bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Quantum Mechanical Modeling: A Tool for the Understanding of Enzyme Reactions
Authors: Náray-Szabó Gábor , Oláh Julianna , Krámos Balázs
Published: September 2013

Most enzyme reactions involve formation and cleavage of covalent bonds, while electrostatic effects, as well as dynamics of the active site and surrounding protein regions, may also be crucial. Accordingly, special computational methods are needed to provide an adequate description, which combine quantum mechanics for the reactive region with molecular mechanics and molecular dynamics describing the environment and dynamic effects, respectively. In this review we intend to give an overview to non-specialists on various enzyme models as well as established computational methods and describe applications to some specific cases. For the treatment of various enzyme mechanisms, special approaches are often needed to obtain results, which adequately refer to experimental data. As a result of the spectacular progress in the last two decades, most enzyme reactions can be quite precisely treated by various computational methods.
Biophysical Characterization of α-Synuclein and Rotenone Interaction
Authors: Silva Blanca , Einarsdóttir Ólöf , Fink Anthony , Uversky Vladimir
Published: September 2013

Previous studies revealed that pesticides interact with α-synuclein and accelerate the rate of fibrillation. These results are consistent with the prevailing hypothesis that the direct interaction of α-synuclein with pesticides is one of many suspected factors leading to α-synuclein fibrillation and ultimately to Parkinson’s disease. In this study, the biophysical properties and fibrillation kinetics of α-synuclein in the presence of rotenone were investigated and, more specifically, the effects of rotenone on the early-stage misfolded forms of α-synuclein were considered. The thioflavine T (ThT) fluorescence assay studies provide evidence that early-phase misfolded α-synuclein forms are affected by rotenone and that the fibrillation process is accelerated. Further characterization by attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) shows that rotenone increases the amount of ordered secondary structure in this intrinsically disordered protein. Morphological characterization by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) provide visualization of the differences in the aggregated α-synuclein species developing during the early kinetics of the fibrillation process in the absence and presence of rotenone. We believe that these data provide useful information for a better understanding of the molecular basis of rotenone-induced misfolding and aggregation of α-synuclein.
Cell Labeling for 19F MRI: New and Improved Approach to Perfluorocarbon Nanoemulsion Design
Authors: Patel Sravan , Williams Jonathan , Janjic Jelena
Published: September 2013

This report describes novel perfluorocarbon (PFC) nanoemulsions designed to improve ex vivo cell labeling for 19F magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). 19F MRI is a powerful non-invasive technique for monitoring cells of the immune system in vivo, where cells are labeled ex vivo with PFC nanoemulsions in cell culture. The quality of 19F MRI is directly affected by the quality of ex vivo PFC cell labeling. When co-cultured with cells for longer periods of time, nanoemulsions tend to settle due to high specific weight of PFC oils (1.5–2.0 g/mL). This in turn can decrease efficacy of excess nanoemulsion removal and reliability of the cell labeling in vitro. To solve this problem, novel PFC nanoemulsions are reported which demonstrate lack of sedimentation and high stability under cell labeling conditions. They are monodisperse, have small droplet size (~130 nm) and low polydispersity (<0.15), show a single peak in the 19F nuclear magnetic resonance spectrum at −71.4 ppm and possess high fluorine content. The droplet size and polydispersity remained unchanged after 160 days of follow up at three temperatures (4, 25 and 37 °C). Further, stressors such as elevated temperature in the presence of cells, and centrifugation, did not affect the nanoemulsion droplet size and polydispersity. Detailed synthetic methodology and in vitro testing for these new PFC nanoemulsions is presented.
Brain Sciences Special Issue: Neuroprotection against Ischemic Brain Injury
Authors: Meloni Bruno
Published: September 2013

It was my great pleasure to have acted as the guest editor for the Brain Sciences Special Issue on Neuroprotection against Ischemic Brain Injury. This Special Issue consists of a total of 18 articles covering a range of topics with the purpose of providing new knowledge and exploring novel interventions that one day may be used to better protect and repair the brain after ischemia. [...]
Outcomes in Newly Diagnosed Elderly Glioblastoma Patients after Concomitant Temozolomide Administration and Hypofractionated Radiotherapy
Authors: Nguyen Ludovic , Touch Socheat , Nehme-Schuster Hélène , Antoni Delphine , Eav Sokha , Clavier Jean-Baptiste , Bauer Nicolas , Vigneron Céline , Schott Roland , Kehrli Pierre , Noël Georges
Published: September 2013

