bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Mixture of Anemarrhena asphodeloides and Coptis chinensis Attenuates High-Fat Diet-Induced Colitis in Mice
Authors: Lim Su-Min , Choi Hyun-Sik , Kim Dong-Hyun
Published: June 2017

Anemarrhena asphodeloides (AA, family Liliaceae) inhibits macrophage activation by inhibiting IRAK1 phosphorylation and helper T (Th)17 differentiation. Coptis chinensis (CC, family Ranunculaceae), which inhibits macrophage activation by inhibiting the binding of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on toll-like receptor 4 and inducing regulatory T (Treg) cell differentiation. The mixture of AA and CC (AC-mix) synergistically attenuates 2,4,6-trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid or dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis in mice by inhibiting NF-[Formula: see text]B activation and regulating Th17/Treg balance. In the present study, we examined the effect of AC-mix on high-fat diet (HFD)-induced colitis in mice, which induced NF-[Formula: see text]B activation and disturbed Th17/Treg balance. Long-term feeding of HFD in mice caused colitis, including increased macroscopic score and myeloperoxidase activity. Oral administration of AC-mix (20[Formula: see text]mg/kg) suppressed HFD-induced myeloperoxidase activity by 68% ([Formula: see text]). Furthermore, treatment with the AC-mix (20[Formula: see text]mg/kg) inhibited HFD-induced activation of NF-[Formula: see text]B and expression of cyclooxygenase-2, inducible NO synthase, interleukin (IL)-17, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha but increased HFD- suppressed expression of IL-10. AC-mix suppressed HFD-induced differentiation into Th17 cells by 46% ([Formula: see text]) and increased HFD-induced differentiation into regulatory T cells 2.2-fold ([Formula: see text]). AC-mix also suppressed the HFD-induced Proteobacteria/Bacteroidetes ratio on the gut microbiota by 48% ([Formula: see text]). These findings suggest that AC-mix can ameliorate HFD-induced colitis by regulating innate and adaptive immunities and correcting the disturbance of gut microbiota.
Epimedin C Promotes Vascularization during BMP2-Induced Osteogenesis and Tumor-Associated Angiogenesis
Authors: Shui Yan-Mei , Lv Gui-Yuan , Shan Le-Tian , Fan Chun-Lei , Tian Nan , Zhang Li , He Tong-Chuan , Gao Jian-Li
Published: June 2017

Epimedin C is one of the chemical markers and major flavonoids in Herba Epimedii (Yinyanghuo), which is traditionally used to treat bone diseases and gonadal dysfunction in China. Our previous study indicated that epimedin C could induce endothelial-like, but not osteogenic differentiation of C3H/10T1/2 cells in vitro. As vasculogenesis plays a pivotal role in bone formation, this study used the bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP2) induced ectopic bone formation model and mice 4T1 breast cancer cells co-implanted with luciferase labeled C3H/10T1/2 cells (4T1 [Formula: see text] C3H/10T1/2-Luc) model to examine the in vivo effects of Epimedin C on vasculogenesis. As a result, Epimedin C significantly increased the bone weight and blood perfusion of mice in the BMP2 induced ectopic osteogenesis model, and the bone in Epimedin C [Formula: see text] BMP2 group was more mature than that in BMP2 group. In addition, the tumor weight, blood perfusion and tumor-associated angiogenesis were also significantly increased in the Epimedin C treated 4T1 tumor bearing mice. The mRNA levels of endothelial markers, such as the platelet endothelial adhesive factor-1(CD31), the endothelial cell specific molecule-1(ESM-1), and the vascular von Willebrand factor (vWF) in mouse 4T1 mammary tumor tissue, were commonly found to occur alongside the luciferase (labeled in C3H/10T1/2 cells) expression and significantly increased after Epimedin C treatment. Taken together, Epimedin C can effectively promote vascularization both in the BMP2-depended bone formation model and in the 4T1 mammary tumor-bearing model by inducing an endothelial-like differentiation of C3H/10T1/2 in BALB/c nude mice.
Proportionate Flow Shop Scheduling with Rejection
Authors: Li Shi-Sheng , Qian De-Liang , Chen Ren-Xia
Published: June 2017

We consider the problem of scheduling [Formula: see text] jobs with rejection on a set of [Formula: see text] machines in a proportionate flow shop system where the job processing times are machine-independent. The goal is to find a schedule to minimize the scheduling cost of all accepted jobs plus the total penalty of all rejected jobs. Two variations of the scheduling cost are considered. The first is the maximum tardiness and the second is the total weighted completion time. For the first problem, we first show that it is [Formula: see text]-hard, then we construct a pseudo-polynomial time algorithm to solve it and an [Formula: see text] time for the case where the jobs have the same processing time. For the second problem, we first show that it is [Formula: see text]-hard, then we design [Formula: see text] time algorithms for the case where the jobs have the same weight and for the case where the jobs have the same processing time.
Tactical Production and Lot Size Planning with Lifetime Constraints: A Comparison of Model Formulations
Authors: Raiconi Andrea , Pahl Julia , Gentili Monica , Voß Stefan , Cerulli Raffaele
Published: June 2017

