bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Heteroleptic Ruthenium(II) Complex‐Containing Polymers and Their Bandgap Tuning and Photosensitizing Properties
Authors: Cheung Wai Kei , Mak Chris S. K. , Chan Wai Kin
Published: February 2012

A new synthetic route to novel ruthenium‐containing polymers is reported. [Ru(L)(L′)Cl2] type complexes (L and L′ = bidentate N^N ligands) with a dibromo‐substituted ligand were polymerized by Stille cross‐coupling reaction. The subsequent displacement of chloride ligands by thiocyanate was highly effective and the structures of the target polymers were fully characterized. The main chain absorption showed a significantly red‐shift upon metal coordination and the metal‐to‐ligand charge transfer (MLCT) band of the complex enhanced the photon harvesting ability of the polymer. The extent of π‐electron delocalization of the ancillary ligands also showed interesting effects on the electronic properties of the polymers. The photosensitizing and bandgap tuning properties of these Ru(II) complexes demonstrated a new avenue to develop new classes of optoelectronic materials.
Antimicrobial metallic copper surfaces kill Staphylococcus haemolyticus via membrane damage
Authors: Santo Christophe Espírito , Quaranta Davide , Grass Gregor
Published: February 2012

Recently, copper (Cu) in its metallic form has regained interest for its antimicrobial properties. Use of metallic Cu surfaces in worldwide hospital trials resulted in remarkable reductions in surface contaminations. Yet, our understanding of why microbes are killed upon contact to the metal is still limited and different modes of action have been proposed. This knowledge, however, is crucial for sustained use of such surfaces in hospitals and other hygiene‐sensitive areas. Here, we report on the molecular mechanisms by which the Gram‐positive Staphylococcus haemolyticus is inactivated by metallic Cu. Staphylococcus haemolyticus was killed within minutes on Cu but not on stainless steel demonstrating the antimicrobial efficacy of metallic Cu. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (ICP‐MS) analysis and in vivo staining with Coppersensor‐1 indicated that cells accumulated large amounts of Cu ions from metallic Cu surfaces contributing to lethal damage. Mutation rates of Cu‐ or steel‐exposed cells were similarly low. Instead, live/dead staining indicated cell membrane damage in Cu‐ but not steel‐exposed cells. These findings support a model of the cellular targets of metallic Cu toxicity in bacteria, which suggests that metallic Cu is not genotoxic and does not kill via DNA damage. In contrast, membranes constitute the likely Achilles’ heel of Cu surface‐exposed cells.
Long Noncoding RNAs: Insights from Biological Features and Functions to Diseases
Authors: Li Xiaolei , Wu Zhiqiang , Fu Xiaobing , Han Weidong
Published: February 2012

Over the past decade, genome‐wide transcriptomic studies have shown that the mammalian genome is pervasively transcribed and produces many thousands of transcriptomes without bias from previous genome annotations. This finding, together with the discovery of a plethora of unexpected RNAs that have no obvious coding capacities, have challenged the traditional views that proteins are the main protagonists of cellular functions and that RNA is merely an intermediary between DNA sequence and its encoded protein. There are many different kinds of products that are generated by this pervasive transcription; this review focuses on long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) that have shown spatial and temporal specific patterns of expression and regulation in a wide variety of cells and tissues, adding significant complexity to the understanding of their biological roles. Recent research has shed new light onto the biological function significance of lncRNAs. Here, we review the rapidly advancing field of lncRNAs, describing their biological features and their roles in regulation of gene expression. Moreover, we highlight some recent advances in our understanding of ncRNA‐mediated regulation of stem cell pluripotency, morphogenesis, and development, focusing mainly on the regulatory roles of lncRNAs. Finally, we consider the potential medical implications, and the potential use of lncRNAs in drug development and discovery and in the identification of molecular markers of diseases, including cancer.
Identification of Novel Nitrosative Stress Inhibitors through Virtual Screening and Experimental Evaluation
Authors: Sirimulla Suman , Pal Rituraj , Raparla Mrudula , Bailey Jake B. , Duran Rene , Altamirano Alvin M. , Herndon William C. , Narayan Mahesh
Published: February 2012

Nitrosative and oxidative stress, associated with the generation of excessive reactive nitrogen and oxygen radical species respectively, are thought to contribute to protein misfolding diseases which represent a group of neurodegenerative disorders that are characterized by protein aggregation and plaque formation. Curcumin, a polyphenolic compound, possesses diverse anti‐inflammatory, antitumor, and antioxidant properties. Several studies have revealed that curcumin can reduce the oxidative/nitrosative stress and thereby decrease the neuronal attrition. However, curcumin has poor bioavailability and has raised several concerns focused on its limited clinical impact. The aim of this study was to find other compounds which can assist in decreasing nitrosative stress and possess enhanced bioavailability. Here, use of β‐lactoglobulin was examined as a vehicle to transport molecules to the gut. The Zinc database was searched using curcumin as reference and 6457 compounds were selected for the study. These compounds were docked to β‐lactoglobulin using Glide to find the best fit ligands. Our studies identified four compounds that bind to β‐lactoglobulin and scavenge NOx (free radicals) efficiently.
QSPR Study of Valproic Acid and Its Functionalized Derivatives
Authors: Comelli Nieves C. , Duchowicz Pablo R. , Lobayan Rosana M. , Jubert Alicia H. , Castro Eduardo A.
Published: February 2012