This study aimed to analyze the treatment and outcomes of older glioblastoma patients. Forty-four patients older than 70 years of age were referred to the Paul Strauss Center for chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The median age was 75.5 years old (range: 70–84), and the patients included 18 females and 26 males. The median Karnofsky index (KI) was 70%. The Charlson indices varied from 4 to 6. All of the patients underwent surgery. O6-methylguanine–DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) methylation status was determined in 25 patients. All of the patients received radiation therapy. Thirty-eight patients adhered to a hypofractionated radiation therapy schedule and six patients to a normofractionated schedule. Neoadjuvant, concomitant and adjuvant chemotherapy regimens were administered to 12, 35 and 20 patients, respectively. At the time of this analysis, 41 patients had died. The median time to relapse was 6.7 months. Twenty-nine patients relapsed, and 10 patients received chemotherapy upon relapse. The median overall survival (OS) was 7.2 months and the one- and two-year OS rates were 32% and 12%, respectively. In a multivariate analysis, only the Karnofsky index was a prognostic factor. Hypofractionated radiotherapy and chemotherapy with temozolomide are feasible and acceptably tolerated in older patients. However, relevant prognostic factors are needed to optimize treatment proposals.
PtRu Nanoparticles Deposited by the Sulfite Complex Method on Highly Porous Carbon Xerogels: Effect of the Thermal Treatment
Authors: Alegre Cinthia , Sebastián David , Gálvez María , Moliner Rafael , Stassi Alessandro , Aricò Antonino , Lázaro María , Baglio Vincenzo
Published: September 2013

Highly porous carbon xerogels (CXGs) were synthesized to be used as support for PtRu nanoparticles. Metal particles were deposited on CXGs by means of the sulfite complex method for the first time. Catalysts so-obtained were submitted to thermal treatment in H2, at different temperatures, in order to increase the particle size and thus the intrinsic activity. Physico-chemical characterizations included N2 physisorption, X-Ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Highly dispersed alloyed PtRu particles were obtained, with crystal sizes ranging from 1.6 to 2.0 nm. PtRu-catalysts were tested in half-cell for the methanol oxidation reaction (MOR). The resulting thermal treatment was effective in increasing both particle size and catalytic activity toward MOR.
Structural Panel VARs
Authors: Pedroni Peter
Published: September 2013

The paper proposes a structural approach to VAR analysis in panels, which takes into account responses to both idiosyncratic and common structural shocks, while permitting full cross member heterogeneity of the response dynamics. In the context of this structural approach, estimation of the loading matrices for the decomposition into idiosyncratic versus common shocks is straightforward and transparent. The method appears to do remarkably well at uncovering the properties of the sample distribution of the underlying structural dynamics, even when the panels are relatively short, as illustrated in Monte Carlo simulations. Finally, these simulations also illustrate that the SVAR panel method can be used to improve inference, not only for properties of the sample distribution, but also for dynamics of individual members of the panel that lack adequate data for a conventional time series SVAR analysis. This is accomplished by using fitted cross sectional regressions of the sample of estimated panel responses to correlated static measures, and using these to interpolate the member-specific dynamics.
Effects of Fiscal and Monetary Policy in the Great Recession
Authors: Caballero Gonzalo
Published: September 2013

World economy is living a time of change, and the complexity of change has implied a new research agenda on the role of economic policy in society. The role, types and effects of economic policy have been major issues in economic science since its origins. Jean Tinbergen (1956) [1] established the basis for the traditional theory of economic policy in economics and he tried to show how economic knowledge could be organized to regulate and guide economic systems. Nevertheless, this traditional approach has been improved through several contributions, for example when Eggertsson (1997) [2] incorporated the existence of incomplete knowledge, endogenous politics and institutional change in the theory of economic policy. [...]
Life-Cycle Energy Use and Greenhouse Gas Emissions Analysis for Bio-Liquid Jet Fuel from Open Pond-Based Micro-Algae under China Conditions
Authors: Ou Xunmin , Yan Xiaoyu , Zhang Xu , Zhang Xiliang
Published: September 2013

A life-cycle analysis (LCA) of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and energy use was performed to study bio-jet fuel (BJF) production from micro-algae grown in open ponds under Chinese conditions using the Tsinghua University LCA Model (TLCAM). Attention was paid to energy recovery through biogas production and cogeneration of heat and power (CHP) from the residual biomass after oil extraction, including fugitive methane (CH4) emissions during the production of biogas and nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions during the use of digestate (solid residue from anaerobic digestion) as agricultural fertilizer. Analyses were performed based on examination of process parameters, mass balance conditions, material requirement, energy consumptions and the realities of energy supply and transport in China (i.e., electricity generation and heat supply primarily based on coal, multiple transport modes). Our LCA result of the BJF pathway showed that, compared with the traditional petrochemical pathway, this new pathway will increase the overall fossil energy use and carbon emission by 39% and 70%, respectively, while decrease petroleum consumption by about 84%, based on the same units of energy service. Moreover, the energy conservation and emission reduction benefit of this new pathway may be accomplished by two sets of approaches: wider adoption of low-carbon process fuels and optimization of algae cultivation and harvest, and oil extraction processes.
Effects of Biodiesel Blend on Marine Fuel Characteristics for Marine Vessels
Authors: Lin Cherng-Yuan
Published: September 2013