In this work, we face a variant of the capacitated lot sizing problem. This is a classical problem addressing the issue of aggregating lot sizes for a finite number of discrete periodic demands that need to be satisfied, thus setting up production resources and eventually creating inventories, while minimizing the overall cost. In the proposed variant we take into account lifetime constraints, which model products with maximum fixed shelflives due to several possible reasons, including regulations or technical obsolescence. We propose four formulations, derived from the literature on the classical version of the problem and adapted to the proposed variant. An extensive experimental phase on two datasets from the literature is used to test and compare the performance of the proposed formulations.
Synthesis and characterization of β,β′-linked porphyrin-chlorin heterodimers and their metallic complexes
Authors: Zhuo Congcong , Ou Caifen , Hu Chuanjiang , Lang Jianping
Published: June 2017

Two β,β′-linked porphyrin-chlorin heterodimers have been successfully synthesized with 4-fluorophenyl or 4-chlorophenyl substituted aldehyde as starting reagents. But those aldehydes with bulkier substituents did not lead to the corresponding heterodimers. These porphyrin-chlorin heterodimers and their metallic complexes have been characterized by X-ray crystallography. In all the structures, the pyrroline group in chlorin moiety and the pyrrole group in porphyrin moiety are directly connected by a single bond. Pyrroline ring has two sp[Formula: see text] hybridized carbons. The direct bonding makes the porphyrin and chlorin moieties closely contact with each other, pyrroline group and the pyrrole group forms a dihedral angle of ~70°. If porphyrin-chlorin heterodimers have bulkier substituents, the close contact could cause too much repulsion. That is probably why they can not be synthesized. For nickel complexes, the chlorin planes show large saddling and moderate ruffling conformation. The C–H⋯[Formula: see text] interaction could contribute to the saddling conformation. The distorted core makes dihedral angles and metal to metal distances between porphyrin and chlorin plane much smaller than those in their copper complexes. Their NMR, UV-visible and fluorescence spectral data have also been briefly discussed.
Implications of Sino-Japanese Rivalry in High-Speed Railways for Southeast Asia
Authors: PAVLIĆEVIĆ Dragan , KRATZ Agatha
Published: June 2017

China and Japan are intensively vying for high-speed rail markets in Southeast Asia. Focusing on the developments surrounding the bid for Indonesia’s first high-speed rail project from Jakarta to Bandung, this paper investigates Japan and China’s relative strategies, and considers the policy options available to ASEAN to manage the risks rooted in Sino-Japanese competition in the sector.
The importance of geologists and geology in tsunami science and tsunami hazard
Authors: Tappin David R.
Published: June 2017

Up until the late 1980s geology contributed very little to the study of tsunamis because most were generated by earthquakes which were mainly the domain of seismologists. In 1987–88 however, sediments deposited as tsunamis flooded land were discovered. Subsequently they began to be widely used to identify prehistorical tsunami events, providing a longer-term record than previously available from historical accounts. The sediments offered an opportunity to better define tsunami frequency that could underpin improved risk assessment. When over 2200 people died from a catastrophic tsunami in Papua New Guinea (PNG) in 1998, and a submarine landslide was controversially proven to be the mechanism, marine geologists provided the leadership that led to the identification of this previously unrecognized danger. The catastrophic tsunami in the Indian Ocean in 2004 confirmed the critical importance of sedimentological research in understanding tsunamis. In 2011, the Japan earthquake and tsunami further confirmed the importance of both sediments in tsunami hazard mitigation and the dangers from seabed sediment failures in tsunami generation. Here we recount the history of geological involvement in tsunami science and its importance in advancing understanding of the extent, magnitude and nature of the hazard from tsunamis.
Overload-mediated skeletal muscle hypertrophy is not impaired by loss of myofiber STAT3
Authors: Pérez-Schindler Joaquín , Esparza Mary C. , McKendry James , Breen Leigh , Philp Andrew , Schenk Simon
Published: June 2017

Although the signal pathways mediating muscle protein synthesis and degradation are well characterized, the transcriptional processes modulating skeletal muscle mass and adaptive growth are poorly understood. Recently, studies in mouse models of muscle wasting or acutely exercised human muscle have suggested a potential role for the transcription factor signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), in adaptive growth. Hence, in the present study we sought to define the contribution of STAT3 to skeletal muscle adaptive growth. In contrast to previous work, two different resistance exercise protocols did not change STAT3 phosphorylation in human skeletal muscle. To directly address the role of STAT3 in load-induced (i.e., adaptive) growth, we studied the anabolic effects of 14 days of synergist ablation (SA) in skeletal muscle-specific STAT3 knockout (mKO) mice and their floxed, wild-type (WT) littermates. Plantaris muscle weight and fiber area in the nonoperated leg (control; CON) was comparable between genotypes. As expected, SA significantly increased plantaris weight, muscle fiber cross-sectional area, and anabolic signaling in WT mice, although interestingly, this induction was not impaired in STAT3 mKO mice. Collectively, these data demonstrate that STAT3 is not required for overload-mediated hypertrophy in mouse skeletal muscle.
Upregulation of circulating myomiR following short-term energy restriction is inversely associated with whole body protein synthesis
Authors: Margolis Lee M. , Rivas Donato A. , Pasiakos Stefan M. , McClung James P. , Ceglia Lisa , Fielding Roger A.
Published: June 2017

