bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Dual effects of quercetin in doxorubicin‐induced nephrotoxicity in rats and its modulation of the cytotoxic activity of doxorubicin on human carcinoma cells
Authors: Heeba Gehan H. , Mahmoud Magda E.
Published: November 2014

Quercetin (QUR) has been shown to induce anti‐, as well as, pro‐oxidant effects depending on the dose and on the redox state of the cell. This study investigated the effects of different doses of QUR on doxorubicin (DOX)‐induced nephrotoxicity in rats with emphasis on the suggested mechanisms and its modulation of the cytotoxic activity of DOX on different human carcinoma cell lines. Three doses of QUR (10, 50, and 100 mg kg−1) were administered orally to adult male albino rats for 14 days, in the presence or absence of nephrotoxicity induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of DOX (15 mg kg−1) at day 7 of the experiment. Moreover, the effect of QUR in the presence of DOX on the cell viability of four different human cancer cell lines; PC3, HELA, MCF7, and HEPG2 was studied. Results showed that the lowest dose of QUR was more effective in preserving renal function (kidney index, blood urea nitrogen, serum creatinine, renal malondialdehyde, nitric oxide, reduced glutathione, catalase activity, renal expressions of TNF‐α, IL‐1B, iNOS, and caspase‐3, and renal histopathology) than higher doses. Alternatively, the pro‐oxidant and pro‐inflammatory mechanisms have been reflected at highest QUR dose. In conclusion, QUR protected against DOX‐induced nephrotoxicity with a provision to dosage adjustment. Furthermore, QUR did not interfere but rather enhanced the cytotoxic effects of DOX on different human cancer cell lines. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 31: 624–636, 2016.
GBF/Gea mutant with a single substitution sustains fungal growth in the absence of BIG/Sec7
Authors: Arst Herbert N. , Hernandez-Gonzalez Miguel , Peñalva Miguel A. , Pantazopoulou Areti
Published: November 2014

Golgi Arf1‐guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs) belong to two subfamilies: GBF/Gea and BIG/Sec7. Both are conserved across eukaryotes, but the physiological role of each is not well understood. Aspergillus nidulans has a single member of the early Golgi GBF/Gea‐subfamily, geaA, and the late Golgi BIG/Sec7‐subfamily, hypB. Both geaA and hypB are essential. hypB5 conditionally blocks secretion. We sought extragenic hypB5 suppressors and obtained geaA1. geaA1 results in Tyr1022Cys within a conserved GBF/Gea‐specific S(Y/W/F)(L/I) motif in GeaA. This mutation alters GeaA localization. Remarkably, geaA1 suppresses hypBΔ, indicating that a single mutant Golgi Arf1‐GEF suffices for growth.
Glutamine synthetase desensitizes differentiated adipocytes to proinflammatory stimuli by raising intracellular glutamine levels
Authors: Palmieri Erika Mariana , Spera Iolanda , Menga Alessio , Infantino Vittoria , Iacobazzi Vito , Castegna Alessandra
Published: November 2014

The role of glutamine synthetase (GS) during adipocyte differentiation is unclear. Here, we assess the impact of GS on the adipocytic response to a proinflammatory challenge at different differentiation stages. GS expression at the late stages of differentiation desensitized mature adipocytes to bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) by increasing intracellular glutamine levels. Furthermore, LPS‐activated mature adipocytes were unable to produce inflammatory mediators; LPS sensitivity was rescued following GS inhibition and the associated drop in intracellular glutamine levels. The ability of adipocytes to differentially respond to LPS during differentiation negatively correlates to GS expression and intracellular glutamine levels. Hence, modulation of intracellular glutamine levels by GS expression represents an endogenous mechanism through which mature adipocytes control the inflammatory response.
MiR‐449a exerts tumor‐suppressive functions in human glioblastoma by targeting Myc‐associated zinc‐finger protein
Authors: Yao Yilong , Ma Jun , Xue Yixue , Wang Ping , Li Zhen , Li Zhiqing , Hu Yi , Shang Xiuli , Liu Yunhui
Published: November 2014

Glioblastoma (GBM) is one of the most common and aggressive primary brain tumors in adults. Deregulated expression of microRNAs (miRNAs) has been associated with GBM progression through alterations in either oncogenic or tumor suppressor targets. Here, we elucidated the function and the possible molecular mechanisms of miR‐449a in human GBM cell lines and tumor specimens‐derived glioblastoma stem cells (GSCs). Quantitative real‐time PCR demonstrated that miR‐449a was down‐regulated in human GBM cell lines and GSCs. Functionally, miR‐449a acted as a tumor suppressor by reducing cell proliferation, migration and invasion as well as inducing apoptosis in human GBM cell lines and GSCs. Myc‐associated zinc‐finger protein (MAZ) was identified as a direct target of miR‐449a, mediating these tumor‐suppressive effects, demonstrated by Western blot assay and luciferase assays. Moreover, over‐expression of miR‐449a inhibited the expression of Podoplanin (PDPN) by down‐regulating MAZ which could positively control the promoter activities via binding to the promoter of PDPN, demonstrated by luciferase assays and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays. Further, the PI3K/AKT pathway was blocked when MAZ was down‐regulated by miR‐449a. This process was coincided with the up‐regulation of apoptotic proteins and the down‐regulation of anti‐apoptotic proteins, MMP2 and MMP9. Furthermore, nude mice carrying over‐expressed miR‐449a combined with knockdown MAZ tumors produced the smallest tumors and the highest survival. These results elucidated a novel molecular mechanism of GBM progression, and may thus suggest a promising application for GBM treatment.
Two Cases of Metallosis from Metal‐on‐Polyethylene Total Hips: An Emerging Problem
Authors: Kao Cyrus , Scalettar Raymond , Bunning Robert D.
Published: November 2014