Biodiesel produced from vegetable oils, animal fats and algae oil is a renewable, environmentally friendly and clean alternative fuel that reduces pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions in marine applications. This study investigates the influence of biodiesel blend on the characteristics of residual and distillate marine fuels. Adequate correlation equations are applied to calculate the fuel properties of the blended marine fuels with biodiesel. Residual marine fuel RMA has inferior fuel characteristics compared with distillate marine fuel DMA and biodiesel. The flash point of marine fuel RMA could be increased by 20% if blended with 20 vol% biodiesel. The sulfur content of residual marine fuel could meet the requirement of the 2008 MARPOL Annex VI Amendment by blending it with 23.0 vol% biodiesel. In addition, the kinematic viscosity of residual marine fuel could be reduced by 12.9% and the carbon residue by 23.6% if 20 vol% and 25 vol% biodiesel are used, respectively. Residual marine fuel blended with 20 vol% biodiesel decreases its lower heating value by 1.9%. Moreover, the fuel properties of residual marine fuel are found to improve more significantly with biodiesel blending than those of distillate marine fuel.
Lung Deposition Analyses of Inhaled Toxic Aerosols in Conventional and Less Harmful Cigarette Smoke: A Review
Authors: Kleinstreuer Clement , Feng Yu
Published: September 2013

Inhaled toxic aerosols of conventional cigarette smoke may impact not only the health of smokers, but also those exposed to second-stream smoke, especially children. Thus, less harmful cigarettes (LHCs), also called potential reduced exposure products (PREPs), or modified risk tobacco products (MRTP) have been designed by tobacco manufacturers to focus on the reduction of the concentration of carcinogenic components and toxicants in tobacco. However, some studies have pointed out that the new cigarette products may be actually more harmful than the conventional ones due to variations in puffing or post-puffing behavior, different physical and chemical characteristics of inhaled toxic aerosols, and longer exposure conditions. In order to understand the toxicological impact of tobacco smoke, it is essential for scientists, engineers and manufacturers to develop experiments, clinical investigations, and predictive numerical models for tracking the intake and deposition of toxicants of both LHCs and conventional cigarettes. Furthermore, to link inhaled toxicants to lung and other diseases, it is necessary to determine the physical mechanisms and parameters that have significant impacts on droplet/vapor transport and deposition. Complex mechanisms include droplet coagulation, hygroscopic growth, condensation and evaporation, vapor formation and changes in composition. Of interest are also different puffing behavior, smoke inlet conditions, subject geometries, and mass transfer of deposited material into systemic regions. This review article is intended to serve as an overview of contributions mainly published between 2009 and 2013, focusing on the potential health risks of toxicants in cigarette smoke, progress made in different approaches of impact analyses for inhaled toxic aerosols, as well as challenges and future directions.
The Semantics of Web Services: An Examination in GIScience Applications
Authors: Shi Xuan
Published: September 2013

Web service is a technological solution for software interoperability that supports the seamless integration of diverse applications. In the vision of web service architecture, web services are described by the Web Service Description Language (WSDL), discovered through Universal Description, Discovery and Integration (UDDI) and communicate by the Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP). Such a divination has never been fully accomplished yet. Although it was criticized that WSDL only has a syntactic definition of web services, but was not semantic, prior initiatives in semantic web services did not establish a correct methodology to resolve the problem. This paper examines the distinction and relationship between the syntactic and semantic definitions for web services that characterize different purposes in service computation. Further, this paper proposes that the semantics of web service are neutral and independent from the service interface definition, data types and platform. Such a conclusion can be a universal law in software engineering and service computing. Several use cases in the GIScience application are examined in this paper, while the formalization of geospatial services needs to be constructed by the GIScience community towards a comprehensive ontology of the conceptual definitions and relationships for geospatial computation. Advancements in semantic web services research will happen in domain science applications.
Oxidative Stress in the Pathogenesis of Keratoconus and Fuchs Endothelial Corneal Dystrophy
Authors: Wojcik Katarzyna , Kaminska Anna , Blasiak Janusz , Szaflik Jerzy , Szaflik Jacek
Published: September 2013

Due to its localization and function, the cornea is regularly exposed to sunlight and atmospheric oxygen, mainly dioxygen, which produce reactive oxygen species (ROS). Therefore, corneal cells are particularly susceptible to oxidative stress. The accumulation of ROS in the cornea may affect signal transduction, proliferation and may also promote cell death. The cornea has several enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants involved in ROS scavenging, but in certain conditions they may not cope with oxidative stress, leading to diseases of the eye. Keratoconus (KC) and Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD) are multifactorial diseases of the cornea, in which pathogenesis is not fully understood. However, increased levels of oxidative stress markers detected in these disorders indicate that oxidative stress may play an important role in their development and progression. These markers are: (i) decreased levels of non-enzymatic antioxidants, and (ii) decreased expression of genes encoding antioxidative enzymes, including thioredoxin reductase, peroxiredoxins, superoxide dismutase, glutathione S-transferase, and aldehyde dehydrogenase. Moreover, the FECD endothelium displays higher levels of oxidative DNA damage, especially in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), whereas KC cornea shows abnormal levels of some components of oxidative phosphorylation encoded by mtDNA. In this review we present some considerations and results of experiments supporting the thesis on the important role of oxidative stress in KC and FECD pathology.
Choosing an Appropriate Infection Model to Study Quorum Sensing Inhibition in Pseudomonas Infections
Authors: Papaioannou Evelina , Utari Putri , Quax Wim
Published: September 2013

