bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Reaproveitamento de resíduos agroindustriais de casca banana para tratamento de efluentes
Authors: Martins Wanessa Alves , Oliveira Andréa Maria Brandão Mendes de , Morais Carlos Eduardo Pereira de , Coelho Luiz Fernando de Oliveira , Medeiros Jeanne Freire de
Published: June 2015

A casca da banana é um resíduo proveniente da agroindústria. Trata-se de um material biodegradável, com baixo custo e que apresenta afinidade por compostos orgânicos e metais tóxicos. O presente artigo buscou avaliar o potencial adsortivo da casca da banana na remoção de chumbo e cobre em efluentes. Inicialmente foi preparado o adsorvente e  adsorvato, em seguida as amostras foram caracterizadas pelas técnicas FTIR, MEV e TG/DSC. Posteriormente, foram testadas na adsorção do íon chumbo e cobre.  Foram observados os grupos funcionais presentes na casca da banana com destaque para lignina, celulose e hemicelulose. Os melhores resultados de adsorção para o chumbo ocorreram à  50°C com aproximadamente 99,6% de remoção e 70% de remoção para o cobre a 27ºC . Dessa forma podemos notar que a casca da banana é um bom adsorvente natural e tem viabilidade para ser utilizado como material alternativo em procedimentos de adsorção pelo seu baixo custo, facilidade de manuseio e seletividade.
Does allochthony in lakes change across an elevation gradient?
Authors: Rose Kevin C. , Williamson Craig E. , Kissman Carrie E. H. , Saros Jasmine E.
Published: June 2015

Ecosystems are subsidized with inputs of mass and energy from their surroundings. These allochthonous inputs regulate many ecosystem characteristics. In inland waters, terrestrial inputs of organic matter regulate food‐web structure, ecosystem metabolism, water clarity, and thermal stratification. Future changes in allochthony may be especially pronounced in high‐elevation ecosystems due to increases in vegetation and precipitation associated with climate change. Several techniques exist to characterize the degree of allochthony of organic matter in aquatic systems, including metrics such as ΔH, the net isotopic discrimination between water and particulate organic matter (POM) of deuterium stable isotopes, and the fluorescence index (FI), which characterizes the fluorescence of dissolved organic matter (DOM). Despite the importance of allochthonous organic carbon inputs, little is known about either how allochthony varies across elevation gradients or whether different metrics are similarly related to allochthony.

We measured ΔH, FI, and a suite of related water‐quality characteristics in 30 lakes across a montane to alpine elevation gradient (2340 to 3205 m) in the Beartooth Mountains of Montana and Wyoming, USA, to understand how FI and ΔH varied with elevation, with one another, and with other allochthony‐related water‐quality characteristics. We hypothesized that allochthony of POM and DOM would decrease at higher elevations, with alpine lakes above treeline being more autochthonous compared with low‐elevation lakes below treeline. We observed a significant inverse linear relationship between ΔH and FI, with both metrics indicating a decrease in allochthony at higher elevations. Characteristics including the natural log of the ratio of concentrations of dissolved organic carbon to chlorophyll a (ln(DOC : Chl)), the spectral slope ratio between different spectra of two wavebands (SR, ratio of spectra at 275–295 to 350–400 nm), and a ratio of diffuse attenuation coefficients at 320 and 380 nm (KR, Kd320 : Kd380) varied with both ΔH and FI while pH varied only with ΔH. High‐elevation systems were characterized by low ln(DOC : Chl) and KR, and high SR and pH. These results indicate that high‐elevation lakes are more autochthonous than low‐elevation lakes. The relationships among ΔH, FI, elevation, and other water‐quality characteristics provide important insights to understand future changes in carbon cycling in mountain ecosystems.
Genotypic Differences for Water‐Use Efficiency and Weed Competitiveness in Dry Direct‐Seeded Rice
Authors: Mahajan G. , Ramesha M. S. , Chauhan B. S.
Published: June 2015

Genotypes with improved weed competitiveness and water‐use efficiency (WUE) are needed to enhance and sustain productivity in dry direct‐seeded rice (DDSR) (Oryza sativaL.). The objective of this study was to investigate the relative performance of selected genotypes under DDSR for yield, WUE, and weed‐inflicted relative yield losses in the rainy seasons of 2012 and 2013. Six rice genotypes (two hybrids [US‐323 and PAC‐837], two cultivars [PR‐115 and PR‐120], and two advanced breeding lines [CR‐2703 and CR‐2706]) were grown in a split‐split‐plot arrangement in a randomized complete block, with soil water potential (10 kPa, well watered; and 20 kPa, stressed) as main plots, weed infestation levels (weed free and partially weedy) as subplots, and genotypes as sub‐subplots. Relative grain yield loss among genotypes attributable to water stress had a range of 24–47%; it was lowest for PAC‐837 (4.96 and 6.5 Mg ha−1at 10 and 20 kPa, respectively) and highest for PR‐120 (3.91–7.37 Mg ha−1at 10 and 20 kPa, respectively). Similarly, weed‐inflicted relative grain yield loss (partially weedy vs. weed free) among genotypes had a range of 10 to 47%; it was lowest for PAC‐837 (5.42–6.04 Mg ha−1) and highest for US‐323 (3.10–5.91 Mg ha−1). Weeds reduced WUE in all genotypes (12–46%) except PAC‐837. Under weed‐free conditions, PR‐120 had the highest yield (6.99 Mg ha−1) and WUE (0.52 kg m−3). This study suggested that high yield potential and improved weed‐suppressive ability were compatible, and therefore breeding for both traits should lead to strengthened integrated crop management strategies in DDSR.
Nitrogen Mineralization from Anaerobically Digested Centrifuge Cake and Aged Air‐Dried Biosolids
Authors: Kumar Kuldip , Hundal Lakhwinder S. , Cox Albert E. , Granato Thomas
Published: June 2015

