bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
CONCILIACIÓN Y CORRESPONSABILIDAD EN LOS CUIDADOS: LÍNEAS EVOLUTIVAS Y RETOS PARA LOS DERECHOS LABORALES
Authors: Argüelles Blanco Ana
Published: June 2024

Ha pasado ya un año y medio desde la promulgación y entrada en vigor del Real Decreto Ley 32/2021, de 28 de diciembre, de medidas urgentes para la reforma laboral, la garantía de la estabilidad en el empleo y la transformación del mercado de trabajo, un tiempo suficiente para poder hacer un balance mínimamente certero de sus efectos sobre el comportamiento del mercado de trabajo en nuestro país. Sin dejar de ser conscientes, como se destaca en el capítulo inicial, de que el complejo contexto socioeconómico y geopolítico en el que echaba a rodar este nuevo y ambicioso marco de ordenación del empleo y las relaciones laborales, caracterizado por una combinación realmente inusual de factores y variables, impide achacar a la reforma la íntegra responsabilidad de los aciertos o la falta de ellos. Esa es la principal finalidad del presente estudio, pero no la única, pues fiel a lo que indica el título de esta obra también tiene el propósito de ir algo más allá de convertirse en un comentario crítico más de la normativa reformada, e incorporar algunas propuestas con vistas a ese tan anunciado —y ahora de incierto pronóstico— Estatuto de los Trabajadores del siglo XXI. De ahí que junto a las materias centrales sobre las que recae la reforma de 2021, modalidades de contratación con el objetivo decidido de reforzar la estabilidad en el empleo y contener la temporalidad, respaldo a la flexibilidad interna frente a las medidas de ajuste más duras, y retoques en el modelo de negociación colectiva en términos de reequilibrio, se aborden otros significativos y relevantes aspectos del marco institucional del trabajo asalariado como el relativo a la participación y representación en la empresa, la conciliación corresponsable, las becas, el trabajo de los extranjeros, el nuevo estatuto del personal al servicio del hogar familiar, los planes de igualdad y protocolos de acoso, el futuro del modelo de indemnizaciones tasadas legalmente al término de la relación laboral o los desafíos que para el trabajo humano suponen los sistemas de inteligencia artificial.
LA NUEVA REGULACIÓN DE LOS ERTES: ASPECTOS CRÍTICOS Y PROPUESTAS DE MEJORA DE SU REGULACIÓN
Authors: García Barcala Carlos
Published: June 2024

Ha pasado ya un año y medio desde la promulgación y entrada en vigor del Real Decreto Ley 32/2021, de 28 de diciembre, de medidas urgentes para la reforma laboral, la garantía de la estabilidad en el empleo y la transformación del mercado de trabajo, un tiempo suficiente para poder hacer un balance mínimamente certero de sus efectos sobre el comportamiento del mercado de trabajo en nuestro país. Sin dejar de ser conscientes, como se destaca en el capítulo inicial, de que el complejo contexto socioeconómico y geopolítico en el que echaba a rodar este nuevo y ambicioso marco de ordenación del empleo y las relaciones laborales, caracterizado por una combinación realmente inusual de factores y variables, impide achacar a la reforma la íntegra responsabilidad de los aciertos o la falta de ellos. Esa es la principal finalidad del presente estudio, pero no la única, pues fiel a lo que indica el título de esta obra también tiene el propósito de ir algo más allá de convertirse en un comentario crítico más de la normativa reformada, e incorporar algunas propuestas con vistas a ese tan anunciado —y ahora de incierto pronóstico— Estatuto de los Trabajadores del siglo XXI. De ahí que junto a las materias centrales sobre las que recae la reforma de 2021, modalidades de contratación con el objetivo decidido de reforzar la estabilidad en el empleo y contener la temporalidad, respaldo a la flexibilidad interna frente a las medidas de ajuste más duras, y retoques en el modelo de negociación colectiva en términos de reequilibrio, se aborden otros significativos y relevantes aspectos del marco institucional del trabajo asalariado como el relativo a la participación y representación en la empresa, la conciliación corresponsable, las becas, el trabajo de los extranjeros, el nuevo estatuto del personal al servicio del hogar familiar, los planes de igualdad y protocolos de acoso, el futuro del modelo de indemnizaciones tasadas legalmente al término de la relación laboral o los desafíos que para el trabajo humano suponen los sistemas de inteligencia artificial.
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF LENSED QUASARS USING X-RAY TO MIR DATA
Authors: Gupta Kriti K.
Published: June 2024

AGN are powered by mass accretion and emit radiation over the entire electromagnetic spectrum. This multi-wavelength emission originates at different physical scales via different physical processes. Hence, a detailed analysis of the broadband spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of AGN can provide fundamental insights into their accretion physics and can be used to estimate important physical quantities, such as bolometric luminosities, black hole masses, and Eddington ratios. For gravitationally lensed quasars, we are usually missing this information which is crucial to understand the role of microlensing on the different emitting regions. I will present an ongoing effort to derive this information for a sample of optically-selected quadruply-imaged quasars for which we have compiled photometric and spectroscopic data from the X-rays to mid-infrared from various ground- and space-based observatories, including HST, JWST, Chandra, LCO, Paranal, etc. Specifically, I constructed and fitted their multi-wavelength SEDs to estimate their bolometric luminosities and used MgII λ2798 and/or CIV λ1549 line widths to calculate their black hole masses and Eddington ratios. A preliminary overview of the physical properties of the population of lensed quasars and how they compare with non-lensed AGN will be presented. In addition, I will discuss how those estimates can be used to prioritize systems that require follow-up and for which microlensing can be used as a tool to study the accretion disk, broad-line region, and torus.
MONITORING SOLAR FLARES AND GAMMA RAY BURSTS: MULTI-INSTRUMENTAL APPROACH INVESTIGATION
Authors: Kolarski Aleksandra , Nina Aleksandra , Srećković Vladimir A. , Arnaut Filip
Published: June 2024

