bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
N-myc downstream-regulated gene 2 expression is associated with glucose transport and correlated with prognosis in breast carcinoma
Authors: Ma Ji , Liu Wenchao , Guo Hang , Li Shaoqing , Cao Wei , Du Xilin , Lei Shixiong , Hou Wugang , Xiong Lize , Yao Libo , Li Nanlin , Li Yan
Published: March 2014

Introduction

N-myc downstream-regulated gene 2 (NDRG2), a novel tumour suppressor and cell stress-related gene, is involved in many cell metabolic processes, such as hormone, ion and fluid metabolism. We investigated whether NDRG2 is involved in any glucose-dependent energy metabolism, as well as the nature of its correlation with breast carcinoma.

Methods

The correlations between NDRG2 expression and glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1) expression in clinical breast carcinoma tissues were analysed. The effects of NDRG2 on glucose uptake were assessed in breast cancer cells and xenograft tumours. The consequences of NDRG2-induced regulation of GLUT1 at the transcription and translation levels and the interaction between NDRG2 and GLUT1 were examined.

Results

Data derived from clinical breast carcinoma specimens revealed that (1) patients with high NDRG2 expression had better disease-free survival and overall survival than those with low NDRG2 expression and (2) NDRG2 expression was negatively correlated with GLUT1 expression in these breast carcinoma tissues. NDRG2 inhibited glucose uptake by promoting GLUT1 protein degradation without affecting GLUT1 transcription in both breast cancer cells and xenograft tumours. In addition, NDRG2 protein interacted and partly colocalised with GLUT1 protein in cell cytoplasm areas.

Conclusions

The results of our study support the notion that NDRG2 plays an important role in tumour glucose metabolism, in which GLUT1 is a likely candidate contributor to glucose uptake suppression and tumour growth. Targeting the actions of NDRG2 in cell glucose-dependent energy delivery may provide an attractive strategy for therapeutic intervention in human breast carcinoma.
Increased biomass production and glycogen accumulation in apcE gene deleted Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803
Authors: Joseph Ancy , Aikawa Shimpei , Sasaki Kengo , Matsuda Fumio , Hasunuma Tomohisa , Kondo Akihiko
Published: March 2014

The effect of phycobilisome antenna-truncation in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 on biomass production and glycogen accumulation have not yet been fully clarified. To investigate these effects here, the apcE gene, which encodes the anchor protein linking the phycobilisome to the thylakoid membrane, was deleted in a glucose tolerant strain of Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. Biomass production of the apcE-deleted strain under photoautotrophic and atmospheric air conditions was 1.6 times higher than that of strain PCC 6803 (1.32 ± 0.01 versus 0.84 ± 0.07 g cell-dry weight L−1, respectively) after 15 days of cultivation. In addition, the glycogen content of the apcE-deleted strain (24.2 ± 0.7%) was also higher than that of strain PCC 6803 (11.1 ± 0.3%). Together, these results demonstrate that antenna truncation by deleting the apcE gene was effective for increasing biomass production and glycogen accumulation under photoautotrophic and atmospheric air conditions in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803.
Pathologic and Molecular Features Correlate With Long-Term Outcome After Adjuvant Therapy of Resected Primary GI Stromal Tumor: The ACOSOG Z9001 Trial
Authors: Corless Christopher L. , Ballman Karla V. , Antonescu Cristina R. , Kolesnikova Violetta , Maki Robert G. , Pisters Peter W.T. , Blackstein Martin E. , Blanke Charles D. , Demetri George D. , Heinrich Michael C. , von Mehren Margaret , Patel Shreyaskumar , McCarter Martin D. , Owzar Kouros , DeMatteo Ronald P.
Published: March 2014

Purpose

The ACOSOG (American College of Surgeons Oncology Group) Z9001 (Alliance) study, a randomized, placebo-controlled trial, demonstrated that 1 year of adjuvant imatinib prolonged recurrence-free survival (RFS) after resection of primary GI stromal tumor (GIST). We sought to determine the pathologic and molecular factors associated with patient outcome.

Patients and Methods

There were 328 patients assigned to the placebo arm and 317 to the imatinib arm. Median patient follow-up was 74 months. There were 645 tumor specimens available for mitotic rate or mutation analysis.

Results

RFS remained superior in the imatinib arm (hazard ratio, 0.6; 95% CI, 0.43 to 0.75; Cox model–adjusted P < .001). On multivariable analysis of patients in the placebo arm, large tumor size, small bowel location, and high mitotic rate were associated with lower RFS, whereas tumor genotype was not significantly associated with RFS. Multivariable analysis of patients in the imatinib arm yielded similar findings. When comparing the two arms, imatinib therapy was associated with higher RFS in patients with a KIT exon 11 deletion of any type, but not a KIT exon 11 insertion or point mutation, KIT exon 9 mutation, PDGFRA mutation, or wild-type tumor, although some of these patient groups were small. Adjuvant imatinib did not seem to alter overall survival.

