bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
« Ça va être un viol » : Formes et fonctions de l’obscénité langagière dans les joutes verbales de rap
Authors: Vettorato Cyril
Published: June 2014

The form of verbal dueling practiced within the hip-hop cultural community, the freestyle battle, places face-to-face two contestants who are expected to destroy each other through words. Obscene language, and more particularly the very graphic representation of sexual scenes, is one of their most common resources. Beginning with the study of a tournament recorded in 2010 in Paris, we will try to grasp what is at stake in these verbal transgressions. We will examine more precisely their relationship to the organization of the poetic ritual, as well as with the value system it brings into play in a ludic way.
Le dire grivois dans un corpus de contes facétieux roumains
Authors: Lebarbier Micheline
Published: June 2014

À travers l’étude de plusieurs contes facétieux recueillis dans trois villages de la Roumanie communiste, les motifs qui ont trait à la sexualité et à la miction féminines sont répertoriés. La récurrence de ces motifs, l’implication ou la distance des narrateurs vis-à-vis de leurs énoncés sont examinées en fonction du contexte de l’énonciation, de leur classe d’âge, de leur genre, ainsi que les mots pour exprimer ou pour suggérer.
Dieu hors des limites de la critique kantienne
Authors: Longo Anna
Published: June 2014

Nous prendrons en considération la redéfinition de l’Idée kantienne de Dieu impliquée par la spéculation de Quentin Meillassoux et nous verrons que celle-ci a été élaborée dans le cadre de l’ouverture du possible au virtuel. Nous confronterons ainsi ce détournement avec celui proposé par Gilles Deleuze, lui aussi redéfinissant le rôle du Dieu de la Dialectique transcendantale dans l’ouverture du possible au virtuel. Le point de départ des deux stratégies est la négation des limites imposées a priori au possible, dont Dieu est traditionnellement considéré comme le garant. Toutefois, comme nous le verrons, même dans la négation de l’ordre divin il reste encore de la place, dans les deux systèmes, pour une fonction divine.
Préparer la venue de Dieu ou la tâche du philosophe spéculatif selon Quentin Meillassoux
Authors: Blondeau Frédéric
Published: June 2014

L'ontologie de Quentin Meillassoux s'inscrit dans l'héritage des grandes philosophies « athées » du siècle dernier : matérialisme, immanence, chaos en sont les noms principaux. Pourtant, la philosophie de Meillassoux est mue par une inquiétude à propos du salut de tous les êtres humains, passés et à venir, et se présente bien moins comme un athéisme strict que comme la construction d'une théologie « existentielle », dont la continuation pratique réside dans une éthique de l'impuissance et un messianisme de type nouveau, qui se définit comme une attente et une fidélité dans l'incertitude positive. Ce messianisme n'est ni rivé à un événement passé (l'Incarnation), ni interprété en vue d'un au-delà indéfiniment éloigné.
The Spectral Dilemma and the Instauration of the Divine: Latour contra Meillassoux
Authors: Norton Michael
Published: June 2014

Quentin Meillassoux has argued that lives irremediably ruined by injustice, suffering, and tragedy confront us with an irresolvable dilemma: either God exists to bring justice to the world (but such a God necessarily cannot be absolutely good), or God does not exist and true justice is an impossibility. He proposes to escape this dilemma by introducing the idea of a “virtual” God who does not exist now but who could unpredictably come into existence in the future. According to Meillassoux’s argument, such an event would entail a radical break with the world as we know it; at the same time, Meillassoux avows a thoroughgoing dismissal of any thought that relies on appeals to transcendence. This paper argues that Meillassoux’s notion of the inexistent God betrays his own commitment to immanence, and that Bruno Latour offers a more consistent and more constructive way of understanding the divine on immanent terms.
The Fate of Theology after the Speculative Turn
Authors: Polidori Troy
Published: June 2014

It will be our contention that the religious turn in continental philosophy has little to offer the domain of theology, despite the resurgence of interest in the latter on account of the historical trajectory of the former, and that, consequently, speculative theologians should welcome Meillassoux’s ‘critique of Critique’. We will come to see that Meillassoux’s work has opened up a space for theological discourse, albeit one limited on polarized ends: on the one hand, Meillassoux's rejection of dogmatic pre-critical metaphysics, and on the other, the judgment that contemporary continental philosophy of religion is an historical error based on the faulty reasoning of post-Kantian epistemological finitism. The former pole guards against the vampiric return of classical metaphysical theology, and the latter warns of the dangers associated with various contextual theologies, stemming as they do from the “religionizing of reason”. Our proposal will be that a specific form of theology can find its way through this narrow passage, and that a thorough rapprochement with Meillassoux’s critique of religious and theological thought in After Finitude can be had without completely abandoning theological discourse.
« Que le dieu soit là »
Authors: Feneuil Anthony
Published: June 2014

L’auteur de cet article veut montrer qu’il existe entre les deux premiers livres de Quentin Meillassoux, Après la finitude (2006) et Le Nombre et la sirène (2011) un tournant engageant le rapport de sa philosophie avec ce qu’il appelle le « corrélationnisme ». L’étude de ce tournant rend possible une relecture du premier livre à la lumière du second, mais elle permet aussi d’envisager des rapprochements inattendus entre la philosophie de Quentin Meillassoux et des pensées de la finitude, ainsi que la théologie.
Growth and survival of post-larvae of giant freshwater prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii) reared using feeds formulated with different sources of protein
Authors: Amaraweera KWRR , Wijeyaratne MJS , Jayamanne SC
Published: June 2014