This work establishes a Quantitative Structure‐Property Relationships (QSPR) based analysis with the aim of interpreting both the structural and electronic properties of the polar region of valproic acid and its derivatives, in terms of stabilizing intramolecular interactions related to the involved substituents. We consider ten different calculated properties as dependent variables for the QSPR models: the bond lengths C8O9, C8X10, and the percentage of s‐character of the natural hybrids forming the bonding σ orbitals of the O9C8X10 region. The representative descriptors are the charges transferred during donor/acceptor interactions around this function calculated at the B3LYP/6‐311++G**(6d,10f) level of theory, and/or hybrid descriptors derived therefrom. The models so established result simple, predictive, and have a quite direct physical meaning.
Benchmarking Variable Selection in QSAR
Authors: Eklund Martin , Norinder Ulf , Boyer Scott , Carlsson Lars
Published: February 2012

Variable selection is important in QSAR modeling since it can improve model performance and transparency, as well as reduce the computational cost of model fitting and predictions. Which variable selection methods that perform well in QSAR settings is largely unknown. To address this question we, in a total of 1728 benchmarking experiments, rigorously investigated how eight variable selection methods affect the predictive performance and transparency of random forest models fitted to seven QSAR datasets covering different endpoints, descriptors sets, types of response variables, and number of chemical compounds. The results show that univariate variable selection methods are suboptimal and that the number of variables in the benchmarked datasets can be reduced with about 60 % without significant loss in model performance when using multivariate adaptive regression splines MARS and forward selection.
In vivo relevance of citrullinated proteins and the challenges in their detection
Authors: De Ceuleneer Marlies , Van Steendam Katleen , Dhaenens Maarten , Deforce Dieter
Published: February 2012

Citrullination is a posttranslational modification of arginine. It plays both a physiological role, for instance during apoptosis and epigenetics, and a pathological role in cancer or diseases of the central nervous system. Most research on citrullination to date focuses on its role in auto‐immune diseases such as multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis. In this context, the exact knowledge of citrullination sites in a protein can provide invaluable information about the etiological importance of these citrullinated proteins. However, few techniques exist that can accurately detect citrullination on the peptide level. This review aims to give an overview of the different methods available to date for the detection of citrullinated proteins and peptides. These include 2D‐SDS‐PAGE and immunodetection, as well as specific mass spectrometry (MS) approaches, both labeled and unlabeled. These MS approaches have been developed to pinpoint the exact location of citrullination on the peptide level. Improving the currently existing detection strategies while focusing on the role of citrullinated proteins will be invaluable to elucidate the importance of this posttranslational modification in vivo.
Fold of the conserved DTC domain in deltex proteins
Authors: Obiero Josiah , Walker John R. , Dhe‐Paganon Sirano
Published: February 2012

Human Deltex 3‐like (DTX3L) is a member of the Deltex family of proteins. Initially identified as a B‐lymphoma and BAL‐associated protein, DTX3L is an E3 ligase that regulates subcellular localization of its partner protein, BAL, by a dynamic nucleocytoplasmic trafficking mechanism. Unlike other members of the Deltex family of proteins, DTX3L lacks the highly basic N‐terminal motif and the central proline‐rich motif present in other Deltex proteins, and instead contains other unique N‐terminal domains. The C‐terminal domains are, however, homologous with other members of the Deltex family of proteins; these include a RING domain and a previously unidentified C‐terminal domain. In this study, we report the high‐resolution crystal structure of this previously uncharacterized C‐terminal domain of human DTX3L, which we term the Deltex C‐terminal domain. Proteins 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Loop‐mediated isothermal amplification for rapid identification of biotypes B and Q of the globally invasive pest Bemisia tabaci, and studying population dynamics
Authors: Hsieh Chia‐Hung , Wang Hurng‐Yi , Chen Young‐Fa , Ko Chiun‐Cheng
Published: February 2012

BACKGROUND: Bemisia tabaci, the sweetpotato whitefly, is a globally invasive pest that causes serious agricultural damage by transmitting plant viruses. This pest forms a cryptic species complex that displays morphologically indistinguishable biotypes. Among them, the B and Q biotypes are the most important pests worldwide. Because they have different levels of insecticide resistance, these biotypes must be identified in order to achieve proper pest control. Therefore, a convenient, rapid and specific detection method for identifying the two biotypes is necessary.

RESULTS: Loop‐mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) was employed for rapid identification of B. tabaci B and Q biotypes. By combining a quick DNA extraction method, identification of the two biotypes was achieved within 1 h of detection time. The LAMP assay was applied to study the dynamics of B. tabaci biotypes both in the field and in greenhouses. It was found that, while temperature may be important for population dynamics of the whitefly in the field, population dynamics in greenhouse conditions may be influenced by the types of insecticide.