Bacteria, although considered for decades to be antisocial organisms whose sole purpose is to find nutrients and multiply are, in fact, highly communicative organisms. Referred to as quorum sensing, cell-to-cell communication mechanisms have been adopted by bacteria in order to co-ordinate their gene expression. By behaving as a community rather than as individuals, bacteria can simultaneously switch on their virulence factor production and establish successful infections in eukaryotes. Understanding pathogen-host interactions requires the use of infection models. As the use of rodents is limited, for ethical considerations and the high costs associated with their use, alternative models based on invertebrates have been developed. Invertebrate models have the benefits of low handling costs, limited space requirements and rapid generation of results. This review presents examples of such models available for studying the pathogenicity of the Gram-negative bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Quorum sensing interference, known as quorum quenching, suggests a promising disease-control strategy since quorum-quenching mechanisms appear to play important roles in microbe-microbe and host-pathogen interactions. Examples of natural and synthetic quorum sensing inhibitors and their potential as antimicrobials in Pseudomonas-related infections are discussed in the second part of this review.
Aging Impairs the Proliferative Capacity of Cardiospheres, Cardiac Progenitor Cells and Cardiac Fibroblasts: Implications for Cell Therapy
Authors: Ye Jianqin , Hom Douglas , Hwang Joy , Yeghiazarians Yerem , Lee Randall , Boyle Andrew
Published: September 2013

Introduction: Cardiospheres (CS) are self-assembling clusters of cells that can be grown from cardiac tissue. They contain a heterogeneous cell population that includes cardiac progenitor cells (CPCs) and cardiac fibroblasts. CS and CPCs have been shown to improve cardiac function after myocardial infarction (MI) in experimental models and are now being studied in clinical trials. The effects of aging on the proliferative capacity of CS and CPCs, and the paracrine signaling between cell types, remain incompletely understood. Methods and Results: We compared the growth of CS from young and aging murine hearts at baseline and following MI. The number of CS from young and aging hearts was similar at baseline. However, after MI, young hearts had a dramatic increase in the number of CS that grew, but this proliferative response to MI was virtually abolished in the aging heart. Further, the proportion of cells within the CS that were CPCs (defined as Sca-1(stem cell antigen-1)+/CD45−) was significantly lower in aging hearts than young hearts. Thus the number of available CPCs after culture from aging hearts was substantially lower than from young hearts. Cardiac fibroblasts from aging hearts proliferated more slowly in culture than those from young hearts. We then investigated the interaction between aging cardiac fibroblasts and CPCs. We found no significant paracrine effects on proliferation between these cell types, suggesting the impaired proliferation is a cell-autonomous problem. Conclusions: Aging hearts generate fewer CPCs, and aging CPCs have significantly reduced proliferative potential following MI. Aging cardiac fibroblasts also have reduced proliferative capacity, but these appear to be cell-autonomous problems, not caused by paracrine signaling between cell types.
Prevention and Treatment of Bone Metastases in Breast Cancer
Authors: Ripamonti Carla , Trippa Fabio , Barone Gloria , Maranzano Ernesto
Published: September 2013

In breast cancer patients, bone is the most common site of metastases. Medical therapies are the basic therapy to prevent distant metastases and recurrence and to cure them. Radiotherapy has a primary role in pain relief, recalcification and stabilization of the bone, as well as the reduction of the risk of complications (e.g., bone fractures, spinal cord compression). Bisphosphonates, as potent inhibitors of osteoclastic-mediated bone resorption are a well-established, standard-of-care treatment option to reduce the frequency, severity and time of onset of the skeletal related events in breast cancer patients with bone metastases. Moreover bisphosphonates prevent cancer treatment-induced bone loss. Recent data shows the anti-tumor activity of bisphosphonates, in particular, in postmenopausal women and in older premenopausal women with hormone-sensitive disease treated with ovarian suppression. Pain is the most frequent symptom reported in patients with bone metastases, and its prevention and treatment must be considered at any stage of the disease. The prevention and treatment of bone metastases in breast cancer must consider an integrated multidisciplinary approach.
Land Saturation in SE Niger: Triangulating Qualitative and Quantitative Information for Critical Assessment of Land Use Trajectories
Authors: Reenberg Anette , Maman Issoufou , Bouzou Moussa Ibrahim , Fog Bjarne
Published: September 2013

The paper analyzes land use changes, notably cropland expansion, in SE-Niger from the mid-1980s to 2011. It scrutinizes land use trajectories and investigates how cultivation shifts between dune landscapes and valleys (bas-fonds) in response to climate, population pressure, and sociocultural opportunities, combining lenses rooted in land change science and the notions of double exposure and human-environmental timelines. Specifically, the interest is directed towards exploring the value of different methods of land use data harvesting. The importance of cropland expansion is assessed in two ways: by interpreting Landsat satellite images and by interviewing local people to obtain qualitative descriptions. The results demonstrate a glaring discrepancy between the assessed land use trends derived from these two data sources. Issues such as important developments in landscape priorities, allocation of cropland between dunes and valleys, possible land saturation, and adaptation to climate change or globalization are portrayed very differently. It is concluded that critical attention to data reliability is crucial to avoid misleading narratives in land change science, especially in places covered by sparse data.
Identity/Time
Authors: Knauer Nancy
Published: September 2013