Semi-intensive aquaculture of giant freshwater prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii (de Man) in Sri Lanka is limited mainly due to unavailabilty of suitable commercial feeds. At present, the widely used commecial feed is poultry feed starter-I, which is of low nutritive value. Present study was therefore carried out to develop a suitable feed using currently unutilized material as the protein source namely, cattle intestines disacrded from slaughter houses, mussel meat discarded after removing shells for lime and poultry industries, and trash fish discarded at landing sites.Post-larvae of M. rosenbergii having an initial weight of 44-78 mg were stocked in glass tanks measuring 60 cm x 30 cm x 30 cm at a stocking density of 50 individuals per tank and fed with formulated experimental feeds and the poultry feed starter-I as the control diet. Feeding experiments were carried out in triplicate in two culture cycles of 90 days each.Specific growth rates of post-larvae when fed with experimental feeds formulated with mussel, trash fish and cattle intestines as the protein source were 2.08, 2.07 and 2.03 in the first culture cycle and 2.25, 2.27 and 2.33 in the second culture cycle respectively. These were significantly higher than those observed when fed with the control diet which were 1.36 and 1.39 in the first and second culture cycles respectively (p < 0.05). Higher specific growth rates resulted in significantly higher weight gains in post-larvae fed with experimental feeds (458-898 mg) than in those fed with the control diet (217-318 mg) (p<0.05). Survival rates of post-larvae fed with experimental feeds (42-52%) were significantly higher than those of the post-larvae fed with the control diet (16-24%) whereas food conversion ratios of the former (2.47-3.22) were significantly lower than those of the latter (4.90-5.02) (p < 0.05).Present study indicates that lower amounts of feeds formulated using mussel meat, trash fish or cattle intestines as the protein source yield better growth and survival rates of M. rosenbergii post-larvae than the currently used poultry feed starter-I. Since discarded material are used as the protein source, the cost of feed will also be low resulting in high profitsDOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4038/sljas.v18i0.7036Sri Lanka J. Aquat. Sci. 18 (2013): 17-26
Analysis of proximate composition and consumer preference of three reef fish species
Authors: Edirisinghe DMA , Cumaranatunga PRT , Radampola K , Kirindearachchige PT
Published: June 2014

Reef fishery plays a very important role in the coastal fishing of Sri Lanka and also there is a belief that some reef fishes provide special health benefits. However, the information available on chemical composition of reef fish is very limited. This study is based on the consumer preference survey conducted through an interview of 60 consumers at three retail markets in Sri Lanka namely Dondra, Matara and Weligama. Proximate composition was also analyzed for three highly consumer preferred reef fish species. A total of 34 fish, representing at least 11 specimens from each of the three fish species were analyzed for moisture, protein, lipid, ash and the total energy content. Gonado-somatic index (GSI), hepato-somatic index (HSI) and condition factor (K) were also calculated from January to April 2012. It was revealed that consumers highly preferred Lethrines olivaceus (Long–face emperor) (27%) whereas preference for Epinephelus merra (Honey comb grouper) and Lutjanus rivulatus (Blubber-lip snapper) were 17% and 9% respectively. Two way ANOVA showed no significant difference in the moisture and ash content among three species, but there was a significant difference (p<0.05) in protein and fat content. Highest protein content was in E. merra (89%), while its lipid content was 5-8% (of the dry weight). Three species had condition factors above 1.7, which indicates their relative healthiness, with respect to food and space within the southern coastal waters of Sri Lanka. E. merra had the highest GSI values while L. olivaceus and L. rivulatus had the lowest and intermediate values respectively, which can be related to their gonadal development stage. The HSI was negatively related to total energy of females of E. merra and L. olivaceus, which could be due to energy reservation in liver than in muscles for their reproduction, while in L. rivulatus such a trend was not evident possibly due to prominent lipid storage structures within their body cavity. E. merra had the highest energy content (5.82 kJ g-1) and consumers expressed their belief DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4038/sljas.v18i0.7037 Sri Lanka J. Aquat. Sci. 18 (2013): 27-36
Population dynamics of accidentally introduced Amazon sailfin catfish, Pterygoplichthys pardalis (Siluriformes, Loricariidae) in Pologolla reservoir, Sri Lanka
Authors: Sumanasinghe HPW , Amarasinghe US
Published: June 2014