This report describes 2 cases of metallosis from metal‐on‐polyethylene total hip replacements. Case 1 involved a Stryker rejuvenate implant, which has since been recalled. This patient had minimal symptoms, an elevated cobalt level, and loosening. The patient in case 2 had a Dupuys Pinnacle system, with symptoms of weakness, rash, and hip pain. Abnormal laboratory values include elevated sedimentation rate, C‐reactive protein, creatinine, cobalt, and decreased hematocrit. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed synovial thickening and extracapsular edema. Although metallosis is a well‐established complication of metal‐on‐metal implants, emerging data reveal that it also may be a problem in non–metal‐on‐metal implants such as either metal‐on‐polyethylene or ceramic‐on‐polyethylene implants, perhaps related to modular corrosion.
The Question(s) of Political Knowledge
Authors: BARABAS JASON , JERIT JENNIFER , POLLOCK WILLIAM , RAINEY CARLISLE
Published: November 2014

Political knowledge is a central concept in the study of public opinion and political behavior. Yet what the field collectively believes about this construct is based on dozens of studies using different indicators of knowledge. We identify two theoretically relevant dimensions: atemporaldimension that corresponds to the time when a fact was established and atopicaldimension that relates to whether the fact is policy-specific or general. The resulting typology yields four types of knowledge questions. In an analysis of more than 300 knowledge items from late in the first decade of the 2000s, we examine whether classic findings regarding the predictors of knowledge withstand differences across types of questions. In the case of education and the mass media, the mechanisms for becoming informed operate differently across question types. However, differences in the levels of knowledge between men and women are robust, reinforcing the importance of including gender-relevant items in knowledge batteries.
Selling Out?: The Politics of Navigating Conflicts between Racial Group Interest and Self-interest
Authors: WHITE ISMAIL K. , LAIRD CHRYL N. , ALLEN TROY D.
Published: November 2014

Departing from accounts of minority group politics that focus on the role of group identity in advancing group members’ common interests, we investigate political decisions involving tradeoffs between group interests and simple self-interest. Using the case of black Americans, we investigate crystallized group norms about politics, internalized beliefs about group solidarity, and mechanisms for enforcing both through social pressure. Through a series of novel behavioral experiments that offer black subjects individual incentives to defect from the position most favored by black Americans as a group, we test the effects of social pressure to conform. We find that racialized social pressure and internalized beliefs in group solidarity are constraining and depress self-interested behavior. Our results speak to a common conflict—choosing between maximizing group interests and self-interest—and yet also offer specific insight into how blacks remain so homogeneous in partisan politics despite their growing ideological and economic variation.
THE USE AND ABUSE OF CRITIAS: CONFLICTING PORTRAITS IN PLATO AND XENOPHON
Authors: Danzig Gabriel
Published: November 2014

This paper aims to explain the very sharp contrast between the portraits of Critias found in Plato and Xenophon. While depicted as a monster in Xenophon'sHellenica, Critias is described with at most mild criticism in Plato's writings. Each of these portraits is eccentric in its own way, and these eccentricities can be explained by considering the apologetic and polemic aims each author pursued. In doing so, I hope to shed light not only on the relations between these portraits and the works that contain them, but also on the personal relations between Plato and Xenophon and their manner of expressing them in literary productions.
ODYSSEUS AND THE HOME OF THE STRANGER FROM ELEA
Authors: Delcomminette Sylvain
Published: November 2014

Not very long ago, Plato'sSophistwas often presented as a dialogue devoted to the problem of being and not-being, entangled with limited success in an inquiry into the nature of the sophist. Thanks to the renewal of interest in the dramatic form of Plato's dialogues, recent works have shown that this entanglement is far from ill-conceived or anecdotal. However, the inquiry into the sophist is itself introduced by another question, concerning the nature of the Stranger from Elea himself. I would like to show that this question and the way in which it is raised in the prologue may themselves shed light on the relations between the many threads which run across this very complex dialogue.
MULTIPLE ANALOGY IN PS.-ARISTOTLE, DE MUNDO 6
Authors: Betegh Gábor , Gregoric Pavel
Published: November 2014

The short treatise known as Περὶ κόσμου (De mundo) is a learned piece of protreptic addressed to Alexander, ‘the best of princes’, usually identified with Alexander the Great. The treatise is traditionally attributed to Aristotle, and although it does espouse recognizably Aristotelian views, it contains various doctrinal and linguistic elements which have led the large majority of scholars to regard it as inauthentic. The dating of the treatise is a more controversial matter, though most scholars would put it somewhere in the Hellenistic period.
THE ETYMOLOGIES OF ΒΑΣΙΛΕϒΣ AND ΕΡΜΗΝΕϒΣ
Authors: Janko Richard
Published: November 2014

Nouns and personal names ending in –εύς –ῆϝος are unique to Greek, and have often been deemed pre-Hellenic in origin simply on account of the lack of Proto-Indo-European (PIE) correspondences. Our failure to find convincing etymologies for βασιλεύς, ἑρμηνεύς, and βραβεύς has itself contributed to this view. However, we should hesitate, for general reasons, to posit pre-Hellenic origins for these words, since viable explanations both of βασιλεύς and of ἑρμηνεύς (if not of βραβεύς) lie near to hand. Although the explanation of βασιλεύς that will be proposed below still presents difficulties, I believe that it improves on previous attempts.
THE RAPE OF LUCRETIA IN CASSIUS DIO'SROMAN HISTORY
Authors: Mallan C.T.
Published: November 2014