The objective of the present investigation was to determine whether energy restriction (ER) influences expression of skeletal muscle-specific microRNA (miRNA) in circulation (c-myomiR) and whether changes in c-myomiR are associated with rates of whole body protein synthesis. Sixteen older (64 ± 2 yr) overweight (28.5 ± 1.2 kg/m2) men enrolled in this 35-day controlled feeding trial. A 7-day weight maintenance (WM) period was followed by 28 days of 30% ER. Whole body protein turnover was determined from [15N]glycine enrichments in 24-h urine collections, and c-myomiR (miR-1-3p, miR-133a-3p, miR-133b, and miR-206) expression was assessed from serum samples by RT-quantitative PCR upon completion of the WM and ER periods. Participants lost 4.4 ± 0.3 kg body mass during ER ( P < 0.05). After 28 days of ER, miR-133a and miR-133b expression was upregulated ( P < 0.05) compared with WM. When all four c-myomiR were grouped as c-myomiR score (sum of the median fold change of all myomiR), overall expression of c-myomiR was higher ( P < 0.05) at ER than WM. Backward linear regression analysis of whole body protein synthesis and breakdown and carbohydrate, fat, and protein oxidation determined protein synthesis to be the strongest predictor of c-myomiR score. An inverse association ( P < 0.05) was observed with ER c-myomiR score and whole body protein synthesis ( r = −0.729, r2 = −0.530). Findings from the present investigation provide evidence that upregulation of c-myomiR expression profiles in response to short-term ER is associated with lower rates of whole body protein synthesis.
Rat supraspinatus tendon responds acutely and chronically to exercise
Authors: Rooney Sarah Ilkhanipour , Torino Daniel J. , Baskin Rachel , Vafa Rameen P. , Kuntz Andrew F. , Soslowsky Louis J.
Published: June 2017

The objective of this study was to identify acute responses and chronic adaptations of supraspinatus tendon to noninjurious exercise. We hypothesized that chronic exercise (EX) increases tendon mechanical properties, and a single exercise bout increases matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) activity acutely. Rats were divided into acute or chronic EX or cage activity groups. Animals in acute EX groups were euthanized, 3, 12, 24, 48, or 72 h upon completion of a single bout of exercise (10 m/min, 1 h) on a flat treadmill. Animals in chronic EX groups walked on a flat treadmill for 3 days or 1, 2, or 8 wk. Tendon histology, MMP activity, and mechanics were measured. A single bout of exercise trended toward reducing tendon mechanical properties, but 2 or 8 wk of chronic EX increased tendon mechanics. Cell density was not affected. Cells became rounder with chronic EX. All tendons were highly organized. MMP activity decreased after a single bout of exercise and returned to baseline by 72 h. MMP activity decreased after 8 wk of chronic EX. Decreased MMP activity may indicate an anabolic instead of catabolic response in contrast to injury. Results suggest that mild, acute decreases in MMP activity and tendon mechanics following a single exercise bout lead to enhanced tendon mechanical adaptations with repeated exercise bouts. This study defines acute and chronic changes of MMP activity, mechanical properties, and histology of the rat supraspinatus tendon in response to beneficial exercise and proposes a mechanism by which acute responses translate to chronic adaptations.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY The line between beneficial exercise and overuse has not been elucidated. This study defines the acute and chronic temporal response to exercise of supraspinatus tendon in an in vivo model. We found that decreased matrix metalloproteinase activity and tendon mechanics after a single bout of exercise are followed by beneficial chronic adaptations of the tendon with repeated bouts. How the acute responses to exercise lead to chronic adaptations may distinguish beneficial exercise from overuse.
In obese mice, exercise training increases 11β-HSD1 expression, contributing to glucocorticoid activation and suppression of pulmonary inflammation
Authors: Du Shu-Fang , Yu Qing , Chuan Kai , Ye Chang-Lin , He Ze-Jia , Liu Shu-Juan , Zhu Xiao-Yan , Liu Yu-Jian
Published: June 2017

Exercise training is advocated for treating chronic inflammation and obesity-related metabolic syndromes. Glucocorticoids (GCs), the anti-inflammatory hormones, are synthesized or metabolized in extra-adrenal organs. This study aims to examine whether exercise training affects obesity-associated pulmonary inflammation by regulating local GC synthesis or metabolism. We found that sedentary obese ( ob/ob) mice exhibited increased levels of interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-18, monocyte chemotactic protein (MCP)-1, and leukocyte infiltration in lung tissues compared with lean mice, which was alleviated by 6 wk of exercise training. Pulmonary corticosterone levels were decreased in ob/ob mice. Exercise training increased pulmonary corticosterone levels in both lean and ob/ob mice. Pulmonary corticosterone levels were negatively correlated with IL-1β, IL-18, and MCP-1. Immunohistochemical staining of the adult mouse lung sections revealed positive immunoreactivities for the steroidogenic acute regulatory protein, the cholesterol side-chain cleavage enzyme (CYP11A1), the steroid 21-hydroxylase (CYP21), 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3β-HSD), and type 1 and type 2 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11β-HSD) but not for 11β-hydroxylase (CYP11B1). Exercise training significantly increased pulmonary 11β-HSD1 expression in both lean and ob/ob mice. In contrast, exercise training per se had no effect on pulmonary 11β-HSD2 expression, although pulmonary 11β-HSD2 levels in ob/ob mice were significantly higher than in lean mice. RU486, a glucocorticoid receptor antagonist, blocked the anti-inflammatory effects of exercise training in lung tissues of obese mice and increased inflammatory cytokines in lean exercised mice. These findings indicate that exercise training increases pulmonary expression of 11β-HSD1, thus contributing to local GC activation and suppression of pulmonary inflammation in obese mice.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY Treadmill training leads to a significant increase in pulmonary corticosterone levels in ob/ob mice, which is in parallel with the favorable effects of exercise on obesity-associated pulmonary inflammation. Exercise training increases pulmonary 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11β-HSD1) expression but has no significant effect on 11β-HSD2 expression in both lean and ob/ob mice. These findings indicate that exercise training increases pulmonary expression of 11β-HSD1, thus contributing to local glucocorticoid activation and suppression of pulmonary inflammation in obese mice.
A study of clinical and physiological relations of daily physical activity in precapillary pulmonary hypertension
Authors: Panagiotou Marios , Johnson Martin K. , Louvaris Zafeiris , Baker Julien S. , Church Alistair C. , Peacock Andrew J. , Vogiatzis Ioannis
Published: June 2017