This paper engages the unspoken fourth dimension of intersectionality—time. Using the construction of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) identities as an example, it establishes that identity, as it is lived and experienced, is not only multivalent, but also historically contingent. It then raises a number of points regarding the temporal locality of identity—the influence of time on issues of identity and understanding, its implications for legal interventions, social movement building, and paradigms of progressive change. As the title suggests, the paper asks us to consider the frame of identity over time.
Unified Formulation for a Triaxial Elastoplastic Constitutive Law for Concrete
Authors: Hammoud Rabah , Boukhili Rachid , Yahia Ammar
Published: September 2013

A constitutive model to describe the triaxial load-response spectrum of plain concrete in both tension and shear was developed. The inelastic phenomena are described using the plastic flow with direction determined by the gradient of the plastic potential. A new plastic potential is introduced and experimentally fitted to ensure better estimate of the load direction. This approach allows to control the inelastic dilatancy in terms of the inelastic deformation of the material. By overlaying the plastic potential on modified Etse and Willam’s yield surface (both defined on the Haigh–Westergaard coordinates), the results showed that the two curves do not undergo similar stress states for a given strength level. It is, therefore, necessary that each surface goes through the current stress state to ensure adequate evaluation of normal vectors. A closed-form solution to accurately predict the triaxial stress state in concrete has been proposed. The predictive capabilities of the proposed model are evaluated by comparing predicted and measured stresses. The proposed model is shown to be accurate in predicting stress state of concrete.
Co-Dispersion Behavior of ZrB2–SiC–B4C–C Powders with Polyethyleneimine
Authors: Yin Jie , Chen Jian , Liu Xuejian , Zhang Hui , Yan Yongjie , Huang Zhengren , Jiang Dongliang
Published: September 2013

The aqueous dispersion behavior of ZrB2, SiC powders with B4C and C as sintering aids was investigated. Well co-dispersed suspension can be obtained in acidic solutions in presence of polyethyleneimine (PEI). The adsorption of PEI on the powder surface was measured by thermal gravimetric (TG) analysis. Rheological measurements displayed the effect of dispersant on the flow behavior of as-prepared slurries. An optimum condition was obtained with 1 wt % PEI. The viscosity of 40 vol % ZrB2–SiC–B4C–C (ZSBC) suspension at 100 s−1 was as low as 0.74 Pa·s, which was suitable for aqueous processing.
Culture-Independence for Surveillance and Epidemiology
Authors: Kirkup Benjamin
Published: September 2013

Culture-independent methods in microbiology (quantitative PCR (qPCR), sequencing, microarrays, direct from sample matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectroscopy (MALDI-TOF MS), etc.) are disruptive technology. Rather than providing the same results as culture-based methods more quickly, more cheaply or with improved accuracy, they reveal an unexpected diversity of microbes and illuminate dark corners of undiagnosed disease. At times, they overturn existing definitions of presumably well-understood infections, generating new requirements for clinical diagnosis, surveillance and epidemiology. However, current diagnostic microbiology, infection control and epidemiology rest principally on culture methods elegantly optimized by clinical laboratorians. The clinical significance is interwoven; the new methods are out of context, difficult to interpret and impossible to act upon. Culture-independent diagnostics and surveillance methods will not be deployed unless the reported results can be used to select specific therapeutics or infection control measures. To cut the knots surrounding the adoption of culture-independent methods in medical microbiology, culture-dependent methods should be supported by consistent culture-independent methods providing the microbial context. This will temper existing biases and motivate appropriate scrutiny of the older methods and results.
Dynamic Cross Talk between S1P and CXCL12 Regulates Hematopoietic Stem Cells Migration, Development and Bone Remodeling
Authors: Golan Karin , Kollet Orit , Lapidot Tsvee
Published: September 2013

Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are mostly retained in a quiescent non-motile mode in their bone marrow (BM) niches, shifting to a migratory cycling and differentiating state to replenish the blood with mature leukocytes on demand. The balance between the major chemo-attractants CXCL12, predominantly in the BM, and S1P, mainly in the blood, dynamically regulates HSC recruitment to the circulation versus their retention in the BM. During alarm situations, stress-signals induce a decrease in CXCL12 levels in the BM, while S1P levels are rapidly and transiently increased in the circulation, thus favoring mobilization of stem cells as part of host defense and repair mechanisms. Myeloid cytokines, including G-CSF, up-regulate S1P signaling in the BM via the PI3K pathway. Induced CXCL12 secretion from stromal cells via reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and increased S1P1 expression and ROS signaling in HSCs, all facilitate mobilization. Bone turnover is also modulated by both CXCL12 and S1P, regulating the dynamic BM stromal microenvironment, osteoclasts and stem cell niches which all functionally express CXCL12 and S1P receptors. Overall, CXCL12 and S1P levels in the BM and circulation are synchronized to mutually control HSC motility, leukocyte production and osteoclast/osteoblast bone turnover during homeostasis and stress situations.
Enzymatic Synthesis and Characterization of Thermosensitive Polyester with Pendent Ketoprofen
Authors: Wu Wan-Xia , Wang Hai-Yang , Wang Na , Zhang Wei-Wei , Lai Han , Yu Xiao-Qi
Published: September 2013