CONCLUSION: The newly designed LAMP assay is a simple, rapid and accurate method for identifying the B and Q biotypes. It can be conducted by non‐specialists and can contribute to pest management. Copyright © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry
A new gene from Xenorhabdus bovienii and its encoded protease inhibitor protein against Acyrthosiphon pisum
Authors: Zeng Fanrong , Xue Renfeng , Zhang Heqing , Jiang Taozhen
Published: February 2012

BACKGROUND: Aphids are insect pests with significant importance worldwide for agricultural and horticultural crops. The chemical pesticides used to control aphids could result in pesticide residues in agricultural and horticultural products as well as in negative effects on the environment. Therefore, alternative control methods are urgently needed. This study identified a new gene from strain BJFS526 of the symbiotic bacterium Xenorhabdus bovienii and expressed the protease inhibitor protein encoded by the gene. The effects of the protein on the pea aphids, Acyrthosiphon pisum, were also investigated.

RESULTS: The gene PIN1 encoding the protease inhibitor protein against aphids was successfully cloned from BJFS526. The study demonstrated that the protein had adverse effects on pea aphid survival, and that the activity of aphid aminopeptidase was significantly inhibited by the protein.

CONCLUSION: The results from this study suggest that this gene and the protease inhibitor protein encoded may offer an alternative method to control aphids in the future. Copyright © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry
Ginseng as a Potential Novel Addition to the Antikeloid Weaponry
Authors: Pazyar Nader , Omidian Mohammad , Jamshydian Noorodin
Published: February 2012

Keloid scars are large protruding claw‐shaped lesions that develop beyond the confines of the wound and uniquely appears only in humans. For thousands of years ginseng has been used in the traditional medicine in oriental countries. It occupies a prominent position in the list of the best‐selling medicinal herbs in the world. Panax ginseng often called Asian or Korean ginseng, is the most extensively used and the best grade of ginseng and the term of ‘ginseng’ generally refers to Panax ginseng. Previous studies have revealed that ginseng inhibits NF‐kappa B, TGF‐β, IL‐6, ACE and MMP‐2 and these factors play a pivotal role in keloid formation pathogenesis. Therefore it could be reasoned that ginseng could be effective for the treatment of the keloid scars. Clinical studies by topical applications of iPanax notoginseng (800 µg/ml) are warranted. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Use of Fractional Factorial Designs in Antiviral Drug Studies
Authors: Ding Xianting , Xu Hongquan , Hopper Chanelle , Yang Jian , Ho Chih‐Ming
Published: February 2012

Experimental design and analysis is an effective and commonly used tool in scientific investigations and industrial applications. Many successful applications have been reported in engineering domains, such as chemical engineering, electrical engineering, and mechanical engineering. However, few cases have been reported in biological research, particularly in virology study. Antiviral drug combinations are increasingly used to reduce possible drug‐resistant viral mutant and reduce cytotoxicity. Drug combinations have often been reported to have higher efficacy and lower individual drug dosage. However, the combined antiviral drug effect is generally hard to assess. One important reason is due to the complex interactions between biological systems and drug molecules. We report a study using fractional factorial designs to investigate a biological system with Herpes simplex virus type 1 and five antiviral drugs. The experiment uses a novel composite design that consists of a 16‐run fractional factorial design and an 18‐run orthogonal array. The results indicate that two chemical drugs, Ribavirin and Acyclovir, are more effective than three Interferon drugs. Furthermore, significant interactions exist within the Interferon drug group and within the Ribavirin‐Acyclovir chemical drug group, but the interactions between the Interferon group and the chemical group are not significant. These observations have major implications in the understanding of antiviral drug mechanism towards better design of combinatorial antiviral drug therapy. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Anonymous password‐based key exchange with low resources consumption and better user‐friendliness
Authors: Qian Haifeng , Gong Junqing , Zhou Yuan
Published: February 2012

Anonymous password authenticated key exchange (APAKE) protocols allow the server to authenticate its clients without revealing their identities. In this paper, we first construct a basic protocol SAPAKE by using the homomorphic encryption scheme and an auxiliary memory device. Compared with the previous ones, SAPAKE is more suitable for those privacy‐sensitive applications (e.g., cloud computing) where reducing server payload and improving user experience are both essential. Furthermore, we refine SAPAKE by removing the use of the memory device to gain an enhanced extension SAPAKE+ without increasing the resources consumption. SAPAKE+ achieves better user‐friendliness than SAPAKE while it requires publishing more public parameters. Both of our protocols are practical due to their low (computation and communication) resources consumption and better user‐friendliness, and achieve provable security in the random oracle model. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Efficient encryption with keyword search in mobile networks
Authors: Yau Wei‐Chuen , Heng Swee‐Huay , Tan Syh‐Yuan , Goi Bok‐Min , Phan Raphael C.‐W.
Published: February 2012

On these days, users tend to access to online content via mobile devices, for example, e‐mails. Because these devices have constrained resources, users may wish to instruct e‐mail gateways to search through new e‐mails and only download those corresponding to particular keywords, such as “urgent.” Yet, this searching should not compromise the user's privacy. A public key encryption with keyword search (PEKS) scheme achieves both these requirements. Most PEKS schemes are constructed on the basis of bilinear pairings. Recently, Khader proposed the first PEKS scheme that does not require bilinear pairings and is provably indistinguishable chosen‐keyword attack (IND‐CKA) secure in the standard model. Such a scheme is more efficient than pairing‐based ones. In this paper, we show a drawback of Khader's scheme in that it depends on an unnecessary security assumption: Its IND‐CKA security requires its underlying identity‐based encryption building block to be indistinguishable chosen‐ciphertext attack secure. We construct a more efficient PEKS scheme that achieves the same level of PEKS security as Khader's but that only requires the underlying identity‐based encryption to be indistinguishable chosen‐plaintext attack secure. We give a direct proof that the proposed scheme is IND‐CKA secure. Our scheme outperforms other recent PEKS schemes in literature. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Vulnerabilities of underwater acoustic networks to denial‐of‐service jamming attacks
Authors: Zuba Michael , Shi Zhijie , Peng Zheng , Cui Jun‐Hong , Zhou Shengli
Published: February 2012