In this paper ionospheric phenomena were studied by utilization of VLF (Very Low Frequency radio signals, 3-30 kHz) technology for monitoring of lower ionospheric plasma response to driving agents originating both within our solar system, e.g. on Sun like solar flare (SF) events, and beyond our solar system, e.g. like gamma ray bursts (GRBs), with time span that encompasses period of several years. The data on X-ray fluxes measured by Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES) were taken from NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information database, while data on GRBs were taken from Swift satellite database. VLF signal amplitude and phase data were monitored along multiple radio signal paths using network of VLF transmitters globally positioned worldwide and received in Belgrade, Serbia by BEL receiving system, covering mainly European subcontinent. Short-termed ionospheric perturbation associated with GRBs and relatively longer-lasting ionospheric perturbations associated with SFs were compared in order to study similarities and differences in ionospheric plasma responses to these fundamentally different driving mechanisms. Acknowledgments , , , The authors acknowledge the support from the Institute of Physics Belgrade which was made possible by grants from the Ministry of Science, Technological Development and Innovation of the Republic of Serbia.
THE DISK PLUS (FAILED) WIND SYSTEM OF 3C 47: A STORY OF ACCRETION DISKS AND BINARY BLACK HOLES
Authors: Marziani Paola , Mengistue S. Terefe , del Olmo A. , Perea J. , Deconto-Machado A. , Pović M. , Bon E. , Bon N.
Published: June 2024

Optically thick, geometrically thin accretion disks (ADs) around supermassive black holes are thought to contribute to broad-line emission in type-1 active galactic nuclei (AGN). However, observed emission line profiles most often deviate from those expected from a rotating disk, and the role of ADs in contributing to broad Balmer lines and high-ionization UV lines such as CIVλ1549 in radio-loud (RL or “jetted”) AGN remains unclear. We first quantified the low-ionization broad emission line properties of jetted quasars in the main sequence context. We confirm that broad emission lines show large redward asymmetry both in Hβ and Mg IIλ2800, and an unbiased comparison matching black hole mass and Eddington ratio suggests that the most powerful RL quasars show the highest redward asymmetries in Hβ in the general population of AGN. These shifts can be accounted for gravitational and transverse redshift effects, especially for black hole masses larger than MBH ≈ 108.7 M⊙. The analysis of the extremely jetted quasar 3C 47 added another piece to the puzzle: not only are the low ionization profiles of 3C 47 well-described by a relativistic Keplerian AD model, with disk emission between ≈ 100 and ≈ 1000 gravitational radii, but also the high-ionization line profiles can be understood as a combination of disk plus a failed wind contribution that is in turn hiding the disk emission. Constraints on radio properties and line profile variability suggest that the scenario of 3C 47 might involve the presence of a second black hole with secondary-to-primary mass ratio ∼ 0.5−1. We conjecture that the double peakers — type-1 AGN with Balmer line profiles consistent with AD emission — might have their emission truncated by the sweeping effect of a second black hole, and we analyze the implications for the general AGN population.
REACTIVE COLLISIONS BETWEEN ELECTONS AND MOLECULAR IONS-ESSENTIAL ELEMENTARY PROCESSES IN THE INTERSTELLAR MEDIA
Authors: Pop N. , Djuissi E. , Hassaine R. , Mezei J. Zs. , Iacob F. , Schneider I. F.
Published: June 2024

We describe the major low-energy electron-impact processes involving H+2 and HD+, relevant for the early universe astrochemistry: dissociative recombination, inelastic and superelastic scattering. The Multichannel Quantum Defect Theory (MQDT) has been employed in computing cross sections and Maxwell rate coefficients for electrondriven reactions involving molecular cations. A new series of computations has been performed to obtain cross sections and rate coefficients for state-to-state ro-vibrational transitions on the H+2 and HD+ ion, induced in collisions with low-energy electrons. We report cross sections and Maxwellian rate coefficients for both rotational and vibrational transitions, from the lowest 30 ro-vibrational levels and outline several important features, like rotational and resonant effects.
THE EXTREMES OF AGN VARIABILITY: OUTBURSTS, DEEP FADES, CHANGING-LOOKS, AND EXCEPTIONAL SPECTRAL STATES
Authors: Komossa S.
Published: June 2024

We review results from ongoing monitoring campaigns (in the optical, UV, X-rays and radio) on some of the most highly variable AGN known, and the identification of new AGN in extreme flux or spectral states, including some of the highest-amplitude outbursts observed to date, deep low-states, unexpected long-term trends, and systems which exhibit extreme Seyfert-type transitions ("changing-look AGN"). Long-term lightcurves, densely covered for multiple years, and follow-up spectroscopy in different spectral bands are used to shed light on the underlying variability mechanisms including accretion disk and broad-line region physics. Remarkable differences are seen, for instance, in the optical spectral response to extreme outbursts, implying very different intrinsic variability mechanisms. If time allows, I will also review most recent results from multi-year projects to test binary supermassive black hole models of the highly variable blazar OJ 287.
De la sal de las mujeres a las mujeres de la sal
Authors: Díaz Pinto Alejandro , Menéndez Menéndez María Isabel
Published: June 2024