Many fish species have been introduced either intentionally or accidentally into Asian freshwaters and some species have been disreputed as alien invasive species (AIS) due to their potential threats to the biodiversity. In Polgolla reservoir of Sri Lanka, there is an established population of Pterigoplichthys pardalis, which makes a significant negative impact on the commercial fishery targeting exotic cichlid species as this armored catfish damages gillnets of the fishery. In the present study, an attempt was made to investigate population dynamics of P. pardalis in Polgolla reservoir with a view to ascertaining possibilities for commercial level exploitation of the fish stock. The fish landing sites in the reservoir were visited 4-6 days a month from May to November 2004 to collect data on species composition of landings and length frequency data of P. pardalis. P. pardalis accounted for 21% of the landings and von Bertalanffy growth parameters estimated by length-based stock assessment methodologies using FISAT II software were asymptotic total length of 41.3 cm and growth constant of 0.3 yr-1. Total mortality, natural mortality and fishing mortality were 0.76 yr-1, 0.73 yr-1 and 0.03 yr-1 respectively. Relative yield-per-recruit analysis indicated that there would be a great potential to optimize the fishery by increasing exploitation ratio from the present level of 0.4 to 0.7, while increasing length at first capture from the present level of 17.8 cm to 23 cm. However, as the consumer demand for this species is presently very poor, intensification of the fishery is possible only if market demand for P. pardalis is established through value addition by post-harvest technology.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4038/sljas.v18i0.7040Sri Lanka J. Aquat. Sci. 18 (2013): 37-45
25-Hydroxvitamin D3 Promotes the Long-Term Effect of Specific Immunotherapy in a Murine Allergy Model
Authors: Heine Guido , Tabeling Christoph , Hartmann Bjoern , González Calera Carla R. , Kühl Anja A. , Lindner Juliane , Radbruch Andreas , Witzenrath Martin , Worm Margitta
Published: June 2014

Calcitriol (1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3) is the active vitamin D metabolite and mediates immunological functions, which are relevant in allergy. Its therapeutic use is limited by hypercalcaemic toxicity. We have previously shown that the activation of the vitamin D receptor inhibits IgE production and that B cells can synthesize calcitriol from its precursor 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (inactive precursor) [25(OH)D] upon antigenic stimulation. In this study, we address the impact of 25(OH)D on the development of type I sensitization and determine its role in allergen-specific immunotherapy. BALB/c mice were sensitized to OVA, under 25(OH)D-deficient or sufficient conditions. The humoral immune response over time was measured by ELISA. OVA-specific immunotherapy was established and studied in a murine model of allergic airway inflammation using lung histology, pulmonary cytokine expression analysis, and functional parameters in isolated and perfused mouse lungs. In 25(OH)D-deficient mice, OVA-specific IgE and IgG1 serum concentrations were increased compared with control mice. OVA-specific immunotherapy reduced the humoral immune reaction after OVA recall dose-dependently. Coadministration of 25(OH)D in the context of OVA-specific immunotherapy reduced the allergic airway inflammation and responsiveness upon OVA challenge. These findings were paralleled by reduced Th2 cytokine expression in the lungs. In conclusion, 25(OH)D deficiency promotes the development of type I sensitization and correction of its serum concentrations enhances the benefit of specific immunotherapy.
Nitric Oxide Regulates BAFF Expression and T Cell–Independent Antibody Responses
Authors: Giordano Daniela , Draves Kevin E. , Li Chang , Hohl Tobias M. , Clark Edward A.
Published: June 2014

Whereas NO is known to regulate T cell responses, its role in regulating B cell responses remains unclear. Previous studies suggested that inducible NO synthase 2 (NOS2/iNOS) is required for normal IgA Ab responses but inhibits antiviral IgG2a Ab responses. In this study we used NOS2−/− mice to determine the role of NO in T cell–dependent and T cell–independent (TI)-2 Ab responses. Whereas T cell–dependent Ab responses were only modestly increased in NOS2−/− mice, IgM and IgG3 Ab responses as well as marginal zone B cell plasma cell numbers and peritoneal B1b B cells were significantly elevated after immunization with the TI-2 Ag 4-hydroxy-3-nitrophenyl acetyl (NP)–Ficoll. The elevated TI-2 responses in NOS2−/− mice were accompanied by significant increases in serum levels of BAFF/BLyS and by increases in BAFF-producing Ly6Chi inflammatory monocytes and monocyte-derived dendritic cells (DCs), suggesting that NO normally inhibits BAFF expression. Indeed, we found that NOS2−/− DCs produced more BAFF than did wild-type DCs, and addition of a NO donor to NOS2−/− DCs reduced BAFF production. Bone marrow chimeric mice that lack NOS2 in either nonhematopoietic or hematopoietic cells had intermediate IgM and IgG3 Ab responses after NP-Ficoll immunization, suggesting that NOS2 from both hematopoietic and nonhematopoietic sources regulates TI-2 Ab responses. Similar to NOS2−/− mice, depletion of Ly6Chi inflammatory monocytes and monocyte-derived DCs enhanced NP-specific IgM and IgG3 responses to NP-Ficoll. Thus, NO produced by inflammatory monocytes and their derivative DC subsets plays an important role in regulating BAFF production and TI-2 Ab responses.
Priming of CD8 T Cells by Adenoviral Vectors Is Critically Dependent on B7 and Dendritic Cells but Only Partially Dependent on CD28 Ligation on CD8 T Cells
Authors: Nielsen Karen N. , Steffensen Maria A. , Christensen Jan P. , Thomsen Allan R.
Published: June 2014