Conclusion

Our findings show that tumor size, location, and mitotic rate, but not tumor genotype, are associated with the natural history of GIST. Patients with KIT exon 11 deletions assigned to 1 year of adjuvant imatinib had a longer RFS.
Customized Adjuvant Phase II Trial in Patients With Non–Small-Cell Lung Cancer: IFCT-0801 TASTE
Authors: Wislez Marie , Barlesi Fabrice , Besse Benjamin , Mazières Julien , Merle Patrick , Cadranel Jacques , Audigier-Valette Clarisse , Moro-Sibilot Denis , Gautier-Felizot Laure , Goupil François , Renault Aldo , Quoix Elisabeth , Souquet Pierre-Jean , Madroszyck Anne , Corre Romain , Pérol David , Morin Franck , Zalcman Gérard , Soria Jean-Charles
Published: March 2014

Purpose

Surgical resection plus adjuvant platinum-based chemotherapy is considered standard care for stage II to III non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), but its efficacy is limited, and it involves toxic risks, justifying patient-tailored treatment. Excision repair cross-complementation group 1 (ERCC1) was shown to predict cisplatin-based chemotherapy response; EGFR mutations were predictive of epidermal growth factor receptor inhibition response.

Patients and Methods

This prospective randomized phase II trial enrolled 150 patients with completely resected non–squamous cell stage II or IIIA (non-N2) tumors. Patients in the control arm (n = 74) were treated with four standard-dose courses of cisplatin plus pemetrexed (CP). In the customized treatment arm (n = 76), patients with activated EGFR mutations received erlotinib 150 mg for 1 year; ERCC1-negative patients received four CP courses, whereas ERCC1-positive patients underwent follow-up. The trial sought to demonstrate the feasibility of customized adjuvant chemotherapy based on timely biomarker analysis within a 2-month postsurgery delay. Secondary objectives were tolerability, compliance with adjuvant therapy, and biomarker distribution.

Results

In arm A, all patients received CP; in arm B, seven received erlotinib, 53 were administered CP, and 16 underwent follow-up. Median erlotinib exposure was 344 days. Of the 127 patients allocated to CP, 82% received four cycles with good tolerability. The overall success rate of the trial (ie, percentage of patients with complete biomarker status able to start adjuvant treatment within 2 months of surgery) was 80%.

Conclusion

The primary end point of the trial was met, demonstrating the feasibility of a national biology-driven trial in the adjuvant NSCLC setting. Nevertheless, the phase III part was canceled because of the unreliability of the ERCC1 immunohistochemical readouts.
Union Blues: Melville's Poetic In(ter)ventions
Authors: Smith Stephanie A.
Published: March 2014

Both Walt Whitman and Herman Melville wrote poetry about the Civil War, and while Whitman's is better known, Melville's Battle-Pieces and Aspects of the War (1866) remains an interesting experiment in improvisation, a kind of “blues” lament for a loss that could not be reconstructed. Melville pursues several key questions: Is art meaningful in the face of chaos? Can imagination counter traumatic events? Melville's poetry provides no sure answers and is therefore troubling, if not annihilating, to the concept of art as therapeutic. But the question of whether art is useful in times of conflict was one that long engaged Melville. Much could be said about Moby-Dick and irresponsible bloodshed. This essay revisits Israel Potter: His Fifty Years of Exile (1855), which anticipates the tenor, form, and loss of hope that comes to the fore in Battle-Pieces. I make this turn to the serial novel for several reasons. First, I will demonstrate that what some call Potter's incoherence is evidence of Melville's lost faith in narrative; second, Potter is about war and politics, as is the poetry; and third, I will show that it was not until Melville faced the Civil War in a poetic form of his own that he understood the Republic as lost.
Lateness, Timeliness, andElegy: Philip Roth'sDying Animalon Film
Authors: Shostak Debra
Published: March 2014

Isabel Coixet's 2008 adaptation of Philip Roth's Dying Animal (2001) signals in its title, Elegy, the conceptual divergence of the film from its source. Roth's title expresses the inescapable reality of the mortal body, its desires, decay, and disappearance; Coixet turns from the dying body to the literary form that contains grief within a stately ritual. If The Dying Animal plays to nihilism and irony, Elegy, using apparently the same material, plays to the reparative process of mourning. The adaptation represents a shift not only in medium and interpretation but also in genre and style: from narcissism, emotional exile, and thwarted confession to compassionate love and consolatory elegy, from what Edward W. Said called “late style” to its antithesis, “timeliness.” Closely reading each text's presentation of perspective and closure and elements of the film's style, including mise-en-scène, sound track, camera work, and montage, the essay argues that Roth and Coixet roughly match genre to ideological style: late style inscribes the failed confession in the novel, while timeliness rewrites the film as an elegy.
Haploid animal cells
Authors: Wutz Anton
Published: March 2014

Haploid genetics holds great promise for understanding genome evolution and function. Much of the work on haploid genetics has previously been limited to microbes, but possibilities now extend to animal species, including mammals. Whereas haploid animals were described decades ago, only very recent advances in culture techniques have facilitated haploid embryonic stem cell derivation in mammals. This article examines the potential use of haploid cells and puts haploid animal cells into a historical and biological context. Application of haploid cells in genetic screening holds promise for advancing the genetic exploration of mammalian genomes.
CLoNe is a new method to target single progenitors and study their progeny in mouse and chick
Authors: García-Moreno Fernando , Vasistha Navneet A. , Begbie Jo , Molnár Zoltán
Published: March 2014