This study was conducted to estimate nitrogen (N) mineralization of anaerobically digested centrifuge cake from the Stickney Water Reclamation Plant (SWRP) and Calumet Water Reclamation Plant (CWRP), lagoon‐aged air‐dried biosolids from the CWRP, and Milorganite at three rates of application (0, 12.5 and 25 Mg ha−1). The N mineralized varied among biosolids as follows: Milorganite (44%) > SWRP centrifuge cake (35%) > CWRP centrifuge cake (31%) > aged air‐dried (13%). The N mineralized in the SWRP cake (32%) and CWRP aged air‐dried biosolids (12%) determined from the15N study were in agreement with the first study. The N mineralization value for centrifuge cake biosolids observed in our study is higher than the value given in the Part 503 rule and Illinois Part 391 guidelines. These results will be used to fine‐tune biosolids application rate to match crop N demand without compromising yield while minimizing any adverse effect on the environment.
Circular surfaces CS(α,p)
Authors: Gorjanc Sonja , Jurkin Ema
Published: June 2015

In this paper we define and construct a new class of algebraic surfaces in
three-dimensional Euclidean space generated by a curve and a congruence of
circles. We study their properties and visualize them. For computing and
plotting, we use the program Wolfram Mathematica.
Independence number, connectivity and fractional (g,f)-factors in graphs
Authors: Bian Qiuju , Zhou Sizhong
Published: June 2015

Let G be a graph, and let g and f be two integer-valued functions defined on
V(G) satisfying a ? 1(x) ? f (x)-r ? b - r for any x ? V(G), where a, b
and r be three nonnegative integers with 1 ? a ? b - r. In this paper, we
verify that G contains a fractional (g,f)-factor if its connectivity k(G)
and independence number ?(G) satisfy k(G) ? max ((b+1)(b-r + 1)/2,
(b-r + 1)2?(G)/4(a + r)). The result is best possible in some sense.
Majorization problems for certain subclasses of meromorphic multivalent functions associated with the Liu-Srivastava operator
Authors: Tang Huo , Aouf Mohamed , Deng Guantie
Published: June 2015

In the present paper, we introduce new subclasses of certain meromorphic
multivalent functions defined by a class of linear operators involving the
Liu-Srivastava operator, and investigate the majorization properties for
functions belonging to these classes. Also, we point out some useful
consequences of our main results.
Summation of double sequences and selection principles
Authors: Elez Nebojsa , Djurcic Dragan , Sebekovic Aleksandar
Published: June 2015

This paper proves some selection properties of a class of positive real
double sequences which converge to 0 in the sense of Pringsheim (see, e.g.
[10]).
Multiple positive solutions for nonlinear second-order m-point impulsive boundary value problems on time scales
Authors: Karaca Ilkay , Fen Fatma
Published: June 2015

In this paper, by using fixed point index theory, we study the existence of
positive solutions for nonlinear second-order m-point impulsive boundary
value problems on time scales. As an application, we give an example to
demonstrate our results.
Complemented graphs and blow-ups of Boolean graphs, with applications to co-maximal ideal graphs
Authors: Guo Jin , Wu Tongsuo , Ye Meng
Published: June 2015

For a set X, let 2X be the power set of X. Let BX be the Boolean graph, which
is defined on the vertex set 2X \ {X, ?}, with M adjacent to N if M ? N = ?.
In this paper, several purely graph-theoretic characterizations are provided
for blow-ups of a finite or an infinite Boolean graph (respectively, a
preatomic graph). Then the characterizations are used to study co-maximal
ideal graphs that are blow-ups of Boolean graphs (pre-atomic graphs,
respectively).
Different techniques of vessel reconstruction during kidney transplantation
Authors: Tomic Aleksandar , Milovic Novak , Marjanovic Ivan , Bjelanovic Zoran , Lekovic Ivan , Mickovic Sasa , Stamenkovic Dusica
Published: June 2015

Background/Aim. Multiple renal arteries (MRAs) represent a surgical challenge
by the difficulty in performing anastomoses, bleeding and stenosis. MRAs
should be preserved and special attention should be paid to accessory polar
arteries. All renal arteries (RAs) must be reconstructed and prepared for
safe anastomosis. The paper decribed the different techniques of vessel
reconstruction during kidney transplantation including important steps within
recovery of organs, preparation and implantation. Methods. In a 16-year
period (1996-2012) of kidney transplantation in the Military Medical Academy,
Belgrade, a total of 310 living donors and 44 human cadaver kidney
transplantations were performed, of which 28 (8%) kidneys had two or more
RAs. Results. All the transplanted kidneys had immediate function. We
repaired 20 cases of donor kidneys with 2 arteries, 4 cases with three RAs,
one case with 4 RAs, one case with 4 RAs and renal vein reconstruction, one
case with 3 arteries and additional polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) graft
reconstruction, one case with transected renal artery and reconstruction with
5 cm long deceased donor external iliac artery. There were no major
complications and graft failure. At a minimum of 1-year follow-up, all the
patients showed normal renal function. Conclusion. Donor kidney
transplantation on a contralateral side and ?end-to-end? anastomosis of the
renal artery to the internal iliac artery (IIA) is our standard procedure
with satisfactory results. Renal artery reconstruction and anastomosis with
IIA is a safe and highly efficient procedure and kidneys with MRAs are not
contraindicated for transplantation. A surgical team should be fully
competent to remove cadaveric abdominal organs to avoid accidental injuries
of organs vessels.
Activities of Daily Living in Children With Developmental Coordination Disorder: Performance, Learning, and Participation
Authors: Van der Linde Berdien W. , van Netten Jaap J. , Otten Bert , Postema Klaas , Geuze Reint H. , Schoemaker Marina M.
Published: June 2015

Background

Children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD) face evident motor difficulties in daily functioning. Little is known, however, about their difficulties in specific activities of daily living (ADL).