Adenoviral vectors have long been forerunners in the development of effective CD8 T cell–based vaccines; therefore, it is imperative that we understand the factors controlling the induction of robust and long-lasting transgene-specific immune responses by these vectors. In this study, we investigated the organ sites, molecules, and cell subsets that play a critical role in the priming of transgene-specific CD8 T cells after vaccination with a replication-deficient adenoviral vector. Using a human adenovirus serotype 5 (Ad5) vector and genetically engineered mice, we found that CD8+ and/or CD103+ dendritic cells in the draining lymph node played a critical role in the priming of Ad5-induced CD8 T cell responses. Moreover, we found that CD80/86, but not CD28, was essential for efficient generation of both primary effectors and memory CD8 T cells. Interestingly, the lack of CD28 expression resulted in a delayed primary response, whereas memory CD8 T cells generated in CD28-deficient mice appeared almost normal in terms of both phenotype and effector cytokine profile, but they exhibited a significantly reduced proliferative capacity upon secondary challenge while retaining immediate in vivo effector capabilities: in vivo cytotoxicity and short-term in vivo protective capacity. Overall, our data point to an absolute requirement for professional APCs and the expression of the costimulatory molecules CD80/86 for efficient CD8 T cell priming by adenoviral vectors. Additionally, our results suggest the existence of an alternative receptor for CD80/86, which may substitute, in part, for CD28.
Childbearing after 40 Years: A Challenge of the Modern Obstetrics
Authors: Stamatian Florin , Muresan Daniel , Rotar Ioana , Tanc Mariana , Cotutiu Paul , Giurgiu Cristina
Published: June 2014

Aim

Age at delivery has increased in the past decades, leading to a continuous growth of the number of women planning a pregnancy after the age of forty. Because delivering after this age is associated with an increased rate of maternal complications, the objective of this study was to analyze the delivery related issues in women ≥40 years of age.

Materials and methods

This was a retrospective study conducted in the 1st Clinic of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cluj-Napoca in a 3-year period. One hundred and forty-two patients ≥40 years of age that delivered between 2010 and 2012 were included in the analysis.

Results

The frequency of deliveries after the age of 40 was 2.42% of all the deliveries. Eighty percent of nulliparous and 51.72% of multiparous women delivered by cesarean section. A significantly higher percentage of primiparous women delivered by cesarean section compared to secundiparous women (p = 0.0007). Fetal weight was significantly higher in multiparous than in primiparous women in the CS group (p = 0.01). No differences were observed between the Apgar scores according to the delivery mode or parity in the study group.

Conclusion

Delivery after 40 years of age is associated with an increased number of obstetrical interventions.

Abbreviations

CS: Cesarean section; 1p: Primiparous; 2p: Secundiparous; 3p: Tertiparous; >1p: Multiparous.

How to cite this article

Rotar I, Muresan D, Tanc M, Cotutiu P, Giurgiu C, Stamatian F. Childbearing after 40 Years: A Challenge of the Modern Obstetrics. Donald School J Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol 2014;8(2):144-148.
Antenatal Cerebral Hemorrhages: Evolution and Outcome
Authors: Pelinescu-Onciul Dimitrie , Toma Adrian Ioan , Steriu Mihaela , Cuzino Aura Irina , Gavril-Parfene Caliopia , Cozinov Alexandra , Olteanu Raluca , Craiu Dana
Published: June 2014

Cerebral hemorrhage can affect the fetus. Clinical signs usually suggest the presence of cerebral hemorrhage and it can be confirmed by ultrasound during the fetal or early neonatal period. The first part of this paper investigates the usefulness of neonatal cerebral ultrasound screening in term neonates, in order to detect antenatal/perinatal cerebral hemorrhage. Three newborns with antenatal cerebral hemorrhage are presented. A diagnosis and investigation algorithm consisting of five questions is proposed for each case: ‘When did the hemorrhage occur?’, ‘What is the diagnosis?’, ‘Are there neonatal consequences?’ ‘Other lesions?’ and ‘What is the prognosis?’.

How to cite this article

Pelinescu-Onciul D, Toma AI, Steriu M, Cuzino AI, Gavril-Parfene C, Cozinov A, Olteanu R, Craiu D. Antenatal Cerebral Hemorrhages: Evolution and Outcome. Donald School J Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol 2014;8(2):208-217.
Congenital Chylothorax: Diagnosis Problems
Authors: Hăşmăşanu Monica , Zaharie Gabriela , Mátyás Melinda , Blaga Ligia
Published: June 2014

Fetal pleural effusion is most frequently a marker of chylothorax. It is usually unilateral and frequently located on the right side, due to the anatomical position of the thoracic duct. Fetal hydrothorax can be either primary or secondary to chromosomal, cardiovascular, hematologic, liver or metabolic diseases, congenital infections and skeletal dysplasia, or placenta or cord abnormalities.

Congenital chylothorax in the newborn can be associated with symptoms of severe respiratory distress, requiring rapid evacuation and respiratory support. In chylothorax, the appearance of the fluid is milky, yellowish, with a high cell count and increased level of triglycerides.

The treatment of neonatal chylothorax involves removal of substantial effusion, pleural drainage and initiation of a special diet to limit chylothorax fluid restoration.

This paper presents the case of a premature newborn at a gestational age of 36 weeks, with fetal hydrothorax, which was diagnosed in utero at 28 weeks of pregnancy. After the initial resorption of the pleural effusion, it restored in parallel with the increasing quantity of ingested breast milk.