Recent surges in the development of underwater acoustic networks (UANs) have lead to a rapid acceptance of this technology in scientific, commercial, and military applications. However, limited work has been performed on developing secure communication mechanisms and techniques to protect these networks. Security mechanisms are wildly studied in terrestrial networks, and various defense mechanisms have been developed as safeguards. Because of the difference in communication mediums and physical environments, the existing solutions for terrestrial networks cannot be directly applied for UANs. In this paper, we study the effects of denial‐of‐service jamming attacks on UANs using real‐world field tests. We develop our own jammer hardware and signals in order to analyze the characteristics of different jamming attack models on a network. Our tests are performed on multiple commercial brand acoustic modems and an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing modem prototype. We show that UANs can be easily jammed using carefully timed attacks, which are energy efficient. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Efficient privacy‐preserving authentication protocol for vehicular communications with trustworthy
Authors: Xiong Hu , Chen Zhong , Li Fagen
Published: February 2012

In this paper, we introduce an efficient and trustworthy conditional privacy‐preserving communication protocol for VANETs based on proxy re‐signature. The proposed protocol is characterized by the trusted authority (TA) designating the roadside units to translate signatures computed by the on‐board units into one that are valid with respect to TA's public key. In addition, the proposed protocol offers both a priori and a posteriori countermeasures: it can not only provide fast anonymous authentication and privacy tracking, but also guarantee message trustworthiness for vehicle‐to‐vehicle communications. Furthermore, it reduces the communication overhead and offers fast message authentication and low storage requirements. We use extensive analysis to demonstrate the merits of the proposed protocol and to contrast it with previously proposed solutions. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
pH‐Sensitive Capsules as Intracellular Optical Reporters for Monitoring Lysosomal pH Changes Upon Stimulation
Authors: Rivera_Gil Pilar , Nazarenus Moritz , Ashraf Sumaira , Parak Wolfgang J.
Published: February 2012

The concept of a long‐term sensor for ion changes in the lysosome is presented. The sensor is made by layer‐by‐layer assembly of oppositely charged polyelectrolytes around ion‐sensitive fluorophores, in this case for protons. The sensor is spontaneously incorporated by cells and resides over days in the lysosome. Intracellular changes of the concentration of protons upon cellular stimulation with pH‐active agents are monitored by read‐out of the sensor fluorescence at real time. With help of this sensor concept it is demonstrated that the different agents used (Monensin, Chloroquine, Bafilomycin A1, Amiloride) possessed different kinetics and mechanisms of action in affecting the intracellular pH values.
An asynchronous hierarchical router for networks‐on‐chip‐based three‐dimensional multi‐processor system‐on‐chip
Authors: Lafi Walid , Lattard Didier , Jerrya Ahmed
Published: February 2012

Three‐dimensional networks‐on‐chip (3D NoC) are rising as a good approach to well managed complex interconnections in 3D multi‐processor system‐on‐chip (MPSoC). This paper introduces a new router in order to enhance throughput and latency compared to classic 3D mesh NoC. The proposed router is hierarchical as it is composed of two completely decoupled modules: one for inter‐layer communication and one for intra‐layer communication. It is fully implemented in asynchronous logic to allow low latency transfer.

Synthesis and extrapolation results show that the hierarchical router is competitive with the classic 3D mesh in terms of area and power. Throughput and latency evaluation is performed using a SystemC‐TLM NoC simulator. Simulations' results show that the proposed hierarchical router can outperform the 3D mesh by more than 25% in terms of throughput and latency in the case of transpose traffic. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Energy-aware test connection assignment for the self-diagnosis of a wireless sensor network
Authors: Weber Andréa , Kutzke Alexander Robert , Chessa Stefano
Published: February 2012

Sensor nodes in Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) are prone to failures due to the fragile hardware, malicious attacks, or hostile or harsh environment. In order to assure reliable, long-term monitoring of the phenomenon under investigation, a major challenge is to detect node malfunctions as soon as possible and with an energy efficient approach. We address this problem by using a system-level diagnosis strategy in which the sink issues to the WSN a self-diagnosis task that involves a number of mutual tests among sensors. Based on the test outcomes, the sink executes the diagnosis procedure. This work presents an algorithm for the assignment of tests among the sensors of a WSN that assures the desired system diagnosability and that is aware of energy consumption. We show by simulation experiments that the present approach, as compared to a previous one, enables consistent energy savings on the sensors.
Comparative Stability Studies of Poly(2-methyl-2-oxazoline) and Poly(ethylene glycol) Brush Coatings
Authors: Pidhatika Bidhari , Rodenstein Mathias , Chen Yin , Rakhmatullina Ekaterina , Mühlebach Andreas , Acikgöz Canet , Textor Marcus , Konradi Rupert
Published: February 2012

