bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Beckett and Ionesco: The Tragic Awareness Of Pascal And The Ironic Awareness Of Flaubert
Authors: Dubois Jacques
Published: April 2013

Waiting for Godot and The Chairs opened in Paris within the same year; they are perhaps the two most outstanding and significant works of the avant-garde theater. It is therefore surprising that scarcely any attention has been paid to similarities so striking that both plays might have been constructed from the same outline.
The Mythic Pattern In Waiting For Godot
Authors: Brooks Curtis
Published: April 2013

THE OUT-OF-DOORS SETTING OF Waiting for Godot suggests that the tragicomedy falls into a seasonal mythic pattern. However diminished they may be, we are furnished with a sun, a moon, and a sky; there is also a tree, a bog and solid earth. The two tramps are, or have been, itinerant workers—grape harvesters. They have had a close contact with earth's life; they are "two tramps in mud time."
SINGULARS: The Comic Apocalypse Of King Hamm
Authors: Sheedy John
Published: April 2013

ITS OUTRAGEOUS BUFFOONERY AND WIT sustained in a context of apocalyptic implication, Samuel Beckett's Endgame achieves a disturbing synthesis. Presenting a stark vision of the consequences of those old, relentlessly renewed acts for which every man must claim some responsibility, the play swiftly becomes an oracle of man's doom: a reading in savage debaucheries and elegant ratiocinations of the silence ahead. Any laugher at Endgame laughs at his own wounds.
Ts'ao Yü, The Reluctant Disciple Of Chekhov: A Comparative Study Of Sunrise AndThe Cherry Orchard
Authors: Lau Joseph
Published: April 2013

IN POINT OF PROGRESS, THE INTERIM YEARS BETWEEN Thunderstorm (1934) and Sunrise (1936) were most beneficial to the artistic growth of Ts'ao Vii, for in these three years he had gradually become aware of the limitation of his own craft as expressed in Thunderstorm. "I have recently become more and more disappointed—to the point of nausea—with Thunderstorm," he confessed in his Postscript to Sunrise; "I find its structure too 'theatrical,' a result of my overdependence on the magic of stage tricks."
T'ien Han And The Romantic Ibsen
Authors: Tung Constantine
Published: April 2013

AMONG ALL LIVING PLAYWRIGHTS OF China T'ien Han has had the longest dramatic career. Born in 1898, his life is inseparably interwoven with the growth of modern Chinese drama, a genre born out of the influence of Western drama. He has been very active in almost every aspect of this drama for more than four decades. He was the founder of the well-known South Land Drama Society (Nan-kuo she), South Land Fine Arts College (Nan-kuo ishuhsueh-yiian), editor of the South Land Bi-weekly (Nan-kuo panyueh-k'an), and has surpassed all other modern Chinese playwrights in sheer volume of output. He is one of the most important playwrights of modern China, and each stage of his dramatic creativity reflects a period in the development of modern Chinese drama.
The Social Role Of Popular Theater Of Southeast Asia
Authors: Brandon James
Published: April 2013

IN SOUTHEAST ASIA, THEATER HAS EVOLVED within three main traditions: a folk tradition, a court tradition, and a popular tradition. Looked at in historical terms folk theater began in the dim pre-historic past, court theater developed and flourished between the tenth and the nineteenth centuries, while popular theater is a product, by and large, of the twentieth century. These traditions mutually influenced each other to a very great extent, and often a theater form which evolved within one tradition was taken over into another tradition. Recognizing that these traditions are not wholly distinct from each other, nevertheless it is useful to compare their general characteristics in order to arrive at an understanding of the unique role which theater in the popular tradition plays in Southeast Asian society.
A Preconditioning Regimen with a PKCε Activator Improves Islet Graft Function in a Mouse Transplant Model
Authors: Hamilton Diana , Rugg Caitlin , Davis Nicolynn , Kvezereli Manana , Tafti Bashir Akhavan , Busque Stephan , Fontaine Magali
Published: April 2013

Transplantation of islets isolated from deceased donor pancreata is an attractive method of β-cell replacement therapy for patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D). However, the loss of islet cell viability and function during the peritransplant period is a limiting factor to long-term islet engraftment. Activation of the isoenzyme PKCe may improve islet survival and function. The current study assesses the effects of PKCe activation on islet graft function in a syngeneic streptozotocin-induced diabetic mouse model. Islets were isolated from wild-type BALB/c mice preconditioned with either a PKCe activator (ψεRACK) or a TAT carrier control peptide. Islets were further treated with the same agents during isolation, purification, and incubation prior to transplantation. Two hundred seventy-five islet equivalents were transplanted under the kidney capsule of streptozotocin-induced diabetic BALB/c mice. Islet function was assessed by measurement of blood glucose levels every 3 days for 42 days after transplant and through an intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test (IPGTT). The time for return to euglycemia in mice transplanted with islets treated with ψεRACK was improved at 14 ± 6 days versus 21 ± 6 days with TAT-treated islets. The IPGTT showed a 50% reduction in the area under the curve associated with an improved insulin response in mice transplanted with ψεRACK-treated islets compared to TAT-treated islets. A preconditioning regimen using PKCe agonist before pancreatic recovery and during islet isolation improves islet graft function and resistance to high glucose stress after transplantation.
Efficacy and Safety of Autologous Bone Marrow-Derived Stem Cell Transplantation in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Study
Authors: Bhansali Anil , Asokumar Premkumar , Walia Rama , Bhansali Shobhit , Gupta Vivek , Jain Ashish , Sachdeva Naresh , Sharma Rati Ram , Marwaha Neelam , Khandelwal Niranjan
Published: April 2013

