bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Therapeutic efficacy and biodistribution of allogeneic mesenchymal stem cells delivered by intrasplenic and intrapancreatic routes in streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice
Authors: Yaochite Juliana Navarro Ueda , Caliari-Oliveira Carolina , de Souza Lucas Eduardo Botelho , Neto Lourenço Sbragia , Palma Patrícia Vianna Bonini , Covas Dimas Tadeu , Malmegrim Kelen Cristina Ribeiro , Voltarelli Julio César , Donadi Eduardo Antônio
Published: March 2015

Introduction

Mesenchymal stromal/stem cells (MSCs) are multipotent cells that have the ability to express and secrete a wide range of immunomodulatory molecules, cytokines, growth factors and antiapoptotic proteins. MSCs modulate both innate and adaptive immune responses making them potential candidates for the treatment of patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1D). However, one problem frequently associated with the systemic MSCs administration is the entrapment of the cells mainly in the lungs. In this sense, trying to avoid the lung barrier, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the long-term therapeutic efficacy and biodistribution of allogeneic adipose tissue-derived MSCs (ADMSCs) injected via two different delivery routes (intrasplenic/I.Sp and intrapancreatic/I.Pc) in a murine model of diabetes induced by streptozotocin (STZ).

Methods

Experimental diabetes was induced in C57BL/6 male mice by multiple low-doses of STZ. MSCs were isolated from adipose tissue (ADMSCs) of Balb/c mice. A single dose of 1x106 ADMSCs was microinjected into the spleen or into the pancreas of diabetic mice. Control group received injection of PBS by I.Sp or I.Pc delivery routes. Glycemia, peripheral glucose response, insulin-producing β cell mass, regulatory T cell population, cytokine profile and cell biodistribution were evaluated after ADMSCs/PBS administration.

Results

ADMSCs injected by both delivery routes were able to decrease blood glucose levels and improve glucose tolerance in diabetic mice. ADMSCs injected by I.Sp route reverted hyperglycemia in 70% of diabetic treated mice, stimulating insulin production by pancreatic β cells. Using the I.Pc delivery route, 42% of ADMSCs-treated mice responded to the therapy. Regulatory T cell population remained unchanged after ADMSCs administration but pancreatic TGF-β levels were increased in ADMSCs/I.Sp-treated mice. ADMSCs administrated by I.Sp route were retained in the spleen and in the liver and ADMSCs injected by I.Pc route remained in the pancreas. However, ADMSCs injected by these delivery routes remained only few days in the recipients.

Conclusion

Considering the potential role of MSCs in the treatment of several disorders, this study reports alternative delivery routes that circumvent cell entrapment into the lungs promoting beneficial therapeutic responses in ADMSCs-treated diabetic mice.
n-3 Polyunsaturated fatty acids and mast cell activation
Authors: Wang Xiaofeng , Kulka Marianna
Published: March 2015

Mast cells are known to play a vital role in the development of inflammation in allergic responses. Recent studies have indicated that mast cell activation could be modulated by n-3 PUFAs, which have a wide range of well-documented health benefits. In our review, we summarize the recent findings and potential mechanisms of the effect of n-3 PUFAs on mast cell activation. This knowledge could provide new strategies for the development of therapeutic interventions for diseases mediated by mast cells.
Trogocytic CD137 transfer causes an internalization of CD137 ligand on murine APCs leading to reduced T cell costimulation
Authors: Shao Zhe , Harfuddin Zulkarnain , Pang Wan Lu , Nickles Emily , Koh Liang Kai , Schwarz Herbert
Published: March 2015

CD137 ligand (CD137L) is expressed on APCs and crosslinks CD137, a powerful costimulatory molecule on T cells during cognate interactions, and thereby greatly enhances immune responses. We report that CD137 can be transferred from activated T cells and from tumor cells that express CD137 to other cells via trogocytosis. This trogocytic transfer is independent of CD137L expression by the recipient cell. However, if CD137L is present on the recipient cell, the transferred CD137 binds to CD137L and the CD137-CD137L complex becomes internalized. The removal of CD137L from the surface of APCs lowers their ability to costimulate T cells, as evidenced by a reduced IFN-γ secretion. Removal of CD137L on APCs by trogocytic transfer of CD137 occurs within 1 h and requires cell-cell contact and the continuous presence of CD137-expressing cells. Bidirectional signaling exists for the CD137 receptor/ligand system, because CD137L also signals into APCs. We propose that the trogocytic transfer of CD137 from activated T cells to APCs and the subsequent removal of CD137L from APCs is a physiologic regulatory mechanism that limits immune activity. Furthermore, we hypothesize that the trogocytic transfer of CD137 occurs in cancers and quenches the activity of APCs, contributing to the cancer cells escaping immune surveillance. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that the trogocytic transfer of CD137 leads to an internalization of CD137L on APCs and a reduction in immune activity.
Single-click beam patterns suggest dynamic changes to the field of view of echolocating Atlantic spotted dolphins (Stenella frontalis) in the wild
Authors: Jensen Frants H. , Wahlberg Magnus , Beedholm Kristian , Johnson Mark , Soto Natacha Aguilar , Madsen Peter T.
Published: March 2015