Three linear polyesters with pendant ketoprofen were synthesized by copolymerization of polyethylene glycol (PEG) with malic acid (thiomalic acid or aspartic acid) using lipase B acrylic resin from Candida antarctica (CAL-B) at 90 °C respectively. These thermosensitive polyesters exhibit a lower critical solution temperature (LCST) at 10–12 °C. The in vitro study demonstrated that these polyesters could release ketoprofen in neutral and alkaline medium but showed hydrolytic stability in acid medium. These results suggest that, with pendant drugs, these thermosensitive polyesters have potential applications in biomedical materials.
High-Throughput Proteomic Approaches to the Elucidation of Potential Biomarkers of Chronic Allograft Injury (CAI)
Authors: Cassidy Hilary , Slyne Jennifer , Frain Helena , Slattery Craig , Ryan Michael , McMorrow Tara
Published: September 2013

This review focuses on the role of OMICs technologies, concentrating in particular on proteomics, in biomarker discovery in chronic allograft injury (CAI). CAI is the second most prevalent cause of allograft dysfunction and loss in the first decade post-transplantation, after death with functioning graft (DWFG). The term CAI, sometimes referred to as chronic allograft nephropathy (CAN), describes the deterioration of renal allograft function and structure as a result of immunological processes (chronic antibody-mediated rejection), and other non-immunological factors such as calcineurin inhibitor (CNI) induced nephrotoxicity, hypertension and infection. Current methods for assessing allograft function are costly, insensitive and invasive; traditional kidney function measurements such as serum creatinine and glomerular filtration rate (GFR) display poor predictive abilities, while the current “gold-standard” involving histological diagnosis with a renal biopsy presents its own inherent risks to the overall health of the allograft. As early as two years post-transplantation, protocol biopsies have shown more than 50% of allograft recipients have mild CAN; ten years post-transplantation more than 50% of the allograft recipients have progressed to severe CAN which is associated with diminishing graft function. Thus, there is a growing medical requirement for minimally invasive biomarkers capable of identifying the early stages of the disease which would allow for timely intervention. Proteomics involves the study of the expression, localization, function and interaction of the proteome. Proteomic technologies may be powerful tools used to identify novel biomarkers which would predict CAI in susceptible individuals. In this paper we will review the use of proteomics in the elucidation of novel predictive biomarkers of CAI in clinical, animal and in vitro studies.
Ecosystem Effects from Nutrient and Pesticide Pollutants: Catchment Care as a Solution
Authors: Bowmer Kathleen
Published: September 2013

Agricultural chemicals include fertilisers (nitrogen and phosphorus) and biocides (herbicides, fungicides and insecticides). Environmental impacts in surface waters include algal blooms and disruption to ecological function. Strategies for protection of rivers from eutrophication include improved agricultural land management, conservation farming methods, recycling or retention of drainage and runoff water, and use of buffer strips and riparian vegetation for filtration. Reduction in pesticide use has been achieved by improved application technologies, precision farming, adoption of organic farming, and use of biological control methods. Australian river health audits show widespread deterioration, and protection using the “Polluter Pays Principle” is attractive. However, who should pay for environmental assessment, for adoption of new technologies or change in land use, and how will this be determined? Unfortunately, as demonstrated in two case studies on algal blooms and cotton pesticides, the links between pollutant source and environmental impact remain poorly understood, and the complexity of assessing environmental benefit of agricultural changes makes sheeting home the costs of pollution sources difficult. Alternatives to imposition of penalties include catchment-based targets and guidelines, benchmarking, and adoption of best management practice with an emphasis on incentives and encouragement. Many strategies for risk reduction in agricultural cropping systems are available for inclusion in a “Catchment Care” approach.
A Methodological Framework Based on the Dynamic-Evolutionary View of Heritage
Authors: Mrak Iva
Published: September 2013

The paper describes the shifting perspective from the contemplative view to the dynamic-evolutionary view of heritage and the main characteristics of the resulting multi-criterial decision-aid tool for the evaluation of heritage. With the integration of conservation in planning processes and with opening of the procedures to public participation, there is a need for decision-aid tools that can help increase rationality and transparency in decision-making processes related to planning. By understanding the contemporary view of heritage and the landscape, it is possible to create tools capable of accounting for spatial complexity and the extant cultural, social, historic and economic relations. With this in mind, a specific tool was created that can be used for the analysis, diagnosis, evaluation and monitoring of spatial heritage (registered and under consideration for protection), identifying opportunities, defining strategies for heritage management processes, and in the creation and evaluation of development and management scenarios. The paper illustrates a shift in the consideration of heritage in spatial planning and presents an application of the developed model in a case study.
Locally Based Development—Tools for Identifying Opportunities and Evaluating Port Area Strategies of Rijeka
Authors: Mrak Iva
Published: September 2013