There is a growing interest in cell-based therapies in T2DM as β-cell failure is progressive and inexorable with the advancing duration of disease. This prospective, randomized, single-blinded placebo-controlled study evaluates the efficacy and safety of autologous bone marrow-derived stem cell transplantation (ABMSCT) in T2DM. Twenty-one patients with triple oral antidiabetic drug failure and requiring insulin ≥0.4 IU per kg per day with HbA1c <7.5% were randomly assigned to an intervention ( n = 11) and control group ( n = 10) and followed for 12 months. Patients in the intervention group received ABMSCT through a targeted approach, and after 12 weeks, a second dose of stem cells was administered through the antecubital vein after mobilization with G-CSF, while the control group underwent a sham procedure. The primary end point was a reduction in insulin requirement by ≥50% from baseline while maintaining HbA1c <7%. Nine out of the 11 (82%) patients in the intervention group achieved the primary end point, whereas none of the patients in the control group did over the study period ( p = 0.002). The insulin requirement decreased by 66.7% in the intervention group from 42.0 (31.0-64.0) IU per day to 14.0 (0.0-30.0) IU per day ( p = 0.011), while in controls it decreased by 32.1% from 40.5 (31.8-44.3) IU per day to 27.5 (23.5-33.3) IU per day ( p = 0.008) at 12 months. The reduction in insulin requirement was significantly more in the intervention group compared to controls at both 6 ( p = 0.001) and 12 months ( p = 0.004). There was a modest but nonsignificant increase in HbA1c (%) in cases from 6.9% (6.4-7.2%) to 7.1% (6.6-7.5%) as well as in controls from 6.9% (6.2-7.0%) to 7.0% (6.9-7.5%). Ten out of 11 (91%) patients could maintain HbA1c <7% in the intervention group, whereas 6 out of 10 did (60%) in the control group ( p = 0.167). The glucagon-stimulated C-peptide significantly increased in treated cases compared to controls ( p = 0.036). The decrease in insulin requirement positively correlated with stimulated C-peptide ( r = 0.8, p = 0.001). In conclusion, ABMSCT results in a significant decrease in the insulin dose requirement along with an improvement in the stimulated C-peptide levels in T2DM. However, a greater number of patients with a longer duration of follow-up are required to substantiate these observations.
Mutual Interaction between Human Multipotent Adult Progenitor Cells and NK Cells
Authors: Jacobs Sandra A. , Plessers Jeroen , Pinxteren Jef , Roobrouck Valerie D. , Verfaillie Catherine M. , Van Gool Stefaan W.
Published: April 2013

Human multipotent adult progenitor cells (hMAPCs) are isolated from bone marrow with a more extensive expansion capacity compared to human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) and with the ability to differentiate into endothelium. Like hMSCs, hMAPCs inhibit T-cell proliferation induced by alloantigens. In this study, we tested the interaction between hMAPCs and natural killer (NK) cells. We assessed the susceptibility of hMAPCs to NK cell-mediated lysis and the immunomodulation of hMAPCs on NK cell function during IL-2-driven stimulation and the cytolytic effector phase. Human MAPCs express the ligands PVR and ULBP-2/5/6, which are recognized by activating NK cell receptors. However, they also express MHC class I molecules, which induce inhibitory signals in NK cells. Freshly isolated NK cells at different effector:target ratios did not kill hMAPCs as assessed by an MTT and 51Cr-release assay, while hMAPCs impaired the cytotoxic activity of resting NK cells against the NK-sensitive K562 leukemia cell line. By contrast, IL-2-stimulated NK cells were capable of killing hMAPCs, and preactivated NK cells were not influenced during their cytotoxic effector function against K562 cells by hMAPCs. When added during the 6-day preactivation phase with IL-2, hMAPCs dose-dependently reduced NK cell proliferation in an IDO-dependent manner, but they did not influence the induction of cytotoxic capacity by IL-2. This study indicates that human MAPCs mutually interact with NK cells.
Improvement of Cardiac Stem Cell Sheet Therapy for Chronic Ischemic Injury by Adding Endothelial Progenitor Cell Transplantation: Analysis of Layer-Specific Regional Cardiac Function
Authors: Kamata Sokichi , Miyagawa Shigeru , Fukushima Satsuki , Nakatani Satoshi , Kawamoto Atsuhiko , Saito Atsuhiro , Harada Akima , Shimizu Tatsuya , Daimon Takashi , Okano Teruo , Asahara Takayuki , Sawa Yoshiki
Published: April 2013

