bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Gestion des déchets ménagers : comment les collectivités françaises mobilisent-elles leurs usagers ?
Authors: Tarrisse-Vicard Fanny , Conte Johanna Le , Aznar Olivier , Antoni Anne , Ferzli Raphaële , Gouet Julie
Published: May 2013

L’objectif de cette recherche est d’étudier les mesures développées par les collectivités territoriales pour encourager les ménages à adopter des comportements pro-environnementaux. Notre approche articule deux démarches complémentaires. D’une part, à partir d’une approche économique, nous analysons les choix des collectivités territoriales pour inciter les usagers du service d’élimination des déchets ménagers à jeter moins de déchets. Dans ce cadre, nous avons élaboré une typologie des leviers d’action développés par les collectivités territoriales. Quatre types de stratégies d’implication différentes des usagers ont été identifiés auprès de collectivités territoriales françaises, décrivant des combinaisons de mesures particulières pour atteindre les objectifs environnementaux fixés par la politique nationale des déchets. Puis, à partir d’une étude économétrique, nous avons mis en évidence l’importance dans les choix des collectivités territoriales de la prise en compte des caractéristiques des usagers, une politique étant d’autant plus efficace que les usagers du service sont prêts à la mettre en œuvre.D’autre part, à partir d’une approche en sciences humaines et sociales, nous constatons une relation entre l’usager et le service de gestion des déchets assez complexe, ainsi que des pratiques de tri bien ancrées dans le quotidien des individus.
Acute care for stunned myocardium after lightning strike is life-saving: need for public awareness programs
Authors: Armin Ahmed , Afzal Azim , Upendra Singh , Mohan Gurjar
Published: May 2013

Lightning injury is a global public health problem. It still exists as a major environmental threat in developing nations where majority of population lives in rural areas. The different mechanisms of lightning injury can result in a spectrum of injuries ranging from minor, through moderate to severe. The most common cause of death due to lightning strike is cardiopulmonary arrest. Prognosis and outcome in moderate to severe lightning injury depends on timing of cardiopulmonary resuscitation and specialized care to prevent anoxic injury to vital organs. India lags behind in public education, awareness programs and health resources and has the biggest number of reported deaths due to lightning injuries. In this report, the authors highlight the importance of early cardiopulmonary support to a victim of direct lightning strike, which saved his life, and lay emphasis on the need to develop public awareness programs.
Radiology and the mobile device: Radiology in motion
Authors: Panughpath Sridhar G , Kalyanpur Arjun
Published: May 2013

The use of mobile devices is revolutionizing the way we communicate, interact, are entertained, and organize our lives. With healthcare in general and radiology in particular becoming increasingly digital, the use of such devices in radiologic practice is inevitable. This article reviews the current status of the use of mobile devices in the clinical practice of radiology, namely in emergency teleradiology. Technical parameters such as luminance and resolution are discussed. The article also discusses the benefits of such mobility vis-à-vis the current limitations of the technologies available.
Fusion of intravenous contrast-enhanced C-arm CT and pretreatment imaging for ablation margin assessment of liver tumors: A preliminary study
Authors: Iwazawa Jin , Hashimoto Naoko , Mitani Takashi , Ohue Shoichi
Published: May 2013

The aim of this preliminary study was to evaluate the feasibility of assessing ablation margins after radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of liver tumors from fusion images of post-treatment C-arm computed tomography (CT) images fused to pretreatment images. Five patients with liver tumors underwent RFA. Intravenous contrast-enhanced C-arm CT images were obtained for all patients immediately after RFA, and multi-detector CT (MDCT) images were obtained 3-7 days later. The C-arm CT and MDCT images were fused to pretreatment images using a multimodality image fusion software. The minimum ablation margins were assessed in the C-arm CT and MDCT fusion images. Ablation margins after RFA of liver tumors can be measured using intravenous contrast-enhanced C-arm CT images fused with pretreatment images. This technique has the potential for use in the intra-procedural assessment of liver tumor ablation.
Pictorial essay: Vascular interventions in extra cranial head and neck
Authors: Kulkarni Suyash S , Shetty Nitin S , Dharia Tejas P , Polnaya Ashwin M
Published: May 2013

Medicine is an ever changing field and interventional radiology (IR) procedures are becoming increasingly popular because of high efficacy and its minimally invasive nature of the procedure. Management of disease processes in the extra cranial head and neck (ECHN) has always been a challenge due to the complex anatomy of the region. Cross sectional imaging of the ECHN has grown and evolved tremendously and occupies a pivotal and integral position in the clinical management of variety of head and neck pathologies. Advances in angiographic technologies including flat panel detector systems, biplane, and 3-dimensional rotational angiography have consolidated and expanded the role of IR in the management of various ECHN pathologies. The ECHN is at cross roads between the origins of great vessels and the cerebral vasculature. Thorough knowledge of functional and technical aspects of neuroangiography is essential before embarking on head and neck vascular interventions. The vessels of the head and neck can be involved by infectious and inflammatory conditions, get irradiated during radiotherapy and injured due to trauma or iatrogenic cause. The ECHN is also a common site for various hypervascular neoplasms and vascular malformations, which can be treated with endovascular and percutaneous embolization. This pictorial essay provides a review of variety of ECHN pathologies which were managed by various IR procedures using different approaches.
Biases caused by the instrument bandwidth and beam width on simulated brightness temperature measurements from scanning microwave radiometers
Authors: Meunier V. , Löhnert U. , Kollias P. , Crewell S.
Published: May 2013