We are told that when news of Caracalla's death reached Rome a group of senators denounced their former emperor, likening him to all the tyrants of the past who had ruled over them. The senator who recorded these actions, the historian Cassius Dio, does not say which tyrants were listed, but it is likely that such a comprehensive list included the last king of Rome, Tarquinius Superbus, and his son Sextus. The senators' actions were doubtless more an act of group catharsis than a private show of loyalty to their new emperor, Marcus Opellius Macrinus. Yet what the scene reveals perhaps most clearly is the Romanexemplatradition in practice.
WIT, HUMOUR AND IRONY INHEROIDES9
Authors: Murgatroyd P.
Published: November 2014

Heroides9 takes the form of a letter sent by Deianira to Hercules as a reinforcement to the tunic smeared with Nessus' blood which she has already dispatched in the mistaken belief that it will revive the hero's love for her. In this epistle she tries to persuade her husband to give up his latest girlfriend (Iole) by showing him that she loves him, by arousing pity for herself, and by making him feel ashamed of his philandering and see that he thereby disgraces himself. Obviously there is pathos here, particularly as the deaths of Hercules and Deianira loom in the background, but there is also wit, irony, and (especially dark) humour, creating a piquant tonal mixture which has been almost entirely neglected by critics. They have seen the sadness, and some of the irony (which is taken to be purely tragic), but they have not grasped the facetious aspects, whereby our irreverent poet ensures that the piece does not lapse into mawkishness and engages the head as well as the heart.
ARISTOPHANES, ACHARNIANS 833
Authors: Reeve Michael D.
Published: November 2014

in memory of Eric Handley

Dicaeopolis brushes the informer aside and closes his deal with the starving Megarian:
ΔΙ. … λαβὲ ταυτὶ τὰ σκόροδα καὶ τοὺς ἅλαςκαὶ χαῖρε πόλλ’. ΜΕ. ἀλλ’ ἁμὶν οὐκ ἐπιχώριον.ΔΙ. πολυπραγμοσύνη νῦν ἐς κεϕαλὴν τράποιτ’ ἐμοί.   833
Even before Douglas Olson's thorough study of the tradition in his commentary on Acharnians (Oxford, 2002) it was clear that the oldest manuscript, R, has as much weight as the agreement of the others that editors report. In 833 it reads πολυπραγμοσύνη, the others –σύνης. A scholion runs λείπει (δὲ) τὸ ἕνεκα, (ἵνα ᾖ) ἕνεκα τῆς πολυπραγμοσύνης (‘because of is not expressed, [to make it] because of the meddling’), plainly written for a text that had –σύνης, which is also the lemma in one manuscript; the lemma in the other that has one is –σύνῃσιν. It has not been shown, however, either that this scholion is ancient or that its agreement with all the manuscripts but R overrides the testimony of R. As regards attestation, therefore, the tradition offers two readings of equal weight, or three if –σύνῃσιν is taken to be a relic of a text different from the one that prompted the scholion.
ON VIRGIL'S LIGHTNING, COMETS, AND LIBYAN SHE-BEARS
Authors: Secci Davide Antonio
Published: November 2014

The expressionpelle Libystidis ursae, which occurs atAen. 5.37 and 8.368, has caused a certain amount of puzzlement among scholars. This article will attempt to explain, through Virgil's allusions to Apollonius'Argonautica, the function ofLibystisas a pointer to the motif of the creation of a new homeland within a foreign territory, as is the case with Segesta and Rome. This idea is further developed by the two omens that forebode the foundations of Segesta and Rome, that is, the omen of Acestes' arrow atAen. 5.522–8 and the weapon-omen atAen. 8.524–9, both of which are consistently associated with flames, comets, and lightning. These elements underline the symbolism of destruction, rebirth, and Jupiter's will that characterizes the foundations of Segesta and future Rome.
RETHINKING SULLA: THE CASE OF THE ROMAN SENATE
Authors: Steel Catherine
Published: November 2014

Pressing and urgent domestic problems were the justification for L. Cornelius Sulla's election to the dictatorship in 82b.c.He responded with an extensive legislative programme which reorganized the judicial and legislative processes of theres publica. While there is agreement, in broad terms, about the nature of these changes, their purpose and significance remain debated. None the less, there is general consensus that the Senate's role in Sulla'sres publicawas enhanced in comparison with earlier periods. This conclusion is based on the increase in the size of the Senate; on the monopoly it resumed of judicial decision-making in theiudicia publica; and on the extension, in practice, of its legislative capacity, given that its decrees could not be vetoed by tribunes of the plebs, who had also lost their capacity to put forward legislation. Flower offers a recent and concise summary: ‘This new “consensus” of Sulla was based on force and on the necessity of agreeing with Sulla himself, and subsequently with his new, mighty senate that was expected to wield unprecedented power and absolute authority.’
VERSES ATTRIBUTED TO THETELEGONY
Authors: Tsagalis Christos
Published: November 2014