Cities are traditionally considered as centers of prosperity, but after a long process of deindustrialization, the classical opportunities presented by cities as administrative, production, financial and cultural hot spots can no longer be taken for granted without questioning the present organizational and spatial models. After an introduction to the decision-aid tools and processes needed to orient development in a sustainable way, the paper describes the characteristics and an application of the decision-aid tool created for analysis, diagnosis and evaluation of opportunities. The proposal briefly considers the reconnection of the city with its region, urban renewal, creative and productive activities, necessary support institutions, contemporary sustainable economic approaches and infrastructure. This approach is illustrated on the case of the incubator proposal for the City of Rijeka, Croatia, once an important port and industrial city with a long history. The technological modifications in the functioning of the port and abandoning of industrial production in the proximity, but also geological formation and prevalent building typologies, make the case exemplary of the problems faced in contemporary cities. The paper proposes a process and tools for analysis and evaluation and indicators for the sustainability of the proposal.
A Differentiation Framework for Maritime Clusters: Comparisons across Europe
Authors: Monteiro Pedro , De Noronha Teresa , Neto Paulo
Published: September 2013

The purpose of this paper is to point out some of the main characteristics and critical factors for success that can substantiate the proposal of a differentiation framework for maritime clusters. We conduct a benchmarking analysis intended to distinguish the most relevant aspects which can or should be observed in these types of clusters, applied to the following countries: Spain (Basque Country), Germany (Lander of Schleswig-Holstein), the Netherlands and Norway. The differentiation factors involve agglomeration economies and endogenous conditions derived from geographic proximity, essential for lowering transaction costs, strengthening the leverage of public/private cooperation through centres of maritime excellence, at the same time providing an adequate local environment that favours positive interactions between the different maritime industries and actors. The main results arising from this article are presented through a reconceptualisation of Porter’s Diamond framework for diagnosing the competitiveness of maritime clusters.
Influence of Carbohydrates on Secondary Metabolism in Fusarium avenaceum
Authors: Sørensen Jens , Giese Henriette
Published: September 2013

Fusarium avenaceum is a widespread pathogen of important crops in the temperate climate zones that can produce many bioactive secondary metabolites, including moniliformin, fusarin C, antibiotic Y, 2-amino-14,16-dimethyloctadecan-3-ol (2-AOD-3-ol), chlamydosporol, aurofusarin and enniatins. Here, we examine the production of these secondary metabolites in response to cultivation on different carbon sources in order to gain insight into the regulation and production of secondary metabolites in F. avenaceum. Seven monosaccharides (arabinose, xylose, fructose, sorbose, galactose, mannose, glucose), five disaccharides (cellobiose, lactose, maltose, sucrose and trehalose) and three polysaccharides (dextrin, inulin and xylan) were used as substrates. Three F. avenaceum strains were used in the experiments. These were all able to grow and produce aurofusarin on the tested carbon sources. Moniliformin and enniatins were produced on all carbon types, except on lactose, which suggest a common conserved regulation mechanism. Differences in the strains was observed for production of fusarin C, 2-AOD-3-ol, chlamydosporol and antibiotic Y, which suggests that carbon source plays a role in the regulation of their biosynthesis.
Computing Air Demand Using the Takagi–Sugeno Model for Dam Outlets
Authors: Zounemat-Kermani Mohammad , Scholz Miklas
Published: September 2013

An adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) was developed using the subtractive clustering technique to study the air demand in low-level outlet works. The ANFIS model was employed to calculate vent air discharge in different gate openings for an embankment dam. A hybrid learning algorithm obtained from combining back-propagation and least square estimate was adopted to identify linear and non-linear parameters in the ANFIS model. Empirical relationships based on the experimental information obtained from physical models were applied to 108 experimental data points to obtain more reliable evaluations. The feed-forward Levenberg-Marquardt neural network (LMNN) and multiple linear regression (MLR) models were also built using the same data to compare model performances with each other. The results indicated that the fuzzy rule-based model performed better than the LMNN and MLR models, in terms of the simulation performance criteria established, as the root mean square error, the Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency, the correlation coefficient and the Bias.
Le mythe du 500ème : convergences et divergences
Authors: Morin. Françoise
Published: September 2013

Le V* centenaire suscite chez les Amérindiens un mouvement unitaire allant dans le sens de la reconnaissance de leurs droits à l'autonomie et au développpement politique. Ceci ressort de la Conférence Internationale des Nations Indigènes des deux Amériques organisée à Hull (Canada) en novembre 1991. Mais des divergences appparaissent entre leurs diverses organisations sur les priorités et les stratégies à utiliser. Les unes expriment leurs aspirations dans un discours politico-religeux, les autres misent beaucoup plus sur un développement durable et équitable.
Comment affronter les 500 ans à venir ?
Authors: Dauzier Martine
Published: September 2013

Las organizaciones en un movimiento lento y un poco desunido dan menos importancia a la «contra-celebración» que a su integración a un foro continental e internacional. Al estudiar unas comunidades de Guerrero, Morelos, Oaxaca, se nota la cercanía emocional con la catástrofe, el sentimiento que sigue la explotación por parte ahora de los Estados Unidos, pero también la positividad de una resistencia de cada día. La lucha por la identidad busca alianzas con no-indígenas y legitima una doble afirmación : étnica y mexicana.
Réflexions mapuches autour d'un voyage au Mexique et au Guatemala
Authors: Chihuailaf Elicura , Mariman Pedro
Published: September 2013