La importancia de la sal para la vida humana explica que este elemento tan común se denominara oro blanco y que su explotación haya influido en la economía y la sociedad de multitud de territorios y en todos los tiempos. La relevancia económica y política de las salinas del sur de España, como las de San Fernando, en Cádiz, explica el interés investigador sobre su historia, pero, de momento, no ha sido abordada desde la perspectiva de género. Con objeto de aportar nuevos conocimientos a la historia de las mujeres, este texto se interesa por la figura de las salineras a través del estudio de fuentes hemerográficas y orales. Como veremos, el retrato de estas féminas se polariza entre la mujer mítica, muy influenciada por el estereotipo andaluz, y la mujer real.
Un estatuto frustrado: autonomismo en Asturias durante la II República
Authors: Rodríguez Alonso Pablo
Published: June 2024

El proceso autonomista en Asturias durante la II República, poco estudiado hasta ahora, si bien no tuvo el desarrollo y la importancia de otros procesos coetáneos, sí dio lugar a una serie de propuestas. No fructificó ninguna, pero la cuestión sobre el papel de Asturias en el debate estatutario republicano estuvo presente, con desigual intensidad, en todo el periodo. Este artículo describe y analiza esas propuestas.
Utilpasset IPA
Authors: Schachtenhaufen Ruben
Published: June 2024

This article discusses the implementation of the international phonetic alphabet IPA in Danish phonetic tradition. In Danish tradition, it is common to present IPA as extremely complex, a system that relies heavily on diacritics and very subtle phonetic nuances. For these reasons, it is customary to apply certain modifications to the IPA, such as redefining the phonetic value of some symbols and adding non-standard symbols.
The article compares the use of IPA in Danish tradition with official IPA principles and the implementation of IPA in other languages. It is argued that traditional Danish standards have not been adjusted to reflect significant changes in IPA principles introduced during the latter half of the 20th century. As a consequence, the way IPA is commonly represented in modern Danish textbooks is quite different from how IPA defines itself.
Based on the official principles of IPA and the use of IPA in other languages, the article presents a new standard for implementing IPA for Danish. It is demonstrated that by adhering to modern principles of IPA, it is possible to create a standard for phonetic notation that is more practical and intuitive than the traditional Danish modifications of IPA, without compromising on phonetic precision and international compatibility.
Safety profile assessment of standardized root extract of Potentilla fulgens in Wistar rats: Acute and sub-acute dermal toxicity study
Authors: Kumar Suman , P. Nikam Yogesh , Baruah Sunayana , Kushari Susankar , Ghose Shatabdi , Prasad Satyendra K. , Das Asha , Banu Zartaj Wasmin , Kalita Junmoni , Laloo Damiki
Published: June 2024

Potentilla fulgens Wall (Rosaceae), a well-known medicinal plant native to Asian regions has a rich history of traditional use for treating skin, gastrointestinal tract, and various metabolic disorders. Research has addressed that the plant is applied topically to treat conditions such as wounds, ulcers, and other skin ailments. Surprisingly, no prior investigation has explored the dermal toxicity of this plant. Therefore, the study was set to conduct the acute and sub-acute toxicity assessments on the ethyl acetate (EAPF) and methanol (MEPF) extracts of P. fulgenson Wistar rats. In the acute dermal toxicity study, rats received a single dose and were monitored for 14 days, while in the sub-acute study; they received a daily dose for 28 days. 2,000 and 5,000 mg/kg were tested by applying them to the shaved dorsal skin. Throughout the experiments, changes in physical appearance, behavior, and histological alterations were monitored. The results unequivocally revealed no abnormal physical or physiological changes, behavioral deviations, or mortality in any of the rats in both acute and sub-acute dermal toxicity assessments. Furthermore, there were no statistically significant differences (nsp > 0.05) in body weight, kidney, liver, spleen weights, hematological parameters, or blood biochemistry values between the treatment and control groups. These findings were further substantiated by the normal macroscopic and microscopic characteristics of the rats’ skin, kidneys, liver, and spleen. In conclusion, our study affirms that the application of EAPF and MEPF to the skin does not induce acute or sub-acute skin irritation nor elicit systemic toxic responses in rats.
Skeletal Muscle Satellite Cells Co-Opt the Tenogenic Gene Scleraxis to Instruct Regeneration
Authors: Bai Yun , Harvey Tyler , Bilyou Colin , Hu Minjie , Fan Chen-Ming
Published: June 2024