Abstract. More so than the traditional fixed radiometers, the scanning radiometer requires a careful design to ensure high quality measurements. Here the impact of the radiometer characteristics (e.g., antenna beam width and receiver bandwidth) and atmospheric propagation (e.g. curvature of the Earth and vertical gradient of refractive index) on scanning radiometer measurements are presented. A forward radiative transfer model that includes all these effects to represent the instrument measurements is used to estimate the biases. These biases are estimated using differences between the measurement with and without these characteristics for three commonly used frequency bands: K, V and W-band. The receiver channel bandwidth errors are less important in K-band and W-band. Thus, the use of a wider bandwidth to improve detection at low signal-to-noise conditions is acceptable at these frequencies. The biases caused by omitting the antenna beam width in measurement simulations are larger than those caused by omitting the receiver bandwidth, except for V-band where the bandwidth may be more important in the vicinity of absorption peaks. Using simple regression algorithms, the effects of the bandwidth and beam width biases in liquid water path, integrated water vapour, and temperature are also examined. The largest errors in liquid water path and integrated water vapour are associated with the beam width errors.
Large spatial variations in coastal 14C reservoir age – a case study from the Baltic Sea
Authors: Lougheed B. C. , Filipsson H. L. , Snowball I.
Published: May 2013

Abstract. Coastal locations are highly influenced by input from freshwater river runoff, including sources of terrestrial carbon, which can be expected to modify the 14C reservoir age, or R (t), associated with marine water. In this Baltic Sea case study, pre-bomb museum collection mollusc shells of known calendar age, from 30 locations across a strategic salinity transect of the Baltic Sea, were analysed for 14C, δ13C and δ18O. R (t) was calculated for all 30 locations. Seven locations, of which six are within close proximity of the coast, were found to have relatively higher R (t) values, indicative of hard-water effects. Whenever possible, the Macoma genus of mollusc was selected from the museum collections, in order to exclude species specific reservoir age effects as much as possible. When the Macoma samples are exclusively considered, and samples from hard-water locations excluded, a statistically significant correlation between Macoma R (t) and average salinity is found, indicating a two end-member linear mixing model between 14Cmarine and 14Crunoff. A map of Baltic Sea Macoma aragonite R (t) for the late 19th and early 20th centuries is produced. Such a map can provide an estimate for contemporary Baltic Sea Macoma R (t), although one must exercise caution when applying such estimates back in time or to 14C dates obtained from different sample material. A statistically significant correlation is found between δ18Oaragonite and Macoma R (t), suggesting that δ18Oaragonite can be used to estimate Macoma palaeo-R (t), due to the δ18Oaragonite signal being dominated by the salinity gradient of the Baltic Sea. A slightly increased correlation can be expected when δ18Oaragonite is corrected for temperature fractionation effects. The results of this Baltic Sea case study, which show that R (t) is affected by hydrographic conditions and local carbon inputs, have important consequences for other coastal and estuarine locations, where R (t) is also likely to significantly vary on spatial and temporal bases.
Water-soluble organic carbon in snow and ice deposited at Alpine, Greenland, and Antarctic sites: a critical review of available data and their atmospheric relevance
Authors: Legrand M. , Preunkert S. , Jourdain B. , Guilhermet J. , Fain X. , Alekhina I. , Petit J. R.
Published: May 2013

Abstract. While it is now recognized that organic matter dominates the present-day atmospheric aerosol load over continents, its sources remain poorly known. The studies of organic species or organic fractions trapped in ice cores may help to overcome this lack of knowledge. Available data on the dissolved (or total) organic carbon (DOC or TOC) content of snow and ice often appear largely inconsistent and until now no critical review was conducted to understand the causes of these inconsistencies. To draw a more consistent picture of the organic carbon amount present in solid precipitation that accumulates on cold glaciers, we here review available data and, when needed, complete the data set with analyses of selected samples. The different data sets are then discussed by considering the age (modern versus pre-industrial, Holocene versus last glacial maximum) and type (surface snow, firn, or ice) of investigated samples, the deployed method (DOC, TOC) and the applied contamination control. Finally, the OC levels of Antarctic, Greenland and Alpine ice cores are compared and discussed with respect to natural (biomass burning, vegetation emissions) and anthropogenic source (fossil fuel combustion) contributions to atmospheric OC aerosol.
A long-term and reproducible passive microwave sea ice concentration data record for climate studies and monitoring
Authors: Peng G. , Meier W. N. , Scott D. J. , Savoie M. H.
Published: May 2013

Abstract. A long-term, consistent, and reproducible satellite-based passive microwave sea ice concentration climate data record (CDR) is available for climate studies, monitoring, and model validation with an initial operation capability (IOC). The daily and monthly sea ice concentration data are on the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) polar stereographic grid with nominal 25 × 25 km grid cells in both the Southern and Northern Hemisphere Polar Regions from 9 July 1987 to 31 December 2007 with an update through 2011 underway. The data files are available in the NetCDF data format at http://nsidc.org/data/g02202.html and archived by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)'s National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) under the satellite climate data record program (http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/cdr/operationalcdrs.html). The description and basic characteristics of the NOAA/NSIDC passive microwave sea ice concentration CDR are presented here. The CDR provides similar spatial and temporal variability as the heritage products to the user communities with the additional documentation, traceability, and reproducibility that meet current standards and guidelines for climate data records. The dataset along with detailed data processing steps and error source information can be found at: doi:10.7265/N5B56GN3.
Comparative assessment of predictions in ungauged basins – Part 1: Runoff-hydrograph studies
Authors: Parajka J. , Viglione A. , Rogger M. , Salinas J. L. , Sivapalan M. , Blöschl G.
Published: May 2013