Cell lineage analysis enables us to address pivotal questions relating to: the embryonic origin of cells and sibling cell relationships in the adult body; the contribution of progenitors activated after trauma or disease; and the comparison across species in evolutionary biology. To address such fundamental questions, several techniques for clonal labelling have been developed, each with its shortcomings. Here, we report a novel method, CLoNe that is designed to work in all vertebrate species and tissues. CLoNe uses a cocktail of labelling, targeting and transposition vectors that enables targeting of specific subpopulations of progenitor types with a combination of fluorophores resulting in multifluorescence that describes multiple clones per specimen. Furthermore, transposition into the genome ensures the longevity of cell labelling. We demonstrate the robustness of this technique in mouse and chick forebrain development, and show evidence that CLoNe will be broadly applicable to study clonal relationships in different tissues and species.
Determinants of Business Cycles Synchronization in the European Union and the Euro Area
Authors: Beck Krzysztof
Published: March 2014

Further economic and monetary integration in Europe is currently on hold due to the crisis and even questions about the possible exile of Greece. Especially in those conditions, it is important, to see whether integrated Europe can handle future problems and if economic and monetary integration can be helpful or rather more problematic. The main aim of this paper is to check to what degree business cycles are synchronized in the Eurozone and the European Union and what the main determinants of business cycles synchronization are. To achieve this, the following steps have been taken. Firstly, we turn to optimum currency area theory, to see what conditions need to be met, if the European Union and the euro area can use common monetary policy to deal with some economic shocks. Then, all necessary methodological explanations are presented. Later on, the preliminary data analysis is employed to see how business cycles and their determinants were acting during the last 20 years. Finally, panel data analysis is used to check how those determinants actually influence business cycles synchronization. The main finding of the article is that even though business cycles synchronization has been progressing in the European Union and the euro area so does the specialization – divergence in production structure. This may result in less synchronized business cycles in the future.
Knowledge Based Economy in a Neo–Schumpeterian Point of View
Authors: Śledzik Karol
Published: March 2014

Schumpeter’s growth theory (based on innovations, entrepreneurs, long waves and “creative destruction”) seems to be most adequate to discuss principles of the Knowledge Based Economy. In the paper, the author discussed the assumptions of Schumpeter’s theory in three subsections: “Long waves” leading to the Knowledge Based Economy, Innovation as a core of Schumpeter’s economy, and Neo-Schumpeterian “growth” as a pillar of Knowledge Based Economy. The purpose of this paper is to show the Neo-Schumpeterian paradigms versus Knowledge Based Economy. Conclusions drawn from the study allow to state that definitions and concepts created by Schumpeter nearly over half of the century ago and Neo- Schumpeterians nowadays are perfectly in tune with the objectives of the functioning of Knowledge Based Economy in XXI century.
On the Origin of Utility, Weighting, and Discounting Functions: How They Get Their Shapes and How to Change Their Shapes
Authors: Stewart Neil , Reimers Stian , Harris Adam J. L.
Published: March 2014

We present a theoretical account of the origin of the shapes of utility, probability weighting, and temporal discounting functions. In an experimental test of the theory, we systematically change the shape of revealed utility, weighting, and discounting functions by manipulating the distribution of monies, probabilities, and delays in the choices used to elicit them. The data demonstrate that there is no stable mapping between attribute values and their subjective equivalents. Expected and discounted utility theories, and also their descendants such as prospect theory and hyperbolic discounting theory, simply assert stable mappings to describe choice data and offer no account of the instability we find. We explain where the shape of the mapping comes from and, in describing the mechanism by which people choose, explain why the shape depends on the distribution of gains, losses, risks, and delays in the environment.

Data, as supplemental material, are available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2013.1853 .

This paper was accepted by Yuval Rottenstreich, judgment and decision making.
El diseño de la experiencia del turismo gastronómico en Bilbao
Authors: Jiang Xiaoqing
Published: March 2014

El presente trabajo se dedica al diseño de la experiencia del turismo gastronómico en Bilbao con el objetivo de que los turistas disfruten sus viajes a través de los recursos gastronómicos. En la primera parte, establecemos el marco conceptual del trabajo: los conceptos de turismo cultural, turismo gastronómico, experiencia de ocio e innovación de servicios. En la segunda parte utilizamos los datos de encuestas de Basquetour[1], entrevistamos  a la Directora de Bilbao Turismo[2] y a los productores de alimentos, por último consultamos documentos y estudios con el objetivo de realizar un diagnóstico y este proceso da lugar a un análisis DAFO sobre turismo gastronómico en Bilbao. Respecto a las fortalezas, consideramos que Bilbao posee recursos diversos para desarrollar turismo gastronómico, destacando la importancia de la gastronómica dentro de las costumbres bilbaínas. Por el contrario, para mejorar la experiencia de este tipo del viaje, aún queda mucho para hacer y mejorar.En la tercera parte del trabajo, dividimos el turismo gastronómico en tres etapas: pre-viaje, dentro del viaje y post-viaje, y plantemos las propuestas para desarrollar experiencias en cada etapa. Se hace una reflexión sobre los aspectos que deben mejorarse, siendo objeto de futuros trabajos la concreción de cada uno de ellos. [1] Agencia Vasca de Turismo, que es una sociedad pública y creada con función ejecutiva.[2] Bilbao Turismo es la entidad encargada de la promoción turística del Ayuntamiento de Bilbao.
El vivir bien, una propuesta de los pueblos indígenas a la discusión sobre el desarrollo
Authors: Canqui Mollo Elisa
Published: March 2014