Skeletal muscles connect bones and tendons for locomotion and posture. Understanding the regenerative processes of muscle, bone and tendon is of importance to basic research and clinical applications. Despite their interconnections, distinct transcription factors have been reported to orchestrate each tissue’s developmental and regenerative processes. Here we show that
Scx
expression is not detectable in adult muscle stem cells (also known as satellite cells, SCs) during quiescence.
Scx
expression begins in activated SCs and continues throughout regenerative myogenesis after injury. By SC-specific
Scx
gene inactivation (ScxcKO), we show that
Scx
function is required for SC expansion/renewal and robust new myofiber formation after injury. We combined single-cell RNA-sequencing and CUT&RUN to identify direct Scx target genes during muscle regeneration. These target genes help explain the muscle regeneration defects of ScxcKO, and are not overlapping with
Scx
-target genes identified in tendon development. Together with a recent finding of a subpopulation of
Scx
-expressing connective tissue fibroblasts with myogenic potential during early embryogenesis, we propose that regenerative and developmental myogenesis co-opt the
Scx
gene via different mechanisms.
Sub-type specific connectivity between CA3 pyramidal neurons may underlie their sequential activation during sharp waves
Authors: Sammons Rosanna P. , Masserini Stefano , Moreno-Velasquez Laura , Metodieva Verjinia D. , Cano Gaspar , Sannio Andrea , Orlando Marta , Maier Nikolaus , Kempter Richard , Schmitz Dietmar
Published: June 2024

The CA3 region of the hippocampus is the major site of sharp wave initiation, a form a network activity involved in learning and memory. Highly recurrent connectivity within its excitatory network is thought to underlie processes involved in memory formation. Recent work has indicated that distinct subpopulations of pyramidal neurons within this region may contribute differently to network activity, including sharp waves, in CA3. Exactly how these contributions may arise is not yet known. Here, we disentangle the local connectivity between two distinct CA3 cell types: thorny and athorny pyramidal cells. We find an asymmetry in the connectivity between these two populations, with athorny cells receiving strong input from both athorny and thorny cells. Conversely, the thorny cell population receives very little input from the athorny population. Computational modelling suggests that this connectivity scheme may determine the sequential activation of these cell types during large network events such as sharp waves.
ФРАЙБУРГСКАЯ ХАРТИЯ 1293 Г.: СЕНЬОР ГОРОДА И МЕСТНЫЕ СОВЕТЫ
Authors: Блохин Павел Александрович
Published: June 2024

В 1293 г. во Фрайбурге в Брайсгау была создана официальная хартия, данная городу от имени сеньора графа Эгона II фон Фрайбурга и Младшего Совета и запечатанная сеньориальной и городской печатями. Под документом имеется подпись Эгона II. В хартии, помимо прочего, зафиксированы права и обязанности сеньора, а также закреплены полномочия муниципальных органов власти - Старшего и Младшего городских Советов. Конфликтующие ранее городские Советы пришли к компромиссу: совместно и раздельно оба органа власти действовали на благо Фрайбурга. Кроме того, Младший Совет сохранил свою контролирующую функцию, а Старший продолжал быть основным муниципальным органом власти. Местный сеньор, получив ряд новых прав в городе, все больше зависел от воли городской общины и политики местных Советов. Его положение было весьма сложным: Фрайбург был важной статьей доходов графской семьи, а городская община весьма весомой общественно-политической и военной силой. Фрайбургская хартия 1293 г. не разрешила противоречий, существовавших между сеньором и городом.
ПРОЕКТИРОВАНИЕ МИС МАЛОШУМЯЩЕГО УСИЛИТЕЛЯ X-ДИАПАЗОНА ЧАСТОТ НА ОСНОВЕ ТЕХНОЛОГИЧЕСКОГО ПРОЦЕССА 0,5 МКМ GAAS PHEMT
Authors: Лосев В.В. , Кондратенко А.В. , Сорвачев П.С. , Кулиш А.М.
Published: June 2024

Одним из важнейших функциональных узлов приёмника в составе приёмопередающей аппаратуры является малошумящий усилитель (МШУ). В данной работе представлен процесс проектирования монолитной интегральной схемы (МИС) МШУ X-диапазона частот (8…12 ГГц). Проектирование выполнено с использованием библиотеки стандартных элементов GaAs технологического процесса pHEMT05D АО «Светлана-Рост», активными элементами в котором являются нормально открытые псевдоморфные транзисторы с высокой подвижностью электронов с длиной затвора 0,5 мкм.
Conservation is in the eye of the beholder: Taking a sensory approach to animal management and conservation in Australia
Authors: Tosetto Louise , Ryan Laura A. , Hart Nathan S.
Published: June 2024

Animals possess a range of sensory systems that are shaped by phylogeny and adapted to their unique life history. The field of sensory ecology studies how animals use these sensory capabilities to acquire and process salient information that enhances survival. Navigation, prey capture, predator avoidance, and communication are behaviours that rely on sensory inputs and are critical to understanding how an animal interacts with the physical environment and the other organisms that share its habitat. Because sensory biology is so critical to the behaviour of an animal, a detailed understanding of a species’ sensory capabilities may also reveal novel and potentially more effective ways of manipulating its behaviour for management or conservation purposes. Here we highlight several instances where the application of a sensory ecology approach has been used to tackle challenging conservation problems, with a view to encouraging such an approach in Australian ecosystems. We describe how it is possible to exploit animal sensory systems to control invasive species using sensory traps and reduce negative interactions between humans and animals. We emphasise the importance of understanding and mitigating anthropogenic stressors from the perspective of the animals affected, in both wild animals affected by urban development and captive animals. It is evident that a sensory ecology approach has much to offer in terms of improving animal welfare and the conservation of biodiversity, including through the development of novel technological solutions that augment the current conservation management toolbox.
Sustainable Food Supply: The Interplay between Population Growth and Land Productivity Changes as a Pathway to 2030 and Beyond for Nigeria
Authors: Oseghale Agatha Itohan , Nmadu Job Nda , Bako Ramatu Usman , Olarewaju Titilope Omolara , Jirgi Abigail John , Yisa Ezekiel Salawu , Ibrahim Faith Debaniyu , Mohammed Usman Shaba
Published: June 2024