Objective

The purposes of this study were: (1) to investigate differences between children with DCD and their peers with typical development for ADL performance, learning, and participation, and (2) to explore the predictive values of these aspects.

Design

This was a cross-sectional study.

Methods

In both a clinical sample of children diagnosed with DCD (n=25 [21 male, 4 female], age range=5–8 years) and a group of peers with typical development (25 matched controls), the children's parents completed the DCDDaily-Q. Differences in scores between the groups were investigated using t tests for performance and participation and Pearson chi-square analysis for learning. Multiple regression analyses were performed to explore the predictive values of performance, learning, and participation.

Results

Compared with their peers, children with DCD showed poor performance of ADL and less frequent participation in some ADL. Children with DCD demonstrated heterogeneous patterns of performance (poor in 10%–80% of the items) and learning (delayed in 0%–100% of the items). In the DCD group, delays in learning of ADL were a predictor for poor performance of ADL, and poor performance of ADL was a predictor for less frequent participation in ADL compared with the control group.

Limitations

A limited number of children with DCD were addressed in this study.

Conclusions

This study highlights the impact of DCD on children's daily lives and the need for tailored intervention.
Real-time ultrasound-guided endoscopic surgery for putaminal hemorrhage
Authors: Sadahiro Hirokazu , Nomura Sadahiro , Goto Hisaharu , Sugimoto Kazutaka , Inamura Akinori , Fujiyama Yuichi , Yamane Akiko , Oku Takayuki , Shinoyama Mizuya , Suzuki Michiyasu
Published: June 2015

OBJECT

Endoscopic surgery plays a significant role in the treatment of intracerebral hemorrhage. However, the residual hematoma cannot be measured intraoperatively from the endoscopic view, and it is difficult to determine the precise location of the endoscope within the hematoma cavity. The authors attempted to develop real-time ultrasound-guided endoscopic surgery using a bur-hole-type probe.

METHODS

From November 2012 to March 2014, patients with hypertensive putaminal hemorrhage who underwent endoscopic hematoma removal were enrolled in this study. Real-time ultrasound guidance was performed with a bur-hole-type probe that was advanced via a second bur hole, which was placed in the temporal region. Ultrasound was used to guide insertion of the endoscope sheath as well as to provide information regarding the location of the hematoma during surgical evacuation. Finally, the cavity was irrigated with artificial cerebrospinal fluid and was observed as a low-echoic space, which facilitated detection of residual hematoma.

RESULTS

Ten patients with putaminal hemorrhage > 30 cm3 were included in this study. Their mean age (± SD) was 60.9 ± 8.6 years, and the mean preoperative hematoma volume was 65.2 ± 37.1 cm3. The mean percentage of hematoma that was evacuated was 96% ± 3%. None of the patients exhibited rebleeding after surgery.

CONCLUSIONS

This navigation method was effective in demonstrating both the real-time location of the endoscope and real-time viewing of the residual hematoma. Use of ultrasound guidance minimized the occurrence of brain injury due to hematoma evacuation.
Patency of the anterior choroidal artery covered with a flow-diverter stent
Authors: Neki Hiroaki , Caroff Jildaz , Jittapiromsak Pakrit , Benachour Nidhal , Mihalea Cristian , Ikka Leon , Moret Jacques , Spelle Laurent
Published: June 2015

OBJECT

The concept of the flow-diverter stent (FDS) is to induce aneurysmal thrombosis while preserving the patency of the parent vessel and any covered branches. In some circumstances, it is impossible to avoid dangerously covering small branches, such as the anterior choroidal artery (AChA), with the stent. In this paper, the authors describe the clinical and angiographic effects of covering the AChA with an FDS.

METHODS

Between April 2011 and July 2013, 92 patients with intracranial aneurysms were treated with the use of FDSs in the authors’ institution. For 20 consecutive patients (21.7%) retrospectively included in this study, this involved the unavoidable covering of the AChA with a single FDS during endovascular therapy. AChAs feeding the choroid plexus were classified as the long-course group (14 cases), and those not feeding the choroid plexus were classified as the short-course group (6 cases). Clinical symptoms and the angiographic aspect of the AChA were evaluated immediately after stent delivery and during follow-up. Neurological examinations were performed to rule out hemiparesis, hemihypesthesia, hemianopsia, and other cortical signs.