Abstract. The objective of this assessment is to compare studies predicting runoff hydrographs in ungauged catchments. The aim is to learn from the differences and similarities between catchments in different locations, and to interpret the differences in performance in terms of the underlying climate and landscape controls. The assessment is performed at two levels. The Level 1 assessment is a meta-analysis of 34 studies reported in the literature involving 3874 catchments. The Level 2 assessment consists of a more focused and detailed analysis of individual basins from selected studies from Level 1 in terms of how the leave-one-out cross-validation performance depends on climate and catchment characteristics as well as on the chosen regionalisation method. The results indicate that runoff-hydrograph predictions in ungauged catchments tend to be more accurate in humid than in arid catchments and more accurate in large than in small catchments. The dependence of performance on elevation differs by regions and depends on how aridity varies with elevation and air temperature. The effect of the parameter regionalisation method on model performance differs between studies. However, there is a tendency towards a somewhat lower performance of regressions than other methods in those studies that apply different methods in the same region. In humid catchments spatial proximity and similarity methods perform best while in arid catchments similarity and parameter regression methods perform slightly better. For studies with a large number of catchments (dense stream gauge network) there is a tendency for spatial proximity and geostatistics to perform better than regression or regionalisation based on simple averaging of model parameters from gauged catchments. There was no clear relationship between predictive performance and the number of regionalised model parameters. The implications of the findings are discussed in the context of model building.
Editorial: Rapidly Growing Importance of Glycated Haemoglobin (HbA1c) in Diabetic Management
Authors: Sandeep Kumar Vashist  , Khalid Al-Rubeaan
Published: May 2013

Glycated Haemoglobin (HbA1c) has become an integral part of glucose management in diabetes mellitus patients as it corresponds to their average blood glucose level in past few weeks. The improved glucose management is clearly apparent to the healthcare professionals from the reduced and sustained HbA1c level in diabetics. HbA1c has also been recently advocated as a diagnostic marker for diabetes mellitus. During the past two decades, tremendous improvements have been made in the development of laboratory-based reference methods for HbA1c analysis and the development of secondary HbA1c reference material that is being used worldwide for the standardisation of HbA1c methods. The current generation of point-of-care (POC) instruments for HbA1c analysis lacks the generally-accepted analytical performance criteria, thereby stressing the need for critical improvement in POC devices and HbA1c methods.
Digestive Discomforts and Effect of Ingested Food in People Performing Hajj
Authors: Osama A. Shaikh-Omar  , Eslam A. Header  , Hassan M. Bukhari
Published: May 2013

A variety of health issues have been investigated in the Hajj pilgrims (HPs) in KSA. However, it is still obscure to decide which meals contribute to health related issues specifically gastrointestinal disorders and allergies. Hence present study was planned to compare the effect of using different meals on GIT disorders and allergies. The data was categorized into two groups. Group 1 of age matched HPs comprised a Functional Digestive System Questionnaire (FDSQ) to study digestive disorders. Group 2 HPs were compared for those received Toafa Corporation Meals (TCM) and those did not received Toafa Corporation Meals (NTCM). The FDSQ showed some of the gastrointestinal symptoms in male and female Hajj pilgrims differing significantly (p<0.05). The efficacy of the treatment was evaluated by subject recovery scoring (SRS). The 61.7% HPs taking TCM revealed various discomforts and food allergy and the 50.6% HPs using NTCM did not suffer from any disorders. However, the pilgrims taking the meals provided by the Toafa corporation but not showing allergy were more significant in number (p=0.0002). The existing study presents a new method (construction of a FDSQ) for comparing gastrointestinal and other disorders. The present study recommends that Toafa Corporation should provide suitable meals for thepilgrims to meet their actual needs during Hajj and health situation.
« Comment m’entendez-vous ? Je parle de si loin. »*
Authors: Manevy Philippe
Published: May 2013

Stéphane Saint-Jean proposait en octobre 2003 une mise en scène chorale de La Voix humaine de Cocteau, conversation téléphonique d’une femme avec l’amant qui vient de la quitter. Dans [La Voix humaine]9, le téléphone subit une métamorphose radicale. Le choix d’un mode d’énonciation collectif et le parti pris lyrique bouleversent la signification de la pièce, en l’infléchissant du tragique vers le pathos et en désamorçant sa complexité. La logique de la création collective et l’élan communautaire semblent l’emporter sur le désir – affiché – de rendre hommage au poète.
Turning Rice into Pilau: the Art of Video Narration in Tanzania
Authors: Krings Matthias
Published: May 2013