Echolocating animals exercise an extensive control over the spectral and temporal properties of their biosonar signals to facilitate perception of their actively generated auditory scene when homing in on prey. The intensity and directionality of the biosonar beam defines the field of view of echolocating animals by affecting the acoustic detection range and angular coverage. However, the spatial relationship between an echolocating predator and its prey changes rapidly, resulting in different biosonar requirements throughout prey pursuit and capture. Here we measured single click beam patterns using a parametric fit procedure to test whether free-ranging Atlantic spotted dolphins (Stenella frontalis) modify their biosonar beamwidth. We recorded echolocation clicks using a linear array of receivers and estimated the beamwidth of individual clicks using a parametric spectral fit, cross-validated with well-established composite beam pattern estimates. The dolphins apparently increased the biosonar beamwidth, to a large degree without changing the signal frequency, when they approached the recording array. This is comparable to bats that also expand their field of view during prey capture, but achieve this by decreasing biosonar frequency. This behaviour may serve to decrease the risk that rapid escape movements of prey take them outside the biosonar beam of the predator. It is likely that shared sensory requirements have resulted in bats and toothed whales expanding their acoustic field of view at close range to increase the likelihood of successfully acquiring prey using echolocation, representing a case of convergent evolution of echolocation behaviour between these two taxa.
Developmental thermal plasticity of prey modifies the impact of predation
Authors: Seebacher Frank , Grigalchik Veronica S.
Published: March 2015

Environmental conditions during embryonic development can influence the mean expression of phenotypes as well as phenotypic responses to environmental change later in life. The resulting phenotypes may be better matched to their environment and more resilient to environmental change, including human induced climate change. However, whether plasticity does improve success in an ecological contexts is unresolved. In a microcosm experiment, we show that developmental plasticity in embryos of the frog Limnodynastes peronii is beneficial by increasing survivorship of tadpoles in the presence of predators when egg incubation (15°C or 25°C) and tadpole acclimation temperatures in microcosms (15°C or 25°C) coincided at 15°C. Tadpoles that survived predation were smaller, and had faster burst swimming speeds than those kept in no-predator controls, but only at high (25°C) egg incubation or subsequent microcosm temperatures. Metabolic rates were determined by a three-way interaction between incubation and microcosm temperatures, and predation; maximal glycolytic and mitochondrial metabolic capacities (enzyme activities) were lower in survivors from predation compared to controls, particularly when eggs were incubated at 25°C. We show that thermal conditions experienced during early development are ecologically relevant by modulating survivorship from predation. Importantly, developmental thermal plasticity also impacts population phenotypes indirectly by modifying species interactions and the selection pressure imposed by predation.
A Dollar for Your Thoughts: Feedback-Conditional Rebates on eBay
Authors: Cabral Luís , Li Lingfang (Ivy)
Published: March 2015

We run a series of controlled field experiments on eBay where buyers are rewarded for providing feedback. Our results provide little support for the hypothesis of buyers’ rational economic behavior: the likelihood of feedback barely increases as we increase feedback rebate values; also, the speed of feedback, bid levels, and the number of bids are all insensitive to rebate values. By contrast, we find evidence consistent with reciprocal buyer behavior. Lower transaction quality leads to a higher probability of negative feedback as well as a speeding up of such negative feedback. However, when transaction quality is low (as measured by slow shipping), offering a rebate significantly decreases the likelihood of negative feedback. All in all, our results are consistent with the hypothesis that buyers reciprocate the sellers’ “good deeds” (feedback rebate, high transaction quality) with more frequent and more favorable feedback. As a result, sellers can “buy” feedback, but such feedback is likely to be biased.

Data, as supplemental material, are available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2014.2074 .

This paper was accepted by Teck-Hua Ho, behavioral economics.
The Spillover Effects of Monitoring: A Field Experiment
Authors: Belot Michèle , Schröder Marina
Published: March 2015

We provide field experimental evidence of the effects of monitoring in a context where productivity is multidimensional and only one dimension is monitored and incentivized. We hire students to do a job for us. The job consists of identifying euro coins. We study the direct effects of monitoring and penalizing mistakes on work quality and evaluate spillovers on unmonitored dimensions of productivity (punctuality and theft). We find that monitoring improves work quality only if incentives are harsh, but substantially reduces punctuality irrespectively of the associated incentives. Monitoring does not affect theft, with 10% of participants stealing overall. Our findings are supportive of a reciprocity mechanism, whereby workers retaliate for being distrusted.

Data, as supplemental material, are available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2014.2089 .