Non-fouling surfaces that resist non-specific adsorption of proteins, bacteria, and higher organisms are of particular interest in diverse applications ranging from marine coatings to diagnostic devices and biomedical implants. Poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) is the most frequently used polymer to impart surfaces with such non-fouling properties. Nevertheless, limitations in PEG stability have stimulated research on alternative polymers that are potentially more stable than PEG. Among them, we previously investigated poly(2-methyl-2-oxazoline) (PMOXA), a peptidomimetic polymer, and found that PMOXA shows excellent anti-fouling properties. Here, we compare the stability of films self-assembled from graft copolymers exposing a dense brush layer of PEG and PMOXA side chains, respectively, in physiological and oxidative media. Before media exposure both film types prevented the adsorption of full serum proteins to below the detection limit of optical waveguide in situ measurements. Before and after media exposure for up to 2 weeks, the total film thickness, chemical composition, and total adsorbed mass of the films were quantified using variable angle spectroscopic ellipsometry (VASE), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and optical waveguide lightmode spectroscopy (OWLS), respectively. We found (i) that PMOXA graft copolymer films were significantly more stable than PEG graft copolymer films and kept their protein-repellent properties under all investigated conditions and (ii) that film degradation was due to side chain degradation rather than due to copolymer desorption.
Alkylation of Spiropyran Moiety Provides Reversible Photo-Control over Nanostructured Soft Materials
Authors: Fong Wye-Khay , Malic Nino , Evans Richard A. , Hawley Adrian , Boyd Ben J. , Hanley Tracey L.
Published: February 2012

The purpose of this study was to create a light responsive nanostructured liquid crystalline matrix using a novel alkylated spiropyran photochromic molecule (spiropyran laurate, SPL) as a light activated drug delivery system. The liquid crystal matrix, prepared from phytantriol, responds reversibly to changes in photoisomerism of SPL on irradiation, switching between the bicontinuous cubic and the reversed hexagonal liquid crystal structures, a change previously shown to dramatically alter drug release rate. In contrast, the non-derivatized spiropyran and spirooxazine photochromic compounds do not sufficiently disrupt the matrix on isomerization to induce the phase change. Thus, novel alkylated spiropyran has the potential to be an effective agent for use in liquid crystalline systems for reversible ‘on-demand’ drug delivery applications.
Understanding Nano-Anatomy of Healthy and Carious Human Teeth: a Prerequisite for Nanodentistry
Authors: Gaiser Sebastian , Deyhle Hans , Bunk Oliver , White Shane N. , Müller Bert
Published: February 2012

The anatomy of human teeth reflects its usage. Spatially resolved X-ray scattering permits quantitative studies of the characteristic arrangement of the anisotropic calcium phosphate crystallites and the collagen fibers within the hard tissues of the crown. The present study summarizes the distinctive nanometer-sized anatomical features of the tooth hard tissues including their interface taking advantage of spatially resolved synchrotron radiation-based small-angle X-ray scattering. The comparison of slices from eight teeth indicates a long-range organization of tooth nanostructures.
Nano-Sized Albumin-Copolymer Micelles for Efficient Doxorubicin Delivery
Authors: Wu Yuzhou , Shih Er Kai , Ramanathan Arvind , Vasudevan Subhash , Weil Tanja
Published: February 2012

We present the discovery of a nano-sized protein-derived micellar drug delivery system based on the polycationic albumin precursor protein cBSA-147. The anticancer drug doxorubicin (DOX) was efficiently encapsulated into nanosized micelles based on hydrophobic interactions with the polypeptide scaffold. These micelles revealed attractive stabilities in various physiological buffers and a wide pH range as well as very efficient uptake into A549 cells after 1 h incubation time only. In vitro cytotoxicity was five-times increased compared to free DOX also indicating efficient intracellular drug release. In addition, multiple functional groups are available for further chemical modifications. Based on the hydrophobic loading mechanism, various classical anti-cancer drugs, in principle, could be delivered even synergistically in a single micelle. Considering these aspects, this denatured albumin-based drug delivery system represents a highly attractive platform for nanomedicine approaches towards cancer therapy.
Design and Preparation of a Nanoprobe for Imaging Inflammation Sites
Authors: Yoshitomi Toru , Nagasaki Yukio
Published: February 2012

To image inflammation sites, we developed a novel nanoparticle, hydroxylamine-containing nanoparticle (HANP), which emits an intense electron spin resonance (ESR)-signal triggered by enzymatic oxidation reaction and pH-sensitive self-disintegration. The nanoparticle was prepared from an amphiphilic block copolymer, poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly[4-(2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-hydroxyl)aminomethylstyrene] (PEG-b-PMNT-H), which spontaneously forms a core–shell type polymeric micelle (particle diameter = ca. 50 nm) in aqueous media. Because the PMNT-H segment in the block copolymer possesses amino groups in each repeating unit, the particle can be disintegrated by protonation of the amino groups in an acidic pH environment such as inflammation sites, which is confined to the hydrophobic core of HANP. Mixing HANP with horseradish peroxidase (HRP)/H2O2 mixture resulted in enzymatic oxidization of the hydroxylamines in the PEG-b-PMNT-H and converted the hydroxylamine to the stable nitroxide radical form in PEG-b-poly[4-(2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl)aminomethylstyrene] (PEG-b-PMNT), which shows an intense ESR signal. It is interesting to note that the ESR signal increased at a greater rate under acidic conditions (pH 5.6) than that under neutral conditions (pH 7.4), although the enzymatic activity of HRP under neutral conditions is known to be much higher than that under acidic conditions. This indicates that enzymatic oxidation reaction was accelerated by synchronizing the disintegration of HANP under acidic conditions. On the basis of these results, HANP can be used as a high-performance ESR probe for imaging of inflammation sites.
Development of a Platform of Antibody-Presenting Liposomes
Authors: Garnier Boris , Tan Sisareuth , Gounou Céline , Brisson Alain R. , Laroche-Traineau Jeanny , Jacobin-Valat Marie-Josée , Clofent-Sanchez Gisèle
Published: February 2012