The transplantation of cardiac stem cell sheets (CSC sheets) is a promising therapeutic strategy for ischemic cardiomyopathy, although potential ischemia in the transplanted area remains a problem. Injected endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) can reportedly induce angiogenesis in the injected area. We hypothesized that concomitant CSC sheet transplantation and EPC injection might show better therapeutic effects for chronic ischemic injury model than the transplantation of CSC sheets alone. Scaffold-free CSC sheets were generated from human c-kit-positive heart-derived cells. A porcine chronic ischemic injury model was generated by placing an ameroid constrictor around the left coronary artery for 4 weeks. The animals then underwent a sham operation, epicardial transplantation of CSC sheet over the ischemic area, intramyocardial injection of EPCs into the ischemic and peri-ischemic area, or CSC sheet transplantation plus EPC injection. The efficacy of each treatment was then assessed for 2 months. Speckle-tracking echocardiography was used to dissect the layer-specific regional systolic function by measuring the radial strain (RS). The epicardial RS in the ischemic area was similarly greater after treatment with the CSC-derived cell sheets alone (19 ± 5%) or in combination with EPC injection (20 ± 5%) compared with the EPC only (9 ± 4%) or sham (7 ± 1%) treatment. The endocardial RS in the ischemic area was greatest after the combined treatment (14 ± 1%), followed by EPC only (12 ± 1%), compared to the CSC only (11 ± 1%) and sham (9 ± 1%) treatments. Consistently, either epicardial CSC sheet implantation or intramyocardial EPC injection yielded increased capillary number and reduced cardiac fibrosis in the ischemic epicardium or endocardium, respectively. Concomitant EPC injection induced the migration of transplanted CSCs into the host myocardium, leading to further neovascularization and reduced fibrosis in the ischemic endocardium, compared to the CSC sole therapy. Transplantation of CSC sheets induced significant functional recovery of the ischemic epicardium, and concomitant EPC transplantation elicited transmural improvement in chronic ischemic injury.
L'organisation de la fonction comptable et financière
Authors: Tondeur Hubert , de La Villarmois Olivier
Published: April 2013

L’externalisation et les centres de services partagés appliqués à la fonction administrative et comptable constituent des innovations organisationnelles rendues possibles avec le développement de l’informatique et des systèmes de gestion intégrés qui assurent une transmission de l’information en temps réel. Nous constatons actuellement le développement de ces deux formes d’organisation qui semblent répondre à la fois à un souci commun qui est l’efficience des services administratifs et comptables et à des logiques stratégiques différentes. L’objet de ce travail est de mettre en avant les déterminants de ces deux formes d’organisation et d’apprécier au travers d’études de cas si les centres de services partagés représentent une structuration intermédiaire avant l’externalisation de la fonction.
Les rôles actuels de la gestion budgétaire en France : une confrontation des perceptions de professionnels avec la littérature
Authors: Gignon-Marconnet Isabelle
Published: April 2013

Le budget reste très largement utilisé en France, en dépit des critiques dont il fait de plus en plus l’objet dans la littérature. Sur la base d’une enquête exploratoire, l’article propose une hypothèse explicative de ce paradoxe. Il fait apparaître que le maintien du budget tiendrait plus à ses rôles humains (d’orientation des comportements et de sécurisation des individus) qu’économiques. Ainsi, si cette étude confirme bien les critiques adressées à la gestion budgétaire sur ses rôles économiques, elle souligne aussi le risque qu’il y aurait à en déduire que les budgets devraient être supprimés, du moins tant qu’ils jouent des rôles humains que des démarches alternatives ne parviennent pas encore à assurer.
Prolégomènes à l'analyse des coûts dans des organisations culturelles municipales
Authors: Chatelain-Ponroy Stéphanie
Published: April 2013

Cet article est le fruit d’une étude visant à évaluer les retombées des organisations culturelles pour leurs principaux bailleurs de fonds : les municipalités. L’analyse du financement des organisations culturelles nous a semblé être un préalable indispensable à l’analyse de leurs retombées.
Les paramètres de conception des systèmes de coûts : étude comparative
Authors: Mevellec Pierre
Published: April 2013

Cela fait maintenant 10 ans que dans les pays industrialisés la révolution de l’ABC est annoncée. Pourtant il faut bien le constater la diffusion de cette nouvelle approche des coûts est lente et qu’elle est loin d’avoir supplanté les systèmes de coûts directs dans le monde anglo-saxon et les systèmes de coûts complets en France. Cet article propose non pas une explication à ce phénomène mais quelques clés permettant de caractériser, plus finement que par une simple appellation, les grandes familles de systèmes de coûts en présence.
L'approche des coûts complets par les équivalents de production, voie d'avenir ou impasse ?
Authors: Meyssonnier François
Published: April 2013

La méthode des équivalents de production GP-UVA est décrite dans ses différents aspects. Elle est ensuite discutée aussi bien dans ses fondements conceptuels que dans son utilité pour les managers. Cela conduit à estimer que c’est une technique d’analyse des coûts conservatrice par essence et introvertie alors que les entreprises ont plutôt besoin de méthodes de gestion favorisant la flexibilité et à l’écoute de l’environnement.
La gestion des données comptables : une revue de la littérature
Authors: Stolowy Hervé , Breton Gaétan
Published: April 2013

La gestion des données comptables a fait l’objet de recherches, discussions et même controverses dans plusieurs pays, comme les États-Unis, le Canada, le Royaume-Uni, l’Australie et la France. L’objectif de cet article est de réaliser une revue de la littérature conduisant à une proposition de cadre conceptuel permettant la classification des différentes formes de gestion des données comptables. Ce cadre est fondé sur le désir d’influencer les possibilités de transferts de richesse entre les différents stakeholders , qui se matérialisent à deux niveaux : le bénéfice par action et le ratio dettes/capitaux propres. La littérature sur ce sujet est extrêmement riche. Cependant, plusieurs domaines mériteraient de faire l’objet de recherches complémentaires.
Normes et pratiques de l'audit externe légal en matière de prévention et de détection de la fraude
Authors: Carassus David , Cormier Denis
Published: April 2013