This essay investigates the remediation of foreign films as it is currently practised in Tanzanian video parlours, by video narrators interpreting these films into Kiswahili. Video narration is a means to appropriate and domesticate foreign audiovisual material in terms of primary orality. Video narration reverses the hierarchy of original and copy insofar as the moving images of the original become mere illustrations of governing local narratives. Whether performed live or mediatized as voice-over on DVD or VHS cassette, video narration exposes the reality of film as mediated, heightens awareness of the viewing situation and fosters the critical inquiry of the audience.
Remanier les dialogues, rénover les tableaux
Authors: Tralongo Stéphane
Published: May 2013

Cette étude porte sur les méthodes de rénovation qui se mettent en place au tournant du xxe siècle pour lancer de grandes reprises de pièces féeriques et, plus précisément, sur ce que les historiens du cinéma ont retenu comme l’une des premières intégrations du cinématographe au domaine de la mise en scène théâtrale : la projection d’un film dans la féerie La Biche au bois (Théâtre du Châtelet, 1896). En partant des propositions historiographiques formulées par David Mayer, cette recherche se fonde sur le dépouillement d’archives théâtrales qui invitent à nuancer l’effet de nouveauté qu’on serait tenté de percevoir a posteriori dans cette appropriation très précoce du cinématographe. La logique de « récupération des clous » développée par Roxane Martin permet justement de réinscrire l’utilisation du cinématographe dans la continuité des procédures de l’époque, avec le perfectionnement de techniques déjà anciennes et la reconduction de conventions bien établies.
Translation and the Passage to Politics in Contemporary Palestinian Art
Authors: Rahman Najat
Published: May 2013

Analyzing connections between art and politics, this article proposes that contemporary Palestinian art is a space of dissent that challenges consensus and creates new visions of belonging and new forms of subjectivity. It considers the way the installations and videowork of Mona Hatoum and Till Roeskens and translation in the poetry of Suheir Hammad bring together reflections on “subjective mapping.” Both subjective mapping and translation are shown to imply a passage to politics. The crossing of languages, genres and media in these different artworks therefore establishes an intermedial dialogue—not only between the artworks themselves, but also between subjective mapping and translation, visual art and poetry.
The Relationship Between Arousal and the Remembered Duration of Positive Events
Authors: Frederickx Sofie , Verduyn Philippe , Koval Peter , Brans Karen , Brunner Bettina , Laet Isabelle De , Ogrinz Barbara , Pe Madeline , Hofmans Joeri
Published: May 2013

The relation between affect and retrospective duration estimation has hardly been examined. In this paper, we contribute to filling this gap by studying the influence of arousal on the remembered duration of positive events. On the basis of the contextual change model, we expected that high‐arousal positive events would be remembered as longer compared with low‐arousal positive events. To test this hypothesis, we set up a naturalistic study in which participants were asked at the end of a pleasant amusement park ride at the local fair to rate how pleasant and aroused they felt during the ride as well as to estimate the ride's duration. Feeling more aroused during a ride was associated with longer estimates of the ride's duration. Results are discussed within the framework of retrospective time estimation models. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Fault tolerant synchronization for a class of complex interconnected neural networks with delay
Authors: Wang Zhanshan , Li Tieshan , Zhang Huaguang
Published: May 2013

This paper is concerned with the fault tolerant synchronization problem for a class of complex interconnected neural networks against sensor faults. As sensor faults may lead to performance degradation or even instability of the whole network, fault tolerant control laws are designed to guarantee the controlled synchronization of the complex interconnected neural networks. On the basis of Lyapunov stability theory and adaptive schemes, three kinds of fault tolerant control laws are designed on the basis of linear matrix inequality technique. One is the passive fault tolerant control law, the other two are adaptive fault tolerant control laws. The latter two methods use the adaptive adjusting mechanism of the coupling coefficients to ensure the synchronization of the networks in the presence of sensor faults. Simulation results are given to verify the effectiveness of the proposed methods. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Highly selective extraction of baicalin in natural herbs and medicinal preparations by molecularly imprinted polymer
Authors: Mou Xiaoli , Zhang Wenpeng , Chen Zilin
Published: May 2013

Selective extraction of bioactive compounds in natural products and traditional medicines is difficult but necessary for drug analysis and new drug development. In this study, baicalin‐imprinted polymer particles were prepared for selective recognition and extraction of baicalin from herbs and traditional Chinese medicines. The molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) was synthesized by co‐polymerization of 4‐vinylpridine and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate in the presence of baicalin with a ratio of 8 : 40 : 1, where N,N‐dimethyl formamide/acetonitrile served as porogen. The prepared MIP particles showed good selectivity by comparing with non‐imprinted polymer and possessed an imprinted factor of 2.17; selectivity to other molecules was also tested by extracting an analogue, naringin. The performances of the MIP particles were systematically investigated, including adsorption kinetics, isotherm experiment, and Scatchard analysis. The imprinted particles were also applied to extract baicalin from natural herb Plantago asiatica L, and traditional Chinese medicine Longdanxiegan bolus. The results showed that baicalin in these complex matrixes could be selectively extracted and well isolated with other components. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 130: 1873–1878, 2013
Polarimetric Multifrequency and Multi‐incidence SAR Sensors Analysis for Archaeological Purposes
Authors: Patruno Jolanda , Dore Nicole , Crespi Mattia , Pottier Eric
Published: May 2013