Si la construcción nacional mexicana ha necesitado de un cuerpo doctrinario definiendo las políticas del Estado hacia las poblaciones reconocidas como indígenas, ese no es el caso chileno. En Chile, el nacionalismo desarrollado por las clases dominantes no ha necesitado del indigenismo para definir la nación, la ideología difusa siendo aquella de la « muerte presunta» del pueblo Mapuche. La comparación entre les realidades Tzotzil y Mapuche se hace a partir de dos concepciones opuestas a propósito de la educación bilingüe ; aquella impuesta a la población Tzotzil en vista de « castellanizarla » y, la otra, propuesta por los Mapuches, orientada hacia el desarrollo de la conciencia étnica. Basándose en la noción de conciencia étnica, se sostiene que, entre los Mapuches, la identidad cultural es muy fuerte, no siendo este el caso entre los Tzotzil.
Actores y escenarios étnicos en Ecuador : el levantamiento de 1990
Authors: Santana Roberto
Published: September 2013

La gran movilización indígena de junio de 1990 es analizada desde el punto de vista de la concepción estratégica y de la práctica política de los actores. La hipótesis es que el « levantamiento » puso en evidencia la debilidad de un movimiento que, siendo motivado por lo étnico lucha, sin embargo, con las armas del tradicional sindicalismo de clase, independientemente de un discurso de autonomía y de independencia politica. No puede sorprender entonces que la enorme energia en la movilización, y luego en las negaciones con el gobierno, no haya dado resultados significativos. En el período post-levantamiento, la dirigencia indígena procesa mal las exigencias pluralistas de una convergencia fondada en la diversidad étnica, al mismo tiempo que parece subestimar las transformaciones que se operan el contexto nacional (cambio de alianzas promovido por la burgesía) e internacional (exigencia de un nuevo modelo de desarrollo). La rigidez ideológica de los líderes puede contribuir a una mayor marginalización indígena en tai vida democrática, así como a una subestimación de ias usencias del desarrollo.
Mechanical Strain and Growth Factors Regulate Expression of Tenascin-C by OS Cells Additively
Authors: Wang Yucal , Man Yan , Ding Yong , Ma Baoan , Qiu Xiuchun , Fan Qingyu , Zheng Lianhe
Published: September 2013

Osteosarcoma (OS) is a kind of malignancy wherein the tumor cells form malignant bone-like or bone tissue. Tenascin-C (TN-C), an important extracellular matrix (ECM) protein, plays an indispensable role in tumor development. However, its regulatory factors, expression, and function
in OS pathological process have not been studied extensively. Expression of TN-C is induced by growth factors as well as mechanical strain in fibroblast. So we asked whether mechanical stain and growth factors could induce TN-C expression in OS as well as which pathways were involved in those
processes. We found that when mechanical strain was applied to OS cells cultured on silicone membrane, TN-C mRNA and protein levels were increased 10-fold within 8 h compared to the resting control. Likewise, when epidermal growth factors (EGFs) and insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1) were
added to cells, TN-C mRNA levels increased six fold and eightfold, respectively, within 24h compared to the control. Growth factors (EGF and IGF-1) and mechanical strain had additive effects on the induction of TN-C mRNA expression in OS. Both ROCK-I/II inhibitor and MEK-1 inhibitor inhibited
TN-C induction by EGF or IGF-1, while only ROCK-I/II inhibitor had a strong subdued effect on TN-C induction by mechanical strain. Taken together, our findings suggest that growth factors and mechanical strain can induce TN-C in OS through different pathways additively.
Characterization of Ovarian Cancer Cell Metabolism and Response to Chemotherapy by 31P Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
Authors: Abramov Yoram , Carmi Shani , Anteby Shaoul O. , Ringel Israel
Published: September 2013

We aimed to characterize the 31P magnetic resonance spectra of various ovarian cancer cell lines exhibiting differences in cytotoxic drug resistance. We examined the metabolic profile of three different ovarian cancer cell lines, OC238, A2780, and A2780-cisplatin resistant
(A2780cisR), including their response to various cytotoxic drugs (paclitaxel, cisplatin, and carboplatin) by 31P magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) in vitro. In the OC238 cell line, there were higher levels of phosphorylcholine, phosphodiesters, and uridine diphosphosugar (UDPS)
+ nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADP). In A2780 and A2780cisR cell lines, phosphocreatine gave a high signal, which was absent in the OC238 cell line. In the OC238 cell line, a significant decrease in the glycerophosphoethanolamine, glycerophosphocholine, NADP, and UDPS signals
was detected following cytotoxic drug treatment, mainly in response to paclitaxel. A significant increase in the glycerophosphocholine signal was detected following exposure to paclitaxel in both A2780 and A2780cisR cell lines. NADP and UDPS signals increased in response to all drugs in the
A2780 cell line; however, in the cisplatin-resistant cell line A2780cisR, no significant change in those signals was detected following cisplatin treatment. We conclude that different ovarian cancer cell lines show characteristic 31P MRS fingerprints and specific metabolic changes
in response to cytotoxic drug treatment.