates was tested on Coleus forskohlii plants. Analysis of the pathogenicity tests results revealed that the isolates grouped under two major clusters which were different from the one obtained using RAPD data. The results indicate that the data from RAPD analysis and Pathogenicity tests do not correlate with each other.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/ijls.v5i1.5598 International Journal of Life Sciences Vol.5(1) 2011 44-50
Science, Scientists, and Journal
Authors: Agrawal Ganesh Kumar , Rakwal Randeep
Published: March 2012

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/ijls.v5i1.5985 International Journal of Life Sciences Vol.5(1) 2011
Fahr's Disease: An Uncommon Cause of Intracranial Calcification in Children
Authors: Nayek K , Pati S , Banerjee A , Bhattacharjya S
Published: March 2012

ABSTRACT  Idiopathic bilateral striopallidodentate calcification or Fahr’s disease is a degenerative disease normally found in the 5-6th decade of life. Here we report one of the youngest cases of sporadic Fahr’s disease presenting at five years of  age with minimal clinical features but extensive intracranial calcification, a rarity. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/jnps.v32i1.5335 J. Nepal Paediatr. Soc. Vol.32(1) 2012 76-78
Larsen Syndrome: A Case Report
Authors: Mitra N , Kannan Dr Narayanswamy , Kumar VS , Kavita G
Published: March 2012

Larsen syndrome was first described in 1950 by Larsen, Schottstaedt and Bost. This rare inherited disorder is characterized by congenital dislocation of multiple joints along with other anomalies of heart, face, hands and bones. Awareness of this condition and assosciated complications helps in better follow up and management of these patients. Key words: Genu recurvatum; Short stature; Hypodontia; Bifid uvula; Submucosal cleft palate; Cardiac anomaly DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/jnps.v32i1.5349   J. Nepal Paediatr. Soc. Vol.32(1) 2012 85-87
Study of Mumps in Children attending a Tertiary Care Centre
Authors: Keyal K , Joshi BG , Bhatt S , Pandey R , Shrestha RM
Published: March 2012

Introduction: Mumps is a self-limiting viral infection of the salivary glands with systemic manifestations and complications. It primarily affects young children, with increased incidence in winter and spring. Mumps infection is endemic in developing countries because of poor vaccination coverage. This study is intended to highlight the increased number of mumps cases in children attending tertiary care center in Nepal and thus to emphasize the importance of mumps vaccination, so as to decrease the disease occurrence and disease burden by vaccinating all children. Materials and Methods: This was a prospective study done in Civil Service Hospital of Nepal over a period of 2 years from November 2009 to October 2011. All children less than 14years of age with symptoms of fever and parotid swelling were included in the study group. A detailed history pertaining to the disease was taken, that included; history of exposure and prior vaccination against mumps. Children were asked to follow up either after 5 days or in case of noticing any signs and symptoms of complication. Results: There were total 113 cases diagnosed clinically as mumps of which there were 71 males (62.83%) and 42 females (37.16%) with the peak incidence of disease in the month of March and September with 22 cases (19.46%) in each month. The increase incidence was seen in 4-6 years of age with 58 cases (51.32%). There were 70 patients (61.94%) that had history of exposure to mumps infection. All the patients in this study had either unilateral or bilateral parotitis. None of the children were vaccinated against mumps. And all the school going children had to be off school for a period of 3-5 days. Conclusion: There were large number of children with mumps and none of them were vaccinated. Child can be prevented from the infection by vaccination and thus avoiding possible sufferings and complications. Thus we recommend the use of mumps vaccination in Routine immunization programme. Key words: Mumps; Parotitis; School absenteeism; Nepal; Vaccine DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/jnps.v32i1.5499   J. Nepal Paediatr. Soc. Vol.32(1) 2012 53-56
Accuracy of 7-8-9 Rule: Neonatal Endotracheal Intubation
Authors: Sakhuja P , Whyte H , Finan E
Published: March 2012

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/jnps.v32i1.5759  J. Nepal Paediatr. Soc. Vol.32(1) 2012 93
Injury Risk in Collisions Involving Buses in Alberta, Canada
Authors: Rahman Matiur , Kattan Lina , Tay Richard
Published: March 2012