This paper was accepted by Uri Gneezy, behavioral economics.
Game of Singular Stochastic Control and Strategic Exit
Authors: Kwon H. Dharma , Zhang Hongzhong
Published: March 2015

We investigate a game of singular control and strategic exit in a model of competitive market share control. In the model, each player can make irreversible investments to increase his market share, which is modeled as a diffusion process. In addition, each player has an option to exit the market at any point in time. We formulate a verification theorem for best responses of the game and characterize Markov perfect equilibria (MPE) under a set of verifiable assumptions. We find a class of MPEs with a rich structure. In particular, each player maintains up to two disconnected intervals of singular control regions, one of which plays a defensive role, and the other plays an offensive role. We also identify a set of conditions under which the outcome of the game may be unique despite the multiplicity of the equilibria.
6Cs: communication is a skill valued by patients and colleagues
Authors: Cummings Jane , Green Jan , Jones Menna Lloyd , Peate Ian
Published: March 2015

Encourage and help patients to communicate, without interrupting

Offering care that is compassionate, competent and considerate
Wound closure in patients with DFU: a cost-effectiveness analysis of two cellular/tissue-derived products
Authors: Gilligan A.M. , Waycaster C.R. , Landsman A.L.
Published: March 2015

Objective:

Determine the cost-effectiveness of extracellular matrix (ECM) relative to human fibroblast-derived dermal substitute (HFDS) on diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) wound closure.

Method:

Outcomes data were obtained from a 12-week, randomised, clinical trial of adults aged 18 years or older diagnosed with type 1 or type 2 diabetes with a DFU. Patients were treated with either ECM or HFDS treatment. A two-state Markov model (healed and unhealed) with a 1-week cycle length was developed using wound-closure rates from the trial to estimate the number of closed-wound weeks and the expected DFU cost per patient. Results were recorded over 12 weeks to estimate the number of closed-wound weeks per treatment and the average cost to achieve epithelialisation (primary outcome). The perspective of the analysis was that of the payer, specifically the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. No cost discounting was performed because of the short duration of the study.

Results:

The study consisted of 26 patients, with13 in each group. In the ECM group, 10 wounds closed (77%), with an average closure time of 36 days; 11 wounds closed in the HFDS group (85%), with an average closure time of 41 days. There was no significant difference between these results (p=0.73). Over 12 weeks, the expected cost per DFU was $2522 (£1634) for ECM and $3889 (£2524) for HFDS. Patients treated with HFDS incurred total treatment costs that were approximately 54% higher than those treated with ECM. Sensitivity analyses revealed that the total cost of care for two applications of HFDS was more costly than eight applications of ECM by approximately $500 (£325).

Conclusion:

In patients with DFU, ECM yielded similar clinical outcomes to HFDS but at a lower cost. Health-care providers should consider ECM as a cost-saving alternative to HFDS.

Declaration of interest:

A.M. Gilligan, and C.R. Waycaster, are employees of Smith & Nephew Inc.. This study was funded by Smith & Nephew Inc.. A.L. Landsman, reports no conflicts of interest.
Suppliers Caught in Supermarket Price Wars: Victims or Victors? Insights from a Dutch Price War
Authors: Sotgiu Francesca , Gielens Katrijn
Published: March 2015

During retailer-initiated price wars (PWs), hundreds of brands are involved simultaneously, affecting brands’ and retailers’ positioning and ultimately making the performance outcome for individual brands difficult to predict. Likewise, the impact on brand performance after the PW, when prices are restored, is unclear. The authors use a natural-experiment approach to track brand sales and shares before, during, and after a long-lasting supermarket PW in the Dutch grocery market. They find that PWs are not truly revenue, sales, or share generators for most brands unless prices remain reduced permanently by the retailer. Only after the PW, when rivals’ prices are restored and the focal brand's reduced retail price is maintained, can substantial sales, revenues, and share gains be realized. Moreover, restoring prices without additional price promotion support can severely damage brands’ performance. Overall, national brands can gain share, sales, and revenue, but at the cost of not restoring regular prices, while private labels can benefit even when prices are restored after the PW ends.
Financial structures, firms, and the welfare states in South Korea and Singapore
Authors: Lim Sijeong
Published: March 2015

South Korea and Singapore display distinctive patterns of social provision. The Singaporean welfare state has served as the primary provider of social infrastructure and services, whereas the South Korean welfare state has developed its primary role in supporting income maintenance. These differences are not well accounted for in the existing literature, which focuses on similarities between the two regimes. This paper shows that deep institutional legacies in the two countries’ respective financial structures powerfully shaped their unique social policy instruments. In South Korea, where financial openness was low and firms relied on relationship-based financing, the corresponding long-term perspectives on production and employment encouraged the private provision of welfare-related infrastructure and services. In Singapore, where firms have relied heavily on arm’s length financing, the corresponding flexible investment and employment perspectives encouraged the utilization of private income maintenance arrangements. Each country’s government prioritized the mode of social provision that the firms were less willing to engage in. These findings suggest that financial liberalization may be an important determinant of welfare regimes in developing countries.
Die Behandlung von Tierdiebstählen in der ›Lex Salica‹
Authors: Seebold Elmar
Published: March 2015

Abstract for part A

The most detailed regulations of theft and robbery in the ›Lex Salica‹ concern the theft of piglets. The words listed in »Ergebnisse, a) Behandelte Glossenwörter« are explained in detail.
Serum calcitonin negative medullary thyroid carcinoma: a systematic review of the literature
Authors: Trimboli Pierpaolo , Giovanella Luca
Published: March 2015