RESULTS

FDS placement had no immediate effect on AChA blood flow. Data were obtained from 1-month clinical follow-up in all patients and from midterm angiographic follow-up in 17 patients (85.0%), with a mean length of 9.8 ± 5.4 months. No patient in either group complained of transient or permanent symptoms related to an AChA occlusion. In all cases, the AChA remained patent without any flow changes.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of this study suggest that when impossible to avoid, the AChA may be safely covered with a single FDS during intracranial aneurysm treatment, irrespective of anatomy and anastomoses.
Trigeminal neuralgia without neurovascular compression presents earlier than trigeminal neuralgia with neurovascular compression
Authors: Ko Andrew L. , Lee Albert , Raslan Ahmed M. , Ozpinar Alp , McCartney Shirley , Burchiel Kim J.
Published: June 2015

OBJECT

Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) occurs and recurs in the absence of neurovascular compression (NVC). To characterize what may be distinct patient populations, the authors examined age at onset in patients with TN with and without NVC.

METHODS

A retrospective review of patients undergoing posterior fossa surgery for Type I TN at Oregon Health & Science University from 2009 to 2013 was undertaken. Charts were reviewed, and imaging and operative data were collected for patients with and without NVC. Mean, median, and the empirical cumulative distribution of onset age were determined. Statistical analysis was performed using Student t-test, Wilcoxon and Kolmogorov-Smirnoff tests, and Kaplan-Meier analysis. Multivariate analysis was performed using a Cox proportional hazards model.

RESULTS

The charts of 219 patients with TN were reviewed. There were 156 patients who underwent posterior fossa exploration and microvascular decompression or internal neurolysis: 129 patients with NVC and 27 without NVC. Mean age at symptoms onset for patients with and without NVC was 51.1 and 42.6 years, respectively. This difference (8.4 years) was significant (t-test: p = 0.007), with sufficient power to detect an effect size of 8.2 years. Median age between groups with and without NVC was 53.25 and 41.2 years, respectively (p = 0.003). Histogram analysis revealed a bimodal age at onset in patients without NVC, and cumulative distribution of age at onset revealed an earlier presentation of symptoms (p = 0.003) in patients without NVC. Chi-square analysis revealed a trend toward female predominance in patients without NVC, which was not significant (p = 0.08). Multivariate analysis revealed that age at onset was related to NVC but not sex, symptom side or distribution, or patient response to medical treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

NVC is neither sufficient nor necessary for the development of TN. Patients with TN without NVC may represent a distinct population of younger, predominantly female patients. Further research into the pathophysiology underlying this debilitating disease is needed.
Unilateral contrast-enhancing pontomedullary lesion due to an intracranial dural arteriovenous fistula with perimedullary spinal venous drainage: the exception that proves the rule
Authors: Roelz Roland , Van Velthoven Vera , Reinacher Peter , Coenen Volker Arnd , Mader Irina , Urbach Horst , Meckel Stephan
Published: June 2015

A large spectrum of possible diagnoses must be taken into consideration when a contrast-enhancing lesion of the pontomedullary region is found on MRI. Among these diagnoses are neoplastic, inflammatory, and infectious, as well as vascular pathologies. The authors report a rare case of an intracranial dural arteriovenous fistula (DAVF) with perimedullary spinal venous drainage (Cognard Type V) that initially presented as a unilateral contrast-enhancing pontomedullary lesion mimicking a brainstem neoplasm in a 76-year-old man. Following occlusion of the DAVF by transarterial embolization that resulted in clinical and radiological improvement, the fistula recurred 10 months later and was finally cured by a combined endovascularand surgical approach that resulted in complete occlusion. Clinical symptoms and MRI findings gradually improved following this treatment. A literature review on the MRI findings of Cognard Type V DAVF was performed. Centrally located medullary or pontomedullary edema represents the typical imaging finding, while unilateral edema as seen in the authors’ patient is exceptionally rare. The hallmark imaging finding suggestive of DAVF consisting of perimedullary engorged vessels may not always be present or may only be very subtly visible. Therefore, the authors suggest performing contrast-enhanced MR angiography or even digital subtraction angiography in the presence of an unclear edematous brainstem lesion before scheduling stereotactic biopsy.
Posterior callosotomy using a parietooccipital interhemispheric approach in the semi-prone park-bench position
Authors: Ito Hirotaka , Morino Michiharu , Niimura Manabu , Takamizawa Sachiko , Shimizu Yoshie
Published: June 2015

A 2-stage corpus callosotomy is accepted as a palliative procedure for patients older than 16 years with, in particular, medically intractable generalized epilepsy and drop attack seizures and is preferable for a lower risk of disconnection syndrome. Although the methods by which a previously performed craniotomy can be reopened for posterior callosotomy have already been reported, posterior corpus callosotomy using a parietooccipital interhemispheric approach with the patient in a semi-prone park-bench position has not been described in the literature. Here, the authors present a surgical technique for posterior callosotomy using a parietooccipital interhemispheric approach with a semi-prone park-bench position as a second surgery. Although this procedure requires an additional skin incision in the parietooccipital region, it makes the 2-stage callosotomy safer and easier to perform because of reduced intracranial adhesion, less bleeding, and an easier approach to the splenium of the corpus callosum.
Progressive postnatal pansynostosis: an insidious and pernicious form of craniosynostosis
Authors: Wood Benjamin C. , Oh Albert K. , Keating Robert F. , Boyajian Michael J. , Myseros John S. , Magge Suresh N. , Rogers Gary F.
Published: June 2015

OBJECT

Progressive postnatal pansynostosis (PPP) is a rare form of craniosynostosis that is characterized by a normal head shape, insidious decrease in percentile head circumference, and high rates of elevated intracranial pressure (ICP). This investigation describes the clinical, radiographic, and genetic features of this entity.