With 2000 to 2007 crash data, this study investigated the factors that contributed to injuries in collisions that involved at least one bus in the province of Alberta, Canada. Crashes of all types of buses (e.g., school, transit, intercity) were considered. Four logistic regression models were calibrated: single-vehicle collisions on highways, single-vehicle collisions on nonhighway locations, two-vehicle collisions on highways, and two-vehicle collisions on nonhighway locations. The analysis showed that weather conditions were a significant contributing factor in all four types of collisions, although crashes in adverse weather conditions resulted in fewer injuries. The type of collision, characteristics of collision partner, driver age of collision partner, and weather conditions had a significant effect on the level of severity of collisions on both highway and nonhighway locations. Other factors were shown to affect injury risk only in one particular situation. For instance, for highway-related collisions, the age of the collision partner had a significant effect on levels of accident severity, whereas the age of the bus driver did not. In addition, for highway collisions, the severity was higher for head-on crashes, bus–bus crashes, bus–truck crashes, bus–motorcycle crashes, older buses, crashes on grade and in sags, and crashes during dark and sun glare, whereas accident probability decreased with larger outside shoulder width. For nonhighway locations, crashes occurring near tunnels, overpasses, and signalized intersections were shown to result in a higher probability of injury. The results showed that single-bus collisions involving pedestrians at nonhighway locations had higher injury risk than collisions involving objects.
Factors Associated with Motorcycle Crashes in New South Wales, Australia, 2004 to 2008
Authors: de Rome Liz , Senserrick Teresa
Published: March 2012

This research aimed to identify factors associated with powered two-wheeler (PTW) crashes in New South Wales, Australia. An exploratory analysis was conducted on data from state crash, license, and vehicle registration databases for 2004 to 2008. Over the study period, PTW registrations and crashes increased (39% and 17%, respectively), but crash rates and fatality crash rates per 10,000 registered vehicles decreased (from 215.9 to 180.9 and from 5.7 to 3.7, respectively). Forty-one percent of PTW crashes were single-vehicle crashes; 49% occurred on curves, with road surface hazards contributing to 23%. Single-vehicle crashes accounted for 43% of all PTW fatalities. Other vehicle drivers were deemed at fault in 62% of multivehicle crashes, including 71% at intersections. T-junctions were the site of 30% of all multivehicle crashes. Riders were most likely to be at fault in rear-end (62%) and head-on (82%) crashes. The majority of head-on crashes were not overtaking (69%), and of these 83% occurred on curves. Super sport models had the highest crash rate per 10,000 registered motorcycles (284.6). Young riders were overrepresented in crashes (9% of registrations, 28% of crashes), and unlicensed riders, in fatal crashes (7% of crashes, 26% of fatal crashes). Unlicensed riders represented 41% of casualties not wearing helmets and 26% of all riders with an illegal concentration of alcohol. Although PTW crash rates showed an encouraging decline, countermeasures were found to be needed to protect the increasing numbers of riders. The analysis recommended head-on, rear-end, and intersection crashes as specific crash risk patterns to be targeted in education and training for riders and drivers; road treatments in high-risk locations; and interventions to address high-risk unlicensed riding.
Sustained and Halo Effects of Various Speed Reduction Treatments in Highway Work Zones
Authors: Hajbabaie Ali , Medina Juan C. , Wang Ming-Heng , Benekohal Rahim (Ray) F. , Chitturi Madhav
Published: March 2012