Generally, calcitonin (CT) values below the upper reference limit rule-out medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) with very high accuracy. However, sparse cases of serum-calcitonin-negative MTC (CT-NEG-MTC) have been reported. Here we reviewed CT-NEG-MTC reported in literature, discussed the potential causes and proposed a practical laboratory and clinical approach. A comprehensive literature search was conducted by using the terms “medullary thyroid carcinoma” AND “non-secreting calcitonin” OR “undetectable calcitonin”. The search was updated until December 2014. Original articles that described CT-NEG-MTC were eligible for inclusion. Only MTC cases with preoperative CT below the upper reference limit were included in the present review. Eleven papers with 18 CT-NEG-MTC cases (age 50 years, size 26 mm) were retrieved. Four patients with poorly differentiated MTC died within 3 years. Different CT assays were employed and different reference values were adopted. Preoperative serum CT values were below the institution cut-off levels in all cases, and undetectable in four patients. In some papers negative CT results were confirmed by additional tests. Further laboratory investigations were performed in some of the included studies. In patients with well founded suspicious of MTC and within the reference limits/undetectable CT other laboratory investigations [carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), procalcitonin, CT stimulation, CT in washout of nodule’s aspiration] have to be performed. Surgical approach to CT-NEG-MTC does not differ from those secreting CT. Postoperative follow-up of these rare cases should include periodical imaging and measurement of all potential markers. Patients with poorly differentiated MTC are at higher risk of disease-related death, and require more aggressive follow-up strategy.
Independence and Professionalism in the Institutional Design of Supreme Audit Institutions in Latin America and the Caribbean
Authors: Restrepo Manuel Alberto
Published: March 2015

The primary purpose of this research is to determine whether the institutional design of supreme audit institutions (SAIs) in Latin America and the Caribbean meets the criteria of independence and professionalism established in the principles of the Lima and Mexico Declarations of the International Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions (
Ras activation revisited: role of GEF and GAP systems
Authors: Hennig Anne , Markwart Robby , Esparza-Franco Manuel A. , Ladds Graham , Rubio Ignacio
Published: March 2015

Ras is a prototypical small G-protein and a central regulator of growth, proliferation and differentiation processes in virtually every nucleated cell. As such, Ras becomes engaged and activated by multiple growth factors, mitogens, cytokines or adhesion receptors. Ras activation comes about by changes in the steady-state equilibrium between the inactive guanosine diphosphate (GDP)-bound and active guanosine triphosphate (GTP)-bound states of Ras, resulting in the mostly transient accumulation of Ras-GTP. Three decades of intense Ras research have disclosed various families of guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs) and GTPase activating proteins (GAPs) as the two principal regulatory elements of the Ras-GDP/GTP loading status. However, with the possible exception of the GEF Sos, we still have only a rudimentary knowledge of the precise role played by many GEF and GAP members in the signalling network upstream of Ras. As for GAPs, we even lack the fundamental understanding of whether they function as genuine signal transducers in the context of growth factor-elicited Ras activation or rather act as passive modulators of the Ras-GDP/GTP cycle. Here we sift through the large body of Ras literature and review the relevant data for understanding the participation and precise role played by GEFs and GAPs in the process of Ras activation.
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? Should Justice Beware: A Review of Voice Identification Evidence in Light of Advances in Biometric Voice Identification Technology
Authors: Singh Charanjit
Published: March 2015

The debate relating to the quality of voice identification evidence in the United Kingdom continues against the backdrop of advances being made in the use of biometric voice identification evidence (BIVE) and the technology (BVIT). Anecdotal evidence shows that BVIE is being adduced in criminal prosecutions across the United Kingdom (UK) predominantly in cases involving terror crimes. This also suggests that the courts are willing to accept BVIE as being reliable even though experts in the fields of phonetics and law disagree as to its veracity. The argument against admission rests on the lack of sophistication in the traditional ear-witness voice identification methods of acoustic and auditory analysis (AAA), and now biometrics because of its infancy. Experts therefore argue that scientific reliability should be demanded from such evidence if it is to be used for criminal prosecutions and this not currently achieved. Therefore, a number of issues arise as a result of this. For example, the potential erosion of civil rights, the legal implications that relate to obtaining and using mixed biometric voice identification evidence (MBVIE) – this is the evidence of an ear-witness verified using BVIT. Related to this is the notion that the jury and lawyers need to be educated on how such evidence should be received and used. Presently, there insufficient guidance on where the UKs courts should draw the line in admitting potentially hazardous evidence such as this. Exactly when BVIE becomes unreliable in a legal and scientific sense remains unclear. This significantly contributes to the debate surrounding the codification of evidence law and the introduction of a reliability test, along the lines of that used in other jurisdictions including the United States of America, to mitigate the risks that lie in admitting unreliable evidence. The purpose of this article is to contrast ear-witness and BVIE by exploring the contemporary debates that surround their admission and the notional extent to which BVIT is being used to police the UK. Furthermore, to review whether the advances made in BVIT can contribute to the reliability of the evidence by reducing error rates and false-positive identification.
Nearest-Neighbor Estimation for ROC Analysis under Verification Bias
Authors: Adimari Gianfranco , Chiogna Monica
Published: March 2015