The huge differences characterizing the main editions of the Greek epic poets of the Archaic period are well known. The sparse amount of information available poses serious problems; so too does the lack of unanimous acceptance of the same methodological principles with respect to the attribution of a citation to a given author and poem. The case of theTelegonyis typical: Bernabé lists five fragments, Davies two (only one in common with Bernabé), and West six (four in common with Bernabé, one in common with Davies, and one published by Livrea ten years after the appearance of the editions of Bernabé and Davies). To alert the reader that the attribution of fragments 1 and 2 to theTelegonyis conjectural and not based on ancient evidence, West attaches an asterisk to them. My aim is to discuss both what certain scholars have taken as one (and, for exactly 110 years, the only) of the two surviving lines from Eugammon'sTelegony, that is fr. 1 (PEG1, Bernabé = *1 West) = fr. 2 (Allen), and also what appears as fr. *2 in West's Loeb edition.
CALIGULA, INCITATUS, AND THE CONSULSHIP
Authors: Woods David
Published: November 2014

One of the most famous allegations made against the emperor Caligula was that he had intended to appoint his favourite horse, Incitatus, as consul. While Suetonius and Cassius Dio both preserve this allegation, neither explains the basis for it, what exactly Caligula had said or done to lead those about him to believe that this is what he had intended to do.
When Are Sanctions Effective? A Bargaining and Enforcement Framework
Authors: Bapat Navin A. , Kwon Bo Ram
Published: November 2014

Although a considerable literature identifies the conditions under which sanctions are more likely to be successful, few studies examine the question of when sanctioning states or senders are willing to enforce their sanctions laws against their firms. Using a game theoretic model, we argue that imposing sanctions creates a strategic dilemma for senders. We demonstrate that senders often have disincentives to enforce their sanctions policies, given that the restriction on economic transactions with targeted states may undermine their firms' competitiveness. The model indicates that sanctions are more likely to succeed when the sender's firm retains a moderate share of the target's market relative to its foreign competitors. However, the model also demonstrates that sanctions are likely to be imposed only when the conditions do not favor their success. The empirical implications of the model are tested using the Threat and Imposition of Economic Sanctions (TIES) data set.
Citizen Ai: Warrior, Jester, and Middleman
Authors: Callahan William A.
Published: November 2014

Ai Weiwei is famous for crossing boundaries, especially the boundary between art and politics. To appreciate the often contradictory nature of Ai's work, this essay employs multiple narratives: “Ai the Heroic Warrior” who criticizes the Chinese government; “Ai the Court Jester” who plays with the Chinese state and Western media; and “Ai the Middleman” who acts as a broker between China and the West, between young and old people, and between civil society and the state in the PRC. The essay concludes that a fourth narrative can bring together these three stories in a multicoded understanding of Ai's work: “Ai the Citizen Intellectual” who sometimes works with the state, and at other times against it—but always for the good of China. By comparing Ai's work with that of other public intellectuals and placing it in the context of debates about civil society, the conclusion argues that “citizen intellectual” also tells us about a broader movement of activists and public intellectuals who are creating a new form of political space in postsocialist China.
Chinese Xenology and the Opium War: Reflections on Sinocentrism
Authors: Basu Dilip K.
Published: November 2014

Editor's Note: The essay that follows is based on a conference paper by Dilip K. Basu that has long circulated informally, in the process exercising an unusually high degree of influence for an unpublished commentary. Most notably, some ideas embedded in it have been spread via literary scholar Lydia Liu's engagement with and quoting of the paper inThe Clash of Empires: The Invention of China in Modern World Making(Liu 2006), a provocative and much-cited book that calls for a radical rethinking of some of the standard terms and concepts used in the past to refer to the Qing Empire's ties to and conflicts with other political and territorial units. Those familiar with Liu's work will find here an essay that complements some arguments in her book; those who have not read it will be introduced to those ideas for the first time. Beyond this, though, all readers will find a discussion of various ideas and events—visions of China's place in the world, how the story of the Opium War is thought about in different settings, the history of Sinology—shaped by personal as well as scholarly concerns.

The essay's ties to the author's life and associations, which come into play more as the essay proceeds, make it a good fit with the goals of our recently introduced and still evolving “Reflections” genre. In addition, since it revisits critically ideas about China associated with the work of John K. Fairbank, it can be placed well beside some of the essays published in the “Legacies” series launched by Kenneth George, in his time as editor of the journal. And regular attendees of the Association for Asian Studies annual meetings may notice that much that follows resonates with the keynote address by Amitav Ghosh, one of those familiar with Basu's essay in draft form, when that conference was held in Toronto in 2012. The pages that follow are tightly focused on China, but Basu's discussion of “xenology” (a term for the ways that cultures think about those deemed “others,” which has, of course, the same root as the more familiar term “xenophobia”) clearly has implications for widely varied times and places, just as the handling of Fairbank's distinctive role in Chinese studies may bring to mind parallels to the influence that other prominent Western academics from the last century once shaped and via their legacies can continue to shape academic work on other parts of Asia. While focused tightly on China, in other words, it has much to offer readers whose primary interest is not in that country.
Inuit women in the process of the conversion to Christianity in the Canadian eastern Arctic: 1894–1945
Authors: Laugrand Frédéric B. , Oosten Jarich G.
Published: November 2014

Arctic missionaries have been studied extensively as agents of change but the role of Inuit women in the adoption of Christianity has been largely overlooked. In this paper we discuss Inuit women who played an important role in the processes of evangelisation and conversion. We focus on the first converts in South Baffin Island as well as the cases of Teresikuluk, a young woman who tried to turn her relatives from shamanism to Christianity, and of Pelagie, the first Inuit nun, in the Kivalliq. The missionaries often presented these women as role models choosing the right path in contrast to other individuals who kept their ‘pagan’ that is shamanic traditions. For these Inuit women, Christianity was attractive as it freed them from many ritual restrictions, providing them with more freedom and power. Many women were among the first converts, but in most areas men took the leading roles as preachers and evangelists. It proved to be hard for women to pursue a religious career and here the constraints of their social roles played an important part.
Dachas on permafrost: the creation of nature among Arctic Russian city-dwellers
Authors: Stammler Florian , Sidorova Lena
Published: November 2014