Cette étude a pour objectif d’analyser les normes et le comportement des auditeurs externes légaux en matière d’évaluation du risque de fraude. Les compagnies régionales des commissaires aux comptes d’Agen, de Bordeaux, de Pau et de Toulouse participent au recensement des pratiques réalisé grâce à un questionnaire. L’analyse de ce dernier est fondée sur les réponses de quatre-vingts commissaires aux comptes, représentant près de 10 % de la population interrogée. Les résultats montrent que les facteurs organisationnels des cabinets d’audit sont reliés au fait d’être confronté à des cas de fraude et au fait de découvrir la fraude. En outre, il apparaît que les auditeurs qui intègrent le risque de fraude de manière spécifique dans leur mission d’audit externe légal, démarche préconisée par les nouvelles normes américaines d’audit, sont davantage susceptibles de découvrir les cas de fraude. L’évolution récente engagée en matière de prévention et de détection de la fraude pourrait donc trouver un terrain d’application favorable chez les commissaires aux comptes français.
Coûts d'agence et changements de commissaire aux comptes : une approche empirique
Authors: Piot Charles
Published: April 2013

Cette étude s’intéresse au rôle des coûts d’agence du financement dans la décision de changer d’auditeur et de modifier la réputation des auditeurs de sociétés cotées. Les principes théoriques suggèrent une relation positive entre le niveau ou l’évolution des coûts d’agence et la réputation des vérificateurs. Une analyse univariée et logistique de 41 changements et 44 renouvellements de commissaires aux comptes (CAC) entre 1996 et 1998 montre que la décision de changer (vs. renouveler) d’auditeur résulte essentiellement d’une contrainte réglementaire (résorber les co-commissariats non effectifs). Par ailleurs, une augmentation de l’endettement financier sur les six derniers exercices incite les sociétés à nommer des CAC plus réputés, confortant ainsi l’hypothèse que la crédibilité requise des chiffres comptables est sensible aux coûts d’agence induits par une politique d’endettement.
L'indépendance du commissaire aux comptes : une analyse empirique fondée sur trois composantes psychologiques du comportement
Authors: Prat dit Hauret Christian
Published: April 2013

L’objet de l’étude est d’étudier trois composantes psychologiques des auditeurs français confrontés à des situations susceptibles de remettre en cause leur indépendance. Les variables étudiées sont : le stade de développement moral cognitif, le locus de contrôle et le niveau de croyance en un monde juste. Le niveau d’indépendance des auditeurs français et les variables psychologiques ont été mesurés à partir de quatre situations d’audit et de protocoles de recherche présentés dans le cadre d’un questionnaire auto-administré. Les résultats de la recherche ont montré que les auditeurs qui ont le niveau d’indépendance le plus élevé ont un niveau de développement moral cognitif conventionnel et un niveau de croyance dans un monde juste moyen.
Facteurs explicatifs des politiques de réévaluation positive d'actifs
Authors: Missonier-Piera Franck
Published: April 2013

Cet article examine les facteurs susceptibles d’influer sur les réévaluations positives des entreprises suisses cotées. L’analyse empirique suggère que cette pratique permet essentiellement de réduire les coûts de l’endettement en signalant une capacité d’emprunt supplémentaire, ainsi que de réduire les coûts politiques engendrés par l’importance des salariés dans l’entreprise.
Le résultat comptable : conception par les normalisateurs et perception par les analystes financiers
Authors: Saghroun Judith
Published: April 2013

L’objectif de cette recherche est d’identifier un éventuel écart de représentation entre la conception du résultat émanant, explicitement ou implicitement, des normalisateurs et sa perception par les analystes financiers. Fondée sur des entretiens, cette étude qualitative à visée exploratoire se situe dans le contexte d’une actualité comptable très dense avec l’adoption prochaine des normes IAS par les sociétés cotées européennes et les « révolutions » de la normalisation américaine.
Les provisions environnementales et la gestion stratégique des résultats : une étude canadienne
Authors: Berthelot Sylvie , Cormier Denis , Magnan Michel
Published: April 2013

Dans cette étude, nous postulons que la décision des dirigeants d’une entreprise en matière de provision environnementale est motivée par la volonté de : 1) lisser les résultats, 2) minimiser les coûts contractuels liés aux emprunts ou à la défaillance, 3) gérer la visibilité politique (exposition aux médias). L’échantillon regroupe des entreprises canadiennes des secteurs d’activité suivants : pâtes et papiers et produits forestiers ; mines et métallurgie ; produits pétroliers pour la période 1990-1996. Nos principaux constats sont les suivants : les entreprises établissent des provisions environnementales dans le but de lisser leurs résultats lorsqu’ils sont volatils ; les entreprises politiquement visibles augmentent le montant de la dotation à provision environnementale. Les coûts contractuels découlant de l’endettement d’une entreprise ou d’une défaillance potentielle ne semblent pas influencer les montants des provisions environnementales. Toutefois, l’information communiquée par la comptabilisation de ces provisions est pertinente pour les marchés boursiers.
Les apports potentiels d'Internet à la mission de l'expert-comptable dans les petites entreprises
Authors: Chapellier Philippe
Published: April 2013