Antibody-presenting liposomes present high interest as drug delivery systems. The association of antibodies to liposomes is usually realized by covalent coupling of IgGs or their antigen-binding fragments to lipid polar head groups by means of hetero-bifunctional crosslinkers. We present here an original platform of IgG-presenting liposomes which is based on a fusion protein between Annexin-A5 (Anx5) and the IgG-binding ZZ repeat derived from Staphylococcus aureus protein A. The Anx5ZZ fusion protein acts as a bi-functional adaptor that anchors IgGs to liposomes in a non covalent and highly versatile manner. The interactions between IgGs, Anx5ZZ and liposomes were characterized by PAGE, dynamic light scattering and fluorescence quenching assays, establishing that binding of Anx5ZZ to IgGs and of Anx5ZZ–IgG complexes to liposomes is complete with stoichiometric amounts of each species. We found that the sequence of assembly is important and that Anx5ZZ–IgG complexes need to be formed first in solution and then adsorbed to liposomes in order to avoid aggregation. The targeting capacity of Anx5ZZ–IgG-functionalized liposomes was demonstrated by electron microscopy on an ex vivo model system of atherosclerotic plaques. This study shows that the Anx5ZZ adaptor constitutes an efficient platform for functionalizing liposomes with IgGs. This platform may present potential applications in molecular imaging and drug delivery.
A thermodynamic efficiency for Stokesian swimming
Authors: Childress Stephen
Published: February 2012

Since free Stokesian swimming does no work external to fluid and body, the classical thermodynamic efficiency of this activity is zero. This paper introduces a potential thermodynamic efficiency by partially tethering the body so that work is done externally and instantaneously. We compare the resulting efficiency with other definitions utilized in Stokes flow, extend the instantaneous definition to encompass a full swimming stroke, and compute it for propulsion of a spherical body by a helical flagellum.
Horizontal and vertical motions of barotropic vortices over a submarine mountain
Authors: Zavala Sansón L. , Barbosa Aguiar A. C. , van Heijst G. J. F.
Published: February 2012

The evolution of barotropic vortices over a topographic, axisymmetric mountain in a homogeneous rotating fluid is studied experimentally. The aim is to identify the main physical processes observed in (i) a horizontal plane of motion, perpendicular to the rotation axis of the system, and (ii) a vertical plane across the diameter of the mountain. The vortices are monopolar cyclones initially generated near or over the topography. Initially, the vortices drift towards the mountain due to the $\ensuremath{\beta} $-effect associated with the topographic slope. On arriving, they turn around the obstacle in an anticyclonic direction, whilst anticyclonic vorticity is generated over the summit. The long-term vorticity distribution is dominated by the original cyclone elongated around the topographic contours and the generated anticyclone over the tip of the topography. In the vertical plane an oscillatory uphill–downhill flow is generated, which is directly related to the drift of the cyclone around the mountain. Depending on the vortex characteristics, the period of the oscillation ranges from 4 to 10 times the rotation period of the system. The horizontal and vertical flow fields are reproduced numerically by using a shallow-water formulation, which allows a detailed view of the vertical motions, hence facilitating the interpretation of the experimental results. In addition, the cyclone–anticyclone pair over the mountain is compared with analytical solutions of topographically trapped waves. A general conclusion is that vertical motions persist for several days (or rotation periods), which implies that this mechanism might be potentially important for the vertical transport over seamounts.
The Economic Origins of Democracy Reconsidered
Authors: FREEMAN JOHN R. , QUINN DENNIS P.
Published: February 2012

The effects of inequality and financial globalization on democratization are central issues in political science. The relationships among economic inequality, capital mobility, and democracy differ in the late twentieth century for financially integrated autocracies vs. closed autocracies. Financial integration enables native elites to create diversified international asset portfolios. Asset diversification decreases both elite stakes in and collective action capacity for opposing democracy. Financial integration also changes the character of capital assets—including land—by altering the uses of capital assets and the nationality of owners. It follows that financially integrated autocracies, especially those with high levels of inequality, are more likely to democratize than unequal financially closed autocracies. We test our argument for a panel of countries in the post–World War II period. We find a quadratic hump relationship between inequality and democracy for financially closed autocracies, but an upward sloping relationship between inequality and democratization for financially integrated autocracies.
Blood pressure decrease with ingestion of a soya product (kinako) or fish oil in women with the metabolic syndrome: role of adiponectin and nitric oxide
Authors: Simão Andréa Name Colado , Lozovoy Marcell Alysson Batisti , Bahls Larissa Danielle , Morimoto Helena Kaminami , Simão Tathiana Name Colado , Matsuo Tiemi , Dichi Isaias
Published: February 2012