How to cite this article

Mátyás M, Blaga L, Hăşmăşanu M, Zaharie G. Congenital Chylothorax: Diagnosis Problems. Donald School J Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol 2014;8(2):218-221.
Effect of Protein Supplementation, Fat Globule Size and Storage Time on the Rheological and Sensory Properties of Buffalo Milk Stirred Yogurt
Authors: Dimitreli Georgia , Petridis Dimitris , Akakiadou Pantelina , Chrysalidou Stella
Published: June 2014

In the present study the physicochemical (acidity, color measurements), rheological (viscosity measurements and viscoelastic properties) and sensory (objective and hedonic) properties of stirred yogurt made from buffalo milk were evaluated. Yogurt samples with two fat globule sizes (large: 2.9 ?m; small: 0.87 ?m) were prepared with or without the addition of Whey Protein Concentrates (WPC) or Sodium Caseinates (SCN), and stored at 4 °C for testing at day 1 and 7 after preparation. SCN addition resulted in increased lactic acid concentration, rheological properties (except loss tangent - tan ?), white color intensity and sensory viscosity. The effect of WPC on the aforesaid properties was lower when compared to SCN. Small fat globule size also increased the rheological properties apart from tan ?, brightness and sensory viscosity of yogurt samples. Increasing storage time resulted in reduced viscosity, increased acidity and rheological properties apart from tan ? and apparent viscosity. The greater decline rates were obvious for Newtonian viscosity at zero shear rate (?0) and instantaneous elasticity (Gg) in yogurts with added SCN and WPC and large globule size and lower or negligible in samples without additives. In contrast, tan ? increased at a lower rate when SCN were added in products with large fat globules. Storage time increased the value of flow behavior index (n) in yogurts with large fat globules and, more rapidly, the value of elastic modulus (G') in the presence of SCN and WPC. The small globule size in the absence of additives produced the lowest response of b and, when WPC was present, the lowest white color intensity. The sensory viscosity reduced the most during storage in yogurt samples with no protein addition.
Research mentoring: Suggestions and encouragement from a reflection exercise
Authors: Young Kenneth J.
Published: June 2014

Supervisors direct people, but mentors are valued and trusted advisors. Recently, the author took a course in supervising postgraduate research, which included surveying the literature as well as discussions with colleagues who have various levels of experience in research supervision. Through this exercise, some basic ideas for best practices in research mentoring became clear, particularly for those in professions without a strong history of research and therefore lacking in trained research supervisors. The concept of mentoring, rather than just supervision, gained focus. Three main categories can be identified within the realm of research mentorship: choose your candidate wisely, be diligent, and be nurturing. The purpose of this commentary is to identify methods of supervision of graduate research degree (masters/doctorate level) candidates that may enhance the process, as well as improve the chances of completion, and to encourage academics to learn the techniques of high-quality supervision with a goal of becoming mentors. Additionally, it is hoped that this commentary may encourage students and colleagues without advanced degrees to consider pursuing them; this, in turn would likely lead to more opportunities for supervision, as well as help to create links with other academic and clinical institutions.
Extraction Methodologies in Plants: General Introduction
Authors: Camel Valérie
Published: June 2014

The extraction stage is considered to be a key step of most analytical strategies, as it greatly influences the type and quality of analytical data. In case of plants, which are interesting materials for a broad range of domestic or industrial‐scale applications, extraction is a particularly crucial step as solid samples are considered most of the time. Indeed, extractions from solids are well known to be more critical than from liquids, owing to limitations by diffusion and/or strong solute–solid interactions; solutes may also be trapped into cells within the plant materials. Consequently, careful knowledge about the plant material itself (its structure and composition) and whenever possible about the compounds to be extracted (their expected levels, polarity, and stability) is of great help for conceiving and optimizing an extraction process; the fate of the extract is also important to consider, as the selectivity expected for the extraction differs between target and fingerprint approaches. Practically, even though several extraction techniques are available, none is the best and should be recommended for any application. However, the use of recent techniques should be favored, as they reduce both the solvent volume and the time required for the extraction; the hyphenation or combination of techniques should be investigated to take benefit from the advantages of several techniques.
Supercritical Fluid Extraction in Plant Analysis
Authors: Pourmortazavi Seied Mahdi , Rahimi‐Nasrabadi Mehdi , Mirsadeghi Somayeh
Published: June 2014

This chapter presents comprehensive information on applications and developments of supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) technique in plant oils and herbal volatile components analysis. Supercritical carbon dioxide (SC‐CO2) is widely used for extraction and isolation of volatile and essential oil of plants. SFE possesses valuable advantages in extraction of various analytes, especially nonpolar compounds, from plant matrices. Meanwhile, some modifications such as the usage of modifiers make this technique applicable for the extraction of polar targets as well. SFE in herbal field is used for the extraction of a wide range of analytes including food, agricultural agents, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and pesticides. This chapter aims to review, from plant oil analysis standpoint, recent advances in the use of SC‐CO2for the extraction and separation of herbal analytes. In addition, it presents a critical appraisal about the advantages and disadvantages of SFE technique in comparison with traditional extraction methods, that is, Soxhlet, hydrodistillation (HD), and head space extraction. The abilities, advantages, shortcomings, and prospects of SFE for isolation and extraction of volatile components and essential oil of plant materials are also discussed.
New Trends in the Extraction of Natural Products: Microwave‐Assisted Extraction and Pressurized Liquid Extraction
Authors: Christen Philippe , Kaufmann Beatrice
Published: June 2014