This article analyses the phenomenon of the post-Soviet Russian summer cottage, dacha, in the Arctic. We take an ethnographic comparative perspective for contributing to the refinement of our understanding of human-environment relations and urban anthropology of incomer-northerners, those with roots somewhere outside the north. Evidence from fieldwork in Murmansk Oblast, West Siberia and Sakha-Yakutia shows how for a socialist and post-socialist northern urban livelihood, the dacha has become an indispensable counterpart of life in the urban concrete housing blocks for most Russian northern inhabitants. We explore in this article the importance of dacha for northern identity of urban dwellers, by analysing spheres of individual and collective agency, freedom, attachment to place and land. We conclude that the dacha movement has filled a gap that had been left open by Soviet Arctic urbanisation: a dacha has come to stand for a human-environment relationship that gradually re-introduces rurality to urban life in the Russian Arctic so permanently that dacha places start losing their seasonal character.
Pre-pregnancy BMI, gestational weight gain and postpartum weight retention: a meta-analysis of observational studies
Authors: Rong Ke , Yu Kai , Han Xiaolong , Szeto Ignatius MY , Qin Xueying , Wang Junkuan , Ning Yibing , Wang Peiyu , Ma Defu
Published: November 2014

Objective

To determine the association of gestational weight gain (GWG) or pre-pregnancy BMI with postpartum weight retention (PPWR).

Design

Meta-analysis.

Setting

PubMed, Cochrane Controlled Trials Register, EMBASE, Science Citation Index Expanded, Current Contents Connects and Biosis Previews were used to search articles.

Subjects

Publications that described the influence of pre-pregnancy BMI or GWG on PPWR.

Results

Seventeen studies that satisfied the eligibility criteria were included in the analyses. Women with inadequate and excessive GWG had significantly lower mean PPWR of −2·14 kg (95 % CI –2·43, –1·85 kg) and higher PPWR of 3·21 kg (95 % CI 2·79, 3·62 kg), respectively, than women with adequate GWG. When postpartum time spans were stratified into 1–3 months, 3–6 months, 6–12 months, 12–36 months and ≥15 years, the association between inadequate GWG and PPWR faded over time and became insignificant (−1·42 kg; 95 % CI −3·08, 0·24 kg) after ≥15 years. However, PPWR in women with excess GWG exhibited a U-shaped trend; that is, a decline during the early postpartum time span (year 1) and then an increase in the following period. Meta-analysis of qualitative studies showed a significant relationship between excessive GWG and higher PPWR risk (OR=2·08; 95 % CI 1·60, 2·70). Moreover, meta-analysis of pre-pregnancy BMI on PPWR indicated that mean PPWR decreased with increasing BMI group.

Conclusions

These findings suggest that GWG, rather than pre-pregnancy BMI, determines the shorter- or longer-term PPWR.
Malathion-Induced Granulosa Cell Apoptosis in Caprine Antral Follicles: An Ultrastructural and Flow Cytometric Analysis
Authors: Bhardwaj Jitender K. , Saraf Priyanka
Published: November 2014

Organophosphate pesticides (OPs) like malathion interfere with normal ovarian function resulting in an increased incidence of atresia and granulosa cell apoptosis that plays a consequential role in the loss of ovarian follicles or follicular atresia. The aim of present study was to assess malathion-induced (100 nM) reproductive stress, ultrastructural damage and changes in apoptosis frequency in ovarian granulosa cells of antral follicles. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was employed for ultrastructural characterization, oxidative stress was evaluated using thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) assay to measure lipid peroxidation, and apoptosis was quantified via flow cytometry. By TEM, apoptosis was identified by the presence of an indented nuclear membrane with blebbing, pyknotic crescent-shaped fragmented nuclei, increased vacuolization, degenerating mitochondria, and lipid droplets. The results indicate a significant increase in malondialdehyde (MDA) level (nmols/g wet tissue) at a 100 nM dose of malathion i.e. 7.57±0.033*, 8.53±0.12*, and 12.87±0.78** at 4, 6, or 8 h, respectively, as compared with controls (6.07±0.033, p<0.01*, p<0.05**) showing a positive correlation between malathion-induced lipid peroxidation and percentage of granulosa cell apoptosis (r=1; p<0.01). The parallel use of these three methods enabled us to determine the role of malathion in inducing apoptosis as a consequence of cytogenetic damage and oxidative stress generated in granulosa cells of antral follicles.
Field results from Whisper®stethoscope studies
Authors: Noffsinger Tom , Brattain Kurt , Quakenbush Greg , Taylor Garrett
Published: November 2014