The aim of the present study was to verify the effects of fish oil and a soya-based product on inflammatory markers and endothelial function measured by NO in women with the metabolic syndrome (MetS). A total of sixty-five women (mean age: 47·9 (sd9·98) years) were studied in a 90-d parallel, randomised design. A control group maintained their usual diet; the second group received 29 g/d of soyabean (kinako); the third group received 3 g/d of fish oiln-3 fatty acids; and the fourth group received fish oil (3 g/d) and kinako (29 g/d). Anthropometric, blood pressure (BP), inflammatory markers, anti-inflammatory marker (adiponectin) and NO concentrations were evaluated. In relation to the baseline values, the group that received fish oil and kinako concomitantly presented a statistically significant decrease in systolic BP (SBP;P < 0·05), whereas there was a significant decrease in diastolic BP (DBP) in the control group (P < 0·05), kinako group (P < 0·01) and fish oil group (P < 0·01) after 90 d. There was a significant increase in adiponectin (P < 0·01) and NO values (P < 0·05) after 90 d in the kinako and fish oil groups. Differences between treatment groups verified a significant decrease (P < 0·05) in DBP in the kinako group after 90 d when compared to the results obtained from the fish oil and kinako groups. In conclusion, the findings of increased serum adiponectin and NO metabolite levels after 90 d, both in the fish oil and soya groups, reinforce the importance of the influence of adiponectin and NO levels on BP decrease in patients with the MetS.
Assessing the reliability of textbook data in syntax: Adger'sCore Syntax
Authors: SPROUSE JON , ALMEIDA DIOGO
Published: February 2012

There has been a consistent pattern of criticism of the reliability of acceptability judgment data in syntax for at least 50 years (e.g., Hill 1961), culminating in several high-profile criticisms within the past ten years (Edelman & Christiansen 2003, Ferreira 2005, Wasow & Arnold 2005, Gibson & Fedorenko 2010, in press). The fundamental claim of these critics is that traditional acceptability judgment collection methods, which tend to be relatively informal compared to methods from experimental psychology, lead to an intolerably high number of false positive results. In this paper we empirically assess this claim by formally testing all 469 (unique, US-English) data points from a popular syntax textbook (Adger 2003) using 440 naïve participants, two judgment tasks (magnitude estimation and yes–no), and three different types of statistical analyses (standard frequentist tests, linear mixed effects models, and Bayes factor analyses). The results suggest that the maximum discrepancy between traditional methods and formal experimental methods is 2%. This suggests that even under the (likely unwarranted) assumption that the discrepant results are all false positives that have found their way into the syntactic literature due to the shortcomings of traditional methods, the minimum replication rate of these 469 data points is 98%. We discuss the implications of these results for questions about the reliability of syntactic data, as well as the practical consequences of these results for the methodological options available to syntacticians.
A contribution to the study of Acarosporaceae in South America
Authors: KNUDSEN Kerry , FLAKUS Adam , KUKWA Martin
Published: February 2012

Acarospora dissecta (Bolivia) and Sarcogyne brunnea (Bolivia, Ecuador) are described as new to science. Acarospora trachyticola, a common effigurate species in Peru, is revised and reported as new for Argentina, Bolivia and Venezuela. Acarospora brasiliensis is considered as a later synonym of A. lorentzii, which is reported new for Peru. Sarcogyne terrena is revised. Silobia smaragdula is verified as occurring in Chile. Polysporina urceolata is reported new to South America from Bolivia.
Ergodic properties of invariant measures for C1+α non-uniformly hyperbolic systems
Authors: LIANG CHAO , SUN WENXIANG , TIAN XUETING
Published: February 2012

For every ergodic hyperbolic measure ω of a C1+α diffeomorphism, there is an ω-full-measure set $\tilde {\Lambda }$ (the union of $\tilde \Lambda _l=\mathrm {supp}( \omega |_{\Lambda _{l}})$, the support sets of ω on each Pesin block Λl, l=1,2,…) such that every non-empty, compact and connected subset $V\subseteq \mathrm {Closure}(\mathcal {M}_{\mathrm {inv}}(\tilde \Lambda ))$ coincides with Vf(x), where $\mathcal {M}_{\mathrm {inv}}(\tilde {\Lambda })$ denotes the space of invariant measures supported on $\tilde {\Lambda }$ and Vf(x) denotes the accumulation set of time averages of Dirac measures supported at one orbit of some point x. For each fixed set V, the points with the above property are dense in the support supp (ω) . In particular, points satisfying $V_f(x)=\mathrm {Closure}(\mathcal {M}_{\mathrm {inv}}(\tilde \Lambda ))$ are dense in supp (ω) . Moreover, if supp (ω) is isolated, the points satisfying $V_f(x)\supseteq \mathrm {Closure}(\mathcal {M}_{\mathrm {inv}}(\tilde \Lambda ))$ form a residual subset of supp (ω) . These extend results of K. Sigmund [On dynamical systems with the specification property. Trans. Amer. Math. Soc. 190 (1974), 285–299] (see also M. Denker, C. Grillenberger and K. Sigmund [Ergodic Theory on Compact Spaces (Lecture Notes in Mathematics, 527). Springer, Berlin, Ch. 21]) from the uniformly hyperbolic case to the non-uniformly hyperbolic case. As a corollary, irregular + points form a residual set of supp (ω) .
“Too Many Courts and Too Much Law”: The Politics of Judicial Reform in Nova Scotia, 1830–1841
Authors: Phillips Jim , Miller Bradley
Published: February 2012

