bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of cigarette smoking on HDL-C in adolescent
Authors: Afrin Lazina , Rahman Md Rezwanur , Hoque MN Nazmul , Amin Md Rahul
Published: October 2012

Objective: A case control study was carried out in the Department of Physiology in Dhaka Medical College during the period of January 2005 to December 2005 to evaluate the effect of smoking on serum HDL-C in adolescent male smokers. Method: Total 80 male subjects with age range 12-19 years were included in this study, out of them 60 were case and remaining 20 were age matched healthy nonsmoker control. Cases were divided into three subgroups on the basis of consumption of sticks per week [mild (Group-l) 1-19, moderate (Group-ll) 20 - 59 and heavy [(Group-Ill) 60)]. Serum HDL-C was measured and compared between case and control and among the subgroups of case. Unpaired-t test & Bonferroni test were done to determine the significance level between the groups and among the subgroups respectively. Pearson's correlation test was performed to determine correlation coefficient and level of significance in case regarding serum HDL-C with number of stick consumption. Result: Mean ± SD HDL-C level was 31.72±8.99 mg/dL & 55.60±6.81 mg/dL in case & control respectively. Serum HDL-C was significantly lower (p<0.001) in case than control. Mean ± SD HDL-C level in the subgroups were 33.95±8.77 mg/dl, 31.50±8.22 & 29.70±9.84. But no statistically significant difference was observed among the subgroups. Negative correlation was observed between serum HDL-C with number of stick consumption. Conclusion: From the study it can be concluded that cigarette smoking in adolescent is associated with low level of cardio protective lipoprotein HDL-C and low trend is related with increased consumption of cigarette, which might lead to occurrence of several coronary artery diseases. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jssmc.v1i2.12160 Journal of Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Vol.1, No.2, December 2009 p.14-16
Big placenta and anaemia in pregnancy
Authors: Begum Mahamuda , Ara Shamim , Begum Shahnaz , Kishwara Segupta , Rayhan Khondaker Abu , Hossain Asad , Nahar Anjuman
Published: October 2012

Background: Birthing process is the journey of the spirit/ soul. The Placenta is the home for this spirit/ soul for nine months. Placenta has a huge role to play throughout the pregnancy acting as the kidneys, lungs and intestines all in one1. Placenta is an organ that is essential to the survival and growth of the fetus of the mammals. Anaemia in pregnancy is common and one of the risk factors in pregnancy. Maternal anaemia result in fetal hypoxemia and also stimulates placental growth. In anaemia, significant changes both in gross morphology and in histology of the placenta can occur. Type of study: Descriptive. Place of study: Department of Anatomy, Dhaka Medical College, Dhaka. Study period: July 2005 to June 2006. Methods: Sixty (60) placentas of Bangladeshi pregnant women were studied. Out of 60 placentas, anaemic and control group were 40 and 20 respectively. The study was designed to determine, morphological changes of placenta which is influenced by maternal anaemia. Macroscopic dimension of the placenta were measured with observation and dissection method. The samples were divided into group A (control), group B1 (mild anaemia), group B2 (moderate anaemia) and group B3 (severe anaemia). The severe group was not found in present study. Result: In anaemia, placental diameters, surface area and thickness were increased. Conclusion: There were morphological changes of the placenta in association with maternal anaemia. However, comprehensive work considering the physiological, biochemical, genetic as well as further gross, light, electron microscopic and morphometric placental studies are needed in order to support the findings of present study. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jssmc.v1i2.12161 Journal of Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Vol.1, No.2, December 2009 p.17-20
Bacteriological profiles of Blood culture isolates by BacT/ALERT 3D automated system
Authors: Wahud ABMA , Khalil MI , Shamsuzzaman AKM , Islam KMS , Mondal BB , Banda MZ , Ullah MSK Shahid
Published: October 2012