Últimamente hay una conciencia global sobre que la noción de desarrollo está pasando por serios procesos de crítica y reconstrucción, por las connotaciones evolucionistas y eurocéntricas predominantes en sus principales formulaciones, pensadas de cara a la construcción y ampliación de estados nacionales y de un proyecto económico y cultural dirigido a una progresiva modernización capitalista homogénea que busca la creciente satisfacción material e individual, fundada en formas que han amenazado con subordinar y transformar otros principios, culturas y conocimientos a su imagen y semejanza. Es en este marco, que el Vivir Bien, propuesta por los Pueblos Indígenas viene a sumarse a las distintas propuestas que han ido saliendo en cuanto a desarrollo se refiere. Esta propuesta comprendida por ellos como una traducción de las formas y estilos de vida, en su simplicidad muestra una compleja articulación entre la vida de los indígenas, sus recursos naturales y el vínculo estrecho entre ambos, dentro de un territorio.
Generic properties of homogeneous Ricci solitons
Authors: Di Cerbo L. F.
Published: March 2014

We discuss the geometry of homogeneous Ricci solitons. After showing the nonexistence of compact homogeneous and non-compact steady homogeneous solitons, we concentrate on the study of left invariant Ricci solitons. We show that, in the unimodular case, the Ricci soliton equation does not admit solutions in the set of left invariant vector fields. We prove that a left invariant soliton of gradient type must be a Riemannian product with non-trivial Euclidean de Rham factor. As an application of our results we prove that any generalized metric Heisenberg Lie group is a non-gradient left invariant Ricci soliton of expanding type.
The effect of AST-120 on the single-dose pharmacokinetics of metoprolol extended-release tablets in healthy subjects
Authors: Inoue Shinsuke , Shimizu Miho , Arita Kiyoshi , Akimoto Kei
Published: March 2014

Background: This was a randomized, open-label, three-way crossover study to assess the effects of AST-120 (an orally administered spherical carbon adsorbent acting in the gastrointestinal tract without systemic circulation) on the single-dose pharmacokinetics of metoprolol in an extended-release formulation (metoprolol ER) in healthy volunteers.

Methods: A total of 34 subjects were singly administered metoprolol ER alone (A), and metoprolol ER in combination with AST-120 simultaneously (B) and 1 h later (C).

Results: The total exposure was more significantly reduced in both treatments B and C than that in treatment A; the geometric mean ratios of area under the curve extrapolated to infinity (AUC0–∞) for B/A and C/A were reduced by approximately 30% in both treatments B and C. Maximum observed plasma concentration (C
max) of metoprolol in treatment B significantly decreased, whereas C
max in treatment C was slightly decreased. AST-120 treatment was unlikely to affect apparent first-order terminal elimination half-life (T
1/2) of metoprolol significantly. Reduction in heart rate and blood pressure readings were similar across the treatment periods. Coadministration of AST-120 and metoprolol ER was safe and was well tolerated.

Conclusions: Because AST-120 reduced gastrointestinal absorption of metoprolol ER, careful monitoring of heart rate and blood pressure is recommended in coadministration of AST-120 with metoprolol ER.
Lignification of ray parenchyma cells in the xylem of Pinus densiflora. Part I: Microscopic investigation by POM, UV microscopy, and TOF-SIMS
Authors: Zheng Peiming , Aoki Dan , Yoshida Masato , Matsushita Yasuyuki , Imai Takanori , Fukushima Kazuhiko
Published: March 2014

The lignification process from sapwood (sW) to heartwood (hW) in ray parenchyma cells (Pray) of Pinus densiflora has been analyzed by means of ultraviolet (UV) microscopy, acetyl bromide (CH3COBr) lignin determination, and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS). The cell wall layers were localized by polarized optical microscopy (POM). POM revealed that Pray have almost no secondary wall in sW and have only the outer layer of secondary wall (S1) in the transition zone (TZ) and hW. UV microscopic observations indicated that the secondary wall of Pray, which is in contact with ray tracheids (Trray), begins to lignify in sW, while the secondary wall of Pray, which is not in contact with Trray, is partially lignified in the TZ. The secondary wall of both types of Pray is completely lignified in hW. The CH3COBr lignin content in sW is slightly lower than that in hW. In the TOF-SIMS measurements, the relative intensities of the secondary ions of guaiacyl-lignin (G-lignin) in the rays in sW are significantly lower than those in hW.
Sex hormone imbalances and adipose tissue dysfunction impacting on metabolic syndrome; a paradigm for the discovery of novel adipokines
Authors: Zhang Hui , Sairam M. Ram
Published: March 2014

Sex hormone imbalance is causally related with visceral adipose tissue (AT) dysfunction and visceral obesity – an etiological component of metabolic syndrome (MetS), associated with high risk of both cardiovascular disease (CVD) and type 2 diabetes. In general, premenopausal women appear to be protected from CVD and the dramatic decline in sex steroid hormone occurring during menopausal transitions or other sex-related disorders influence the regional distribution, function, and metabolism of AT and increase the risk of CVD. Visceral AT dysfunction, manifesting as abnormality of fatty acid metabolism, increased oxidative stress, endothelial dysfunction, and excessive production of adipokines have been proposed in the pathogenesis of MetS. However, direct evidence of molecular mechanisms of depot-specific AT alterations, and dysfunction causally related to MetS is limited in studies on postmenopausal women due to difficulty in collecting discrete AT specimens at different ages and repeated sampling from different fat depots. This can be overcome using animal models that can mimic the cluster of pathology leading to MetS and help establish the molecular basis of links between loss of gonadal function on various AT depots and their contribution to MetS. Our group used sex hormone imbalance FSH receptor knock out (FORKO) female mice to recapitulate different aspects of the MetS and addressed the mechanism of visceral obesity related to MetS and discover two novel sex steroid hormone-regulated deep mesenteric estrogen-dependent adipose (MEDAs) genes. Taken together, such recent studies raise hopes for pharmacologic intervention strategies targeting sex steroid hormone signaling in AT to provide protection against AT dysfunction.
Health risk behaviors and sexual initiation among in-school adolescents in rural communities in southwestern Nigeria
Authors: Olugbenga-Bello Adenike I. , Adebimpe Wasiu O. , Akande Roseline O. , Oke Olufemi S.
Published: March 2014

Background: Adolescents exhibit numerous risky sexual behaviors leading to initiation of sexual intercourse not mindful of the many consequences.