Plusieurs études démontrent que l’information comptable est utile au dirigeant de petite entreprise (PE). Mais les compétences comptables sont rarement suffisantes dans ce type de structure et c’est à l’expert-comptable qu’incombe de fait la mission de diffusion et d’interprétation de cette information. Cette partie du travail de l’expert-comptable est souvent jugée insatisfaisante par les dirigeants de PE. L’hypothèse étudiée dans cet article est qu’Internet peut, sous certaines conditions, être porteur d’une nouvelle logique de fonctionnement des cabinets comptables susceptible de « déproblématiser » la relation entre l’expert-comptable et son client dirigeant de PE.
Écrire l’expertise, traduire l’expérience
Authors: Rabier Christelle
Published: April 2013

Les rapports d’expertise présentent un cas intéressant d’écriture savante au cours des Lumières. Sans prétention à l’universalité, cette écriture ne passe davantage pas par la publication ou la communication entre pairs qui constitue la norme de la science moderne. Examinant les « rapports » rédigés par les chirurgiens, qui entrent dans les procédures criminelles et civiles, dans la seconde moitié du XVIIIe siècle à Paris, l’article en analyse les formes d’écriture qui en ont construit leur autorité.
Se délivrer soi-même de la vie
Authors: Regina Christophe
Published: April 2013

Tout un chacun est un jour conduit à faire l’expérience d’une souffrance ou de la douleur. Les façons d’y faire face peuvent emprunter différentes manières, de la plus simple à la plus radicale. Le suicide peut-être à ce titre perçu comme l’expression paroxystique d’une souffrance inexpiable qui ne trouve de fin que dans la mort salvatrice. Cette expérience de l’extrême peut parfois être partagée avec ceux et celles qui restent par le biais d’une ultime lettre laissée pour s’excuser ou pour expliquer le choix de la mort et du silence plutôt que celui de la vie. L’article propose d’étudier la pratique du suicide à Marseille au XVIIIe siècle en focalisant son attention sur la lettre laissée par Simon Gasc à ses proches pour tenter de donner du sens à son geste, ultime récit du soi souffrant. Cette lettre est éclairée et contextualisée à la lumière d’autres affaires de suicides, permettant de saisir les enjeux d’une pratique officiellement frappée par la plus grande sévérité judiciaire mais, officieusement, objet de compréhension voire d’indifférence, laissant le masque de la folie parer le visage du suicide.
Lipopolysaccharide Clearance, Bacterial Clearance, and Systemic Inflammatory Responses Are Regulated by Cell Type–Specific Functions of TLR4 during Sepsis
Authors: Deng Meihong , Scott Melanie J. , Loughran Patricia , Gibson Gregory , Sodhi Chhinder , Watkins Simon , Hackam David , Billiar Timothy R.
Published: April 2013

The morbidity associated with bacterial sepsis is the result of host immune responses to pathogens, which are dependent on pathogen recognition by pattern recognition receptors, such as TLR4. TLR4 is expressed on a range of cell types, yet the mechanisms by which cell-specific functions of TLR4 lead to an integrated sepsis response are poorly understood. To address this, we generated mice in which TLR4 was specifically deleted from myeloid cells (LysMTLR4KO) or hepatocytes (HCTLR4KO) and then determined survival, bacterial counts, host inflammatory responses, and organ injury in a model of cecal ligation and puncture (CLP), with or without antibiotics. LysM-TLR4 was required for phagocytosis and efficient bacterial clearance in the absence of antibiotics. Survival, the magnitude of the systemic and local inflammatory responses, and liver damage were associated with bacterial levels. HCTLR4 was required for efficient LPS clearance from the circulation, and deletion of HCTLR4 was associated with enhanced macrophage phagocytosis, lower bacterial levels, and improved survival in CLP without antibiotics. Antibiotic administration during CLP revealed an important role for hepatocyte LPS clearance in limiting sepsis-induced inflammation and organ injury. Our work defines cell type–selective roles for TLR4 in coordinating complex immune responses to bacterial sepsis and suggests that future strategies for modulating microbial molecule recognition should account for varying roles of pattern recognition receptors in multiple cell populations.
Plasma Leptin Levels, LEPR Q223R Polymorphism and Mammographic Breast Density: A Cross-sectional Study
Authors: Dallal Cher , Garte Seymour , Ragin Camille , Chen Jiangying , Lloyd Stacy , Modugno Francesmary , Weissfeld Joel , Taioli Emanuela
Published: April 2013

Obesity is associated with breast cancer in postmenopausal women, and breast density is a marker of breast cancer risk. Leptin is produced by the adipose tissue, acts through receptors that are polymorphic in nature, and is considered a cancer growth factor. The relationship between body mass index, leptin, leptin receptors and breast density is not well studied. A cross-sectional analysis in 392 post-menopausal healthy women was conducted; participants provided permission to obtain copies of their most recent screening mammogram. Non-fasting plasma leptin levels were determined using a commercially available leptin ELISA kit. Analysis of the Q223R genotypes of the LEPR gene were performed by PCR followed by restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis using DNA extracted from buffy coat samples.

A statistically significant positive relationship was observed between leptin levels and body mass index (p<0.0001); leptin was significantly positively associated with mammography total breast area and non-dense breast area (p<0.0001), while it was inversely associated with percent breast density (p<0.0001). Leptin levels varied across the LEPR Q223R polymorphism, and were higher in women homozygous for the AA variant. Percent breast density decreased across the LEPR Q223R genotype, with lower percent density in women with the AA genotype. When dense area was considered according to quartiles of leptin and stratified by LEPR Q223R, a significant inverse trend between leptin levels and dense breast area was observed only among women with the G/G genotype (p-trend<0.001). After adjustment for possible confounders, leptin levels were significantly inversely associated with percent breast density (p=0.01). A significant interaction between body mass index and leptin levels on percent breast density was observed (p=0.03).