Context and Background: Sustainable food supply is a critical global challenge, particularly in developing countries like Nigeria, where rapid population growth and limited land resources create a complex interplay with far-reaching implications. Thus, there will be a need to increase food production to keep pace with the population increase.
Goal and Objectives: This study seeks to analyse the interplay between population growth and land productivity changes in Nigeria as a pathway towards achieving sustainable food supply by 2030 and beyond, in line with Goal 2 of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which is aimed at “ending hunger, achieving food security, improving nutrition, and promoting sustainable agriculture.
Methodology: Data on land productivity and Nigeria's population and Population growth for 1961-2022 was sourced from the Economic Research Service of the United States Department of Agriculture (ERS-USDA, 2023). The data was analysed using descriptive statistics such as mean; standard errors and graphs; the Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) was used to explain the interplay between population growth and land productivity changes in Nigeria.
Results: The results of the population estimates revealed that the model successfully converged and significantly (p<0) explained 98.3% of the variance of the endogenous variable that is, the population at an intercept of -2500.7. Of the hypothesized variables, year (1.212), cropland (9.14E-4), irrigated (0.283), and pasture (0.003). These findings imply that the future population would increase in each period until the series becomes explosive because, the coefficient of the lagged variable of population is positive and greater than 1, which is in contrast with the assumptions of the ARIMA model which should be less than 1. Thus, the study recommends adopting precision agriculture techniques such as GPS mapping, soil analysis, crop health monitoring, and automated irrigation to maximize crop yields, reduce costs, and transform farming practices in Nigeria.
Stereoselective Radical Reactions
Authors: Yang Yong‐Hua , Sibi Mukund P.
Published: March 2012

Radical reactions have several unique features such as high reaction rates, mild/neutral conditions, compatibility with many functional groups, and minimal need for tedious protection/deprotection steps. Radical reactions are well suited for tandem processes and are often the method of choice for synthesizing molecules with complex structures. Even though radical chemistry has been practiced for a long time, only in the past three decades have we seen the emergence of stereoselective radical reactions. This review describes progress in stereoselective radical chemistry, which includes both diastereoselective and enantioselective reactions. Recent developments in radical reactions catalyzed by organocatalysts have shown advantages of high reactivity and ecofriendliness and they are discussed in some detail.
Radical Arylations
Authors: Vaillard Santiago E. , Studer Armido
Published: March 2012

This article reports on radical arylations, also highlighting the very important early achievements in this field. Included are the Meerwein arylation and the Pschorr reaction. Intramolecular homolytic aromatic substitutions with aryl radicals and various arene radical acceptors for the formation of biaryls are discussed. Along with reactive aryl radicals, nucleophilic and also electrophilic alkyl radicals can cyclize with arenes providing products of intramolecular homolytic aromatic substitution. Discussion on the mechanism is provided. Moreover, it is shown that this chemistry has been successfully used in complex natural‐products synthesis. A section is devoted to radical aryl migration reactions. Finally, reactions of aryl radicals with olefins are discussed. It is also shown that aryl radicals react efficiently with various heteroatom‐based radical acceptors for aryl‐X bond formation (X = Se, S, Te, B, P).
Radical Chemistry by Using Flow Microreactor Technology
Authors: Fukuyama Takahide , Ryu Ilhyong
Published: March 2012

In recent years, microreaction technology based on tiny microchannels and continuous flow systems has attracted increased interest because of its high potential as a reaction apparatus ideal for chemical reactions. This article presents an overview of the recent advances in radical reactions, involving thermally induced and photoinduced radical reactions, using microreaction technology, with an emphasis on the ways chemical devices can contribute to better results in ordinary synthetic radical reactions.
Oxidatively Generated Nucleobase Modifications in Isolated and CellularDNA
Authors: Cadet Jean , Douki Thierry , Gasparutto Didier , Ravanat Jean‐Luc , Wagner J.  Richard
Published: March 2012

The main oxidation reactions of the main pyrimidine bases (thymine and cytosine) and purine bases (adenine and guanine), and 5‐methylcytosine mediated by hydroxyl radical (·OH) as well as one‐electron oxidants and singlet oxygen (1O2) leading to about 80 single‐oxidized‐type lesions are reported and the mechanism of their formation critically discussed. In addition, a few complex modifications including tandem base modifications involving either carbon‐centered radical or peroxyl radicals derived from radical oxidation of pyrimidine bases are also described. One may add modifications that arise from initial OH‐mediated hydrogen atom abstraction at C5 and C4 of the 2‐deoxyribose moiety of DNA giving rise to purine 5′,8‐cyclonucleosides and four diastereomeric aldehyde adducts to opposite cytosine bases in double‐stranded DNA, respectively. With the high level of product identification and thanks to the high sensitivity of high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)‐electrospray ionization‐tandem mass spectrometry analysis, relevant information is gained on the formation of oxidation products in cells. Thus, 12 single and 5 complexes oxidatively generated base lesions have been detected in cellular DNA on exposure to1O2, γ rays and high‐intensity ultraviolet C (UVC) laser pulses. The information thus gained is strongly supportive of the oxidation mechanisms that were inferred from mechanistic studies on model systems in aerated aqueous solutions.
Reactions of Small Reactive Species withDNA
Authors: Geacintov Nicholas E. , Shafirovich Vladimir
Published: March 2012