Automated sensor based blood culture system is superior to traditional two steps or biphasic methods regarding time of isolation and avoiding contamination. The present study documented various aspects of blood culture isolates done in a well set automated system (BacT/ALERT 3D, BIOMERIUX, USA) at Dhaka city. As per monthly distribution of samples, number of samples showed increased trend from March and declining trend in November with peak in July, August, September and October. Average detection time was found as 20 hours. Among the bacterial pathogens isolated, Salmonella typhi was the most common (66.62%) followed by Salmonella paratyphi (S. paratyphi A & B 22.21%). Antibiotic susceptibility patterns (%) of the isolated organisms are shown in Table - VI. The results are not much divergent in respect of particular pathogens. The mostly focused results of common blood culture pathogen Salmonella typhi and Salmonella paratyphi show sensitivity pattern of over 95% towards Amoxyclav (98.0% & 99.36%), Aztreonam, Amikacin, Cefaclor, Cefixim, Cettazidime, Ceftriaxone, Cephalexine and Ciprofloxacin. Almost all the strains were found resistant towards Azithromycin. No satisfactory sensitivity was obtained towards Cotrimoxazole, Gentamicin, Mecillinam and Nalidixic acid. Gram negative bacteria including Escherichia coli as blood culture isolates were resistant towards used panel of antibiotics except Ciprofloxacin, Cotrimoxazole, Gentamicin and Mecillinam. Over 90% strains showed resistant towards Amoxycillin and Azithromycin. The study established that blood culture reports with positive growth and antimicrobial susceptibility can be generated within maximum of 72 hours by automated culture system. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jssmc.v1i2.12162 Journal of Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Vol.1, No.2, December 2009 p.21-26
Breakthroughs and Issues in HPV Genital Infections in relation to Cervical Cancer
Authors: Hussain Farhat , Nahar Khairun , Fatema Kaniz , Khan Mahbuba
Published: October 2012

The field of cervical cancer prevention is rapidly evolving because of identification of the cause of disease. Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) has been recognized as a necessary cause of cervical cancer, and the association applies equally to both squamous cell and adenocarcinoma and is consistent worldwide. HPV 16 and 18 together attribute 70% of world's cervical cancer. HPV is highly prevalent among sexually active women and traceable in its natural history with technology that can detect HPV DMA at all stages of infection and neoplastic process. HPV DMA testing represents the scientifically obvious next step after Pap test for secondary prevention. A clinically validated and FDA approved HPV test has proven a substantial gain in sensitivity with a limited loss in speciality as compared to the standard Pap smear. We are now in the fortunate position of having two highly promising HPV vaccines in the pipeline. These vaccines today represent new hope for protection against cervical cancer, pre-cancerous cervical lesions and other HPV related condition for the current generation of adolescents, for the young and middle aged women as well as for the future generations. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jssmc.v1i2.12163 Journal of Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Vol.1, No.2, December 2009 p.27-30
Forecasting the Unit Cost of a Product with Some Linear Fuzzy Collaborative Forecasting Models
Authors: Chen Toly
Published: October 2012

Forecasting the unit cost of every product type in a factory is an important task. However, it is not easy to deal with the uncertainty of the unit cost. Fuzzy collaborative forecasting is a very effective treatment of the uncertainty in the distributed environment. This paper presents some linear fuzzy collaborative forecasting models to predict the unit cost of a product. In these models, the experts’ forecasts differ and therefore need to be aggregated through collaboration. According to the experimental results, the effectiveness of forecasting the unit cost was considerably improved through collaboration.
Improved Cholinergic Transmission is Detrimental to Behavioural Plasticity in Honeybees (Apis mellifera)
Authors: Guez David , Zhu Hong , Zhang Shao-Wu
Published: October 2012

Unravelling the role of neuromessenger processes in learning and memory has long interested researchers. We investigated the effects of an acetylcholinesterase blocker, Methyl Parathion (MeP), on honeybee learning. We used visual and olfactory tasks to test whether MeP had a detrimental effect on the acquisition of new knowledge when this new knowledge contradicts previously acquired one. Our results indicate that treatment with MeP prior to conditioning was significantly detrimental to the acquisition of incongruous (but not irrelevant or congruous) new knowledge due to improved recall. The neurobiological and ecotoxicological consequences of these results are discussed.
Soil Nematodes and Their Prokaryotic Prey Along an Elevation Gradient in The Mojave Desert (Death Valley National Park, California, USA)
Authors: Treonis Amy , Sutton Kelsey , Kavanaugh Brendan , Narla Archana , McLlarky Timothy , Felder Jasmine , O’Leary Cecilia , Riley Megan , Pikus Alyxandra , Thomas Sarah
Published: October 2012