For a continuous-scale diagnostic test, the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve is a popular tool for displaying the ability of the test to discriminate between healthy and diseased subjects. In some studies, verification of the true disease status is performed only for a subset of subjects, possibly depending on the test result and other characteristics of the subjects. Estimators of the ROC curve based only on this subset of subjects are typically biased; this is known as verification bias. Methods have been proposed to correct verification bias, in particular under the assumption that the true disease status, if missing, is missing at random (MAR). MAR assumption means that the probability of missingness depends on the true disease status only through the test result and observed covariate information. However, the existing methods require parametric models for the (conditional) probability of disease and/or the (conditional) probability of verification, and hence are subject to model misspecification: a wrong specification of such parametric models can affect the behavior of the estimators, which can be inconsistent. To avoid misspecification problems, in this paper we propose a fully nonparametric method for the estimation of the ROC curve of a continuous test under verification bias. The method is based on nearest-neighbor imputation and adopts generic smooth regression models for both the probability that a subject is diseased and the probability that it is verified. Simulation experiments and an illustrative example show the usefulness of the new method. Variance estimation is also discussed.
Japan’s News Media, The Information Disclosure Law, and The Fukushima Nuclear Disaster
Authors: Repeta Lawrence
Published: March 2015

Official investigations that followed the Fukushima Nuclear Disaster revealed that it could have been prevented by reasonable safety measures. Investigators concluded that close relationships between government officials and industry executives led to very weak regulatory oversight and the failure to address the risk of violent earthquakes and tsunami such as those that struck the Fukushima Nuclear Power Station on March 11, 2011. News reporters conducted their own investigations in the months following the disaster. Japan’s information disclosure law provided an invaluable tool that enabled them to obtain government records related to regulation of Japan’s nuclear power plants. This article describes some of the stories they produced. Appearing on the front pages of newspapers with daily circulations in the millions, this work provided an authoritative inside view of the failed regulatory process to the Japanese people. The work of the investigative bodies and the news media drove the demand for change that led to disbanding of the regulatory agencies that failed and their replacement by an entirely new regulatory body. This article highlights the importance of “right to know” laws such as Japan’s information disclosure law in creating the opportunity for news reporters and others to demand the release of otherwise confidential government records that can enlighten everyone on matters of great public interest.
Sulfonylurea in the treatment of neonatal diabetes mellitus children with heterogeneous genetic backgrounds
Authors: Zhang Miaoying , Chen Xiuli , Shen Shuixian , Li Tang , Chen Linqi , Hu Min , Cao Lingfeng , Cheng Ruoqian , Zhao Zhuhui , Luo Feihong
Published: March 2015

The pathogenic base of neonatal diabetes mellitus (NDM) is highly heterogeneous. Sulfonylurea (SU) has been successfully applied in majority of NDM patients with K

We identified 16 patients with NDM. These patients underwent SU titration and were followed after successful SU monotherapy. All patients were sequenced for all exons and adjacent intron-exon junctions of

Of the 16 patients, 15 (94%) reached glycemic goal (7–10 mmol/L) after SU monotherapy except one patient with the

Our study showed that SU monotherapy resulted in satisfactory glycemic control in most of the patients with NDM whose genetic defects are heterogeneous. The usage of SU may be considered as first-line therapy for patients with NDM in developing countries where effective genetic screening is not established.
Welfare Luck Egalitarianism and Expensive Tastes
Authors: Holtug Nils
Published: March 2015

In his classic paper “Equality of What? Part 1: Equality of Welfare”, Ronald Dworkin argued that we should reject the notion that welfare is the currency of egalitarian justice. One reason is that this notion implies we should compensate individuals for expensive tastes they have deliberately cultivated. However, several egalitarians have objected that Dworkin conflates the resource/welfare and the luck/choice distinction. In particular, welfare luck egalitarianism implies that expensive tastes that are deliberately cultivated may not be compensable. In response to this criticism, Dworkin has more recently argued that welfare luck egalitarianism in fact collapses into ordinary welfare egalitarianism, or relies on an account of luck that is either incoherent or at least cannot provide a basis for egalitarian redistribution. Therefore, according to Dworkin, welfare luck egalitarianism does not solve the problem of expensive tastes. In the current article, I critically assess these recent arguments of Dworkin’s about the inadequacy of welfare luck egalitarianism. I argue that Dworkin has not shown that this notion collapses into ordinary welfare egalitarianism, or that it harbours a problematic account of luck.
On the interaction between gold and silver metal atoms and DNA/RNA nucleobases – a comprehensive computational study of ground state properties
Authors: Espinosa Leal Leonardo Andres , Lopez-Acevedo Olga
Published: March 2015