Chronic inflammation caused by diverse chemical, physical, and infectious factors increases the risk of malignant cell transformations and the progression of human cancers. The enhanced production of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (ROS and RNS, respectively) generated during the inflammatory response gives rise to the formation of genotoxic DNA lesions. The accumulation of oxidatively generated DNA lesions enhances the mutagenic burden of the cells, which can lead to cancer. A primary target of ROS and RNS is guanine, the most easily oxidizable natural nucleic acid base. The primary one‐electron oxidation step or reaction with hydroxyl radicals generates guanine radicals that undergo a cascade of chemical reactions with diverse nucleophiles and free radicals to yield the final oxidation products.
Lipid Isomerization
Authors: Ferreri Carla , Chatgilialoglu Chryssostomos
Published: March 2012

The transformation of the natural phospholipid cis double bonds into the most thermodynamically stable, but unnatural, trans isomers by a free radical‐catalyzed isomerization process is the subject of this article. The chemical work done with biomimetic models pointed out the relevance of cis–trans isomerization as an effective reaction occurring under free radical stress in a biological context. This knowledge has contributed to change the state‐of‐the‐art on the double bond configuration and reactivity of mono‐ and polyunsaturated fatty acid residues in cell membranes. In fact, the cis double bond geometry is an important structural requisite, which is crucial not only for the constitutive role played in the regulation of cell membranes but also for the various signaling functions and biological interactions. The article furnishes an overview of the lipid isomerization process and isomerizing agents, its regioselectivity in biomimetic models of membranes, the relationship with protein damage and the lipid peroxidation process, and the inhibitors found so far. From the synthetic point of view, the flexibility of the radical approach was expeditious for the trans lipid library with biochemical, pharmacological, and medical applications. From the biological point of view, the endogenous formation of trans lipids was proven during cell metabolism,in vitroandin vivo, and also as an effective adaptation strategy in prokaryotes.
Radical Polymerization in Industry
Authors: Nesvadba Peter
Published: March 2012

The position of radical polymerization (RP) in the context of polymer industry is highlighted. The mechanistic steps of RP are discussed from an industrial point of view. An overview of industrial initiators including photoinitiators, chain transfer agents, and monomer stabilizers is given. The most important polymerization processes with focus on emulsion polymerization (EP) and dispersion polymers as well as types of polymerization reactors are presented. The progress of controlled RP toward commercialization is reviewed.
Proposed outcome measures for prospective clinical trials in juvenile idiopathic arthritis–associated uveitis: A consensus effort from the multinational interdisciplinary working group for uveitis in childhood
Authors: Heiligenhaus Arnd , Foeldvari Ivan , Edelsten Clive , Smith Justine R. , Saurenmann Rotraud K. , Bodaghi Bahram , de Boer Joke , Graham Elizabeth , Anton Jordi , Kotaniemi Kaisu , Mackensen Friederike , Minden Kirsten , Nielsen Susan , Rabinovich Egla C. , Ramanan Athimalaipet V. , Strand Vibeke
Published: March 2012

Objective

To develop a set of core outcome measures for use in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and longitudinal observational studies in juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA)–associated uveitis.

Methods

The literature relating to outcome measures used in studies of uveitis in childhood and adolescence was reviewed. A set of core outcomes and domains was established using the Delphi process. This was reviewed by a representative multinational interdisciplinary working group. Nominal group technique consensus was reached on face and content validity of the range and content of the domains. The outcomes and the appropriate instruments for uveitis trials were adapted to the age ranges of patients with JIA‐associated uveitis.

Results

Consensus was reached that data should be reported at defined time points in longitudinal studies with patients stratified by prognostic markers. Visual acuity testing should be age appropriate. The severity of uveitis (measured as anterior chamber cell grade) and duration of active inflammation should be documented. Visually significant structural complications should be recorded and quantified with standard measures. The responses to treatment and corticosteroid‐sparing effects of treatment should be documented. Patient‐reported disease activity and age‐specific uveitis‐related quality of life should be reported using appropriate questionnaires.

Conclusion

The proposed outcome measures in JIA‐associated uveitis should aid in the standardization and comparison of future RCTs of the treatment regimens for this disease. The proposed outcome measures will be verified in a prospective validation study.
Biosynthesis and Spectroscopic Characterization of 2‐TM Fragments Encompassing the Sequence of a Human GPCR, the Y4 Receptor
Authors: Kocherla Harsha , Marino Jacopo , Shao Xuan , Graf Jon , Zou Chao , Zerbe Oliver
Published: March 2012