We characterized soil communities in the Mojave Desert across an elevation gradient. Our goal was to test the hypothesis that as soil quality improved with increasing elevation (due to increased productivity), the diversity of soil prokaryotes and nematodes would also increase. Soil organic matter and soil moisture content increased with elevation as predicted. Soil salinity did not correlate to elevation, but was highest at a mid-gradient, alluvial site. Soil nematode density, community trophic structure, and diversity did not show patterns related to elevation. Similar results were obtained for diversity of bacteria and archaea. Relationships between soil properties, nematode communities, and prokaryotic diversity were site-specific. For example, at the lowest elevation site, nematode communities contained a high proportion of fungal-feeding species and diversity of bacteria was lowest. At a high-salinity site, nematode density was highest, and overall, nematode density showed an unexpected, positive correlation to salinity. At the highest elevation site, nematode density and species richness were attenuated, despite relatively high moisture and organic matter content for the soils. Our results support emerging evidence for the lack of a relationship between productivity and the diversity of soil nematodes and prokaryotes.
Programming Unconventional Computers: Dynamics, Development, Self-Reference
Authors: Stepney Susan
Published: October 2012

Classical computing has well-established formalisms for specifying, refining, composing, proving, and otherwise reasoning about computations. These formalisms have matured over the past 70 years or so. Unconventional Computing includes the use of novel kinds of substrates–from black holes and quantum effects, through to chemicals, biomolecules, even slime moulds–to perform computations that do not conform to the classical model. Although many of these unconventional substrates can be coerced into performing classical computation, this is not how they “naturally” compute. Our ability to exploit unconventional computing is partly hampered by a lack of corresponding programming formalisms: we need models for building, composing, and reasoning about programs that execute in these substrates. What might, say, a slime mould programming language look like? Here I outline some of the issues and properties of these unconventional substrates that need to be addressed to find “natural” approaches to programming them. Important concepts include embodied real values, processes and dynamical systems, generative systems and their meta-dynamics, and embodied self-reference.
Visions, Scenarios and Action Plans Towards Next Generation Tanzania Power System
Authors: Kihwele Santos , Hur Kyeon , Kyaruzi Alex
Published: October 2012

This paper presents strategic visions, scenarios and action plans for enhancing Tanzania Power Systems towards next generation Smart Power Grid. It first introduces the present Tanzanian power grid and the challenges ahead in terms of generation capacity, financial aspect, technical and non-technical losses, revenue loss, high tariff, aging infrastructure, environmental impact and the interconnection with the neighboring countries. Then, the current initiatives undertaken by the Tanzania government in response to the present challenges and the expected roles of smart grid in overcoming these challenges in the future with respect to the scenarios presented are discussed. The developed scenarios along with visions and recommended action plans towards the future Tanzanian power system can be exploited at all governmental levels to achieve public policy goals and help develop business opportunities by motivating domestic and international investments in modernizing the nation’s electric power infrastructure. In return, it should help build the green energy economy.
Some Chemical Compositional Changes in Miscanthus and White Oak Sawdust Samples during Torrefaction
Authors: Tumuluru Jaya , Boardman Richard , Wright Christopher , Hess J.
Published: October 2012

Torrefaction tests on miscanthus and white oak sawdust were conducted in a bubbling sand bed reactor to see the effect of temperature and residence time on the chemical composition. Process conditions for miscanthus and white oak sawdust were 250–350 °C for 30–120 min and 220–270 °C for 30 min, respectively. Torrefaction of miscanthus at 250 °C and a residence time of 30 min resulted in a significant decrease in moisture—about 82.68%—but the other components—hydrogen, nitrogen, sulfur, and volatiles—changed only marginally. Increasing torrefaction temperatures to 350 °C with a residence time of 120 min further reduced the moisture content to 0.54%, with a significant decrease in the hydrogen, nitrogen, and volatiles by 58.29%, 14.28%, and 70.45%, respectively. Regression equations developed for the moisture, hydrogen, nitrogen, and volatile content of the samples with respect to torrefaction temperature and time have adequately described the changes in chemical composition based on R2 values of >0.82. Surface plots based on the regression equation indicate that torrefaction temperatures of 280–350 °C with residence times of 30–120 min can help reduce moisture, nitrogen, and volatile content from 1.13% to 0.6%, 0.27% to 0.23%, and 79% to 23%, with respect to initial values. Trends of chemical compositional changes in white oak sawdust are similar to miscanthus. Torrefaction temperatures of 270 °C and a 30 min residence time reduced the moisture, volatiles, hydrogen, and nitrogen content by about 79%, 17.88%, 20%, and 5.88%, respectively, whereas the carbon content increased by about 3.5%.
The Sign and Strength of Plant-Soil Feedback for the Invasive Shrub, Lonicera maackii, Varies in Different Soils
Authors: Schradin Kelly , Cipollini Don
Published: October 2012