This paper analyzes the speed reductions achieved with the use of an automated speed photo–radar enforcement (SPE) system in highway work zones. A comparison with the following three traditional treatments used to reduce speeds is also presented: (a) a speed feedback trailer (trailer treatment), (b) a police patrol car (police treatment), and (c) the combination of a police patrol car and a speed feedback trailer (police–trailer treatment). The results indicated that the SPE system and police–trailer treatments reduced the mean speed of both the general traffic stream and free-flowing vehicles by about 5 to 7 mph. The magnitudes of the speed reductions while the treatments were deployed were sustained over time. Police presence alone also reduced the speed significantly but to a lesser degree, and the effects of the trailer treatment alone were limited. The frequency and the degree of speeding were also influenced by the treatments to various degrees. The proportion of drivers speeding by more than 10 mph was reduced by 8.7% by the SPE system treatment and by 8.9% by the police–trailer and police treatments, which brought the rate of speeding down to 0.2% for the SPE system treatment and 0% for the police–trailer and police treatments. These treatments also reduced the frequency of speeding by 10 mph or less by 36% to 46%. The halo effect for the SPE system after the treatment was removed was limited to a reduction in the mean speed of 2 mph or less, and that for the police treatments was not significant.
Implementation of Targeted Pedestrian Traffic Enforcement Programs in an Urban Environment
Authors: Savolainen Peter T. , Gates Timothy J. , Datta Tapan K.
Published: March 2012

The purpose of this study was to develop, test, and evaluate two pilot enforcement programs aimed at the improvement of pedestrian safety in the city of Detroit, Michigan, through reductions in the incidence of pedestrian traffic violations. Separate targeted enforcement programs were conducted in coordination with the Detroit Police Department and the Wayne State University Police Department. Both programs demonstrated that targeted enforcement could be used to reduce the rate of pedestrian traffic violations effectively and that these changes could be sustained for some time after enforcement had been completed. The city-wide program was found to reduce violations by up to 17.1% during the enforcement period, with sustained reductions of 7.8% being detected several weeks after enforcement was completed. Similarly, the program on the Wayne State University campus reduced violations by 27% during enforcement and showed sustained reductions of 9.8%. The results generally varied on a case-by-case basis, and infrastructure deficiencies contributed to increased violations. As a part of this study, a strategy for collection of data in the field was developed. The strategy allowed the covert, unobtrusive monitoring of pedestrian behavior during the periods before, during, and after enforcement.
Do Crashes and near Crashes in Simulator-Based Training Enhance Novice Drivers’ Visual Search for Latent Hazards?
Authors: Vlakveld Willem , Romoser Matthew R. E. , Mehranian Hasmik , Diete Frank , Pollatsek Alexander , Fisher Donald L.
Published: March 2012

Young drivers (younger than 25 years of age) are overrepresented in crashes. Research suggests that a relevant cause is inadequate visual search for possible hazards that are hidden from view. The objective of this study was to develop and evaluate a low-cost, fixed-base simulator training program that would address this failure. It was hypothesized that elicited crashes in the simulator training would result in better scanning for latent hazards in scenarios that were similar to the training scenarios but situated in a different environment (near transfer), and, to a lesser degree, would result in better scanning in scenarios that had altogether different latent hazards than those contained in the training scenarios (far transfer). To test the hypotheses, 18 trained and 18 untrained young novice drivers were evaluated on an advanced driving simulator (different from the training simulator). The eye movements of both groups were measured. In near transfer scenarios, trained drivers fixated the hazardous region 84% of the time, compared with only 57% of untrained drivers. In far transfer scenarios, trained drivers fixated the hazardous region 71% of the time, compared with only 53% of untrained drivers. The differences between trained and untrained drivers in both the near transfer scenarios and the far transfer scenarios were significant, with a large effect size in the near transfer scenarios and a medium effect size in the far transfer scenarios [respectively: U = 63.00, p(2-tailed) > .01, r = -.53, and U = 88.00, p(2-tailed) > .05, r = -.39].
Integrated and Continuing Transportation Services for Seniors
Authors: Thakuriah Piyushimita (Vonu) , Sööt Siim , Cottrill Caitlin , Tilahun Nebiyou , Blaise Trey , Vassilakis William
Published: March 2012