This paper presents a divide‐and‐conquer approach towards obtaining solution structures of G protein‐coupled receptors. The human Y4 receptor was dissected into two to three transmembrane helix fragments, which were individually studied by solution NMR. We systematically compared various biosynthetic routes for the expression of the fragments in Escherichia coli and discuss purification strategies. In particular, we have compared the production of transmembrane (TM) fragments as inclusion bodies by using the ΔTrp leader sequence, with membrane‐directed expression by using Mistic as the fusion partner, and developed methods for enzymatic cleavage. In addition, direct expression of two‐TM fragments into inclusion bodies is a successful route in some cases. With the exception of TM13, we could produce all fragments in isotope‐labeled form in quantities sufficient for NMR studies. Almost complete backbone resonance assignment was obtained for the first two helices, as well as for helices 5 and 7, and a high degree was obtained for TM6, while conformational exchange processes resulted in the disappearance of many signals from TM4. In addition, complete assignments were obtained for all residues of the N‐terminal domain, as well as the extracellular and cytosolic loops (with the exception of an undecapeptide segment in the second extracellular loop, EC2) and for the complete cytosolic C‐terminal tail. In total, backbone resonances of 78 % of all residues were assigned for the Y4 receptor. Predictions of secondary structure based on backbone chemical shifts indicate that most residues from the TM regions adopt helical conformations, with exception of those around polar residues or prolines. However, the domain boundaries differ slightly from those predicted for homology models. We suggest that the obtained chemical shifts might be useful in assigning the full‐length receptor.
Influence of immobilized biomolecules on magnetic bead plug formation and retention in capillary electrophoresis
Authors: Henken Rachel L. , Chantiwas Rattikan , Gilman S. Douglass
Published: March 2012

Significant changes in the formation and retention of magnetic bead plugs in a capillary during electrophoresis were studied, and it was demonstrated that these effects were due to the type of biological molecule immobilized on the surface of these beads. Three biological molecules, an antibody, an oligonucleotide, and alkaline phosphatase (AP), were attached to otherwise identical streptavidin‐coated magnetic beads through biotin‐avidin binding in order to isolate differences in bead immobilization in a magnetic field resulting from the type of biological molecule immobilized on the bead surface. AP was also attached to the magnetic beads using epoxy groups on the bead surfaces (instead of avidin‐biotin binding) to study the impact of immobilization chemistry. The formation and retention of magnetic bead plugs were studied quantitatively using light scattering detection of magnetic particles eluting from the bead plugs and qualitatively using microscopy. Both the types of biomolecule immobilized on the magnetic bead surface and the chemistry used to link the biomolecule to the magnetic bead impacted the formation and retention of the bead plugs.
Adaptive ‘soft’ sliding block decoding of convolutional code using the artificial neural network
Authors: Rajbhandari Sujan , Ghassemlooy Zabih , Angelova Maia
Published: March 2012

A Viterbi algorithm (VA) is the optimal decoding strategy for the convolutional code. The Viterbi algorithm is complex and requires a large memory and delay. In this paper, an alternative sub‐optimal decoder based on the artificial neural network (ANN) is proposed and studied using a sliding block decoding algorithm. The ANN is trained in a supervised manner and the system parameters are optimised using computer simulations for the optimum performance. Comparative study with the Viterbi decoder is carried out. The performance of the ANN decoder is found to be comparable to the Viterbi ‘soft’ decoding with much reduced decoding length. The key advantages of the proposed ANN decoder compared with other ANN decoders are the reduced decoding and training length, adaptive decoding, no iteration required and possibility of parallel decoding. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Angiogenesis of buffalo choroid plexuses: Structural and immunocytochemical study
Authors: Scala Gaetano , Maruccio Lucianna
Published: March 2012

Mammalian choroid plexuses (CPs) are vascularized structures involved in numerous exchange processes that supply nutrients and hormones to the brain, and that remove deleterious compounds and metabolites from the brain. Studies in the adult Mediterranean buffalo have investigated the morphology of CPs using histochemical and immunohistochemical techniques. To date, however, there have been no studies conducted on ruminants regarding this removal process which serves to repair functional vascular damage in the CPs. Each of these vascular repair processes is a very complex and none of these has not yet been completely understood. Then, the aim of the present study is to investigate the morphological processes during angiogenesis in the CPs of healthy adult buffaloes, utilizing transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and immunogold‐labeling SEM analysis (biomarkers: angiopoietin‐2 [Ang‐2], vascular endothelial growth factor receptor‐3 [VEGFR‐3], and CD133). At TEM, the inner surface of the blood capillaries sometimes showed pillar‐like cells, which in contact with endothelial cells formed prominences, which in turn formed neo‐blood capillaries. With immunogold‐labeling SEM analysis, the CP blood capillaries showed Ang‐2 and VEGF‐3, respectively, in positive particles and spheroid formations. In addition, the external surface of the blood capillaries showed spheroid formations that originated from the neo‐vascular capillaries whose terminals formed a capillary network, positive to CD133. On the basis of these results, the following hypothesis can be made, namely, that these CPs are vascular structures which play a fundamental role in maintaining brain homeostasis and self‐repairing of functional vascular damage, independently of the presence of rete mirabile in this species. Microsc. Res. Tech. 75:1104–1112, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Calderón preconditioning approaches for PMCHWT formulations for Maxwell's equations
Authors: Niino K. , Nishimura N.
Published: March 2012

Preconditioning methods based on Calderón's formulae for the Poggio–Miller–Chang–Harrington–Wu–Tsai formulations for Maxwell's equations in 3D are discussed. Five different types of formulations are proposed. The first three use different basis functions for surface electric and magnetic currents. The first type is a preconditioning just by appropriately ordering the coefficient matrix using the Gramian matrix as the preconditioner. Other two types utilise preconditioners constructed using matrices needed in the main fast multipole method algorithms. The fourth and fifth types are similar to the second and third types, but they use the same basis functions for both surface electric and magnetic currents. We make several numerical experiments with proposed preconditioners to confirm the efficiency of these proposed methods. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Outcomes of anterolateral thigh‐free flaps and conversion from external to internal fixation with bone grafting in gustilo type IIIB open tibial fractures
Authors: Lee Jae Hoon , Chung Duke Whan , Han Chung Soo
Published: March 2012