METHODS

The authors’ craniofacial database for the period 1997–2013 was retrospectively culled to identify patients who had a normal or near-normal head shape and CT-confirmed multiple-suture synostosis. Patients with kleeblatt-schädel or previous craniofacial surgery were excluded. All demographic information was collected and analyzed.

RESULTS

Seventeen patients fit the inclusion criteria. Nine patients had a syndromic diagnosis: Crouzon syndrome (n = 4), Pfeiffer syndrome (n = 2), Saethre-Chotzen syndrome (n = 1), Apert syndrome (n = 1), and achondroplasia (n = 1). With the exception of 3 patients with mild turricephaly, all patients had a relatively normal head shape. Patients were diagnosed at an average age of 62.9 months. Nearly all patients had some combination of clinical, radiographic, or ophthalmological evidence of increased ICP.

CONCLUSIONS

PPP is insidious; diagnosis is typically delayed because the clinical signs are subtle and appear gradually. All normocephalic infants or children with a known or suspected craniosynostotic disorder should be carefully monitored; any decrease in percentile head circumference or signs/symptoms of increased ICP should prompt CT evaluation.
Iron Production in Northern Benin: Excavations at Kompa Moussékoubou
Authors: Robion-Brunner Caroline , Haour Anne , Coustures Marie-Pierre , Champion Louis , Béziat Didier
Published: June 2015

In the context of the “Crossroads of Empires” project led by Anne Haour, one strand of enquiry aims to understand the history of blacksmith groups and the development of iron production in Dendi country, in the northern Republic of Benin. Numerous remains of iron production have been discovered, showing a great variability in furnace design and waste assemblages. At least three smelting traditions can be distinguished. In this paper, we present the smelting site of Kompa Moussékoubou (10th/11th c. AD) which has been investigated by archaeological and archaeometric methods. Beyond the archaeometallurgical results, the excavation of a 1 x 2 m trench on a settlement mound nearby and survey work, which place the site within its wider context, are also discussed. In particular, we offer a detailed analysis of the ceramics recovered during test pitting and within one of the furnaces itself. This paper thus offers a rare opportunity to combine archaeometallurgical and ceramics data.
Les tumulus à couloir et enclos de la Tassili du Fadnoun, Tassili Azger (Algérie) : Premières datations par la méthode du radiocarbone
Authors: Berkani Hayette , Zazzo Antoine , Paris François
Published: June 2015

Among the countless funerary monuments present in the Sahara, the corridor and enclosure tumulus (CET) display particularly original architectural features. Their chronology is now well established for the Nigerien Sahara, but remains poorly known for the Tassili Azger in south-eastern Algeria, despite the abundance of monuments identified. This article presents the first results of direct AMS 14C dating of the mineral fraction (bioapatite) of human bones from three CET excavated in different sites of the Tassili Fadnoun in 2011. The results indicate that these burials date from the late 4th or early 3rd mill BCE and are of similar age to the ones of the CET of Emi Lulu in northern Niger. Despite an extensive geographic distribution across the Sahara, it appears that CET share several common characteristics especially in terms of architecture, burial practices and chronology.
Interaction between Neuromelanin and Alpha-Synuclein in Parkinson’s Disease
Authors: Xu Shengli , Chan Piu
Published: June 2015

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a very common neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the accumulation of α-synuclein (α-syn) into Lewy body (LB) inclusions and the loss of neuronmelanin (NM) containing dopamine (DA) neurons in the substantia nigra (SN). Pathological α-syn and NM are two prominent hallmarks in this selective and progressive neurodegenerative disease. Pathological α-syn can induce dopaminergic neuron death by various mechanisms, such as inducing oxidative stress and inhibiting protein degradation systems. Therefore, to explore the factors that trigger α-syn to convert from a non-toxic protein to toxic one is a pivotal question to clarify the mechanisms of PD pathogenesis. Many triggers for pathological α-syn aggregation have been identified, including missense mutations in the α-syn gene, higher concentration, and posttranslational modifications of α-Syn. Recently, the role of NM in inducing α-syn expression and aggregation has been suggested as a mechanism for this pigment to modulate neuronal vulnerability in PD. NM may be responsible for PD and age-associated increase and aggregation in α-syn. Here, we reviewed our previous study and other recent findings in the area of interaction between NM and α-syn.
Editorial of Special Issue “New Aspects of the Hepatocyte Growth Factor/c-Met System”
Authors: Ricci Giulia
Published: June 2015

HGF/c-Met system has covered, in the past two decades, multiple areas of research, from basic cell biology to clinical trials. This research topic witnessed a good deal of scientific interest and progress. [...]
A Comparative Study on EB-Radiation Deterioration of Nafion Membrane in Water and Isopropanol Solvents
Authors: Choi Ji , Sohn Joon-Yong , Shin Junhwa
Published: June 2015

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of electron beam (EB) irradiation on the structure and physical properties of Nafion 117 membranes (in both acid and sodium forms) when they are irradiated in water and isopropanol as solvents. The mechanical properties of Nafion membranes in acid form irradiated in water were found to rapidly deteriorate as the irradiation dose was increased compared to those irradiated in isopropanol. It was also found that the thermal stability of the irradiated Nafion membranes decreased with an increase in the irradiation dose, especially when the Nafion membranes were irradiated in water. It was also observed that the irradiated Nafion membranes in sodium form showed higher mechanical and thermal properties than the irradiated Nafion membranes in acid form regardless of the solvent at the same irradiation dose. The ion exchange capacity of irradiated Nafion membranes was found to be somewhat unaffected compared to the mechanical properties, regardless of the solvent used.
Stability Analysis of Methane Hydrate-Bearing Soils Considering Dissociation
Authors: Iwai Hiromasa , Kimoto Sayuri , Akaki Toshifumi , Oka Fusao
Published: June 2015