The 1830s was Nova Scotia's “Age of Reform.” Although historians have documented the growing tensions between elected Assembly and appointed lieutenant governor and Council, the concomitant attacks on the established economic elite, and the rise of a distinct party in colonial politics, little attention has been paid to the role played by the colony's courts and judges in this crucial decade. This lacuna is surprising, because reformers were convinced that the judges of the Nova Scotia Supreme Court (NSSC) were bulwarks of the old order and barriers to progress, and as their movement gained influence in the 1830s it brought the judges and the court system to the fore. This period saw numerous proposals for reform to the colony's laws and legal system, some effected and others not. Here we examine those aspects of the reform platform that were most hotly contested precisely because they exemplified the ways in which controversies about the legal system both reflected and exacerbated broader political and social change. The most important issues were judicial fees and the role of the chief justice as head of the Tory-dominated lieutenant governor's Council. We also examine two other matters in which the judicial system was directly linked to reformers' general demands for a system of government more responsive to the needs of ordinary Nova Scotians: judicial salaries and the role of the lower civil courts.
Introduction
Authors: Mann Bruce H.
Published: February 2012

The articles in this issue are drawn from the papers delivered at the conference “Ab Initio: Law in Early America,” held in Philadelphia on June 16–17, 2010—the first conference in nearly fifteen years to focus on law in early America. It was sponsored by the Penn Legal History Consortium, the McNeil Center for Early American Studies, the American Society for Legal History, the University of Michigan Law School, and the University of Minnesota Law School, under the direction of Sarah Barringer Gordon, Martha S. Jones, William J. Novak, Daniel K. Richter, Richard J. Ross, and Barbara Y. Welke. For two days, fifteen mostly younger scholars presented their research to a packed house, with formal comments by senior scholars and vigorous discussion with the audience. That earlier conference, “The Many Legalities of Early America,” which convened in Williamsburg in 1996, had illustrated the shift from what was once trumpeted as the “new” legal history to something that never acquired a name, perhaps because it was less self-conscious in its methodology. “Ab Initio” offered the opportunity to ask how the field has changed in the years since.
DOES THE CAPITAL INTENSITY MATTER? EVIDENCE FROM THE POSTWAR JAPANESE ECONOMY AND OTHER OECD COUNTRIES
Authors: Takahashi Harutaka , Mashiyama Koichi , Sakagami Tomoya
Published: February 2012

The capital intensity takes an important role in two-sector and multisector growth models. Surprisingly very few empirical studies have been conducted so far except by Kuga (1967). This fact implies that few people have ever tried to perform any empirical research to study whether the two-sector and multisector optimal growth models could explain the economic development properly based on the empirical data. Although we witnessed fairly active theoretical research on two-sector and multisector growth models in the 1990s and recent years, R. M. Solow has thrown doubt on the capital intensities [in Philippe Aghion and Steven Durlauf (eds.),Handbook of Economic Growth, Vol. 1A (2005, pp. 3–10)]. Our purpose is to measure the capital intensities of the consumption good and the investment good sectors mainly in the postwar Japanese economy, and also in other OECD countries. By so doing, we will demonstrate that the capital intensity does matter and our empirical evidence will strongly support the common assumption that the consumption goods sector is more capital-intensive than the capital goods sector.
The efficacy of a brief, peer-led nutrition education intervention in increasing fruit and vegetable consumption: a wait-list, community-based randomised controlled trial
Authors: Glasson Colleen , Chapman Kathy , Gander Kristi , Wilson Tamara , James Erica
Published: February 2012

Objective

The objective of the present research was to test the efficacy of Fruit & Veg $ense sessions in increasing fruit and vegetable consumption.

Design

A wait-list randomised controlled trial was conducted (n 292). Intervention participants attended a Fruit & Veg $ense session and received newsletters at weeks 2 and 5 after attending the session. All participants completed an FFQ and a questionnaire measuring knowledge, attitudes, barriers and stage of change for fruit and vegetable consumption at baseline and 6 weeks.

Setting

Hunter region of New South Wales, Australia.

Subjects

Two hundred and ninety-two parents with children of primary school age.

Results

The intervention group significantly increased its mean consumption of fruit and vegetables by 0·62 servings compared with 0·11 in the control group (difference of 0·51, P = 0·001). Compared with the control group, there were significant increases in intervention participants’ knowledge of daily recommended servings (for fruit and vegetables) and serving size (for vegetables), improvement in stage of change for vegetable consumption and a decrease in the number of perceived barriers to fruit and vegetable consumption.

Conclusions

Fruit & Veg $ense is efficacious in increasing fruit and vegetable consumption among parents of primary-school children. The study adds significantly to the limited evidence regarding fruit and vegetable interventions and the feasibility of engaging peer educators to deliver community education sessions. A broader implementation trial to test the effectiveness of Fruit & Veg $ense is recommended.