The traditional extraction methods of natural products are often considered to be a bottleneck for most analytical procedures. In particular, they suffer from several limitations including high solvent consumption and prolonged extraction time. This review gives an overview of microwave‐assisted extraction and pressurized liquid extraction as clean and cheap procedures that can be used in routine analysis in a fast and automatic way. The influence of important parameters (e.g., temperature, pressure, nature of the solvent, and extraction time) on the extraction efficiency and characteristics of the extracted products is discussed and based on an overview of the recent literature related to plant materials. These two approaches should definitely be considered for fast and efficient extraction of active constituents from plant materials. Selected applications published during the past 10 years are given.
Headspace Sampling and Gas Chromatography of Plants: a Successful Combination to Study the Composition of a Plant Volatile Fraction
Authors: Sgorbini Barbara , Cagliero Cecilia , Cordero Chiara , Liberto Erica , Rubiolo Patrizia , Bicchi Carlo
Published: June 2014

This chapter is a critical overview on headspace (HS) and gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography combined with mass spectrometry (GC‐MS) in the analysis of the plant volatile fraction. Thevolatile fractionof a matrix of vegetable origin can in general be defined as a mixture of volatiles that can be sampled because of their ability to vaporize spontaneously or under suitable conditions, or else, by adopting appropriate techniques.

The above‐mentioned techniques can successfully be combined online thanks to their high compatibility.

The first part includes the description of headspace techniques in sampling the plant volatile fraction, in particular, basic concepts, advantages, and limits of static and dynamic headspace (S‐HS and D‐HS), and of high concentration capacity headspace techniques (HCC‐HS) are discussed.

The second part concerns fundamentals of GC and its evolution mainly in view of analyzing the plant volatile fraction. In particular, conventional and fast GC as such or coupled to mass spectrometry (GC–MS), enantioselective GC with cyclodextrins derivatives as chiral selectors, and multidimensional GC are described. Moreover, new stationary phases for GC, derivatization reactions in GC, qualitative analysis (identification), and analyte quantitative determination in plant matrices are also discussed.
Analysis of Natural Products by Capillary Electrophoresis and Related Techniques
Authors: Ganzera Markus , Krüger Anja
Published: June 2014

Despite of obvious advantages, capillary electrophoresis (CE) is often considered as an alternative analytical technique only then if more established approaches such as HPLC fail to show satisfactory results. Yet, CE offers enormous variability with respect to separation and detection mode, combined with high efficiency, speed, and ease of operation. Depending on the type of analytes investigated, the analyst can choose from an array of different buffer systems (e.g., aqueous, nonaqueous, ionic liquids, or microemulsion), additives (e.g., organic solvents, tensides, or cyclodextrins), detectors (e.g., UV–vis, fluorescence, or mass spectrometry), and formats (e.g., fused silica capillary, microchip, or monoliths), so that nearly any separation problem will be resolvable. Major disadvantages CE is often associated with are diminished reproducibility and sensitivity. That they can be well handled once all methodological aspects are optimized is summarized in this chapter. A brief introduction to the technique, highlighting technical and practical aspects, is followed by the presentation of successful applications on the separation of natural products in medicinal plants or respective products. They are convincing evidences for placing CE in the group of established and useful analytical techniques rather than only in the niche for exotics.
Analysis of Plant Oligo‐and‐Polysaccharides
Authors: Blaschek Wolfgang
Published: June 2014

In this chapter, basic methods for the isolation and the determination of the structure of plant oligo‐ and polysaccharides are described. They of course can be characterized best if isolated in high purity. Therefore, first the extraction of polysaccharides from plant material and then the separation of polysaccharides mixtures are described before presenting some important methods for the analytical characterization of polysaccharides. For details and further specific methods, the extensive literature needs to be consulted.
Analytical Strategies for Multipurpose Studies of a Plant Volatile Fraction
Authors: Cagliero Cecilia , Sgorbini Barbara , Cordero Chiara , Liberto Erica , Bicchi Carlo , Rubiolo Patrizia
Published: June 2014

This chapter is a critical overview on the recent strategy to study the composition of the plant volatile fraction. With the introduction of metabolomics, this fraction has strongly regained interest, being an important biosensor diagnostic of plant metabolism and changes. In the first part of this chapter, the concepts and the practical aspects of profiling and fingerprinting are discussed when applied to study the plant volatile fraction. In particular, methods and technologies to obtain a representative volatile profiling are discussed in detail with the aim to define an effective combination of the three main steps of an analytical procedure (i.e., sample preparation, analysis, and data elaboration) to obtain reliable and high throughput results. In particular, essential oils and headspace sampling,GCtechniques (conventionalGC, fastGC, enantioselectiveGC, heart‐cut2DGC, andGCxGC) andMSdetection with different analyzers, and supervised and unsupervised statistical methods are discussed in this respect. The same approach is used to discuss fingerprinting, that is mainly focused on nonseparative methods and in particular on headspace‐mass spectrometry (HS‐MS).