The aging of the American population has raised a number of concerns about senior mobility. The New Freedom (NF) program, which was designed to go above and beyond the transportation requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act, has been used to fund transportation for seniors. The primary purpose of this paper is to present the results of an exploratory analysis of the social, physical, and functional health and mobility outcomes experienced by seniors who are clients of NF services and the associated Coordinated Human Services Transportation Plan (CHSTP) processes. The paper uses data from primary surveys of the following groups from seven urban, suburban, and rural locations: (a) NF-funded transportation service users, (b) program managers operating the services, and (c) locally selected lead and partner organizations involved in developing the CHSTPs. Results show that concerns about senior mobility vary significantly by a number of functional, social, and physical disability indicators, including instrumental activities of daily living. These indicators are substantially more complex than a chronological accounting of age. A principal component analysis yielded two constructs underlying seniors’ mobility: a transportation deprivation component and an independence and health deprivation component. Each component has implications for different types of services. To the extent that the NF program has supported transportation services that are supplemental to integrated care for seniors and thereby enable a continuum of care, the program has enhanced community-based interventions to meet the complex mobility needs of seniors in the seven locations.
Antioxidant property and polyphenols evaluation of aqueous root extract of Decalepis hamiltonii Wight & Arn.
Authors: Samydurai Ponnusamy , Thangapandian Vellaichamy
Published: March 2012

Antioxidant activity, total phenol and flavonoids estimation of the aqueous extract of the tuberous root of Decalepis hamiltonii was evaluated by free radical scavenging activity using 2,2-diphenylpicryl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), metal chelating activity, superoxide scavenging activity, ferric reducing antioxidant power assay (FRAP) and 2,2'azinobis (3-ethylbenzothiozoline-6-sulfonic acid) disodium salt (ABTS•+) assay. The content of polyphenols in the extract was determined by spectrophotometrically, calculated as gallic acid and catechin equivalent. The present investigation revealed that this plant has rich source of antioxidant properties. Naturally, tuber of this plant has been traditionally used as food by the tribal communities. Hence it is inferred that this plant is not only being as food and it can also be a good source of health tonic.Key Words: Decalepis hamiltonii; free radical scavenging activity; gallic acid; catechinDOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/icpj.v1i4.10061International Current Pharmaceutical Journal 2012, 1(4): 71-76
Factors contributing the outcome of Schizophrenia in developing and developed countries: A brief review
Authors: Naheed Mahmuda , Akter Khondoker Ayesha , Tabassum Fatema , Mawla Rumana , Rahman Mahmudur
Published: March 2012

According to WHO, schizophrenia is a severe form of mental illness affecting about 7 per thousand of the adult popu-lation, mostly in the age group 15-35 years. Though the incidence is low (3-10,000), the prevalence is high due to chronicity. Schizophrenia is occurring in both developing and developed countries. The remission rate is higher in developing countries compared to the developed ones. There are some compelling factors that may influence the out-come of schizophrenia includes gender, employment, marital status, family support, illness myths, family burden, duration of untreated psychosis etc. In this review we have discussed the epidemiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis, treatment and finally the factors that influence the outcome of schizophrenia in developing and developed countries.Key Words: Schizophrenia, outcome, developing countries, antipsychotic agents.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/icpj.v1i4.10063International Current Pharmaceutical Journal 2012, 1(4): 81-85
Medicated chewing gum: An unconventional drug delivery system
Authors: Khatun Sabera , Sutradhar Kumar Bishwajit
Published: March 2012

Medicated chewing gum has a history for about a century. Now-a-days it is considered to be a potential and conve-nient modified release drug delivery system which can be used in pain relief medication, smoking cessation, travel illness, freshening of breath, prevention of dental caries, alleviation of xerostomia, vitamin or mineral supplementa-tion etc. Medicated chewing gums are prepared by using a water insoluble gum base with water soluble bulk portion. This formulation offers both local and systemic effects and has a range of advantages over conventional oral solid dosage forms. USP currently has no in vitro release testing apparatus for the evaluation and determination of drug release from the prepared chewing gums. But European Pharmacopoeia adopted a compendial apparatus to do so. Medicated chewing has drawn attention to the researchers as potential drug delivery system and it could be a com-mercial success in near future.Key Words: pharmaceutical chewing gum, gum base, oral mucosal drug delivery, buccal membrane, apparatus.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/icpj.v1i4.10064International Current Pharmaceutical Journal 2012, 1(4): 86-91
Unveiling Assigned Amount Unit (AAU) Trades: Current Market Impacts and Prospects for the Future
Authors: Aldrich Elizabeth Lokey , Koerner Cassandra L.
Published: March 2012