Daily physical activity is reduced in precapillary pulmonary hypertension (PH), but the underlying mechanisms are inadequately explored. We sought to investigate clinical and physiological relations of daily physical activity and profile differences between less and more active patients with precapillary PH. A prospective, cross-sectional study of 20 patients with precapillary PH who undertook 1) a comprehensive clinical assessment, 2) a preliminary treadmill test, 3) 7-day monitoring of daily walking intensity with triaxial accelerometry, and 4) a personalized treadmill test corresponding to the individual patient mean daily walking intensity with real-time physiological measurements. Significant clinical correlations with individual patient mean walking intensity [1.71 ± 0.27 (SD) m/s2] were observed for log-transformed N-terminal probrain natriuretic peptide (log NT-proBNP; r = −0.75, P = <.001), age ( r = −0.70, P = 0.001), transfer factor for carbon monoxide %predicted ( r = 0.51, P = 0.022), and 6-min walk distance ( r = 0.50, P = 0.026). Significant physiological correlations were obtained for heart rate reserve ( r = 0.68, P = 0.001), quadriceps tissue oxygenation index (Q-[Formula: see text]; r = 0.58, P = 0.008), change in Q-[Formula: see text] from rest ( r = 0.60, P = 0.006), and ventilatory equivalent for oxygen uptake ( r = −0.56, P = 0.013). Stepwise multiple regression analyses retained log NT-proBNP ( R2 = 0.55), heart rate reserve ( R2 = 0.44), and Q-[Formula: see text] ( R2 = 0.13) accounting for a significant variance in individual walking intensity. Less active patients had greater physical activity-induced cardiopulmonary impairment, worse quadriceps oxygenation profile, and compromised health-related quality of life compared with more active patients. These preliminary findings suggest a significant relation between right ventricular and peripheral muscle oxygenation status and reduced daily physical activity in precapillary PH. Further research is warranted to unravel the physiological determinants, establish clinical predictors, and identify beneficial interventions.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY Daily physical activity holds promise to be a meaningful, patient-related outcome measure in pulmonary hypertension. In this study, novel findings in a representative sample of patients with precapillary pulmonary hypertension link reduced daily walking activity, as measured by triaxial accelerometry, with compromised right ventricular and pulmonary vascular status, peripheral muscle oxygenation, and health-related quality of life, providing a preliminary insight into the physiological mechanisms and clinical predictors of daily physical activity in precapillary pulmonary hypertension.
A No‐Equilibrium Hyperchaotic System and Its Fractional‐Order Form
Authors: Vo Hoang Duy , Takougang Kingni Sifeu , Pham Viet-Thanh
Published: June 2017

No‐equilibrium system with chaotic behavior has attracted considerable attention recently because of its hidden attractor. We study a new four‐dimensional system without equilibrium in this work. The new no‐equilibrium system exhibits hyperchaos and coexisting attractors. Amplitude control feature of the system is also discovered. The commensurate fractional‐order version of the proposed system is studied using numerical simulations. By tuning the commensurate fractional‐order, the proposed system displays a wide variety of dynamical behaviors ranging from coexistence of quasiperiodic and chaotic attractors and bistable chaotic attractors to point attractor via transient chaos.
Highly Accurate Detection of Cancer In Situ with Intraoperative, Label-Free, Multimodal Optical Spectroscopy
Authors: Jermyn Michael , Mercier Jeanne , Aubertin Kelly , Desroches Joannie , Urmey Kirk , Karamchandiani Jason , Marple Eric , Guiot Marie-Christine , Leblond Frederic , Petrecca Kevin
Published: June 2017

Effectiveness of surgery as a cancer treatment is reduced when all cancer cells are not detected during surgery, leading to recurrences that negatively impact survival. To maximize cancer cell detection during cancer surgery, we designed an in situ intraoperative, label-free, optical cancer detection system that combines intrinsic fluorescence spectroscopy, diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. Using this multimodal optical cancer detection system, we found that brain, lung, colon, and skin cancers could be detected in situ during surgery with an accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of 97%, 100%, and 93%, respectively. This highly sensitive optical molecular imaging approach can profoundly impact a wide range of surgical and noninvasive interventional oncology procedures by improving cancer detection capabilities, thereby reducing cancer burden and improving survival and quality of life. Cancer Res; 77(14); 3942–50. ©2017 AACR.
Integration of Proteomics and Metabolomics in Exploring Genetic and Rare Metabolic Diseases
Authors: Costanzo Michele , Zacchia Miriam , Bruno Giuliana , Crisci Daniela , Caterino Marianna , Ruoppolo Margherita
Published: June 2017