The interaction between metal atoms and nucleobases has been a topic of high interest due to the wide scientific and technological implications. Combining density functional theory simulations with a literature overview, we achieved an exhaustive study of the ground state electronic properties of DNA/RNA nucleobases interacting with gold and silver atoms at three charge states: neutral, cationic, and anionic. We describe the nature of the stability and electronic properties in each hybrid metallic structure. In addition to the metal interacting with the five isolated nucleobases, we included their respective DNA-WC base pairs and one case with the protonated sugar-phosphate backbone. As a general trend, we discerned that the energetic ordering of isomers follows simple electrostatic rules as expected from previous studies. Also, we found that although the metal localizes almost all of the extra charge in the anionic system, a donation of charge is shared almost equally in the cationic system. Furthermore, the frontier orbitals of the cationic system tend to have more effects from the pairing and inclusion of the backbone than the anionic system. Finally, the electronic gap varies greatly among all of the considered structures and could be further used as a fingerprint when searching DNA-metal hybrid structures.
Synthesis and structure of new microporous Nd(III) silicates of the rhodesite group
Authors: Munhá Rui F. , Ananias Duarte , Paz Filipe A. Almeida , Rocha João
Published: March 2015

The synthesis and structural characterization of two novel trivalent neodymium microporous silicates whose structures are reminiscent of the structure of mineral montregianite of the rhodesite group, and their infrared light-emission properties are reported. The compound KNa2Nd[Si8O19]·5H2O (1) crystallizes in the orthorhombic Pmma space group: a = 23.9016(17) Å, b = 6.9980(5) Å, c = 6.5474(5) Å. Heating 1 at 200 °C for 40 min affords a new partially dehydrated phase, KNa2Nd[Si8O19]·2.8H2O (2), also crystallizing in the orthorhombic Pmma space group: a = 23.923(4) Å, b = 6.9950(11) Å, c = 6.5474(10) Å. Compound 2 is the hydrated phase with the lowest content of water molecule reported to date in the rhodesite mineral series.
A New Device for Measuring the Supercritical CO2 Permeability in Porous Rocks Under Reservoir Conditions
Authors: Ye Bin , Ye Weimin , Zhang Feng , Xu Long
Published: March 2015

This paper describes a newly developed device for measuring the CO2 permeability coefficient in porous rocks under reservoir conditions, in which the pressure and temperature of injected CO2 are usually beyond the critical point of 7.38 MPa and 31.8°C. The device consists of a pressure cell, a syringe pump for CO2, a pressure amplifier, a heating unit, and a measurement system. Two buffer tanks are set at the inlet and outlet of the seepage chamber to maintain stable CO2 injection and back pressures during testing. The supercritical CO2 flowing through the rock sample is depressurized to the gaseous phase to measure its flow rate at low pressure. An average flow rate over time is used to calculate the permeability coefficient of CO2 in the rock sample. A performance test was conducted to demonstrate the detailed characteristics of the device. A sample application using silt rock for testing proved that the device can effectively measure the permeability coefficient of supercritical CO2 in porous rock.
Taming the Wild West in the Late 1940s
Authors: Sterba Christopher M.
Published: March 2015

In late 1945, a group of outraged citizens in the small city of El Cerrito formed a “Good Government League” to challenge the gambling and liquor interests who controlled City Hall. In the next few years the League achieved all of its agenda: a city manager plan, civil service reform, and the end of wide-open gambling. A movement like this was fairly typical of the Progressive Era. But the city in question was not a turn-of-the-century metropolis like New York or Chicago. These events happened in the late 1940s in a small bedroom community located just to the north of Berkeley. Within a few years, El Cerrito transformed its reputation from “Little Reno” to the squeaky-clean “City of Homes.” As a case study, the El Cerrito story is interesting for a number of reasons. Most importantly, it highlights how development in the San Francisco Bay Area has involved a regional periodization that differs from what we might traditionally associate with suburban growth. The city's Old West heritage was a major source of political conflict, while the activism of the city's new middle class contrasts with what sociologists called the politically quiescent “Organization Men” of the era's “Lonely Crowd.” The El Cerrito experience also lends insight into why the Bay Area has remained politically liberal since 1945. The city's reformers embraced much of the language and platform of the turn-of-the-century progressives. But they also lived through the Great Depression and the Second World War, and desired most of all to make public policy that would ensure economic security and equal opportunity. Their emphasis on an active public sector left a legacy that can still be felt today.
Chronic erythropoietin treatment improves diet-induced glucose intolerance in rats
Authors: Caillaud Corinne , Mechta Mie , Ainge Heidi , Madsen Andreas N , Ruell Patricia , Mas Emilie , Bisbal Catherine , Mercier Jacques , Twigg Stephen , Mori Trevor A , Simar David , Barrès Romain
Published: March 2015