The aim of the present work was to compare Advanced Land Observing Satellite (ALOS) Phased Array type L‐band Synthetic Aperture Radar (PALSAR) with RADARSAT‐2 C‐band satellite in order to identify the most suitable method for the detection of ground anomalies due to the presence of shallow underground archaeological structures. This comparison was performed over two UNESCO archaeological sites: Djebel Barkal (northern province of Meroe, Sudan) and Samarra (130 km north of Bagdad, Iraq). The choice of these two cultural sites was motivated by their position in a desert area (especially the Djebel Barkal site) where soil moisture has smaller impact on radar wave penetration, thus not compromising data interpretation. The largest difference between the satellites is the spatial resolution, around 20 m for the PALSAR sensor and 9 m for the RADARSAT‐2 satellite. Given the importance of spatial resolution for archaeological purposes, that difference is balanced by the wave band utilized, which can be translated in differences in soil penetration. However, the quite superficial remains in both the sites give different but complementary responses. Polarimetric SAR data were analysed with PolSARpro software, and all the products were then compared with archaeological maps and available optical satellite images, used as a basis for the georeferencing process. This work constitutes a fundamental step in archaeological research toward a correct interpretation of all the scattering mechanisms above or around ancient structures. Additional information, such as meteorological conditions where available and archaeological maps (that can be consulted from the UNESCO website), was used as a support for interpretation of the archaeological areas; in the case of the Iraqi city of Samarra and of the archaeological area of Gebel Barkal, ground‐truth surveys in situ are not allowed for political reasons. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Osmium(III) and Osmium(V) Complexes Bearing a Macrocyclic Ligand: A Simple and Efficient Catalytic System for cis‐Dihydroxylation of Alkenes with Hydrogen Peroxide
Authors: Sugimoto Hideki , Ashikari Kenji , Itoh Shinobu
Published: May 2013

A simple protocol that uses [OsIII(OH)(H2O)(L‐N4Me2)](PF6)2 (1; L‐N4Me2=N,N′‐dimethyl‐2,11‐diaza[3.3](2,6)pyridinophane) as a catalyst and H2O2 as a terminal oxidant for efficient cis‐1,2‐dihydroxylation of alkenes is presented. Unfunctionalized (or aliphatic) alkenes and alkenes/styrenes containing electron‐withdrawing groups are selectively oxidized to the corresponding vicinal diols in good to excellent yields (46–99 %). In the catalytic reactions, the stoichiometry of alkene:H2O2 is 1:1, and thus the oxidant efficiency is very high. For the dihydroxylation of cyclohexene, the catalytic amount of 1 can be reduced to 0.01 mol % to achieve a very high turnover number of 5500. The active oxidant is identified as the OsV(O)(OH) species (2), which is formed via the hydroperoxide adduct, an OsIII(OOH) species. The active oxidant 2 is successfully isolated and crystallographically characterized.
Synergistic Effect of SnO2/ZnWO4 Core–Shell Nanorods with High Reversible Lithium Storage Capacity
Authors: Xing Li‐Li , Yuan Shuang , He Bin , Zhao Ya‐Yu , Wu Xiao‐Ling , Xue Xin‐Yu
Published: May 2013

High reversible lithium storage capacity is obtained from novel SnO2/ZnWO4 core–shell nanorods. At C/20 (20 h per half cycle) rate, the reversible capacity of SnO2/ZnWO4 core–shell nanorods is as high as 1000 mAh g−1, much higher than that of pure ZnWO4, SnO2, or the traditional theoretical result of the simple mixture. Such performance can be attributed to the synergistic effect between the nanostructured SnO2 and ZnWO4. The distinct electrochemical activity of ZnWO4 nanorods probably activates the irreversible capacity of the SnO2 nanoparticles. These results indicate that high‐performance lithium ion batteries can be realized by introducing the synergistic effect of one‐dimensional core–shell nanocomposites.
Association between MTHFR Gene Polymorphisms and the Risk of Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Meta‐Analysis
Authors: Pu Danhua , Shen Yiping , Wu Jie
Published: May 2013

Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) is essential for DNA biosynthesis and the epigenetic process of DNA methylation, and its gene polymorphisms have been implicated as risk factors for birth defects, neurological disorders, and cancers. However, reports on the association of MTHFR polymorphisms with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are inconclusive. Therefore, we investigated the relationship of the MTHFR polymorphisms (C677T and A1298C) and the risk of ASD by meta‐analysis. Up to December 2012, eight case‐control studies involving 1672 patients with ASD and 6760 controls were included for meta‐analysis. The results showed that the C677T polymorphism was associated with significantly increased ASD risk in all the comparison models [T vs. C allele (frequency of allele): odds ratio (OR) = 1.42, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.09–1.85; CT vs. CC (heterozygote): OR = 1.48, 95% CI: 1.09–2.00; TT vs. CC (homozygote): OR = 1.86, 95% CI: 1.08–3.20; CT+TT vs. CC (dominant model): OR = 1.56, 95% CI: 1.12–2.18; and TT vs. CC+CT (recessive model): OR = 1.51, 95% CI: 1.02–2.22], whereas the A1298C polymorphism was found to be significantly associated with reduced ASD risk but only in a recessive model (CC vs. AA+AC: OR = 0.73, 95% CI: 0.56–0.97). In addition, we stratified the patient population based on whether they were from a country with food fortification of folic acid or not. The meta‐analysis showed that the C677T polymorphism was found to be associated with ASD only in children from countries without food fortification. Our study indicated that the MTHFR C677T polymorphism contributes to increased ASD risk, and periconceptional folic acid may reduce ASD risk in those with MTHFR 677C>T polymorphism. Autism Res 2013, ●●: ●●–●●. © 2013 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Would the real human embryonic stem cell please stand up?
Authors: Zhang Ben , Krawetz Roman , Rancourt Derrick E.
Published: May 2013

Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) are now classified into two types of pluripotency: “naïve” and “primed” based upon their differing characteristics. Conventional human ESCs have much more in common with mouse epiblast stem cells and are now deemed to be primed. Naïve human ESCs that resemble mouse ESCs have recently been generated from their primed counterpart by cellular reprogramming. Isolation of naïve hESCs from human embryos has proven to be difficult. Is the inability to capture naïve hESCs the result of suboptimal derivation conditions or because they are so transient they cannot be “captured” in vitro? Prevailing evidence surrounding this issue are inconclusive and require additional human embryo research. However, negative public opinion regarding human embryo research, may make this an uphill battle. The solution may come from cellular reprogramming.
How does pheomelanin synthesis contribute to melanomagenesis?
Authors: Morgan Ann M. , Lo Jennifer , Fisher David E.
Published: May 2013

Recently, we reported that melanoma risk in redheads is linked not only to pale skin, but also to the synthesis of the pigment – called pheomelanin – that gives red hair its color. We demonstrated that pheomelanin synthesis is associated with increased oxidative stress in the skin, yet we have not uncovered the chemical pathway between the molecule pheomelanin and the DNA damage that drives melanoma formation. Here, we hypothesize two possible pathways. On one hand, pheomelanin might generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) that directly or indirectly cause oxidative DNA damage. On the other hand, pheomelanin synthesis might consume cellular antioxidant stores and make the cell nucleus more vulnerable to other endogenous ROS. Uncovering the mechanistic pathway between pheomelanin and oxidative DNA damage will be an important step in developing strategies to lower melanoma risk in redheads.
Topography of the greater palatine artery and the palatal vault for various types of periodontal plastic surgery
Authors: Kim Da‐Hye , Won Sung‐Yoon , Bae Jung‐Hee , Jung Ui‐Won , Park Dong‐Soo , Kim Hee‐Jin , Hu Kyung‐Seok
Published: May 2013

The purpose of the present study is to provide useful data that could be applied to various types of periodontal plastic surgery by detailing the topography of the greater palatine artery (GPA), looking in particular at its depth from the palatal masticatory mucosa (PMM) and conducting a morphometric analysis of the palatal vault. Forty‐three hemisectioned hard palates from embalmed Korean adult cadavers were used in this study. The morphometry of the palatal vault was analyzed, and then the specimens were decalcified and sectioned. Six parameters were measured using an image‐analysis system after performing a standard calibration. In one specimen, the PMM was separated from the hard palate and subjected to a partial Sihler's staining technique, allowing the branching pattern of the GPA to be observed in a new method. The distances between the GPA and the gingival margin, and between the GPA and the cementoenamel junction were greatest at the maxillary second premolar. The shortest vertical distance between the GPA and the PMM decreased gradually as it proceeded anteriorly. The GPA was located deeper in the high‐vault group than in the low‐vault group. The premolar region should be recommended as the optimal donor site for tissue grafting, and in particular the second premolar region. The maximum size and thickness of tissue that can be harvested from the region were 9.3 mm and 4.0 mm, respectively. Clin. Anat. 578–584, 2014. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Gold‐Catalyzed Synthesis of Iodofulvenes
Authors: Nösel Pascal , Lauterbach Tobias , Rudolph Matthias , Rominger Frank , Hashmi A. Stephen K.
Published: May 2013

We report the gold‐catalyzed synthesis of highly functionalized iodofulvenes from iododialkynes under mild conditions. The catalytic cycle involves the formation of gold acetylides and vinylgold intermediates. These intermediates can then undergo an unprecedented iodine/gold exchange. This new pathway for catalyst transfer in dual gold catalysis opens up the possibility of highly regioselective transformations directed by the gold in the organogold intermediates. The resulting products are well suited for further metal‐mediated coupling reactions, allowing the synthesis of extended π‐systems.
Adamantyl Arotinoids That Inhibit IκB Kinase α and IκB Kinase β
Authors: Lorenzo Paula , Ortiz María A. , Álvarez Rosana , Piedrafita F. Javier , de Lera Ángel R.
Published: May 2013

A series of analogues of the adamantyl arotinoid (AdAr) chalcone MX781 with halogenated benzyloxy substituents at C2′ and heterocyclic derivatives replacing the chalcone group were found to inhibit IκBα kinase α (IKKα) and IκBα kinase β (IKKβ) activities. The growth inhibitory capacity of some analogues against Jurkat T cells as well as prostate carcinoma (PC‐3) and chronic myelogenous leukemia (K562) cells, which contain elevated basal IKK activity, correlates with the induction of apoptosis and increased inhibition of recombinant IKKα and IKKβ in vitro, pointing toward inhibition of IKK/NFκB signaling as the most likely target of the anticancer activities of these AdArs. While the chalcone functional group present in many dietary compounds has been shown to mediate interactions with IKKβ via Michael addition with cysteine residues, AdArs containing a five‐membered heterocyclic ring (isoxazoles and pyrazoles) in place of the chalcone of the parent system are potent inhibitors of IKKs as well, which suggests that other mechanisms for inhibition exist that do not depend on the presence of a reactive α,β‐unsaturated ketone.
Aquaporin Inhibition by Gold(III) Compounds: New Insights
Authors: Martins Ana Paula , Ciancetta Antonella , de Almeida Andreia , Marrone Alessandro , Re Nazzareno , Soveral Graça , Casini Angela
Published: May 2013