The sale of assigned amount units (AAUs) from countries whose emissions have declined since their baseline year under the Kyoto Protocol has led critics to be skeptical of carbon markets due to the lack of actual emission reductions that occur as a result of these trades. This policy review describes the historical context of AAU trading, current market price and volumes, and environmental and economic impacts of the current AAU trading rules. Options for how to handle current, and prevent the creation of future, surplus AAUs are discussed.
Radiation Therapy for the Treatment of Recurrent Glioblastoma: An Overview
Authors: Amelio Dante , Amichetti Maurizio
Published: March 2012

Despite the therapeutic advances in neuro-oncology, most patients with glioblastoma ultimately experience local progression/relapse. Re-irradiation has been poorly viewed in the past, mainly due to the overestimated risk of side effects using conventional radiotherapy. To date, thanks to the improvement of several delivery techniques, together with improved imaging capabilities, re-irradiation is a viable salvage treatment option to manage such clinical scenario. A literature overview on the feasibility and efficacy of the different irradiation modalities for recurrent glioblastoma along with considerations on areas of improvement are provided.
A Model of Repetitive-DNA-Organized Chromatin Network of Interphase Chromosomes
Authors: Tang Shao-Jun
Published: March 2012

During interphase, chromosomes are relatively de-condensed in the nuclear space. Interphase chromosomes are known to occupy nuclear space in a non-random manner (chromosome territory); however, their internal structures are poorly defined. In particular, little is understood about the molecular mechanisms that govern the internal organization of interphase chromosomes. The author recently proposed that pairing (or interaction) of repetitive DNA-containing chromatin regions is a critical driving force that specifies the higher-order organization of eukaryotic chromosomes. Guided by this theoretical framework and published experimental data on the structure of interphase chromosomes and the spatial distribution of repetitive DNA in interphase nuclei, I postulate here a molecular structure of chromatin organization in interphase chromosomes. According to this model, an interphase chromosome is a chromatin mesh (or lattice) that is formed by repeat pairing (RP). The mesh consists of two types of structural components: chromosome nodes and loose chromatin fibers. Chromosome nodes are DNA repeat assemblies (RAs) that are formed via RP, while loose fibers include chromatin loops that radiate from the nodes. Different loops crosslink by RPs and form a large integrated chromatin network. I suggest that the organization of the chromatin network of a given interphase chromosome is intrinsically specified by the distribution of repetitive DNA elements on the linear chromatin. The stability of the organization is governed by the collection of RA-formed nodes, and the dynamics of the organization is driven by the assembling and disassembling of the nodes.
Arabidopsis Serine Decarboxylase Mutants Implicate the Roles of Ethanolamine in Plant Growth and Development
Authors: Kwon Yerim , Yu Si-in , Lee Hyoungseok , Yim Joung Han , Zhu Jian-Kang , Lee Byeong-ha
Published: March 2012

Ethanolamine is important for synthesis of choline, phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and phosphatidylcholine (PC) in plants. The latter two phospholipids are the major phospholipids in eukaryotic membranes. In plants, ethanolamine is mainly synthesized directly from serine by serine decarboxylase. Serine decarboxylase is unique to plants and was previously shown to have highly specific activity to L-serine. While serine decarboxylase was biochemically characterized, its functions and importance in plants were not biologically elucidated due to the lack of serine decarboxylase mutants. Here we characterized an Arabidopsis mutant defective in serine decarboxylase, named atsdc-1 (Arabidopsis thaliana serine decarboxylase-1). The atsdc-1 mutants showed necrotic lesions in leaves, multiple inflorescences, sterility in flower, and early flowering in short day conditions. These defects were rescued by ethanolamine application to atsdc-1, suggesting the roles of ethanolamine as well as serine decarboxylase in plant development. In addition, molecular analysis of serine decarboxylase suggests that Arabidopsis serine decarboxylase is cytosol-localized and expressed in all tissue.
Trends in Personalized Therapies in Oncology: The (Venture) Capitalist’s Perspective
Authors: Fleck Roman , Bach Daniel
Published: March 2012