Background: Inherited metabolic disorders or inborn errors of metabolism are caused by deficiency of enzymatic activities in the catabolism of amino acids, carbohydrates, or lipids. These disorders include aminoacidopathies, urea cycle defects, organic acidemias, defects of oxidation of fatty acids, and lysosomal storage diseases. Inborn errors of metabolism constitute a significant proportion of genetic diseases, particularly in children; however, they are individually rare. Clinical phenotypes are very variable, some of them remain asymptomatic, others manifest metabolic decompensation in neonatal age, and others encompass mental retardation at later age. The clinical manifestation of these disorders can involve different organs and/or systems. Some disorders are easily managed if promptly diagnosed and treated, whereas in other cases neither diet, vitamin therapy, nor transplantation appears to prevent multi-organ impairment. Summary: Here, we discuss the principal challenges of metabolomics and proteomics in inherited metabolic disorders. We review the recent developments in mass spectrometry-based proteomic and metabolomic strategies. Mass spectrometry has become the most widely used platform in proteomics and metabolomics because of its ability to analyze a wide range of molecules, its optimal dynamic range, and great sensitivity. The fast measurement of a broad spectrum of metabolites in various body fluids, also collected in small samples like dried blood spots, have been facilitated by the use of mass spectrometry-based techniques. These approaches have enabled the timely diagnosis of inherited metabolic disorders, thereby facilitating early therapeutic intervention. Due to its analytical features, proteomics is suited for the basic investigation of inborn errors of metabolism. Modern approaches enable detailed functional characterization of the pathogenic biochemical processes, as achieved by quantification of proteins and identification of their regulatory chemical modifications. Key Message: Mass spectrometry-based “omics” approaches most frequently used to study the molecular mechanisms underlying inherited metabolic disorders pathophysiology are described.
Overview of Chromosome Abnormalities in First Trimester Miscarriages: A Series of 1,011 Consecutive Chorionic Villi Sample Karyotypes
Authors: Soler Anna , Morales Carme , Mademont-Soler Irene , Margarit Ester , Borrell Antoni , Borobio Virginia , Muñoz Miriam , Sánchez Aurora
Published: June 2017

In order to contribute to the knowledge of type and frequency of chromosome abnormalities in early pregnancy losses, we analyzed the cytogenetic results from a large series of first trimester miscarriages, using a diagnostic approach with a high success rate and no maternal contamination. A total of 1,119 consecutive chorionic villi samples were obtained before evacuation, and karyotypes were prepared after short-term culture (STC). In 603 samples, a long-term culture (LTC) was also performed. The overall and individual frequencies of the different types of chromosome abnormalities were established, including placental mosaicisms, and their relationship with maternal age and gestational weeks was assessed. An abnormal karyotype was detected in 70.3% of the samples. Single autosomal trisomy was the most frequent abnormality (64.6% of the abnormal cases), followed by triploidy (13.1%) and monosomy X (10.4%). Chromosome rearrangements were found in 5.2%, combined abnormalities in 8.9%, and placental mosaicism in 3.5% of the cases with STC and LTC performed. Individual trisomies behaved differently with respect to maternal age and intrauterine survival. Due to the combination of STC and LTC, our study offers reliable information on the incidence and type of chromosome abnormalities and placental mosaicism in miscarriages and contributes to define the cytogenetic implication in their etiology.
Regulation of AP-1 by MAPK Signaling in Metal-Stressed Sea Anemone
Authors: Agron Maayan , Brekhman Vera , Morgenstern David , Lotan Tamar
Published: June 2017

Background/Aims: AP-1 transcription factor plays a conserved role in the immediate response to stress. Activation of AP-1 members jun and fos is mediated by complex signaling cascades to control cell proliferation and survival. To understand the evolution of this broadly-shared pathway, we studied AP-1 regulation by MAPK signaling in a basal metazoan. Methods: Metal- stressed cnidarian Nematostella vectensis anemones were tested with kinase inhibitors and analyzed for gene expression levels and protein phosphorylation. Results: We show that in cnidarian, AP-1 is regulated differently than in bilaterian models. ERK2 and ERK5, the main MAPK drivers of AP-1 activation in Bilateria, down-regulated fos1 and jun1 transcription in anemones exposed to metal stress, whereas p38 MAPK, triggered transcription of jun1 but not fos1. Furthermore, our results reveal that GSK3-β is the main driver of the immediate stress response in Nematostella. GSK3-β triggered transcription of AP-1 and two other stress-related genes, egr1 and hsp70. Finally, phylogenetic analysis and protein characterization show that while MAPKs and GSK3-β are evolutionarily conserved, Fos and Jun proteins in Nematostella and other cnidarians lack important regulatory and phosphorylation sites found in Bilateria. Conclusion: These findings reveal alternative network interactions of conserved signaling kinases, providing insight into the evolutionary plasticity of immediate stress response mechanisms.
Knockdown of ARK5 Expression Suppresses Invasion and Metastasis of Gastric Cancer
Authors: Chen Dehu , Liu Guiyuan , Xu Ning , You Xiaolan , Zhou Haihua , Zhao Xiaojun , Liu Qinghong
Published: June 2017