It is well known that the methane hydrate dissociation process may lead to unstable behavior such as large ground deformations, uncontrollable gas production, etc. A linear instability analysis was performed in order to investigate which variables have a significant effect on the onset of the instability behavior of methane hydrate-bearing soils subjected to dissociation. In the analysis a simplified viscoplastic constitutive equation is used for the soil sediment. The stability analysis shows that the onset of instability of the material system mainly depends on the strain hardening-softening parameter, the degree of strain, and the permeability for water and gas. Then, we conducted a numerical analysis of gas hydrate-bearing soil considering hydrate dissociation in order to investigate the effect of the parameters on the system. The simulation method used in the present study can describe the chemo-thermo-mechanically coupled behaviors such as phase changes from hydrates to water and gas, temperature changes and ground deformation. From the numerical results, we found that basically the larger the permeability for water and gas is, the more stable the simulation results are. These results are consistent with those obtained from the linear stability analysis.
Using Satellite SAR to Characterize the Wind Flow around Offshore Wind Farms
Authors: Hasager Charlotte , Vincent Pauline , Badger Jake , Badger Merete , Di Bella Alessandro , Peña Alfredo , Husson Romain , Volker Patrick
Published: June 2015

Offshore wind farm cluster effects between neighboring wind farms increase rapidly with the large-scale deployment of offshore wind turbines. The wind farm wakes observed from Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) are sometimes visible and atmospheric and wake models are here shown to convincingly reproduce the observed very long wind farm wakes. The present study mainly focuses on wind farm wake climatology based on Envisat ASAR. The available SAR data archive covering the large offshore wind farms at Horns Rev has been used for geo-located wind farm wake studies. However, the results are difficult to interpret due to mainly three issues: the limited number of samples per wind directional sector, the coastal wind speed gradient, and oceanic bathymetry effects in the SAR retrievals. A new methodology is developed and presented. This method overcomes effectively the first issue and in most cases, but not always, the second. In the new method all wind field maps are rotated such that the wind is always coming from the same relative direction. By applying the new method to the SAR wind maps, mesoscale and microscale model wake aggregated wind-fields results are compared. The SAR-based findings strongly support the model results at Horns Rev 1.
Are Mixed Tropical Tree Plantations More Resistant to Drought than Monocultures?
Authors: Kunert Norbert , Cárdenas Alida
Published: June 2015

Tropical tree plantations usually consist of a single exotic fast growing species, but recent research describes positive effects on ecosystem functions from mixed tropical tree plantations. In this review, we present the current knowledge of drought resistance of tropical mixed species plantations and summarize preliminary evidence from a tree biodiversity experiment in Panama. Converting mono-specific stands into mixed ones may improve stand stability and might reduce increasing abiotic and biotic disturbances due to climate change. However, little is known about the extent to which tropical tree species or tropical tree communities can resist increasing disturbances in the short term, e.g., water limitations due to increasing dry season intensity or length, or about their resilience after such disturbances and their capacity to adapt to changing conditions in the long term. Studies relating drought resistance and resilience to community diversity are missing. Further, we highlight the urgent need for a multifactorial manipulative throughfall reduction experiment in tropical environments. The outcome of such studies would greatly assist the forestry sector in tropical regions to maintain highly productive and ecologically sound forest plantations in a changing climate.
The Effect of Growth Hormone Administration on the Regulation of Mitochondrial Apoptosis in-Vivo
Authors: Keane James , Tajouri Lotti , Gray Bon
Published: June 2015

The purpose of this study was to determine whether recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) would show any significant effects on the expression of apoptosis regulating proteins in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Additionally, the potential for post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression by miRNA was assessed in two cellular compartments, the cytosol and the mitochondria. Ten male subjects were subcutaneously injected with either rhGH (1 mg) or saline (0.9%) for seven consecutive days in a double-blinded fashion. Blood sampling was undertaken prior to treatment administration and over a period of three weeks following treatment cessation. Bcl-2 and Bak gene and protein expression levels were measured in PBMCs, while attention was also directed to the expression of miR-181a and miR-125b, known translational inhibitors of Bcl-2 and Bak respectively. Results showed that rhGH significantly decreased Bak protein concentrations compared to placebo samples for up to 8 days post treatment. While cytosolic miRNA expression was not found to be significantly affected by rhGH, measurement of the expression of miR-125b in mitochondrial fractions showed a significant down-regulation eight days post-rhGH administration. These findings suggest that rhGH induces short-term anti-apoptotic effects which may be partially mediated through a novel pathway that alters the concentration of mitochondrially-associated miRNAs.
Families of microRNAs Expressed in Clusters Regulate Cell Signaling in Cervical Cancer
Authors: Servín-González Luis , Granados-López Angelica , López Jesús
Published: June 2015