Aquaporins (AQPs) are membrane water/glycerol channels with essential roles in biological systems, as well as being promising targets for therapy and imaging. Using a stopped‐flow method, a series of gold(III), platinum(II) and copper(II) complexes bearing nitrogen donor ligands, such as 1,10‐phenatroline, 2,2′‐bipyridine, 4,4′‐dimethyl‐2,2′‐bipyridine, 4,4′‐diamino‐2,2′‐bipyridine and 2,2′;6′,2“‐terpyridine, were evaluated in human red blood cells expressing AQP1 and AQP3, responsible for water and glycerol movement, respectively. The results showed that the gold(III) complexes selectively modulate AQP3 over AQP1. Molecular modeling and density functional theory (DFT) calculations were subsequently performed to rationalize the observations and to investigate the possible molecular mechanism through which these gold compounds act on their putative target (AQP3). In the absence of any crystallographic data, a previously reported homology model was used for this purpose. Combined, the findings of this study show that potent and selective modulation of these solute channels is possible, however further investigation is required into the selectivity of this class of agents against all AQP isoforms and their potential therapeutic uses.
Self‐assembly of a cadmium(II) diamondoid net with 2‐fold interpenetrating microporous structure
Authors: Wen Gui‐Lin , Han Min‐Le , Wang Feng‐Wu , Liu Dao‐Fu , Zhao Xing
Published: May 2013

Assembly of 5‐methoxyisophthalic acid (H2moip) with cadmium(II) ions in the presence of neutral ancillary 1,3‐bis(4‐pyridyl)propane (bpp) yields a new coordination polymer, [Cd(moip)(bpp)(H2O)]n·nH2O (1). X‐ray single‐crystal diffraction determination reveals that complex 1 crystallizes in the space group C2/c of monoclinic crystal system: a = 14.545(2), b = 18.749(3), c = 17.359(3) Å, β = 105.480(2)º. Complex 1 is a 4‐connected 3D diamondoid topological framework with a 2‐fold interpenetration. Interestingly, the dense adamantine cages with inherent microporous structure are filled with free water molecules to further stabilize the coordination network.
Accessory limb induction on flank region and its muscle regulation in axolotl
Authors: Hirata Ayako , Makanae Aki , Satoh Akira
Published: May 2013

Background: Urodele amphibians have high regeneration capability that has been studied for a long time. Recently, a new experimental system called the accessory limb model was developed and becomes alternative choice for amphibian limb regeneration study. Although the accessory limb model has many advantages, an improvement was needed for some specific analysis, such as studying muscle origin. For that purpose, an accessory limb induction on nonlimb regions was attempted. Results: Accessory limb induction on a nonlimb region (flank) was possible by nerve deviation and limb skin grafting. Retinoic acid injections improved the induction rate. The induced limb possessed the same tissue context as a normal limb. Muscle cells were also abundantly observed. It is speculated that the muscle cells are derived from flank muscle tissues, because limb muscle cells are a migratory cell population and the accessory limb was induced apart from the original limb. We also found that migration of the muscle cells was regulated by Hgf/cMet signaling as in other vertebrates. Conclusions: Accessory limb induction was possible even in the nonlimb flank region. The flank‐induced limb would be useful for further analysis of limb regeneration, especially for migratory cell populations such as muscle cells. Developmental Dynamics 242:932–940, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Disposable Solid‐State Sensor Based on Polypyrrole Films Doped for Potentiometric Determination of Dipyrone in Human Urine and Pharmaceuticals Products
Authors: Bindewald Eduardo H. , Bergamini Márcio F. , Marcolino‐Jr Luiz H.
Published: May 2013

The present manuscript describes the development of a sensitive and selective disposable solid‐state potentiometric sensor based on doped polypyrrole films (PPy) for dipyrone determination. The dipyrone was incorporated in the PPy matrix during electrochemical polymerization realized under galvanostatic conditions at a graphite pencil electrode. The sensor response for dipyrone was linear in the concentration range from 1.0×10−4 to 4.0×10−2 mol L−1 with a slope of 29 mV dec−1 without interference of inorganic and/or organic species. The method was successfully applied in the determination of dipyrone in spiked human urine and pharmaceutical commercial samples.
Robust pre‐filtering based space division multiple access over multi‐path channels
Authors: Wu Wei‐Chiang
Published: May 2013