Background/Aims: Gastric cancer (GC) is a common and lethal malignancy, and AMP-activated protein kinase-related kinase 5 (ARK5) has been discovered to promote cancer metastasis in certain types of cancer. In this study, we explored the role of ARK5 in GC invasion and metastasis. Methods: ARK5 and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related markers were determined by immunohistochemistry and western blot in GC specimens. Other methods including stably transfected against ARK5 into SGC7901 and AGS cells, western blot, migration and invasion assays in vitro and nude mice tumorigenicity in vivo were also employed. Results: The results demonstrated that ARK5 expression was increased and positively correlated with metastasis, EMT-related markers and poor prognosis in patients with GC. Knockdown of ARK5 expression remarkably suppressed GC cells invasion and metastasis via regulating EMT, rather than proliferation in vitro and in vivo. And knockdown of ARK5 expression in GC cells resulted in the down-regulation of the mTOR/p70S6k signals, Slug and SIP1. Conclusion: The elevated ARK5 expression was closely associated with cancer metastasis and patient survival, and it seemed to function in GC cells migration and invasion via EMT alteration, together with the alteration of the mTOR/p70S6k signals, Slug and SIP1, thus providing a potential therapeutic target for GC.
RU486 Reverses Emotional Disorders by Influencing Astrocytes and Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress in Chronic Restraint Stress Challenged Rats
Authors: Dong Liru , Wang Songjun , Li Yingmin , Zhao Ziqin , Shen Yiwen , Liu Li , Xu Guangming , Ma Chunling , Li Shujin , Zhang Xiaojing , Cong Bin
Published: June 2017

Aims: To investigate the effect of RU486 (mifepristone) on emotional disorders in chronic restraint stress-induced rats and to explore the mechanisms of that phenomenon. Methods: For this purpose, 80 healthy male Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups: the normal group (Con group, The Con group members received no treatment, eating and drinking freely), the chronic restraint stress group (CRS group, normal Sprague Dawley rats treated with chronic restraint stress, 6 h/day for 21days), the propylene glycol group (CRS+propylene glycol) and the RU486 group (CRS+RU486). RU486 or propylene glycol was administered 30 mins before each CRS procedure. Twenty-four hours after CRS exposure, we investigated the effects of CRS on the anxiety-like behavior using an elevated plus-maze (EPM). To explore the mechanisms of RU486 on anxiety, we measured the expression of glial fibrillary acid protein (GFAP) and β-subunit of S100 (S100β) via immunohistochemistry and western blot analysis. Apoptosis was demonstrated by flow cytometry. In addition, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress markers, glucose regulated protein 78 (GRP78), C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP) and Cysteine aspartic acid specific protease-12 (Caspase-12), were detected by western blot analysis. Results: Compared to the control group, rats in the CRS and propylene glycol group showed decreased exploratory behavior on the open arms during EPM testing, and these reductions were accompanied by significantly reduced GFAP and S100β expression, increased apoptosis and GRP78, CHOP, and caspase-12 expression in the amygdala. However, RU486 increases the exploratory behavior and reverses the changes of GFAP, S100β, GRP78, CHOP, and caspase-12 and protects cells against apoptosis. Conclusions: Taken together, these data suggest that exposure to chronic restraint stress decreases the number of astrocytes and induces apoptosis and ER stress in the amygdala, which are possible causes for psychiatric disorders. RU486 can significantly ameliorate abnormal behaviors in CRS-induced anxiety model rats. The protective effects of RU486 could be attributed to its anti-ER stress, anti-apoptosis and astrocyte increasing effects.
Polymyxin B Attenuates LPS-Induced Death but Aggravates Radiation-Induced Death via TLR4-Myd88-IL-6 Pathway
Authors: Cheng Ying , Du Jicong , Han Jiaqi , Sun Weimin , Gao Fu , Zhang Pei , Zhao Hainan , Chen Ming , Wang Jianing , Wang Mingyu , Dong Suhe , Sun Ding , Zhang Yandong , Cui Jianguo , Cai Jianming , Liu Cong
Published: June 2017

Background/Aims: Polymyxin B (PMB) is a cyclic cationic polypeptide antibiotic widely used to counteract the effects of endotoxin contamination, both in vitro and in vivo. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is an endotoxin that acts as a radiation protection factor. In this study, we focus on the role of PMB in LPS-induced and radiation-induced mortality in mice. Methods: Mice received total-body radiation or were pretreated by LPS or PMB, and the survival of mice was recorded. Elisa were used to detect the cytokines levels. Results: PMB decreased LPS-induced, but increased radiation-induced mortality in mice. Moreover, PMB could block the LPS-induced radioprotective effect. The ELISA and gene knock-out experiments indicated that PMB reduces TNF-α level to block LPS-induced mortality in mice, and inhibits IL-6, G-CSF and IL-10 to increase radiation-induced mortality via the TLR4-Myd88-IL-6 pathway. Conclusions: Our study revealed a role of PMB in LPS-induced endotoxemia and radiation exposure. We infer that the TLR4-Myd88-IL-6 pathway may play a crucial role in the process.
Modernização e desenvolvimento político: duas visões sobre o pacote democracia-capitalismo
Authors: Peres Paulo Sergio
Published: June 2017

A possível relação entre regime político e desenvolvimento sócio-econômico tem sido um dos principais temas da análise de política comparada desde os anos de 1960. É possível identificar na literatura dois tipos de resposta a esse problema. Uma, ligada às formulações de Huntington, enfatizou as diferenças culturais de cada país, salientando que em alguns deles não havia uma cultura favorável ao desenvolvimento democrático. A outra, ligada à teoria de Lipset, destacou variáveis sociológicas, argumentando que a estrutura sócio-econômica tradicional impedia a efetividade democrática. Meu objetivo neste texto é analisar as formulações básicas de cada um desses autores a respeito do tema, procurando discutir a validade dos seus argumentos centrais. Conforme procurarei argumentar, as hipóteses por eles apresentadas continuam a entreter analistas e a provocar refutações e revitalizações de suas inferências, em um debate teórico, conceitual e metodológico que ainda não está de todo concluído
Partidos políticos e grupos de interesse: definições, atuação e vínculos
Authors: Mancuso Wagner Pralon
Published: June 2017