Erythropoietin (EPO) ameliorates glucose metabolism through mechanisms not fully understood. In this study, we investigated the effect of EPO on glucose metabolism and insulin signaling in skeletal muscle. A 2-week EPO treatment of rats fed with a high-fat diet (HFD) improved fasting glucose levels and glucose tolerance, without altering total body weight or retroperitoneal fat mass. Concomitantly, EPO partially rescued insulin-stimulated AKT activation, reduced markers of oxidative stress, and restored heat-shock protein 72 expression in soleus muscles from HFD-fed rats. Incubation of skeletal muscle cell cultures with EPO failed to induce AKT phosphorylation and had no effect on glucose uptake or glycogen synthesis. We found that theEPOreceptor gene was expressed in myotubes, but was undetectable in soleus. Together, our results indicate that EPO treatment improves glucose tolerance but does not directly activate the phosphorylation of AKT in muscle cells. We propose that the reduced systemic inflammation or oxidative stress that we observed after treatment with EPO could contribute to the improvement of whole-body glucose metabolism.
Scintigraphic assessment of renal function in steel plant workers occupationally exposed to lead
Authors: Wron´ska‐Nofer Teresa , Pisarska Anna , Trzcinka‐Ochocka Małgorzata , Hałatek Tadeusz , Stetkiewicz Jan , Braziewicz Janusz , Nofer Jerzy‐Roch , Waąsowicz Wojciech
Published: March 2015

Scintigraphic assessment of renal function in steel plant workers occupationally exposed to lead: Teresa Wrońska‐Nofer, et al. Department of Toxicology and Carcinogenesis, Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine, Poland

Objective

Occupational exposure to lead may produce kidney damage, but existing data on the dose range associated with nephrotoxicity are inconclusive. We here assessed renal function under conditions of low to moderate lead exposure using renal scintigraphy.

Methods

Fifty‐three male foundrymen (exposed group) and fourty male office workers (control group) from a steel plant were included in the study. Glomerular and tubular renal function were assessed by means of 99mTc‐DTPA and 99mTc‐EC clearance, respectively. Urinary markers of glomerular dysfunction (albumin) and tubular damage (α1‐microglobulin (α1M), β2‐microglobulin (β2M), retinol‐binding protein (RBP), N‐acetyl‐β‐glucosaminidase (NAG) activity) were determined using latex beads tests or colorimetry. The lead concentration in blood was measured with atomic absorption spectrometry.

Results

The blood lead concentrations were 145.8 (121.3−175.3) and 39.3 (35.1−44.1) µg/l (geometric mean, 95th CI, p<0.001) in the exposed and control groups, respectively. Subjects exposed to lead presented with increased 99mTc‐DTPA clearance (158.3 (148.4−168.8) vs. 135.9 (127.9−144.4) ml/min; p<0.01) and urinary albumin excretion (7.61 (6.28−9.22) vs. 4.78 (4.05−5.65) mg/g creatinine; p<0.001). 99mTc‐EC clearance and excretion of α1M, β2M, RBP and NAG were not significantly different between the groups. Significant correlations between 99mTc‐DTPA clearance and blood lead concentrations (r=0.45; p<0.01) and between urinary albumin excretion and blood lead concentrations (r=0.71; p<0.001) were noted.

Conclusions

Use of renal scintigraphy in present study revealed measurable alterations of renal function under the conditions of lowlevel lead exposure and suggest that increased glomerular filtration may be an early indicator of kidney damage in subjects occupationally exposed to lead.
Sarcodon atroviridis sensu lato, a stipitate hydnoid from Amazonian campinarana, Roraima, Brazil
Authors: Komura Dirce Leimi , Wartchow Felipe , Zartman Charles E.
Published: March 2015

Sarcodon atroviridis sensu lato has a rich nomenclatural history as a result of its variable morphology. Here we discuss the species most plastic morphological characters as well as its ecology and distribution, and we report it for the first time from the State of Roraima, Brazil. Color images of the basidiomata, complete descriptions and microscopic images are also provided.
Space remote sensing systems transmission capabilities modeling
Authors: Burshtynska Khrystyna , Dolynska Iryna
Published: March 2015

Space information, or information obtained by means of space remote sensing, is widely and
effectively used by many countries to solve a lot of scientific, technical and applied problems.
Most manufacturers of space remote sensing systems declared the high resolution values of
their systems. However, these values are computed theoretically, without considering the various factors affected them. To determine the real resolution of the system, we have considered
mathematical modeling which describes the influence of different factors on the satellite images
resolution. Some of these factors are: atmosphere turbulence, image shift, residual defocusing,
and diffraction. One of the most important characteristic of the images resolution is the modulation transfer function (MTF) which allows the estimation of different factors affected on the
image resolution.
The modulation transfer function (MTF) is a fundamental tool for assessing the performance
of imaging systems. Various authors [Zhang et al. 2012, Hwang et al. 2008, Ryan et al. 2003]
investigate different MTF assessment methods of high resolution satellite images: a slant-edge
method, a knife-edge method, a sine wave method and a grill pattern. We propose a generalized
approach for MTF assessment based on theoretical assumptions which allows to determine the
influence of different factors.
A comparative analysis of the modulation transfer function(s) for different space imaging systems shows that the image resolution depends mainly on the atmosphere turbulence and size of
a sensor element. Additionally, we established that atmospheric turbulence significantly reduces
the transmitting possibility of images. The parameters which describe the influence of turbulence required additional studies.
The main goal of our researches is to show that real spatial image(s) resolution is much “inferior”
than the value provided by the manufacturers of space remote sensing systems.
Panoramic videography as a potential tool for enhancement of land intensity factors
Authors: Kwiatek Karol , Litwin Urszula
Published: March 2015