These findings suggest that the association between leptin and breast density may vary by LEPR Q223R genotype, and that body mass index and leptin may act in an interactive way in determining breast density.
Intermediaries and Quality Uncertainty: Evidence from the Hotel Industry
Authors: Calveras Aleix , Orfila Francina
Published: April 2013

The authors study and test one of the possible organizational solutions to the problem of asymmetric information between sellers and buyers: sellers (firms) use intermediaries' reputations instead of their own as a way to provide credible information to potential buyers concerning the true quality of their product. More specifically, the authors test the role of intermediaries in the hotel industry as providers of reputation regarding the true quality of a hotel establishment. The empirical results support their hypotheses by showing that reliance on an intermediary (a tour operator and a travel agency) in the distribution of the capacity of accommodation of a hotel establishment is: (i) higher for high-quality hotels (which face more acute problems from asymmetric information); and (ii) lower for establishments belonging to large and reputable hotel chains (which are themselves capable of building their own reputation and brand name).
Effect of Biopreservatives on Storage Life of Papaya (Carica papaya L.)
Authors: Brishti Fatema H. , Misir Jawadul , Sarker Ayesha
Published: April 2013

In this experiment the effect on post-harvest preservation of papaya (Carica papaya L.) fruit coated with either Aloe gel (AG; 100%) or papaya leaf extract with Aloe gel (PLEAG; 1:1) was studied. To evaluate the role of coating on ripening behavior and quality of papaya the uncoated and coated fruits were stored and ripened at room temperature (25 °C-29 °C) and 82-84% relative humidity. Physico-chemical properties were analyzed at 4 day intervals during the storage period. The incidence of disease attack was also visually observed. The overall results showed the superiority of AG and PLEAG coating in lengthening the shelf-life of papaya fruit compared to controls which showed significant decay from 6th day onward and complete decay within 12 days of storage. The AG and PLEAG coated fruits maintained their shelf life for 12 days and decayed at 16th day. The coated fruits also maintained their color, flavor and firmness up to 12 days of storage. An increase in ascorbic acid content (120.2 mg/100 g) was also found in coated fruits in contrast to the control (59 mg/100 g). Only 27% disease incidence was observed in AG and 13% in PLEAG coated fruits as compared to control (100%) during the storage period. The results of this study show that both AG and PLEAG coatings have excellent potential to be used on fresh produce to maintain quality and extend shelf-life.
Effect of antioxidant and optimal antimicrobial mixtures of carvacrol, grape seed extract and chitosan on different spoilage microorganisms and their application as coatings on different food matrices
Authors: Rubilar Javiera F. , Cruz Rui M.S. , Khmelinskii Igor , Vieira Margarida Cortez
Published: April 2013

There is growing interest in the use of natural agents with antimicrobial (AM) and antioxidant (AOX) properties. Optimization of the AM capacity for mixtures containing carvacrol, grape seed extract (GSE) and chitosan, against gram-negative (Pseudomonas aeruginosa), gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria innocua and Enterococcus faecalis) and yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) at 106 cfu mL-1 was studied. To observe the synergistic or antagonistic effect and find optimal combinations between the three agents, a simplex centroid mixture design was run for each microorganism, combining carvacrol (0-300 ppm, X1), GSE (0-2000 ppm, X2) and chitosan (0-2% w/v, X3). Results of the response surface analysis showed several synergistic effects for all microorganisms. Combinations of 60 ppm-400 ppm-1.2% w/v (carvacrol-GSE-chitosan; optimal AM combination 1, OAMC-1); 9.6 ppm-684 ppm-1.25% w/v (OAMC-2); 90 ppm-160 ppm-1.24% w/v (OAMC-3) were found to be the optimal mixtures for all microorganisms. Radical scavenging activity (RSA) of the same agents was then compared with a standard AOX (butylated hydroxytoluene; BHT) at different concentrations (25, 50 and 100 ppm; as well as the optimal AM concentrations) by the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) method. RSA increased in the following order: chitosan< carvacrol< BHT< GSE and for the OAMC: OAMC-2< OAMC-1< OAMC-3. The best RSA (OAMC-3) was applied as a coating in two different food matrices (strawberries and salmon). For strawberries, P. aeruginosa was more sensitive to the action of OAMC-3 than S. cerevisiae. For salmon, S. aureus was more resistant to the action of OAMC-3 than E. faecalis and L. innocua.
Viability of the microencapsulation of a casein hydrolysate in lipid microparticles of cupuacu butter and stearic acid
Authors: Pinho Samantha Cristina , Da Silva Janaina Costa
Published: April 2013