Objective: To determine the prevalence and pattern of sexual risky behavior and its association with sexual initiation.

Methods: This was a school-based descriptive cross-sectional study among 377 in-school adolescents, who were selected using multistage sampling methods. Research instruments were semistructured self-administered questionnaires.

Results: The mean age of respondents was 15.7 (+1.8) years. Most of the respondents claimed to have heard about sex education at one time or another. About 53 (14.1%) had their first sexual experience before or at the age of 15 years. The mean age of the first sexual experience for males was 14 years 3 months and 15 years 3 months for females. Fourteen (3.7%) had no fixed sexual partner; most of the sexually active respondents did not use a condom during their last intercourse. Only 7.7% of the respondents reported to have had a sexually transmitted infection. Most of the 207 female respondents (85.5%) had never been pregnant while 88.9% of those who had been pregnant had an abortion. Females were about 1.5 times more likely to have had first sexual intercourse before the age of 15 years, though the observed likelihood was not statistically significant [odd ratio (OR)=0.7, 95%; confidence interval (CI)=0.3–1.5; p=0.642]. Likewise, males were 1.7 times more likely to have used condoms at the last sexual intercourse, and the observed likelihood was not statistically significant (OR=1.7; 95%CI=0.8–3.4; p=0.079).

Conclusion: In this study, adolescents were sexually active with negative consequences on their reproductive health. Stakeholders involved in the care of adolescents should take the consequences into consideration.
Non-Standard Tests through a Composite Null and Alternative in Point-Identified Parameters
Authors: Hahn Jinyong , Ridder Geert
Published: March 2014

We propose a new approach to statistical inference on parameters that depend on population parameters in a non-standard way. As examples we consider a parameter that is interval identified and a parameter that is the maximum (or minimum) of population parameters. In both examples we transform the inference problem into a test of a composite null against a composite alternative hypothesis involving point identified population parameters. We use standard tools in this testing problem. This setup substantially simplifies the conceptual basis of the inference problem. By inverting the Likelihood Ratio test statistic for the composite null and composite alternative inference problem, we obtain a closed form expression for the confidence interval that does not require any tuning parameter and is uniformly valid. We use our method to derive a confidence interval for a regression coefficient in a multiple linear regression with an interval censored dependent variable.
Anthenes: Model systems for understanding the edge state of graphene nanoribbons
Authors: Konishi Akihito , Hirao Yasukazu , Kurata Hiroyuki , Kubo Takashi , Nakano Masayoshi , Kamada Kenji
Published: March 2014

The edge state, which is a peculiar magnetic state in zigzag-edged graphene nanoribbons (ZGNRs) originating from an electron–electron correlation in an edge-localized π-state, has promising applications for magnetic and spintronics devices and has attracted much attention of physicists, chemists, and engineers. For deeper understanding of the edge state, precise fabrication of edge structures in ZGNRs has been highly demanded. We focus on anthenes, which are peri-condensed anthracenes that have zigzag and armchair edges on the molecular periphery, as model systems for understanding, and indeed prepare and characterize them. This paper summarizes our recent studies on the origin of the edge state by investigating anthenes in terms of the relationship between the molecular structure and spin-localizing character.
Single-cycle method for partitioning of trivalent actinides using
completely incinerable reagents from nitric acid medium
Authors: Ravi Jammu , Venkatesan K. A. , Antony M. P. , Srinivasan T. G. , Vasudeva Rao P. R.
Published: March 2014

A new approach, namely “Single-cycle method for partitioning of Minor Actinides using completely incinerable
ReagenTs” (SMART), has been explored for the separation of Am(III) from Eu(III) present in nitric acid medium. The
extraction behavior of Am(III) and Eu(III) in a solution of an unsymmetrical diglycolamide, N,N,-didodecyl-N′,N′-dioctyl-3-oxapentane-1,5-diamide (D3DODGA), and an acidic extractant,
N, N-di-2-ethylhexyl diglycolamic acid (HDEHDGA), in n-dodecane was studied. The distribution ratio of both these metal ions
in D3DODGA-HDEHDGA/n-dodecane initially decreased with increase in the concentration of nitric acid reached a minimum at
0.1 M nitric acid followed by increase. Synergic extraction of Am(III) and Eu(III) was observed at nitric acid
concentrations above 0.1 M and antagonism at lower acidities. Contrasting behavior observed at different acidities
was probed by the slope analysis of the extraction data. The study revealed the involvement of both D3DODGA and HDEHDGA
during synergism and increased participation of HDEHDGA during antagonism. The stripping behavior of Am(III) and Eu(III) from
the loaded organic phase was studied as a function of nitric acid, DTPA, and citric acid concentrations. The conditions needed
for the mutual separation of Am(III) and Eu(III) from the loaded organic phase were optimized. Our studies revealed the
possibility of separating trivalent actinides from HLLW using these completely incinerable reagents.
Combining dependent F-tests for robust association of quantitative traits under genetic model uncertainty
Authors: Qu Long
Published: March 2014