One area where the feedlot industry has been historically weak is the area of BRD “case definition” or diagnosis. Numerous studies demonstrate a weak correlation between lung lesions at harvest and treatment history. This poor track record is due in part to lack of specific chute side diagnostic tools. To analyze the effectiveness of current diagnostic tools (temperature, manual lung scores, and Whisper®lung scores), two data sets were collected. The first evaluated the correlation between rectal temperature, manual lung scores, and case fatality rate in feedlot cattle pulled for BRD. The second evaluated the relative accuracy of Whisper®scores and rectal temperature. Fever was defined as a rectal temperature of 104.5° F or greater. Manual lung scores better correlated with case fatality rate than fever. When fever and Whisper®scores were compared, a Whisper®score of 1 or less better predicted survival than a temperature of less than 104.5° F. The combination of no fever and Whisper®score of 1 or less best predicted survival. The determination of Whisper®score along with rectal temperature in cattle identified with signs of acute BRD can improve case definition, improve risk assessment, and allow more targeted use of antibiotics.
Timely diagnosis of dairy calf respiratory disease using a standardized scoring system
Authors: McGuirk Sheila M. , Peek Simon F.
Published: November 2014

Respiratory disease of young dairy calves is a significant cause of morbidity, mortality, economic loss, and animal welfare concern but there is no gold standard diagnostic test for antemortem diagnosis. Clinical signs typically used to make a diagnosis of respiratory disease of calves are fever, cough, ocular or nasal discharge, abnormal breathing, and auscultation of abnormal lung sounds. Unfortunately, routine screening of calves for respiratory disease on the farm is rarely performed and until more comprehensive, practical and affordable respiratory disease-screening tools such as accelerometers, pedometers, appetite monitors, feed consumption detection systems, remote temperature recording devices, radiant heat detectors, electronic stethoscopes, and thoracic ultrasound are validated, timely diagnosis of respiratory disease can be facilitated using a standardized scoring system. We have developed a scoring system that attributes severity scores to each of four clinical parameters; rectal temperature, cough, nasal discharge, ocular discharge or ear position. A total respiratory score of five points or higher (provided that at least two abnormal parameters are observed) can be used to distinguish affected from unaffected calves. This can be applied as a screening tool twice-weekly to identify pre-weaned calves with respiratory disease thereby facilitating early detection. Coupled with effective treatment protocols, this scoring system will reduce post-weaning pneumonia, chronic pneumonia, and otitis media.
How Glider Pilots Misread the FLARM Collision Alerting Display
Authors: Santel Christoph G. , Gerber Paul , Mehringskoetter Simon , Schochlow Verena , Vogt Joachim , Klingauf Uwe
Published: November 2014

During the last decade, glider pilots have been provided with new tools to assist them in their task of seeing and avoiding other traffic: low-cost collision alerting systems (CASs). However, the display of the popular FLARM CAS lacks indications about the system’s limitations. To analyze whether glider pilots are aware of these limitations, a laboratory study with 43 glider pilot participants was performed. The results showed that errors in the initial search direction for traffic increased whenever the ownship did not fly straight and level. These errors are attributed to a misunderstanding of the system’s indications. Three recommendations are made with the goal of reducing future misinterpretations when using the system.
SHMT1 knockdown induces apoptosis in lung cancer cells by causing uracil misincorporation
Authors: Paone A , Marani M , Fiascarelli A , Rinaldo S , Giardina G , Contestabile R , Paiardini A , Cutruzzolà F
Published: November 2014

Reprogramming of cellular metabolism towards de novo serine production fuels the growth of cancer cells, providing essential precursors such as amino acids and nucleotides and controlling the antioxidant and methylation capacities of the cell. The enzyme serine hydroxymethyltransferase (SHMT) has a key role in this metabolic shift, and directs serine carbons to one-carbon units metabolism and thymidilate synthesis. While the mitochondrial isoform of SHMT (SHMT2) has recently been identified as an important player in the control of cell proliferation in several cancer types and as a hot target for anticancer therapies, the role of the cytoplasmic isoform (SHMT1) in cancerogenesis is currently less defined. In this paper we show that SHMT1 is overexpressed in tissue samples from lung cancer patients and lung cancer cell lines, suggesting that, in this widespread type of tumor, SHMT1 plays a relevant role. We show that SHMT1 knockdown in lung cancer cells leads to cell cycle arrest and, more importantly, to p53-dependent apoptosis. Our data demonstrate that the induction of apoptosis does not depend on serine or glycine starvation, but is because of the increased uracil accumulation during DNA replication.
The N-terminal region of p27 inhibits HIF-1α protein translation in ribosomal protein S6-dependent manner by regulating PHLPP-Ras-ERK-p90RSK axis
Authors: Zhang D , Liu J , Mi X , Liang Y , Li J , Huang C
Published: November 2014

P27 was identified as a tumor suppressor nearly two decades, being implicated in cell-cycle control, differentiation, senescence, apoptosis and motility. Our present study, for the first time to the best of our knowledge, revealed a potential role of p27 in inhibiting S6-mediated hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) protein translation, which contributed to the protection from environmental carcinogen (sodium arsenite)-induced cell transformation. Our findings showed that depletion of p27 expression by knockout and knockdown approaches efficiently enhanced S6 phosphorylation in arsenite response via overactivating Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK pathway, which consequently resulted in the stimulation of p90RSK (90 kDa ribosomal S6 kinase), a direct kinase for S6 phosphorylation. Although PI3K/AKT pathway was also involved in S6 activation, blocking AKT and p70S6K activation did not attenuate arsenite-induced S6 activation in p27−/− cells, suggesting p27 specifically targeted Ras/ERK pathway rather than PI3K/AKT pathway for inhibition of S6 activation in response to arsenite exposure. Further functional studies found that p27 had a negative role in cell transformation induced by chronic low-dose arsentie exposure. Mechanistic investigations showed that HIF-1α translation was upregulated in p27-deficient cells in an S6 phosphorylation-dependent manner and functioned as a driving force in arsenite-induced cell transformation. Knockdown of HIF-1α efficiently reversed arsenite-induced cell transformation in p27-depleted cells. Taken together, our findings provided strong evidence showing that by targeting Ras/ERK pathway, p27 provided a negative control over HIF-1α protein synthesis in an S6-dependent manner, and abrogated arsenite-induced cell transformation via downregulation of HIF-1α translation.
Dynamic operation of optical fibres beyond the single-mode regime facilitates the orientation of biological cells
Authors: Kreysing Moritz , Ott Dino , Schmidberger Michael J. , Otto Oliver , Schürmann Mirjam , Martín-Badosa Estela , Whyte Graeme , Guck Jochen
Published: November 2014