Oncology is one of the most important fields of personalized medicine as a majority of efforts in this field have recently centered on targeted cancer drug development. New tools are continuously being developed that promise to make cancer treatment more efficacious while causing fewer side effects. Like most industries, the biopharmaceutical industry is also following certain global trends and these are analyzed in this article. As academia and industry are mutually dependent on each other, researchers in the field should be aware of those trends and the immediate consequences for their research. It is important for the future of this field that there is a healthy relationship among all interested parties as the challenges of personalized medicine are becoming ever more complex.
Fucoxantin: A Treasure from the Sea
Authors: D’Orazio Nicolantonio , Gemello Eugenio , Gammone Maria Alessandra , De Girolamo Massimo , Ficoneri Cristiana , Riccioni Graziano
Published: March 2012

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 2.3 billion people will be overweight and 700 million obese in 2015. The reasons for this disastrous trend are attributed to the global tendency toward the reduced magnitude of exercise and physical activity and the increased dietary intake of fats, sugars and calories with reduced amount of vitamins and minerals. To prevent life-style-related diseases, like Metabolic Syndrome (MS), researchers’ attention is increasingly focusing on some of the so called “functional foods” which may be useful for their prevention and treatment. One of these functional ingredients is fucoxanthin (FX), a characteristic carotenoid present in edible brown seaweeds, such as Undaria pinnatifida (Wakame), Hijikia fusiformis (Hijiki), Laminaria japonica (Ma-Kombu) and Sargassum fulvellum. The increasing popularity of this molecule is certainly due to its anti-obesity effect, primarily detected by murine studies. These works revealed FX mediated induction of uncoupling protein-1 (UCP-1) in abdominal white adipose tissue (WAT) mitochondria, leading to the oxidation of fatty acids and heat production in WAT. Beyond this important role, in recent studies FX has shown a great antioxidant activity, anti-cancer, anti-diabetic and anti-photoaging properties. The aim of this review is to highlight the main effects of FX on human health.
IMB2026791, a Xanthone, Stimulates Cholesterol Efflux by Increasing the Binding of Apolipoprotein A-I to ATP-Binding Cassette Transporter A1
Authors: Liu Jikai , Zhang Zhongbing , Xu Yanni , Feng Tingting , Jiang Wei , Li Zhuorong , Hong Bin , Xie Zijian , Si Shuyi
Published: March 2012

It is known that the ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1) plays a major role in cholesterol homeostasis and high density lipoprotein (HDL) metabolism. Several laboratories have demonstrated that ABCA1 binding to lipid-poor apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I) will mediate the assembly of nascent HDL and cellular cholesterol efflux, which suggests a possible receptor-ligand interaction between ABCA1 and apoA-I. In this study, a cell-based-ELISA-like high-throughput screening (HTS) method was developed to identify the synthetic and natural compounds that can regulate binding activity of ABCA1 to apoA-I. The cell-based-ELISA-like high-throughput screen was conducted in a 96-well format using Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells stably transfected with ABCA1 pIRE2-EGFP (Enhanced Green Fluorecence Protein) expression vector and the known ABCA1 inhibitor glibenclamide as the antagonist control. From 2,600 compounds, a xanthone compound (IMB 2026791) was selected using this HTS assay, and it was proved as an apoA-I binding agonist to ABCA1 by a flow cytometry assay and western blot analysis. The [3H] cholesterol efflux assay of IMB2026791 treated ABCA1-CHO cells and PMA induced THP-1 macrophages (human acute monocytic leukemia cell) further confirmed the compound as an accelerator of cholesterol efflux in a dose-dependent manner with an EC50 of 25.23 μM.
Site-Specific Incorporation of Functional Components into RNA by an Unnatural Base Pair Transcription System
Authors: Morohashi Nobuyuki , Kimoto Michiko , Sato Akira , Kawai Rie , Hirao Ichiro
Published: March 2012