In association mapping of quantitative traits, the
Impact of Genetic Background on Neonatal Lethality of Gga2 Gene-Trap Mice
Authors: Doray Balraj , Govero Jennifer , Kornfeld Stuart
Published: March 2014

The functional redundancy of the three mammalian Golgi-localized, γ-ear–containing, ADP-ribosylation factor-binding proteins (GGAs) was addressed in a previous study. Using insertional mutagenesis, we found that Gga1 or Gga3 homozygous knockout mice were for the most part normal, whereas mice homozygous for two different Gga2 gene-trap alleles exhibited either embryonic or neonatal lethality in the C57BL/6 background, depending on the source of the vector utilized (Byg vs. Tigm, respectively). We now show that the Byg strain harbors a disrupted Gga2 allele that is hypomorphic, indicating that the Byg lethality is attributable to a mechanism independent of GGA2. This is in contrast to the Tigm Gga2 allele, which is a true knockout and establishes a role for GGA2 during the neonatal period. Placement of the Tigm Gga2 allele into the C57BL6/Ola129Sv mixed background results in a lower incidence of neonatal lethality, showing the importance of genetic background in determining the requirement for GGA2 during this period. The Gga2−/− mice that survive have reduced body weight at birth and this runted phenotype is maintained through adulthood.
Life and Fertility Tables ofTrichospilus diatraeae(Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) withTenebrio molitor(Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) Pupae
Authors: Favero Kellen , Pereira Fabrício Fagundes , Kassab Samir Oliveira , Costa Daniele Perassa , Zanuncio José Cola
Published: March 2014

Alternative hosts may increase rearing and possibilities of using Trichospilus diatraeae (Cherian & Margabandhu) (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) for biological control. The aim of this study was to evaluate T. diatraeae reproduction with the alternative host Tenebrio molitor L. (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) with life and fertility tables. Twenty-five 24-h-old T. diatraeae females were individualized per Te. molitor pupae of the same age, who were replaced daily until their death of this parasitoid. Survival of T. diatraeae immature in Te. molitor pupae was 92.65%. Longevity of female parasitoids was 8.28 d with an innate density increase of 0.15, net reproductive rate of 37.50, finite rate of increase of 1.16, mean generation time of 23.67, and population doubling time of 4.52 wk. Te. molitor pupae are suitable for development and rearing of T. diatraeae.
Why is the future ready for environmental geotechnics?
Authors: Mickovski Slobodan B.
Published: March 2014

The perception of geotechnical problems has, in recent years, been challenged by requirements for balance between traditional engineering and environment-friendly, sustainable solutions. Modern geotechnical engineers have to develop knowledge on the environment surrounding their solutions and thrive within the new discipline of environmental geotechnics. The general trends in the discipline are used as a background to personal experience to establish the place of a generic environmental geotechnics framework within the sustainable development area. Recent developments and potential future trends in areas that could be considered as part of environmental geotechnics are briefly outlined together with the need for training and education.
Forming a filter media from zeolite modified with SDBAC for wastewater treatment process
Authors: Kolakovic Srdjan , Stefanovic Dragoslav , Lemic Jovan , Milicevic Dragan , Tomovic Sreten , Trajkovic Slavisa , Milenkovic Slobodan
Published: March 2014

This paper investigates the effects of several parameters (amounts of organic
matter, grain size, content of solid phase, stirring rate, and temperature)
on the adsorption of stearyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride (SDBAC) in
natural zeolite tuff in the process of formation of adsorbents based on
organo-zeolite, a potential filter in waste water treatment process. Obtained
results show that the most favorable ratio between the amount of SDBAC and
zeolites is 50-75 mmol M+/kg. Larger grains have lower zeolite adsorption
power of organic cations on the surface of zeolite, while favorable
percentage of content of solids in the zeolite suspension is 10-20%.
Interference between adsorption of mixture and temperature, especially in
volumes of SDBAC lower than 75 mmol M+/kg of zeolite, have no significant
impact on adsorption of organic cations on the surface of the zeolite. The
obtained results present an initial step for defining the optimal operating
parameters for forming adsorbents based on organo-zeolite as a filter
potentially utilized in waste water treatment.
Lagrangian 4-planes in holomorphic symplectic varieties of K3[4]-type
Authors: Bakker Benjamin , Jorza Andrei
Published: March 2014

We classify the cohomology classes of Lagrangian 4-planes ℙ4 in a smooth manifold X deformation equivalent to a Hilbert scheme of four points on a K3 surface, up to the monodromy action. Classically, the Mori cone of effective curves on a K3 surface S is generated by nonnegative classes C, for which (C, C) ≥ 0, and nodal classes C, for which (C, C) = −2; Hassett and Tschinkel conjecture that the Mori cone of a holomorphic symplectic variety X is similarly controlled by “nodal” classes C such that (C, C) = −γ, for (·,·) now the Beauville-Bogomolov form, where γ classifies the geometry of the extremal contraction associated to C. In particular, they conjecture that for X deformation equivalent to a Hilbert scheme of n points on a K3 surface, the class C = ℓ of a line in a smooth Lagrangian n-plane ℙn must satisfy (ℓ,ℓ) = −(n + 3)/2. We prove the conjecture for n = 4 by computing the ring of monodromy invariants on X, and showing there is a unique monodromy orbit of Lagrangian 4-planes.
Compact differences of composition operators on weighted Dirichlet spaces
Authors: Allen Robert , Heller Katherine , Pons Matthew
Published: March 2014