A novel concept of time reversal division multiple access (TRDMA) is proposed recently as a low complexity, energy efficient wireless multi‐user access method. In this paper, we first generalize TRDMA as a pre‐filtering based space division multiple access communication system, where each user's signature waveform is derived from the information of channel impulse responses (CIRs) between basestation and location specific multiple mobile stations. We develop two pre‐filtering schemes: one is referred to as time reversal matched filter. The benefit of the time reversal matched filter is to fully collect energy at the sampling instant of the intended mobile station (spatial and temporal focusing). The second pre‐filter, which is referred to as zero‐forcing pre‐filter (ZFPF), is derived to meet the zero‐forcing criterion such that multi‐user interference is completely eliminated. However, because the uplink CIR is generally different from the downlink CIR, we present extensive analysis on the performance degradation of the ZFPF caused by this mismatched effect. Furthermore, to improve the robustness to mismatch, we propose a simple yet effective robust ZFPF. We investigate and compare the performances of both schemes under various scenarios in terms of power consumption and averaged signal‐to‐interference‐plus‐noise power ratio. It is shown in both analytical and simulation results that satisfying performance can be achieved by the proposed pre‐filtering system. Moreover, we demonstrate that the proposed robust‐ZFPF has improved the performance in mismatched condition. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Outage, throughput and energy efficiency analysis of some half and full duplex cooperative relaying schemes
Authors: Alves H. , Souza R.D. , Fraidenraich G.
Published: May 2013

In this paper, we compare cooperative full‐duplex (FD) and incremental cooperative half‐duplex (HD) relaying, in terms of outage probability, throughput and energy efficiency. We consider a practical model for the FD relay, where self‐interference between transmitted and received signals is taken into account. The FD transmission is based on the well‐known block Markov encoding scheme. For the HD transmission, incremental space–time cooperation and selection combining based on the cooperative decode‐and‐forward protocol are considered. Our results show that incremental cooperative HD relaying can outperform cooperative FD relaying, specially if the self‐interference is non‐negligible, achieving a better trade‐off between throughput and energy consumption. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
BRAF V600E mutation detection by immunohistochemistry in colorectal carcinoma
Authors: Affolter Kajsa , Samowitz Wade , Tripp Sheryl , Bronner Mary P.
Published: May 2013

The serine/threonine‐protein kinase B‐raf (BRAF) is an oncogene mutated in various neoplasms, including 5–15% of colorectal carcinomas. The T1799A point mutation, responsible for a large majority of these alterations, results in an amino acid substitution (V600E) causing the constitutive activation of a protein kinase cascade. BRAF V600E in MLH1 deficient tumors implicates somatic tumor‐only methylation of the MLH1 promoter region instead of a germline MLH1 mutation. BRAF V600E also predicts poor prognosis in microsatellite stable colorectal cancers and may be a marker of resistance to anti‐EGFR therapy in metastatic disease. Currently, only molecular methods are available for assessing BRAF mutational status. An immunohistochemical approach is evaluated here. Colon cancers from 2008 to 2012 tested by pyrosequencing for BRAF V600E mutation were selected. A total of 31 tumors with (n = 14) and without (n = 17) the BRAF V600E mutation were analyzed by immunohistochemistry using a commercially available antibody specific to the V600E‐mutated protein. All 14 colorectal carcinomas with the BRAF V600E mutation demonstrated cytoplasmic positivity in tumor cells with the anti‐BRAF antibody. In a minority of cases, staining intensity for the mutated tumor samples was weak (n = 2) or heterogeneous (n = 4); however, the majority of cases showed diffuse, strong cytoplasmic positivity (8 of 14 cases). None of the 17 BRAF wild‐type colorectal cancers showed immunoreactivity to the antibody. The overall sensitivity and specificity of the immunohistochemical BRAF V600E assay was 100%. Detection of the BRAF V600E mutation in colorectal cancer by immunohistochemistry is a viable alternative to molecular methods. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Evidence for miR‐181 involvement in neuroinflammatory responses of astrocytes
Authors: Hutchison Emmette R. , Kawamoto Elisa M. , Taub Dennis D. , Lal Ashish , Abdelmohsen Kotb , Zhang Yongqing , Wood William H. , Lehrmann Elin , Camandola Simonetta , Becker Kevin G. , Gorospe Myriam , Mattson Mark P.
Published: May 2013

Inflammation is a common component of acute injuries of the central nervous system (CNS) such as ischemia, and degenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease. Glial cells play important roles in local CNS inflammation, and an understanding of the roles for microRNAs in glial reactivity in injury and disease settings may therefore lead to the development of novel therapeutic interventions. Here, we show that the miR‐181 family is developmentally regulated and present in high amounts in astrocytes compared to neurons. Overexpression of miR‐181c in cultured astrocytes results in increased cell death when exposed to lipopolysaccharide (LPS). We show that miR‐181 expression is altered by exposure to LPS, a model of inflammation, in both wild‐type and transgenic mice lacking both receptors for the inflammatory cytokine TNF‐α. Knockdown of miR‐181 enhanced LPS‐induced production of pro‐inflammatory cytokines (TNF‐α, IL‐6, IL‐1β, IL‐8) and HMGB1, while overexpression of miR‐181 resulted in a significant increase in the expression of the anti‐inflammatory cytokine IL‐10. To assess the effects of miR‐181 on the astrocyte transcriptome, we performed gene array and pathway analysis on astrocytes with reduced levels of miR‐181b/c. To examine the pool of potential miR‐181 targets, we employed a biotin pull‐down of miR‐181c and gene array analysis. We validated the mRNAs encoding MeCP2 and X‐linked inhibitor of apoptosis as targets of miR‐181. These findings suggest that miR‐181 plays important roles in the molecular responses of astrocytes in inflammatory settings. Further understanding of the role of miR‐181 in inflammatory events and CNS injury could lead to novel approaches for the treatment of CNS disorders with an inflammatory component.