Partidos políticos e grupos de interesse são instrumentos de mediação entre a sociedade e o Estado que estão presentes em todas as democracias contemporâneas. Este artigo sugere respostas para três questões: i) qual é a natureza específica dessas organizações?; ii) que atividades políticas elas desempenham? e iii) que tipo de interrelações elas mantêm entre si? A resposta para a última questão no cenário brasileiro seria decisivamente favorecida pela regulamentação do lobbying e pelo aperfeiçoamento da legislação sobre financiamento de campanhas eleitorais
Políticas de la catástrofe
Authors: Soldani Giulio Nicola
Published: June 2017

Una reflexión sobre las tecnologias de gobierno a través las categorías de estado de excepeción (Agamben), disciplina y gobierno (Foucault), riesgo (Beck y Luhmann) y soberanía (Schmitt y Bataille). La catástrofe como nueva fuente de legitimidad política y el milagro como modalidad de acción dentro de la catástrofe.
Taylor: Democracia y patriotismo
Authors: Trucco Onelio
Published: June 2017

En este trabajo nos referiremos a la relación entre democracia y patriotismo en Ch. Taylor. Para ello, en un primer momento esbozaremos su postura acerca del agente como sujeto encarnado socialmente; luego, pasaremos a exponer los aspectos coligados al primero que tienen que ver con la crítica al atomismo y a la noción de libertad negativa; y finalmente, atenderemos a las deficiencias de la concepción del autor del vínculo entre democracia, política de la diferencia, que parece despolitizar a sectores de cultura, y patriotismo. Intentaremos exponer lo que consideramos un tanto oscuro: la relación entre una identidad definida en un sentido cultural sustancial y los reparos que esa identidad, según Taylor, pondría a la cultura mayoritaria en las sociedades modernas.
Demasiadamente humano: um olhar sobre War Before Civilization, de Lawrence H. Keeley
Authors: Mendes Flávio Pedroso
Published: June 2017

Ensaio baseado na obra de Lawrence H. Keeley, War Before Civilization, de 1996, que tem como objeto o papel da guerra nas sociedades primitivas. Busca-se demonstrar que os mitos do "pacifismo primitivo" e de um "passado beato" não resistem ao escrutínio sério e científico do fenômeno bélico entre povos afastados da 'civilização'.
Entre a Arqueologia do Saber e o Contextualismo Lingüístico: um estudo comparativo dos métodos de Michel Foucault, Quentin Skinner e John Pocock
Authors: Lima Pedro Luiz
Published: June 2017

O presente artigo busca contribuir teoricamente para o aprofundamento dos debates metodológicos acerca das formas de apreensão das ideias políticas. Para tal, empreende uma leitura comparativa dos principais trabalhos de Michel Foucault, Quentin Skinner e John Pocock e articula algumas relações possíveis entre a arqueologia do saber e o assim chamado contextualismo linguístico. Estabelecem-se, ao longo do texto, aproximações entre as duas vertentes, quanto ao primado do discurso e a uma pluralidade histórica de registros e contextos discursivos inconciliáveis entre si, e distinções, especialmente quanto ao lugar do sujeito na constituição das linguagens, ideias e saberes políticos
A regulação dos partidos políticos do Cone Sul
Authors: Mayer Rodrigo
Published: June 2017

Este artigo tem como objetivos analisar as legislações partidárias dos países que compõem o Cone Sul (Argentina, Brasil, Chile, Paraguai e Uruguai) e o debate teórico sobre o tema. As regulações estatais não são novidade no cenário político mundial com as primeiras legislações tendo sido formuladas logo após a Segunda Guerra Mundial. No caso dos países do Cone Sul, algumas nações tinham as atividades partidárias reguladas antes de seus períodos autoritários e as atividades partidárias foram retomadas a partir da década de 1980 com novas legislações que estabeleceram novos limites e atribuições aos partidos políticos alterando suas organizações e suas atividades. Para realizar este trabalho será realizada uma análise qualitativa das legislações partidárias dos cinco países, se concentrando em suas diferenças e semelhanças. Como conclusões, pode-se afirmar que os cinco países tem visões diferentes das atividades partidárias e isto reflete em suas legislações, com algumas fornecendo maior liberdade para a atuação partidária do que outras
Inequality is Always in the Room: Language & Power in Deliberative Democracy
Authors: Lupia Arthur , Norton Anne
Published: June 2017

Deliberative democracy has the potential to legitimize collective decisions. Deliberation's legitimating potential, however, depends on whether those who deliberate truly enter as equals, whether they are able to express on equal terms their visions of the common good, and whether the forms and practices that govern deliberative assemblies advance or undermine their goals. Here, we examine these sources of deliberation's legitimating potential. We contend that even in situations of apparent procedural equality, deliberation's legitimating potential is limited by its potential to increase normatively focal power asymmetries. We conclude by describing how deliberative contexts can be modified to reduce certain types of power asymmetries, such as those often associated with gender, race, or class. In so doing, we hope to help readers consider a broader range of factors that influence the outcomes of attempts to restructure power relationships through communicative forums.
Authoritarian Deliberation in China
Authors: He Baogang , Warren Mark E.
Published: June 2017