The article explores the potential of using panoramic videography for the spatial engineering
and spatial management of landscape. The concept of panoramic photography, as a basis for
panoramic videography, has been widely used for visualisation of cultural heritage sites and documentation of various sites. Panoramas are widely used, for example, by Google in StreetView
to present not only the cityscapes, but recently also rural landscapes. Panoramic videography is
a process of creating panoramic (360-degree) video, which represents the dynamic environment.
The land intensity factors (WIT – in Polish: “współczynniki intensywności terenu”) introduced
by Litwin is a method for evaluation of the landscape where different functions can be specified:
agricultural, non-agricultural and recreational. Although this method can be used in different
terrains, this article proposes to use panoramic video camera for the enhancement of the recreation function of WIT.
The process of creating panoramic videography is explained in this article as it was tested and
explored in the United Kingdom (in Launceston) and Poland (the district of Czarny Dunajec). It
is based on gathering imagery not from airplanes but from a mobile setup that traverses through
streets. What is more, the combination of vector and raster modelling of terrain in a visual and
interactive environment has a potential to become a powerful tool for enhancement of land
intensity factors. The administrative borders are one of the drawbacks for a determination of
WIT and comparing them to terrain values. This article proposes the application of a path-based
approach to visualize changes in land value and recreation function thanks to data collected
from panoramic videography and information input to database. Annotations and measurements (panoramic photogrammetry) gathered from geo-referenced video provides a potential
not only for determining WIT factors, but also for regional planning.
The role of spatial planning in flood protection
Authors: Wałęga Andrzej
Published: March 2015

The paper presents the evaluation of flood risk in the watershed of the Serafa River – the right
tributary of the Vistula. The assessment involved the hydrological calculation and hydrodynamic modeling of wave transformation in the riverbed. The final risk assessment was based on
the determination of critical areas, where the largest flood losses occur. It has been shown that
proper spatial planning plays an important role in reducing flood-related losses. Moreover, it is
necessary to take sustainable actions consisting in delaying the runoff from the watershed by the
application of different forms of small retention and infiltration methods.
The effects of urbanization on population density, occupancy, and detection probability of wild felids
Authors: Lewis Jesse S. , Logan Kenneth A. , Alldredge Mat W. , Bailey Larissa L. , VandeWoude Sue , Crooks Kevin R.
Published: March 2015

Urbanization is a primary driver of landscape conversion, with far‐reaching effects on landscape pattern and process, particularly related to the population characteristics of animals. Urbanization can alter animal movement and habitat quality, both of which can influence population abundance and persistence. We evaluated three important population characteristics (population density, site occupancy, and species detection probability) of a medium‐sized and a large carnivore across varying levels of urbanization. Specifically, we studied bobcat and puma populations across wildland, exurban development, and wildland–urban interface (WUI) sampling grids to test hypotheses evaluating how urbanization affects wild felid populations and their prey. Exurban development appeared to have a greater impact on felid populations than did habitat adjacent to a major urban area (i.e., WUI); estimates of population density for both bobcats and pumas were lower in areas of exurban development compared to wildland areas, whereas population density was similar between WUI and wildland habitat. Bobcats and pumas were less likely to be detected in habitat as the amount of human disturbance associated with residential development increased at a site, which was potentially related to reduced habitat quality resulting from urbanization. However, occupancy of both felids was similar between grids in both study areas, indicating that this population metric was less sensitive than density. At the scale of the sampling grid, detection probability for bobcats in urbanized habitat was greater than in wildland areas, potentially due to restrictive movement corridors and funneling of animal movements in landscapes influenced by urbanization. Occupancy of important felid prey (cottontail rabbits and mule deer) was similar across levels of urbanization, although elk occupancy was lower in urbanized areas. Our study indicates that the conservation of medium‐ and large‐sized felids associated with urbanization likely will be most successful if large areas of wildland habitat are maintained, even in close proximity to urban areas, and wildland habitat is not converted to low‐density residential development.
Mycorrhizal response trades off with plant growth rate and increases with plant successional status
Authors: Koziol Liz , Bever James D.
Published: March 2015

Early‐successional plant species invest in rapid growth and reproduction in contrast to slow growing late‐successional species. We test the consistency of trade‐offs between plant life history and responsiveness on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. We selected four very early‐, seven early‐, 11 middle‐, and eight late‐successional plant species from six different families and functional groups and grew them with and without a mixed fungal inoculum and compared root architecture, mycorrhizal responsiveness, and plant growth rate. Our results indicate mycorrhizal responsiveness increases with plant successional stage and that this effect explains more variation in mycorrhizal response than is explained by phylogenetic relatedness. The mycorrhizal responsiveness of individual plant species was positively correlated with mycorrhizal root infection and negatively correlated with average plant mass and the number of root tips per unit mass, indicating that both plant growth rate and root architecture trade off with investment in mycorrhizal mutualisms. Because late‐successional plants are very responsive to mycorrhizal fungi, our results suggest that fungal community dynamics may be an important driver of plant succession.