Plants alter soil characteristics causing changes in their subsequent growth resulting in positive or negative feedback on both their own fitness and that of other plants. In a greenhouse study, we investigated whether the sign and strength of feedback changed across two distinct soil types, and whether effects were due to shifts in biotic or abiotic soil traits. Using soils from two different locations, we examined growth of the exotic invasive shrub, Lonicera maackii and the related native shrub, Diervilla lonicera, in unconditioned soils and in soils conditioned by previous growth of L. maackii, D. lonicera, and Fraxinus pennsylvanica. In a sandy acidic soil, L. maackii showed positive feedback in unsterilized soils, but its growth decreased and positive feedback became negative with sterilization in this soil. In a loamy circumneutral soil, L. maackii displayed neutral to negative feedback in unsterilized soils, but sterilization significantly increased growth in all conditioning treatments and caused feedback to become strongly negative. Native D. lonicera displayed negative feedback in unsterilized soil of both the sandy and loamy types, but sterilization either eliminated or reversed feedback relationships. Soil conditioning by L. maackii and F. pennsylvanica had very similar feedbacks on L. maackii and D. lonicera. While some abiotic soil traits varied across soil types and were affected by conditioning, soil biota sensitive to sterilization were apparently important mediators of both positive and negative feedback effects.
A Multimetric Benthic Macroinvertebrate Index for the Assessment of Stream Biotic Integrity in Korea
Authors: Jun Yung-Chul , Won Doo-Hee , Lee Soo-Hyung , Kong Dong-Soo , Hwang Soon-Jin
Published: October 2012

At a time when anthropogenic activities are increasingly disturbing the overall ecological integrity of freshwater ecosystems, monitoring of biological communities is central to assessing the health and function of streams. This study aimed to use a large nation-wide database to develop a multimetric index (the Korean Benthic macroinvertebrate Index of Biological Integrity—KB-IBI) applicable to the biological assessment of Korean streams. Reference and impaired conditions were determined based on watershed, chemical and physical criteria. Eight of an initial 34 candidate metrics were selected using a stepwise procedure that evaluated metric variability, redundancy, sensitivity and responsiveness to environmental gradients. The selected metrics were number of taxa, percent Ephemeroptera-Plecoptera-Trichoptera (EPT) individuals, percent of a dominant taxon, percent taxa abundance without Chironomidae, Shannon’s diversity index, percent gatherer individuals, ratio of filterers and scrapers, and the Korean saprobic index. Our multimetric index successfully distinguished reference from impaired conditions. A scoring system was established for each core metric using its quartile range and response to anthropogenic disturbances. The multimetric index was classified by aggregating the individual metric ..scores and the value range was quadrisected to provide a narrative criterion (Poor, Fair, Good and Excellent) to describe the biological integrity of the streams in the study. A validation procedure showed that the index is an effective method for evaluating stream conditions, and thus is appropriate for use in future studies measuring the long-term status of streams, and the effectiveness of restoration methods.
Modelling Mass Casualty Decontamination Systems Informed by Field Exercise Data
Authors: Egan Joseph , Amlôt Richard
Published: October 2012

In the event of a large-scale chemical release in the UK decontamination of ambulant casualties would be undertaken by the Fire and Rescue Service (FRS). The aim of this study was to track the movement of volunteer casualties at two mass decontamination field exercises using passive Radio Frequency Identification tags and detection mats that were placed at pre-defined locations. The exercise data were then used to inform a computer model of the FRS component of the mass decontamination process. Having removed all clothing and having showered, the re-dressing (termed re-robing) of casualties was found to be a bottleneck in the mass decontamination process during both exercises. Computer simulations showed that increasing the capacity of each lane of the re-robe section to accommodate 10 rather than five casualties would be optimal in general, but that a capacity of 15 might be required to accommodate vulnerable individuals. If the duration of the shower was decreased from three minutes to one minute then a per lane re-robe capacity of 20 might be necessary to maximise the throughput of casualties. In conclusion, one practical enhancement to the FRS response may be to provide at least one additional re-robe section per mass decontamination unit.
Highly Efficient Arsenic Removal Using a Composite of Ultrafine Magnetite Nanoparticles Interlinked by Silane Coupling Agents
Authors: Chang Shu-Chi , Yu Yu-Han , Li Cheng-Hao , Wu Chin-Ching , Lei Hao-Yun
Published: October 2012