Authoritarian rule in China increasingly involves a wide variety of deliberative practices. These practices combine authoritarian command with deliberative influence, producing the apparent anomaly of authoritarian deliberation. Although deliberation and democracy are usually found together, they are distinct phenomena. Democracy involves the inclusion of individuals in matters that affect them through distributions of empowerments like votes and rights. Deliberation is the kind of communication that involves persuasion-based influence. Combinations of command-based power and deliberative influence – like authoritarian deliberation – are now pervading Chinese politics, likely a consequence of the failures of command authoritarianism under the conditions of complexity and pluralism produced by market-oriented development. The concept of authoritarian deliberation frames two possible trajectories of political development in China. One possibility is that the increasing use of deliberative practices stabilizes and strengthens authoritarian rule. An alternative possibility is that deliberative practices serve as a leading edge of democratization.
Early Childhood Educators’ Perspectives on Children’s Rights
Authors: Giamminuti Stefania , See Danica
Published: June 2017

There is a need to understand better the role that early childhood educators’ perspectives on children’s rights play in informing pedagogical practice. In the Australian context there is unease regarding the place of children’s rights in current curriculum policy. This article examines how educators’ perspectives on children’s rights inform and influence their pedagogical practice. The ethnographic study reported here involved the participation of three early childhood teachers located in one Western Australian metropolitan primary school, and generated data through the combination of walking tours, photographs of the school environment, and a focus-group interview. Themes of “Access” and “Power-fullness” emerged from the data as local values illustrating the relationship between images of childhood held by teachers and pedagogical practice. The theoretical propositions of “Pedagogy of Place and Space” and “Pedagogy of Possibilities” are offered as provocations for educators of young children wishing to enhance their practice with a children’s rights-based discourse.
Die laesio enormis und der dolus re ipsa heute: die Verschuldensfrage
Authors: Grebieniow A.M.
Published: June 2017

Laesio enormis and dolus in re ipsa nowadays: the question of fault. 

The mediaeval interpreters of Roman law have worked out the dolus re ipsa-concept to explain the mysterious laesio enormis (C. 4,44,2 [a. 285]). They supposed the inequality in exchange to be a result of malicious undertaking, for which paradoxically, no one was personally liable (D. 45,1,36 [Ulp. 48 Sab.]). In course of time, the incorporation of laesio enormis into the scheme of dolus turned into a presumption of a malicious act on the part of the enriched party, even though the laesio enormis is free from subjective criteria. It is astonishing how little the dolus re ipsa is discussed, although the modern paradigm for correcting inequality in exchange is based on the same assumptions. This ‘Wiederkehr der Rechtsfigur’ certainly deserves more attention.
Gierkes Protest gegen das BGB
Authors: Friedrich Pierre
Published: June 2017

The enactment of the German Civil Code (BGB) marked the triumph of the Romanists in the famous codification debate. However, the Germanists’ resistance endured and found new grounds and means of conflict. This essay throws light on the exploitation of the fine arts for the advancement of the Germanists’ legal policy. With the help of the prominent murals in the plenary hall of the court of appeal in Düsseldorf, executed in 1913, we will examine the continuing influence of the germanistic combat and the socio-political mores of the functionary elite of the late empire. It will be demonstrated that these murals were an expression of the ressentiment of a certain part of these ‘power elites’ towards the liberal constitutional state which had come into existence by the time of the codification of the BGB at the very latest. Nazi ideology was able to appeal to these political dispositions and values after the First World War. This was one of the major routes that led to the Nazi takeover and finally to the decline of the rule of law in Germany.
First record of the genus Zeuxevania Kieffer, 1902 from Oriental Region (Hymenoptera: Evaniidae)
Authors: LI YI-CHENG , XU ZAI-FU
Published: June 2017

A new species of Zeuxevania Kieffer, 1902 is described and illustrated from Yunnan, China: Zeuxevania orientalis Li & Xu, sp. nov.. A key to the species of Zeuxevania is provided.
Supporting Weather Forecasters in Predicting and Monitoring Saharan Air Layer Dust Events as They Impact the Greater Caribbean
Authors: Kuciauskas Arunas P. , Xian Peng , Hyer Edward J. , Oyola Mayra I. , Campbell James R.
Published: June 2017

During the spring and summer months, the greater Caribbean region typically experiences pulses of moderate to heavy episodes of airborne African dust concentrations that originate over the Sahara Desert and propagate westward across the tropical North Atlantic basin. These dust episodes are often contained within the Saharan air layer (SAL), an elevated air mass (between 850–500 hPa) marked by very dry and warm conditions within the lowest levels. During its westward transport, the SAL’s distinct environmental characteristics can persist well into the Gulf of Mexico and southern United States. As a result, the Caribbean population is susceptible to airborne dust levels that often exceed healthy respiratory limits. One of the major responsibilities within the National Weather Service in San Juan, Puerto Rico (NWS-PR), is preparing the public within their area of responsibility (AOR) for such events. The Naval Research Laboratory Marine Meteorology Division (NRL-MMD) is sponsored by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to support the NWS-PR by providing them with an invaluable “one stop shop” web-based resource (hereafter SAL-WEB) that is designed to monitor these African dust events. SAL-WEB consists of near-real-time output generated from ground-based instruments, satellite-derived imagery, and dust model forecasts, covering the extent of dust from North Africa, westward across the Atlantic basin, and extending into Mexico. The products within SAL-WEB would serve to augment the Advanced Weather Interactive Processing System (AWIPS-II) infrastructure currently in operation at the NWS-PR. The goal of this article is to introduce readers to SAL-WEB, along with current and future research underway to provide improvements in African dust prediction capabilities.