Tumor cells have developed advantages to acquire hallmarks of cancer like apoptosis resistance, increased proliferation, migration, and invasion through cell signaling pathway misregulation. The sequential activation of genes in a pathway is regulated by miRNAs. Loss or gain of miRNA expression could activate or repress a particular cell axis. It is well known that aberrant miRNA expression is well recognized as an important step in the development of cancer. Individual miRNA expression is reported without considering that miRNAs are grouped in clusters and may have similar functions, such as the case of clusters with anti-oncomiRs (23b~27b~24-1, miR-29a~29b-1, miR-29b-2~29c, miR-99a~125b-2, miR-99b~125a, miR-100~125b-1, miR-199a-2~214, and miR-302s) or oncomiRs activity (miR-1-1~133a-2, miR-1-2~133a-1, miR-133b~206, miR-17~92, miR-106a~363, miR183~96~182, miR-181a-1~181b-1, and miR-181a-2~181b-2), which regulated mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK), phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase (PI3K), NOTCH, proteasome-culling rings, and apoptosis cell signaling. In this work we point out the pathways regulated by families of miRNAs grouped in 20 clusters involved in cervical cancer. Reviewing how miRNA families expressed in cluster-regulated cell path signaling will increase the knowledge of cervical cancer progression, providing important information for therapeutic, diagnostic, and prognostic methodology design.
Virulence Factors of Erwinia amylovora: A Review
Authors: Piqué Núria , Miñana-Galbis David , Merino Susana , Tomás Juan
Published: June 2015

Erwinia amylovora, a Gram negative bacteria of the Enterobacteriaceae family, is the causal agent of fire blight, a devastating plant disease affecting a wide range of host species within Rosaceae and a major global threat to commercial apple and pear production. Among the limited number of control options currently available, prophylactic application of antibiotics during the bloom period appears the most effective. Pathogen cells enter plants through the nectarthodes of flowers and other natural openings, such as wounds, and are capable of rapid movement within plants and the establishment of systemic infections. Many virulence determinants of E. amylovora have been characterized, including the Type III secretion system (T3SS), the exopolysaccharide (EPS) amylovoran, biofilm formation, and motility. To successfully establish an infection, E. amylovora uses a complex regulatory network to sense the relevant environmental signals and coordinate the expression of early and late stage virulence factors involving two component signal transduction systems, bis-(3′-5′)-cyclic di-GMP (c-di-GMP) and quorum sensing. The LPS biosynthetic gene cluster is one of the relatively few genetic differences observed between Rubus- and Spiraeoideae-infecting genotypes of E. amylovora. Other differential factors, such as the presence and composition of an integrative conjugative element associated with the Hrp T3SS (hrp genes encoding the T3SS apparatus), have been recently described. In the present review, we present the recent findings on virulence factors research, focusing on their role in bacterial pathogenesis and indicating other virulence factors that deserve future research to characterize them.
De Novo Characterization of Flower Bud Transcriptomes and the Development of EST-SSR Markers for the Endangered Tree Tapiscia sinensis
Authors: Zhou Xiao-Jun , Wang Yue-Yue , Xu Ya-Nan , Yan Rong-Shan , Zhao Peng , Liu Wen-Zhe
Published: June 2015

Tapiscia sinensis Oliv (Tapisciaceae) is an endangered species native to China famous for its androdioecious breeding system. However, there is a lack of genomic and transcriptome data on this species. In this study, the Tapiscia sinensis transcriptomes from two types of sex flower buds were sequenced. A total of 97,431,176 clean reads were assembled into 52,169 unigenes with an average length of 1116 bp. Through similarity comparison with known protein databases, 36,662 unigenes (70.27%) were annotated. A total of 10,002 (19.17%) unigenes were assigned to 124 pathways using the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway database. Additionally, 10,371 simple sequence repeats (SSRs) were identified in 8608 unigenes, with 16,317 pairs of primers designed for applications. 150 pairs of primers were chosen for further validation, and the 68 pairs (45.5%) were able to produce clear polymorphic bands. Six polymorphic SSR markers were used to Bayesian clustering analysis of 51 T. sinensis individuals. This is the first report to provide transcriptome information and to develop large-scale SSR molecular markers for T. sinensis. This study provides a valuable resource for conservation genetics and functional genomics research on T. sinensis for future work.
Fatty Acids Composition of Vegetable Oils and Its Contribution to Dietary Energy Intake and Dependence of Cardiovascular Mortality on Dietary Intake of Fatty Acids
Authors: Orsavova Jana , Misurcova Ladislava , Ambrozova Jarmila , Vicha Robert , Mlcek Jiri
Published: June 2015

Characterizations of fatty acids composition in % of total methylester of fatty acids (FAMEs) of fourteen vegetable oils—safflower, grape, silybum marianum, hemp, sunflower, wheat germ, pumpkin seed, sesame, rice bran, almond, rapeseed, peanut, olive, and coconut oil—were obtained by using gas chromatography (GC). Saturated (SFA), monounsaturated (MUFA) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), palmitic acid (C16:0; 4.6%–20.0%), oleic acid (C18:1; 6.2%–71.1%) and linoleic acid (C18:2; 1.6%–79%), respectively, were found predominant. The nutritional aspect of analyzed oils was evaluated by determination of the energy contribution of SFAs (19.4%–695.7% ERDI), PUFAs (10.6%–786.8% ERDI), n-3 FAs (4.4%–117.1% ERDI) and n-6 FAs (1.8%–959.2% ERDI), expressed in % ERDI of 1 g oil to energy recommended dietary intakes (ERDI) for total fat (ERDI—37.7 kJ/g). The significant relationship between the reported data of total fat, SFAs, MUFAs and PUFAs intakes (% ERDI) for adults and mortality caused by coronary heart diseases (CHD) and cardiovascular diseases (CVD) in twelve countries has not been confirmed by Spearman’s correlations.
Synthesis, Characterization and Study of Liquid Crystals Based on the Ionic Association of the Keplerate Anion [Mo132O372(CH3COO)30(H2O)72]42− and Imidazolium Cations
Authors: Watfa Nancy , Floquet Sébastien , Terazzi Emmanuel , Salomon William , Guénée Laure , Buchwalder Kerry , Hijazi Akram , Naoufal Daoud , Piguet Claude , Cadot Emmanuel
Published: June 2015