The second part deals with the evolution of screening and exhaustive study of the plant volatile fraction in view of the recent scientific and technological achievements: these two approaches and their meaning in the present context are discussed and a general and indicative procedure to apply is given.
Strategies in the Analysis of Plant Flavonoids
Authors: Santos‐Buelga Celestino , M. González‐Paramás Ana
Published: June 2014

Flavonoids are one of the largest groups of plant secondary metabolites. They comprise several thousand compounds that share a phenylchromane skeleton and can be classified into different classes, namely flavones, flavonols, flavanones, flavanols, anthocyanins, dihydroflavonols, isoflavones, and chalcones. Flavonoids occur in their natural sources as aglycones or glycosylated forms and as monomers or constituting polymerized structures and can be found both as free and matrix‐bound compounds. This structural diversity affects their physicochemical behavior, and different flavonoid classes and compounds may have different requisites for their extraction and analysis, so that there is not a unique analytical strategy that applies in all situations. In this chapter, the main methodological approaches to the analysis of flavonoids in plant materials are revised paying particular attention to more recent extraction techniques and high performance liquid chromatography‐based methodologies that currently dominate the field of flavonoid analysis.
Xanthones from Marine‐Derived Microorganisms: Isolation, Structure Elucidation and Biological Activities
Authors: Pinto Madalena M. M. , Castanheiro Raquel A. P. , Kijjoa Anake
Published: June 2014

Marine natural products provide an abundant source of biologically active compounds with high chemical diversity and a great potential to produce valuable therapeutic entities. For these reasons, marine natural products have fascinated many researchers over the years, and the research in this field has increased tremendously in the last few years. Inspired by the vastness of our oceans and an almost incomprehensible level of biodiversity in the marine environment, researchers have enthusiastically explored the pharmacological potential of secondary metabolites from marine organisms. Among them emerge xanthones, compounds with a broad spectrum of biological and pharmacological activities that have raised a growing interest in the pharmaceutical industry. Therefore, this chapter reports the isolation of 57 xanthone derivatives from marine‐derived microorganisms, namely fungi associated with algae, coral, sponges, and mangrove plants and from marine actinomycetes, with special emphasis on novel molecules. Relevant biological activities exhibited by these compounds, such as cytotoxic/antitumor, cancer chemopreventive, antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal, and antiprotozoal, are also described. Finally, the sources and origins of the producer organisms are also briefly referred, and the methods of isolation and structure elucidation are also discussed.
Multivariate Data Analysis of Plants
Authors: Dejaegher Bieke
Published: June 2014

When developing fingerprints of herbal samples, three steps should be considered, that is, the development, the validation, and the extraction of information from the multivariate fingerprint data.

After an introduction concerning the tendency to shifting toward using fingerprints to evaluate herbal samples in various contexts and a brief description of the three steps when developing fingerprints, the major part of this chapter focuses on the multivariate data analysis of herbal fingerprints. This chapter also deals with the preprocessing of the multivariate data, and unsupervised and supervised data analysis techniques are described in short

Finally, some case studies are presented, in which multivariate data analysis methods were applied to extract information on herbal samples from various types of fingerprints, such as spectroscopic, mass spectrometric, chromatographic fingerprints, and fingerprints developed using electrodriven techniques. Depending on the goal of the study, different multivariate data analysis methods were used.
In Silico‐Guided Strategies for the Discovery and Rationalization of Bioactive Natural Products
Authors: Pfisterer Petra H. , Schuster Daniela , Rollinger Judith M. , Stuppner Hermann
Published: June 2014

The identification of bioactive natural products is a multidisciplinary research field. One methodology used in this research environment is the application of computational (virtual) screening.In silicoscreening allows for focusing experimental efforts on promising plant material and constituents. Starting from the chemical structures of natural products in the form of 3D multiconformational databases, virtual screening methods predict potentially active compounds within the screened database. For this task docking, pharmacophore‐based screening, 2D similarity searches, quantitative structure–activity relationship (QSAR) modeling, and neural networks can be employed. A procedure for selecting the most promising virtual hits for further analyses is described. In addition, bioactivity profiling and activity rationalization strategies are shown. Finally, also the limits of the virtual approaches are discussed. This chapter gives an overview of virtual screening applications in the field of natural product research. In addition, selected examples and strategies are described in detail.
Innovative Strategies in the Search for Bioactive Plant Constituents
Authors: Queiroz Emerson F. , Wolfender Jean‐Luc
Published: June 2014