Solid lipid microparticles produced with a mixture of cupuacu butter and stearic acid were used to microencapsulate a commercial casein hydrolysate (Hyprol 8052). The composition of the lipid matrix used for the production of the lipid microparticles was chosen according to data on the wide angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) of bulk lipid mixtures, which indicated that the presence of 10 % cupuacu butter was sufficient to significantly change the crystalline arrangement of pure stearic acid. Preliminary tests indicated that a minimum proportion of 4 % of surfactant (polysorbate 80) was necessary to produce empty spherical lipid particles with average diameters below 10 mm. The lipid microparticles were produced using 20 % cupuacu butter and 80 % stearic acid and then stabilized with 4 % of polysorbate 80, exhibiting an encapsulation efficiency of approximately 74 % of the casein hydrolysate. The melting temperature of the casein hydrolysate-loaded lipid microparticles was detected at 65.2 °C, demonstrating that the particles were solid at room temperature as expected and indicating that the incorporation of peptides had not affected their thermal behavior. After 25 days of storage, however, there was a release of approximately 30 % of the initial amount of encapsulated casein hydrolysate. This release was not thought to have been caused by the liberation of encapsulated casein hydrolysate. Instead, it was attributed to the possible desorption of the adsorbed peptides present on the surface of the lipid microparticles.
The impact of cold chain temperature abuses on the quality of frozen strawberries (Fragaria ×ananassa)
Authors: Cruz Rui , Vieira Margarida , Silva Cristina
Published: April 2013

The quality of frozen foods can be negatively affected if improper storage and distribution temperatures are allowed. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of freeze-thaw cycles, which may occur in the cold chain, on colour (Lab, Total Colour Differences (TCD), chroma and hue angle) and vitamin C (ascorbic and dehydroascorbic acids) content of frozen strawberries (Fragaria ×ananassa, Duschesne, cv. Selva). A plan of temperature abuses (TAs) was established, based on a real situation, and applied to frozen strawberries during a four month frozen storage period. The results showed that the lightness (L) was the only parameter that was not significantly affected by range of TAs studied. The colour showed some variation on the parameters a, b, TCD, chroma and hue angle. During TAs, ascorbic acid decreased about 75% and dehydroascorbic acid increased 73%. The non-abused strawberry samples showed better overall appearance than the abused samples.This work contributes to an understanding of the quality changes of frozen strawberries that might occur during frozen storage and cold chain distribution.
Optimization of the Extraction of Antioxidants and Caffeine from Maté (Ilex paraguariensis) Leaves by Response Surface Methodology
Authors: Hartwig Vanessa Graciela , Schmalko Miguel Eduardo , Alzamora Stella Maris , Brumovsky Luis Alberto
Published: April 2013

Optimal conditions for the industrial extraction of total polyphenols from maté (Ilex paraguariensis) were determined using response surface methodology, with two independent variables: ethanol percentage of the extraction solution and liquid to solid ratio. Response variables were total polyphenol content, antioxidant capacity, concentration of total polyphenols and caffeine content.The optimal conditions found were a liquid to solid ratio from 8 - 9 w w-1 and ethanol percentage of the extraction solution from 30 -50 % w w-1. Under these conditions the main predicted values corresponding to leaf extracts were 40 μg chlorogenic acid equivalents mL-1 of original extract, 13 g chlorogenic acid equivalents per 100 g dry matter for total polyphenol content, 22 g Trolox equivalents and 15.5 g ascorbic acid equivalents per 100 g dry matter for antioxidant capacity. The total polyphenol content of twig extracts was 36% lower than that in the leaf extracts.
Antioxidants, their properties, uses in food products and their legal implications
Authors: Thorat Indrajit D. , Jagtap Dipali D. , Mohapatra Debabandya , Joshi D. C. , Sutar R. F. , Kapdi S. S.
Published: April 2013

Oxidation decreases consumer acceptability of food by changing its organoleptic properties, destroying essential nutrients and producing toxic compounds. Antioxidants delay oxidation of lipids in foods as well in human systems. Studies reveal that synthetic antioxidants may trigger diseases in human when consumed over a certain concentration. The toxicological effects of synthetic food antioxidants have been the focus of controversy in recent years. There is scope to use natural antioxidants, present in many components of food and plant sources, as a preservative. In this review different synthetic and natural antioxidants present in various foods, reactions with food and the biological system, extraction techniques and their pitfalls as well as legal implication are discussed.
Mitigation of malathion's acute toxicity by four submersed macrophyte species
Authors: Brogan William R. , Relyea Rick A.
Published: April 2013

Some submersed macrophyte species rapidly sorb some insecticides from the water, potentially reducing exposure for aquatic species. The rates at which macrophytes remove insecticides, however, can differ widely among plant species. Furthermore, few studies have examined how much macrophytes actually influence insecticide toxicity to sensitive animals. The authors quantified the ability of several macrophyte species to mitigate insecticide toxicity by comparing the survival of the aquatic herbivore, Daphnia magna, following exposure to a factorial combination of 3 malathion concentrations (0 µg/L, 3 µg/L, and 24 µg/L) and 7 macrophyte treatments (no macrophytes, 4 different macrophyte monocultures, and 2 inert substrates: plastic plants and polypropylene rope). The authors also quantified the rate that different macrophytes reduced malathion's toxicity by exposing D. magna to water samples collected from each treatment after 2 h, 8 h, and 48 h of exposure. The results revealed that whereas 3 µg/L and 24 µg/L of malathion decimated D. magna in the no-macrophyte, plastic plant, and rope treatments, all 4 macrophyte species strongly mitigated these effects. When the authors compared the rate at which malathion's toxicity decreased, they found that all macrophytes negated malathion's toxicity within 2 h, whereas it took more than 8 h in the absence of macrophytes or in the presence of inert substrates. These results demonstrate that numerous macrophyte species can equally and strongly mitigate insecticide toxicity, whereas inert substrates cannot. Environ Toxicol Chem 2013;32:1535–1543. © 2013 SETAC
Life-history phenology strongly influences population vulnerability to toxicants: A case study with the mudsnail Potamopyrgus antipodarum
Authors: Coulaud Romain , Mouthon Jacques , Quéau Hervé , Charles Sandrine , Chaumot Arnaud
Published: April 2013