The classical purpose of optical fibres is delivery of either optical power, as for welding, or temporal information, as for telecommunication. Maximum performance in both cases is provided by the use of single-mode optical fibres. However, transmitting spatial information, which necessitates higher-order modes, is difficult because their dispersion relation leads to dephasing and a deterioration of the intensity distribution with propagation distance. Here we consciously exploit the fundamental cause of the beam deterioration—the dispersion relation of the underlying vectorial electromagnetic modes—by their selective excitation using adaptive optics. This allows us to produce output beams of high modal purity, which are well defined in three dimensions. The output beam distribution is even robust against significant bending of the fibre. The utility of this approach is exemplified by the controlled rotational manipulation of live cells in a dual-beam fibre-optical trap integrated into a modular lab-on-chip system.
Controlling the spectrum of photons generated on a silicon nanophotonic chip
Authors: Kumar Ranjeet , Ong Jun Rong , Savanier Marc , Mookherjea Shayan
Published: November 2014

Directly modulated semiconductor lasers are widely used, compact light sources in optical communications. Semiconductors can also be used to generate nonclassical light; in fact, CMOS-compatible silicon chips can be used to generate pairs of single photons at room temperature. Unlike the classical laser, the photon-pair source requires control over a two-dimensional joint spectral intensity (JSI) and it is not possible to process the photons separately, as this could destroy the entanglement. Here we design a photon-pair source, consisting of planar lightwave components fabricated using CMOS-compatible lithography in silicon, which has the capability to vary the JSI. By controlling either the optical pump wavelength, or the temperature of the chip, we demonstrate the ability to select different JSIs, with a large variation in the Schmidt number. Such control can benefit high-dimensional communications where detector-timing constraints can be relaxed by realizing a large Schmidt number in a small frequency range.
Integrator complex regulates NELF-mediated RNA polymerase II pause/release and processivity at coding genes
Authors: Stadelmayer Bernd , Micas Gaël , Gamot Adrien , Martin Pascal , Malirat Nathalie , Koval Slavik , Raffel Raoul , Sobhian Bijan , Severac Dany , Rialle Stéphanie , Parrinello Hugues , Cuvier Olivier , Benkirane Monsef
Published: November 2014

RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) pausing/termination shortly after initiation is a hallmark of gene regulation. Here, we show that negative elongation factor (NELF) interacts with Integrator complex subunits (INTScom), RNAPII and Spt5. The interaction between NELF and INTScom subunits is RNA and DNA independent. Using both human immunodeficiency virus type 1 promoter and genome-wide analyses, we demonstrate that Integrator subunits specifically control NELF-mediated RNAPII pause/release at coding genes. The strength of RNAPII pausing is determined by the nature of the NELF-associated INTScom subunits. Interestingly, in addition to controlling RNAPII pause-release INTS11 catalytic subunit of the INTScom is required for RNAPII processivity. Finally, INTScom target genes are enriched in human immunodeficiency virus type 1 transactivation response element/NELF binding element and in a 3' box sequence required for small nuclear RNA biogenesis. Revealing these unexpected functions of INTScom in regulating RNAPII pause-release and completion of mRNA synthesis of NELF-target genes will contribute to our understanding of the gene expression cycle.
Creation of molecular complexities via a new Cu-catalyzed cascade reaction: a direct access to novel 2,2′-spirobiindole derivatives
Authors: Prasad Bagineni , Adepu Raju , Sharma Atul Kumar , Pal Manojit
Published: November 2014

A Cu-mediated cascade reaction of cyclopenta[b]indoles furnished an array of 2,2′-spirobi[indolin]-3-one based novel and complex molecules.
Spin manipulation with magnetic semiconductor barriers
Authors: Miao Guo-Xing , Moodera Jagadeesh S.
Published: November 2014

Magnetic semiconductors with unique spin-filtering property and the ability to create excessive internal magnetic fields can open myriads of new phenomena.
The selectivity of diglycolamide (TODGA) and bis-triazine-bipyridine (BTBP) ligands in actinide/lanthanide complexation and solvent extraction separation – a theoretical approach
Authors: Narbutt Jerzy , Wodyński Artur , Pecul Magdalena
Published: November 2014

Charge transfer from the ligand to valence hybrid (mainly d) metal orbitals nearly equally stabilizes cationic EuIII and AmIII TODGA complexes.
Multi-dimensional hydroxyapatite (HAp) nanocluster architectures fabricated via Nafion-assisted biomineralization
Authors: Zhang Ying , Li Kaiyang , Zhang Qing , Liu Wei , Liu Yong , Banks Craig E.
Published: November 2014

The Nafion-assisted biomineralization strategy utilized for the fabrication of multi-dimensional hydroxyapatite (HAp) will be of great significance not only for constructing other functional materials with complex structure but also for their further extensive applications.
Protein–DNA interactions: a novel approach to improve the fluorescence stability of DNA/Ag nanoclusters
Authors: Zhou Zhixue , Dong Shaojun
Published: November 2014