Higher plants represent a rich source of new molecules with interesting pharmacological properties that could be used as lead compounds for the development of new drugs. During the past decade, the investigation of the secondary metabolites from plants has led to the introduction of several important new drugs, such as apomorphine (Apokyn®) for the treatment of Parkinson's disease, nitisinone (Orphadin®) for the treatment of hereditary tyrosinaemia type 1, and miglustat (Zavesca®) for the treatment of the Gaucher disease. Success in drug discovery research using plants is dependent on various issues, but plant selection remains key for all types of these studies. The choice of the appropriate plant material is usually based on information from traditional medicine, chemotaxonomic data, field observation, or random collection. Recently, other approaches have been used, such as reverse pharmacognosy induction of new compounds by stress induction or biotransformation. Extraction and enrichment procedures are also key to avoid chemical degradation and detect the active constituents among hundreds of nonactive constituents before submitting the sample for a first biological screening. New high throughput screening (HTS) strategies have been used to rapidly and efficiently evaluate the biological and chemical potentials of complex matrices, such as plant extracts. In this field, the creation of enriched extracts of natural product (NP) fraction libraries, notably using automatic procedures, opens new possibilities for the research of new lead compounds from higher plants. On the other hand, tremendous advances have been made in molecular biology, affording the development of more predictablein vitroandin vivobioassays. The combination of metabolite profiling and bioassays that can directly be performed on the fractions that are resolved by analytical high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) provides the possibility of distinguishing between already‐known bioactive compounds and new molecules directly isolated from crude plant extracts (dereplication). Thus, the tedious isolation of compounds of low interest can be avoided and a targeted isolation of new bioactive products or constituents presenting novel or unusual spectroscopic features can be undertaken. The applications, possibilities, and limitations of the latest technologies applied to the study of plant metabolites, as well as future developments expected in this field, are discussed.
High‐Throughput Screening of Plant Chemodiversity
Authors: David Bruno , Ausseil Frédéric
Published: June 2014

Issues related to high throughput screening (HTS) of plant chemodiversity are presented. This technology initially used in the pharmaceutical drug discovery domain is based on the testing of large sets of substances on selected biological targets in a limited period of time. Interest in plant natural compounds, access to biodiversity, and procedures of sharing benefits with the source countries are discussed. Then, procedures to adapt the potency of HTS to the exploration of the quasi‐unlimited richness of plant are detailed considering the specificities of these particular samples. Target identification, assay development and automation, screening setup, and control and hit analysis are described. Examples of plant extract library building, screening systems, high throughput assay principles, fully automated protocols, screening result profiles, typical problems, and hit selection criteria are provided to highlight these concepts. Finally, importance of plant screening is discussed within academia and pharmaceutical laboratories, and new trends are introduced.
Childbearing in the United States
Authors: Goode Keisha , Rothman Barbara Katz
Published: June 2014

Childbearing in the United States has experienced marked changes from colonial times to the present. Today, 99 percent of all US births occur in the hospital, which is in stark contrast to centuries of women birthing in the home. This entry includes a history and current state of childbearing in the United States. Particular attention is paid to midwifery, the medicalization of childbirth, and out‐of‐hospital birth today. Ideologies of patriarchy, technology, and capitalism, and their relationship to childbearing, are discussed.
Tetrahedral Amorphous Carbon Coatings for Friction Reduction of the Valve Train in Internal Combustion Engines
Authors: Götze Andreas , Makowski Stefan , Kunze Tim , Hübner Matthias , Zellbeck Hans , Weihnacht Volker , Leson Andreas , Beyer Eckhard , Joswig Jan‐Ole , Seifert Gotthard , Abrasonis Gintautas , Posselt Matthias , Fassbender Jürgen , Möller Wolfhard , Gemming Sibylle , Krause Matthias
Published: June 2014

Tetrahedral amorphous carbon (ta‐C) is studied as a tribological coating for the valve train's exhaust camshaft of a combustion engine. The coated camshafts were installed in a non‐fired engine, tested in a computerized component test bench under practice‐relevant conditions and analyzed for their frictional behavior. A notable reduction of the valve train's drive torque on the test bench is demonstrated. Namely, on a roller cam system with ta‐C‐coated camshaft the reduction is about 15% in average within the entire engine‐map. The ta‐C coatings were extensively characterized under laboratory conditions before and after the investigations on the test bench. Mechanistic understanding of the tribological behavior of ta‐C coatings under dry or starving lubricated conditions was achieved by atomistic simulations of the tribological contact. Industrial utilization of these results would lead to a significant increase of the energy efficiency of combustion engines.
Precise Tuning of (YBa2Cu3O7‐δ)1‐x:(BaZrO3)x Thin Film Nanocomposite Structures
Authors: Zhao Run , Li Weiwei , Lee Joon Hwan , Choi Eun Mi , Liang Yan , Zhang Wei , Tang Rujun , Wang Haiyan , Jia Quanxi , MacManus‐Driscoll Judith L. , Yang Hao
Published: June 2014

Self‐assembled nanocomposite films and coatings have huge potential for many functional and structural applications. However, control and manipulation of the nanostructures is still at very early stage. Here, guidelines are established for manipulating the types of composite structures that can be achieved. In order to do this, a well studied (YBa2Cu3O7‐δ)1‐x:(BaZrO3)x ‘model’ system is used. A switch from BaZrO3 nanorods in YBa2Cu3O7‐δ matrix to planar, horizontal layered plates is found with increasing x, with a transitional cross‐ply structure forming between these states at x = 0.4. The switch is related to a release in strain energy which builds up in the YBa2Cu3O7‐δ with increasing x. At x = 0.5, an unusually low strain state is observed in the planar composite structure, which is postulated to arise from a pseudo‐spinodal mechanism.