One of the main objectives of ecological risk assessment is to evaluate the effects of toxicants on ecologically relevant biological systems such as populations or communities. However, the effects of toxicants are commonly measured on selected subindividual or individual endpoints due to their specificity against chemical stressors. Introducing these effects into population models is a promising way to predict impacts on populations. The models currently employed are very simplistic, and their environmental relevance needs to be improved to establish the ecological relevance of hazard assessment. The present study with the gastropod Potamopyrgus antipodarum combines a field experimental approach with a modeling framework. It clarifies the role played by seasonal variability of life-history traits in the population's vulnerability to the alteration of individual performance, potentially due to toxic stress. The present study comprised 3 steps: 1) characterization of the seasonal variability in life-history traits of a local population over 1 yr by using in situ experiments on caged snails, coupled with a demographic follow-up; 2) development of a periodic matrix population model that visualizes the monthly variability of population dynamics; and 3) simulation of the demographic consequences of an alteration in life-history traits (i.e., fertility, juvenile, and adult survival). The results revealed that demographic impacts strongly depend on the season when alterations of individual performance occur. Model analysis showed that this seasonal variability in population vulnerability is strongly related to the phenology of the population. The authors emphasize that improving the realism of population models is a major objective for ecological risk assessment, and that taking into account species phenology in modeling approaches should be a priority. Environ Toxicol Chem 2013;32:1727–1736. © 2013 SETAC
Vibrational characterization and surface‐enhanced Raman scattering detection of probenecid doping drug
Authors: Izquierdo‐Lorenzo Irene , García‐Ramos José Vicente , Sanchez‐Cortes Santiago
Published: April 2013

Probenecid (PB), a drug employed to reduce the excretion of other drugs in urine and also employed as masking agent in sport doping, is characterized for the first time in this work by vibrational spectroscopy. Previously, FTIR and FT‐Raman spectra were assigned on the basis of density functional theory calculations. Afterwards, a detection protocol of PB was developed on the basis of surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectroscopy. To accomplish this, the experimental conditions of SERS measurement were previously optimized by varying parameters such as the metal, its reduction protocol to fabricate the nanoparticles and the pH. The adsorption isotherms of PB on the metal nanoparticles were obtained, and the adsorption mechanism of this drug on Ag nanoparticles was deduced from the analysis of SERS spectra. Finally, a quantitative SERS study was carried out on the basis of the calibration curve deduced from the adsorption isotherms. The results shown in this study demonstrate that PB can be detected by SERS at concentrations as low as 1.2 µg/ml. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Insights into non‐Fickian solute transport in carbonates
Authors: Bijeljic Branko , Mostaghimi Peyman , Blunt Martin J.
Published: April 2013

Key Points

Transport computed through micro‐CT images of six carbonate rocks is anomalous

Highly anomalous transport is explained by the wide local velocity distribution

The effect of pore structure and Peclet number is quantified
Error-tradeoff and error-disturbance relations for incompatible quantum measurements
Authors: Branciard Cyril
Published: April 2013

Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle is one of the main tenets of quantum theory. Nevertheless, and despite its fundamental importance for our understanding of quantum foundations, there has been some confusion in its interpretation: Although Heisenberg’s first argument was that the measurement of one observable on a quantum state necessarily disturbs another incompatible observable, standard uncertainty relations typically bound the indeterminacy of the outcomes when either one or the other observable is measured. In this paper, we quantify precisely Heisenberg’s intuition. Even if two incompatible observables cannot be measured together, one can still approximate their joint measurement, at the price of introducing some errors with respect to the ideal measurement of each of them. We present a tight relation characterizing the optimal tradeoff between the error on one observable vs. the error on the other. As a particular case, our approach allows us to characterize the disturbance of an observable induced by the approximate measurement of another one; we also derive a stronger error-disturbance relation for this scenario.
Molecular chaperone TRAP1 regulates a metabolic switch between mitochondrial respiration and aerobic glycolysis
Authors: Yoshida Soichiro , Tsutsumi Shinji , Muhlebach Guillaume , Sourbier Carole , Lee Min-Jung , Lee Sunmin , Vartholomaiou Evangelia , Tatokoro Manabu , Beebe Kristin , Miyajima Naoto , Mohney Robert P. , Chen Yang , Hasumi Hisashi , Xu Wanping , Fukushima Hiroshi , Nakamura Ken , Koga Fumitaka , Kihara Kazunori , Trepel Jane , Picard Didier , Neckers Leonard
Published: April 2013

Significance

TNF receptor-associated protein (TRAP1) is found predominantly in mitochondria. A possible direct impact of TRAP1 on mitochondrial metabolism remains unexplored. We used TRAP1-null cells and transient TRAP1 silencing/overexpression to show that TRAP1 regulates a metabolic switch between oxidative phosphorylation and aerobic glycolysis in immortalized mouse fibroblasts and in human tumor cells. TRAP1 deficiency promotes increased mitochondrial respiration, fatty acid oxidation, tricarboxylic acid cycle intermediates, ATP and reactive oxygen species, while concomitantly suppressing glucose metabolism. TRAP1 deficiency also results in strikingly enhanced cell motility and invasiveness. TRAP1 interaction with and regulation of mitochondrial c-Src provide a mechanistic basis for these phenotypes.