Protein–DNA binding events can greatly improve the fluorescence stability of DNA-templated Ag nanoclusters.
Competitive adsorption of a binary CO2–CH4mixture in nanoporous carbons: effects of edge-functionalization
Authors: Lu Xiaoqing , Jin Dongliang , Wei Shuxian , Zhang Mingmin , Zhu Qing , Shi Xiaofan , Deng Zhigang , Guo Wenyue , Shen Wenzhong
Published: November 2014

The edge-functionalization enhances the competitive adsorption of CO2over CH4in NPCs by improving pore topology, electronegativity, adsorption energy, and electrostatic contribution.
Low band gap disk-shaped donors for solution-processed organic solar cells
Authors: Takemoto Keisuke , Kimura Mutsumi
Published: November 2014

Performance of pyrene-cored donors in BHJ solar cells is enhanced by introduction of rhodanine due to expansion of the light-harvesting area.
Structure and growth mechanism of self-assembled monolayers of metal protoporphyrins and octacarboxylphthalocyanine on silicon dioxide
Authors: Gadenne Virginie , Porte Louis , Patrone Lionel
Published: November 2014

In this work, we studied the structure and the growth of various conjugated macrocycle SAMs (protoporphyrins ZnPP & FePP, and phthalocyanine ZnPc(COOH)8) covalently grafted on SiO2 pre-functionalized by aminopropyltrimethoxysilane.
Magnesium complexes bearing N,N-bidentate phenanthrene derivatives for the stereoselective ring-opening polymerization of rac-lactides
Authors: Gao Bo , Zhao Dehai , Li Xiang , Cui Yuan , Duan Ranlong , Pang Xuan
Published: November 2014

Magnesium complexes based on N,N-bidentate phenanthrene derivatives derived from Schiff bases were synthesized and investigated as catalysts for rac-lactide polymerization.
Tuning the mechanical and morphological properties of self-assembled peptide hydrogels via control over the gelation mechanism through regulation of ionic strength and the rate of pH change
Authors: Li Rui , Horgan Conor C. , Long Benjamin , Rodriguez Alexandra L. , Mather Lauren , Barrow Colin J. , Nisbet David R. , Williams Richard J.
Published: November 2014

Hydrogels formed by the self-assembly of peptides are promising biomaterials. Here we demonstrate that the final material properties of a bioactive self assembled peptide system can be determined via control over the assembly conditions.
Magnetic copper ferrite nanoparticles/TEMPO catalyzed selective oxidation of activated alcohols to aldehydes under ligand- and base-free conditions in water
Authors: Zhu Xiao , Yang Daoshan , Wei Wei , Jiang Min , Li Lulu , Zhu Xiangbing , You Jinmao , Wang Hua
Published: November 2014

A novel, effective and sustainable strategy for the synthesis of aldehydes under ligand and base free conditions has been developed using inexpensive, readily available, oxygen-stable and recyclable CuFe2O4 nanoparticles as the catalyst.
Rounding of the localization transition in model porous media
Authors: Schnyder Simon K. , Spanner Markus , Höfling Felix , Franosch Thomas , Horbach Jürgen
Published: November 2014

The generic mechanisms of anomalous transport in porous media are investigated by computer simulations of two-dimensional model systems.
Enhancing the performance of planar organo-lead halide perovskite solar cells by using a mixed halide source
Authors: Jiang Minlin , Wu Jiamin , Lan Fei , Tao Quan , Gao Di , Li Guangyong
Published: November 2014

We present a novel method to grow a uniform Cl-incorporated perovskite absorber layer using a mixed halide source by a modified two-step process.
The effect of silk gland sericin protein incorporation into electrospun polycaprolactone nanofibers on in vitro and in vivo characteristics
Authors: Li Linhao , Qian Yuna , Lin Chongwen , Li Haibin , Jiang Chao , Lv Yonggang , Liu Wanqian , Cai Kaiyong , Germershaus Oliver , Yang Li
Published: November 2014

Silk middle gland extracted sericin protein based electrospun nanofibrous scaffolds with excellent biocompatibility have been developed for tissue engineering applications.
Simultaneous ROMP and titania sol–gel reactions and nanodispersed functional organic–inorganic composite hybrid materials
Authors: van Hensbergen Johannes A. , Liu Meina , Burford Robert P. , Lowe Andrew B.
Published: November 2014

This contribution addresses the important issue of chemical, kinetic and thermodynamic matching in the one-pot preparation of organic–inorganic hybrid materials based on simultaneous titania sol–gel chemistry and ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP).
Nanostructured La0.7Sr0.3MnO3compounds for effective electromagnetic interference shielding in the X-band frequency range
Authors: Reshi Hilal Ahmad , Singh Avanish P. , Pillai Shreeja , Yadav Rama Shankar , Dhawan S. K. , Shelke Vilas
Published: November 2014

EMI shielding effectiveness values of up to 19 dB are observed in LSMO nanomaterials.
A sol–gel titanium–silicon oxide/organic hybrid dielectric for low-voltage organic thin film transistors
Authors: Yang Bo-Xuan , Tseng Chih-Yao , Chiang Anthony Shiaw-Tseh , Liu Cheng-Liang
Published: November 2014

A titanium–silicon oxide/organic hybrid dielectric for low-voltage organic thin film transistors (OTFTs) is prepared by a sol–gel process at low temperature.