The purpose of this study was to analyze the utility and the clinical outcomes of anterolateral thigh (ALT)‐free flaps and conversion from external to internal fixation with plating and bone grafting in Gustilo type IIIB open tibial fractures. A total of 21 patients were analyzed retrospectively. The mean follow‐up period was 18 months and the mean age was 46.7 years. There were 18 men and three women. The mean time from injury to flap coverage was 11.6 days. The mean size of flaps used was 15.3 × 8.2 cm. The mean size of bone defects was 2.26 cm. Segmental bone defects were observed in 5 five cases, for which bone transport or vascularized fibular graft were performed. When flaps were successful and the fracture sites did not have any evidence of infection, internal fixation with plates and bone grafting were performed. Flaps survived in 20 cases. In the 20 cases with successful flaps, two cases developed osteomyelitis, but the 20 cases achieved solid bone union at a mean of 8.6 months after the injury, salvaging the lower extremity in 100% of the cases. At the last follow‐up, 9 nine cases were measured excellent or good; 6, fair; and 6, poor in the functional assessment based on the method developed by Puno et al. ALT‐ free flaps to cover soft tissue defects in Gustilo type IIIB open tibial fractures are considered as useful option for the treatment of composite defects. In addition, conversion to internal fixation and bone grafting can be an alternative method in order to reduce the risk of complications and inconvenience of external fixators. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microsurgery, 2012.
Activation energy for diffusion and welding of PLA films
Authors: Vogel Julius , Kessler Michael R. , Sundararajan Sriram , Grewell David
Published: March 2012

The bonding of polylactic acid (PLA) films was investigated for a broad range of temperatures and contact times above the glass transition temperature in a lap shear joint geometry using an impulse welding system. It was observed that interfacial strength was linearly dependent to the fourth root of welding time until it approached the bulk material strength. Using models based on reptation theories, the interfacial strength of lap shear welds was estimated based on thermal histories. In more detail, the activation energy for interfacial healing and self‐diffusion coefficient was calculated based on shear strength measurements of samples welded with well‐defined thermal histories. The parameters were then used to predict interfacial strength with varying temperature histories. This is the first work to measure the activation of energy for the interfacial welding PLA. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2012. © 2012 Society of Plastics Engineers
Investigation of free volume distribution and mechanical properties of rectorite/nylon 6 nanocomposites
Authors: Gong Jing , Gong Wei , Gong Zhenli , Gao Shu , Wang Bo
Published: March 2012

The effects of organophilic rectorite (OREC) content and interfacial interaction on the nanoscale free volume, the crystallinity, and the heat distortion temperature (HDT) have been studied for nylon 6/layered nanocomposites by positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy (PALS) and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) etc. Experimental results indicated that both HDT and crystallinity increase with filled OREC due to the nucleating or epitaxial effect of nanoparticles filled and interfacial interaction between the OREC and matrix. A continuous positron lifetime analysis program based on maximum entropy lifetime method (MELT) was used to obtain the free volume distribution, which revealed the existences of two long‐lived lifetime components (τ3 and τ4) corresponding to two kinds of different free volumes. We introduced a new parameter A defined as A = Aτ3/A (τ3 + τ4) and found a direct linearly relationship between the A and the crystallinity, which suggested that τ3 is mainly attributed to ortho‐positronium pick‐off annihilation in the interstitial free volume of the crystalline region. Experimental results also found that the interfacial interaction has different effect on the free volume properties in the different temperature range, which can be explained by a model that describes the evolution of the interfacial interaction area with temperature. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2012. © 2012 Society of Plastics Engineers
Caspases cleave and inhibit the microRNA processing protein DiGeorge Critical Region 8
Authors: Gong Ming , Chen Yanqiu , Senturia Rachel , Ulgherait Matthew , Faller Michael , Guo Feng
Published: March 2012

DGCR8 (DiGeorge Critical Region 8) is an essential microRNA (miRNA) processing protein that recognizes primary transcripts of miRNAs (pri‐miRNAs) and triggers their cleavage by the Drosha nuclease. We previously found that Fe(III) heme binds and activates DGCR8. Here we report that in HeLa cells, DGCR8 undergoes two proteolytic events that produce two C‐terminal fragments called DGCR8C1 and DGCR8C2, respectively. DGCR8C2 accumulates during apoptosis and is generated through cleavage by a caspase. The caspase cleavage site is located in the central loop of the heme‐binding domain. Cleavage of DGCR8 by caspase‐3 in vitro results in loss of the otherwise tightly bound Fe(III) heme cofactor, dissociation of the N‐ and C‐terminal proteolytic fragments, and inhibition of the pri‐miRNA processing activity. These results reveal an intrinsic mechanism in the DGCR8 protein that seems to have evolved for regulating miRNA processing via association with Fe(III) heme and proteolytic cleavage by caspases. Decreased expression of miRNAs has been observed in apoptotic cells, and this change was attributed to caspase‐mediated cleavage of a down‐stream miRNA processing nuclease Dicer. We suggest that both the Drosha and Dicer cleavage steps of the miRNA maturation pathway may be inhibited in apoptosis and other biological processes where caspases are activated.