Here we consider when the difference of two composition operators is compact on the weighted Dirichlet spaces . Specifically we study differences of composition operators on the Dirichlet space and S
2, the space of analytic functions whose first derivative is in H
2, and then use Calderón’s complex interpolation to extend the results to the general weighted Dirichlet spaces. As a corollary we consider composition operators induced by linear fractional self-maps of the disk.
Study on the activity of the signaling pathways regulating hepatocytes from G0 phase into G1 phase during rat liver regeneration
Authors: Li Menghua , Zhou Xiaochun , Mei Jinxin , Geng Xiaofang , Zhou Yun , Zhang Weimin , Xu Cunshuan
Published: March 2014

Under normal physiological conditions, the majority of hepatocytes are in the functional state (G0 phase). After injury or liver partial hepatectomy (PH), hepatocytes are rapidly activated to divide. To understand the mechanism underlying hepatocyte G0/G1 transition during rat liver regeneration, we used the Rat Genome 230 2.0 Array to determine the expression changes of genes, then searched the GO and NCBI databases for genes associated with the G0/G1 transition, and QIAGEN and KEGG databases for the G0/G1 transition signaling pathways. We used expression profile function (E t) to calculate the activity level of the known G0/G1 transition signal pathways, and Ingenuity Pathway Analysis 9.0 (IPA) to determine the interactions among these signaling pathways. The results of our study show that the activity of the signaling pathways of HGF, IL-10 mediated by p38MAPK, IL-6 mediated by STAT3, and JAK/STAT mediated by Ras/ERK and STAT3 are significantly increased during the priming phase (2–6 h after PH) of rat liver regeneration. This leads us to conclude that during rat liver regeneration, the HGF, IL-10, IL-6 and JAK/STAT signaling pathways play a major role in promoting hepatocyte G0/G1 transition in the regenerating liver.
Comparative Study of Amorphous Calcium Phosphate-containing Orthodontic Composite and Conventional Orthodontic Adhesive on Enamel Demineralization around Orthodontic Brackets – An in vivo Study
Authors: Agarwal Aradhana , Swami Vinit , Sable RB
Published: March 2014

Introduction: One of the most difficult problems in orthodontic treatment with fixed appliances is enamel demineralization around the brackets. This iatrogenically caused white spot lesions leads to poor esthetics; and in severe cases it may need restorative treatment.

Objective: To evaluate in vivo effect of Amorphous Calcium Phosphate (ACP)-containing orthodontic composite on enamel demineralization around orthodontic brackets, and to compare it with the conventional resin based orthodontic composite.

Materials & Method: 20 orthodontic patients planned for four first premolars extraction were selected for the study. All first premolars were bonded with Aegis Ortho, an ACP-containing orthodontic composite (experimental group), and Transbond XT, a resin-based orthodontic composite (control group). After 45 days teeth were extracted, sectioned for the microhardness group and evaluated by superficial-microhardness analysis and stereomicroscopic study. Unpaired t-test and analysis of variance (ANOVA) test was performed.

Result: The ANOVA showed statistically significant differences for position, material, depth, and their interactions (p <0.001). The multiple comparison test showed that the ACP-containing orthodontic composite was significantly more efficient than the conventional composite, reducing enamel demineralization in almost all evaluations (p <0.001). The stereomicroscopic examinations showed a lesser extent of demineralization around orthodontic brackets for the ACP-containing orthodontic composite group.

Conclusion: ACP-containing orthodontic composite for bonding orthodontic brackets successfully inhibited demineralization, which was localized to the area around the brackets.
Properties of Binary Surfactant Systems of a Cationic Ester-Containing Gemini Surfactant with Some Conventional Surfactants in Aqueous Solutions
Authors: Xu Hujun , Kang Peng , Bao Xinyan
Published: March 2014

Gemini surfactant, N,N′-bis(dimethyl ethyl dodecane)ethyl ether dibromide was synthesized and symbolized as II-12-EO2. The surface chemical properties and micelle behaviors of II-12-EO2 with poly (ethylene oxide) (PEO) lauryl ether (C12E6) and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) were investigated in 0.1 mol · L−1 sodium bromide aqueous solution at 313 K using surface tension measurements and steady-state fluorescence spectroscopy. The critical micelle concentration (cmc) of II-12-EO2 is 1.99 × 10−4 mol · L−1 and the aggregation number is 23. The cmc values of the two binary systems with different molar fractions are all lower than those of pure constituent surfactants, and the aggregation numbers of the binary systems are all larger than that of II-12-EO2. The interaction parameters β of the two binary systems were calculated, and the negative values of β indicate the existence of synergism in surface tension reduction efficiency, mixed micelle formation and surface tension reduction effectiveness.
Forced Fracture of „Witch Hat“ Fuel Oil Filters of a Gas Turbine Engine Test Rig
Authors: Cagliyan E. , Gädicke T. , Neidel A.
Published: March 2014