A series of eight new materials based on the ionic association between 1-methyl-3-alkylimidazolium cations and the nanometric anionic Keplerate [Mo132O372(CH3COO)30(H2O)72]42− has been prepared and characterized in the solid state. The liquid crystal properties of these materials were investigated by the combination of Polarized Optical Microscopy, Differential Scanning Calorimetry and Small-angle X-Ray Diffraction showing a self-organization in lamellar (L) mesophases for the major part of them. From the interlamellar spacing h and the intercluster distance ahex, we demonstrated that the cations are not randomly organized around the anionic cluster and that the alkyl chains of the cations are certainly folded, which limits the van der Waals interactions between the cations within the liquid crystal phase and therefore harms the quality of the mesophases.
The Role of Ambient Gas and Pressure on the Structuring of Hard Diamond-Like Carbon Films Synthesized by Pulsed Laser Deposition
Authors: Popescu Andrei , Stan George , Duta Liviu , Nita Cristina , Popescu Camelia , Surdu Vasile-Adrian , Husanu Marius-Adrian , Bita Bogdan , Ghisleni Rudy , Himcinschi Cameliu , Craciun Valentin
Published: June 2015

Hard carbon thin films were synthesized on Si (100) and quartz substrates by the Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD) technique in vacuum or methane ambient to study their suitability for applications requiring high mechanical resistance. The deposited films’ surface morphology was investigated by scanning electron microscopy, crystalline status by X-ray diffraction, packing and density by X-ray reflectivity, chemical bonding by Raman and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, adherence by “pull-out” measurements and mechanical properties by nanoindentation tests. Films synthesized in vacuum were a-C DLC type, while films synthesized in methane were categorized as a-C:H. The majority of PLD films consisted of two layers: one low density layer towards the surface and a higher density layer in contact with the substrate. The deposition gas pressure played a crucial role on films thickness, component layers thickness ratio, structure and mechanical properties. The films were smooth, amorphous and composed of a mixture of sp3-sp2 carbon, with sp3 content ranging between 50% and 90%. The thickness and density of the two constituent layers of a film directly determined its mechanical properties.
Comparative Shear-Bond Strength of Six Dental Self-Adhesive Resin Cements to Zirconia
Authors: Lee Si-Eun , Bae Ji-Hyeon , Choi Jae-Won , Jeon Yong-Chan , Jeong Chang-Mo , Yoon Mi-Jung , Huh Jung-Bo
Published: June 2015

This study compared shear bond strength (SBS) of six self-adhesive resin cements (SARC) and one resin-modified glass ionomer cement (RMGIC) to zirconia before and after thermocycling. The cylinder shape (Φ 2.35 mm × 3 mm) of six SARCs (G-CEM LinkAce (GLA), Maxcem Elite (MAX), Clearfil SA Luting (CSL), PermaCem 2.0 (PM2), Rely-X U200 (RXU), Smartcem 2 (SC2)) were bonded to the top surface of the zirconia specimens with light-curing. RMGIC (Fujicem (FJC)) was bonded to the specimens with self-curing. The shear bond strength of all cemented specimens was measured with universal testing machine. Half of the specimens were thermocycled 5000 times before shear bonding strength testing. Fractured surfaces were examined with a field-emission SEM (10,000×) and analyzed by energy dispersive x-ray analysis. MAX, PM2, SC2 group without thermocycling and GLA, MAX, PM2 group with thermocycling showed adhesive failure, but GLA, CSL, RXU, FJC group without thermocycling and SLC, RXU, SC2, FJC group with thermocycling indicated cohesive failure. Within the limitation of this study, All of SARCs except MAX demonstrated higher bond strength than that of RMGIC regardless of thermocycling. Also, SARC containing MDP monomers (CSL) retained better bonds than other cements.
Antibiofilm Activity of the Brown Alga Halidrys siliquosa against Clinically Relevant Human Pathogens
Authors: Busetti Alessandro , Thompson Thomas , Tegazzini Diana , Megaw Julianne , Maggs Christine , Gilmore Brendan
Published: June 2015

The marine brown alga Halidrys siliquosa is known to produce compounds with antifouling activity against several marine bacteria. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial and antibiofilm activity of organic extracts obtained from the marine brown alga H. siliquosa against a focused panel of clinically relevant human pathogens commonly associated with biofilm-related infections. The partially fractionated methanolic extract obtained from H. siliquosa collected along the shores of Co. Donegal; Ireland; displayed antimicrobial activity against bacteria of the genus Staphylococcus; Streptococcus; Enterococcus; Pseudomonas; Stenotrophomonas; and Chromobacterium with MIC and MBC values ranging from 0.0391 to 5 mg/mL. Biofilms of S. aureus MRSA were found to be susceptible to the algal methanolic extract with MBEC values ranging from 1.25 mg/mL to 5 mg/mL respectively. Confocal laser scanning microscopy using LIVE/DEAD staining confirmed the antimicrobial nature of the antibiofilm activity observed using the MBEC assay. A bioassay-guided fractionation method was developed yielding 10 active fractions from which to perform purification and structural elucidation of clinically-relevant antibiofilm compounds.