Toward the expansion of the genetic alphabet, an unnatural base pair between 7-(2-thienyl)imidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (Ds) and pyrrole-2-carbaldehyde (Pa) functions as a third base pair in replication and transcription, and provides a useful tool for the site-specific, enzymatic incorporation of functional components into nucleic acids. We have synthesized several modified-Pa substrates, such as alkylamino-, biotin-, TAMRA-, FAM-, and digoxigenin-linked PaTPs, and examined their transcription by T7 RNA polymerase using Ds-containing DNA templates with various sequences. The Pa substrates modified with relatively small functional groups, such as alkylamino and biotin, were efficiently incorporated into RNA transcripts at the internal positions, except for those less than 10 bases from the 3′-terminus. We found that the efficient incorporation into a position close to the 3′-terminus of a transcript depended on the natural base contexts neighboring the unnatural base, and that pyrimidine-Ds-pyrimidine sequences in templates were generally favorable, relative to purine-Ds-purine sequences. The unnatural base pair transcription system provides a method for the site-specific functionalization of large RNA molecules.
Uranus: A Middleware Architecture for Dependable AAL and Vital Signs Monitoring Applications
Authors: Coronato Antonio
Published: March 2012

The design and realization of health monitoring applications has attracted the interest of large communities both from industry and academia. Several research challenges have been faced and issues tackled in order to realize effective applications for the management and monitoring of people with chronic diseases, people with disabilities, elderly people. However, there is a lack of efficient tools that enable rapid and possibly cheap realization of reliable health monitoring applications. The paper presents Uranus, a service oriented middleware architecture, which provides basic functions for the integration of different kinds of biomedical sensors. Uranus has also distinguishing characteristics like services for the run-time verification of the correctness of running applications and mechanisms for the recovery from failures. The paper concludes with two case studies as proof of concept.
Two-Level Evaluation on Sensor Interoperability of Features in Fingerprint Image Segmentation
Authors: Yang Gongping , Li Ying , Yin Yilong , Li Ya-Shuo
Published: March 2012

Features used in fingerprint segmentation significantly affect the segmentation performance. Various features exhibit different discriminating abilities on fingerprint images derived from different sensors. One feature which has better discriminating ability on images derived from a certain sensor may not adapt to segment images derived from other sensors. This degrades the segmentation performance. This paper empirically analyzes the sensor interoperability problem of segmentation feature, which refers to the feature’s ability to adapt to the raw fingerprints captured by different sensors. To address this issue, this paper presents a two-level feature evaluation method, including the first level feature evaluation based on segmentation error rate and the second level feature evaluation based on decision tree. The proposed method is performed on a number of fingerprint databases which are obtained from various sensors. Experimental results show that the proposed method can effectively evaluate the sensor interoperability of features, and the features with good evaluation results acquire better segmentation accuracies of images originating from different sensors.
Community Level Physiological Profiles (CLPP), Characterization and Microbial Activity of Soil Amended with Dairy Sewage Sludge
Authors: Frąc Magdalena , Oszust Karolina , Lipiec Jerzy
Published: March 2012

The aim of the present work was to assess the influence of organic amendment applications compared to mineral fertilization on soil microbial activity and functional diversity. The field experiment was set up on a soil classified as an Eutric Cambisol developed from loess (South-East Poland). Two doses of both dairy sewage sludge (20 Mg·ha−1 and 26 Mg·ha−1) and of mineral fertilizers containing the same amount of nutrients were applied. The same soil without any amendment was used as a control. The soil under undisturbed native vegetation was also included in the study as a representative background sample. The functional diversity (catabolic potential) was assessed using such indices as Average Well Color Development (AWCD), Richness (R) and Shannon–Weaver index (H). These indices were calculated, following the community level physiological profiling (CLPP) using Biolog Eco Plates. Soil dehydrogenase and respiratory activity were also evaluated. The indices were sensitive enough to reveal changes in community level physiological profiles due to treatment effects. It was shown that dairy sewage amended soil was characterized by greater AWCD, R, H and dehydrogenase and respiratory activity as compared to control or mineral fertilized soil. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and principal component analysis (PCA) were used to depict the differences of the soil bacterial functional diversity between the treatments.