A number of perforated-plate fuel oil strainers, called “witch hat” filters for their peculiar shape, were found fractured. Detailed metallurgical failure examinations revealed deflagration within the filter body, i. e. a mild explosion, as the cause of fracture by tensile overload. No evidence of fatigue was found on the fracture surfaces. The microstructure of the subject failed “witch hat” filters was unremarkable, except for the presence of slip lines immediately adjacent to the fracture surfaces. This is consistent with and evidence for plastic deformation in the area of the fracture. While the metallurgical or physical cause of failure was determined to be tensile overload, where the ligaments between the filter holes fractured, the root cause of failure was found to be abuse in engine service, that caused deflagration of fuel oil vapours within the filter body.
A study of English blends: From structure to meaning and back again
Authors: Beliaeva Natalia
Published: March 2014

This article presents an approach to the resolution of the much discussed problem of morphological classification of blend words and their distinction from such neighbouring morphological categories as clipping compounds. The research focuses on novel coinages and takes a data-driven approach to study the interaction between the form and the meaning of blends/clipping compounds. A multifactorial analysis of formal and semantic properties of these words is undertaken, as a result of which phonological and structural differences between blends and clipping compounds are explained using formal and semantic factors.
Heat and Gravitation: The Action Principle
Authors: Frønsdal Christian
Published: March 2014

Some features of hydro- and thermo-dynamics, as applied to atmospheres and to stellar structures, are puzzling: (1) the suggestion, first made by Laplace, that our atmosphere has an adiabatic temperature distribution, is confirmed for the lower layers, but the explanation for this is very controversial; (2) the standard treatment of relativistic thermodynamics does not favor a systematic treatment of mixtures, such as the mixture of a perfect gas with radiation; (3) the concept of mass density in applications of general relativity to stellar structures is less than completely satisfactory; and (4) arguments in which a concept of energy and entropy play a role, in the context of hydro-thermodynamical systems and gravitation, are not always convincing. It is proposed that a formulation of thermodynamics as an action principle may be a suitable approach to adopt for a new investigation of these matters. This paper formulates the thermodynamics of ideal gases in a constant gravitational field in terms of the Gibbsean action principle. This approach, in the simplest cases, does not deviate from standard practice, but it lays the foundations for a more systematic approach to the various extensions, such as the incorporation of radiation, the consideration of mixtures and the integration with general relativity. We study the interaction between an ideal gas and the photon gas and the propagation of sound in a vertical, isothermal column. We determine the entropy that allows for the popular isothermal equilibrium and introduce the study of the associated adiabatic dynamics. This leads to the suggestion that the equilibrium of an ideal gas must be isentropic, in which case, the role of solar radiation would be merely to compensate for the loss of energy by radiation into the cosmos. An experiment with a centrifuge is proposed, to determine the influence of gravitation on the equilibrium distribution with a very high degree of precision.
Nitric Oxide Functions as a Signal in Ultraviolet-B-Induced Baicalin Accumulation in Scutellaria baicalensis Suspension Cultures
Authors: Zhang Jin-Jie , Li Xue-Qin , Sun Jun-Wei , Jin Song-Heng
Published: March 2014

Stress induced by ultraviolet-B (UV-B) irradiation stimulates the accumulation of various secondary metabolites in plants. Nitric oxide (NO) serves as an important secondary messenger in UV-B stress-induced signal transduction pathways. NO can be synthesized in plants by either enzymatic catalysis or an inorganic nitrogen pathway. The effects of UV-B irradiation on the production of baicalin and the associated molecular pathways in plant cells are poorly understood. In this study, nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity, NO release and the generation of baicalin were investigated in cell suspension cultures of Scutellaria baicalensis exposed to UV-B irradiation. UV-B irradiation significantly increased NOS activity, NO release and baicalin biosynthesis in S. baicalensis cells. Additionally, exogenous NO supplied by the NO donor, sodium nitroprusside (SNP), led to a similar increase in the baicalin content as the UV-B treatment. The NOS inhibitor, Nω-nitro-l-arginine (LNNA), and NO scavenger, 2-(4-carboxyphenyl)-4,4,5,5-tetramethylimidazoline-1-oxyl-3-oxide (cPTIO) partially inhibited UV-B-induced NO release and baicalin accumulation. These results suggest that NO is generated by NOS or NOS-like enzymes and plays an important role in baicalin biosynthesis as part of the defense response of S. baicalensis cells to UV-B irradiation.
DTC-and-Me: Patient, Provider, Proteins and Regulators
Authors: Steele Fintan , Gold Larry
Published: March 2014

The yet-unrealized potential for more “personalized” Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) tests to fundamentally alter the practice and economics of healthcare is undeniable. However, there are also many challenges to be met, including the herculean task of ensuring that the information provided by such tests is scientifically sound and, ideally, medically actionable. We consider recent events in DTC testing and suggest a “thought experiment” of an approach that could ultimately meet the needs of patients, providers and regulatory authorities.
Chemistry and Biology of Bengamides and Bengazoles, Bioactive Natural Products from Jaspis Sponges
Authors: García-Ruiz Cristina , Sarabia Francisco
Published: March 2014

Sponges corresponding to the Jaspidae family have proved to be a prolific source of bioactive natural products. Among these, the bengamides and the bengazoles stand out by virtue of their unprecedented molecular architectures and impressive biological profiles, including antitumor, antibiotic and anthelmintic properties. As a consequence, intense research activity has been devoted to these compounds from both chemical and biological standpoints. This review describes in detail the research into these classes of natural products and the benefits they offer in chemistry and biology.