Arsenic (As) contamination in groundwater is a great environmental health concern and is often the result of contact between groundwater and arsenic-containing rocks or sediments and from variation of pH and redox potentials in the subsurface. In the past decade, magnetite nanoparticles (MNPs) have been shown to have high adsorption activity towards As. Alerted by the reported cytotoxicity of 5–12 nm MNP, we studied the adsorption behavior of 1.15 nm MNP and a MNP composite (MNPC), MNPs interlinked by silane coupling agents. With an initial concentration of As at 25 mg L−1, MNPs exhibited high adsorption capacity for As(V) and As (III), 206.9 mg·g−1 and 168.6 mg·g−1 under anaerobic conditions, respectively, and 109.9 mg·g−1 and 108.6 mg·g−1 under aerobic conditions, respectively. Under aerobic conditions, MNPC achieved even higher adsorption capacity than MNP, 165.1 mg·g−1 on As(V) and 157.9 mg·g−1 on As(III). For As(V) at 50 mg L−1, MNPC achieved an adsorption capacity as high as 341.8 mg·g−1, the highest in the literature. A kinetic study indicated that this adsorption reaction can reach equilibrium within 15 min and the rate constant of As(V) is about 1.9 times higher than that of As(III). These results suggested that MNPC can serve as a highly effective adsorbent for fast removal of As.
Satellite Image Pansharpening Using a Hybrid Approach for Object-Based Image Analysis
Authors: Johnson Brian , Tateishi Ryutaro , Hoan Nguyen
Published: October 2012

Intensity-Hue-Saturation (IHS), Brovey Transform (BT), and Smoothing-Filter-Based-Intensity Modulation (SFIM) algorithms were used to pansharpen GeoEye-1 imagery. The pansharpened images were then segmented in Berkeley Image Seg using a wide range of segmentation parameters, and the spatial and spectral accuracy of image segments was measured. We found that pansharpening algorithms that preserve more of the spatial information of the higher resolution panchromatic image band (i.e., IHS and BT) led to more spatially-accurate segmentations, while pansharpening algorithms that minimize the distortion of spectral information of the lower resolution multispectral image bands (i.e., SFIM) led to more spectrally-accurate image segments. Based on these findings, we developed a new IHS-SFIM combination approach, specifically for object-based image analysis (OBIA), which combined the better spatial information of IHS and the more accurate spectral information of SFIM to produce image segments with very high spatial and spectral accuracy.
Isolation and Characterization of Novel Genomic and EST-SSR Markers in Coreoperca whiteheadi Boulenger and Cross-Species Amplification
Authors: Tian ChangXu , Liang XuFang , Yang Min , Zheng HeZi , Dou YaQi , Cao Liang
Published: October 2012

We described and characterized 11 expressed sequence tag (EST)-derived simple sequence repeats (SSR) and seven genomic (G)-derived SSRs in Coreoperca whiteheadi Boulenger. The EST-SSRs comprised 62.2% di-nucleotide repeats, 32.2% tri-nucleotide repeats and 5.5% tetra-nucleotide repeats, whereas the majority of the G-SSRs were tri-nuleotide repeats (81.4%). The number of alleles for the 18 loci ranged from 3 to 6, with a mean of 3.8 alleles per locus. The observed (Ho) and expected heterozygosities (He) values ranged from 0.375 to 1.000, and 0.477 to 0.757, respectively. The polymorphic information content (PIC) values ranged from 0.466 to 0.706. The mean values number of alleles, Ho, He, and PIC of EST-SSRs were higher than those of the G-SSRs. Four microsatellite loci deviated signiﬁcantly from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (HWE) after Bonferroni correction and no significant deviations in linkage disequilibrium (LD) were observed. These loci are the first to be characterized in C. whiteheadi and should be useful in the investigation of a genetic evaluation for conservation. Compared with 11 loci in C. whiteheadi, 37 potential polymorphic EST-SSRs were found in Siniperca chuatsi (Basilewsky), which will provide a valuable tool for mapping studies and molecular breeding programs in S. chuatsi.
Lower Temperature Cultures Enlarge the Effects of Vitreoscilla Hemoglobin Expression on Recombinant Pichia pastoris
Authors: Wu Jyh-Ming , Wang Shin-Yao , Fu Wei-Chang
Published: October 2012

An heterologous expression of Vitreoscilla hemoglobin (VHb) for improving cell growth and recombinant protein production has been successfully demonstrated in various hosts, including Pichia pastoris. Lower temperature cultures can enhance target protein production in some studies of P. pastoris. In this study, the strategy of combining heterologous VHb expression and lower temperature cultures in P. pastoris showed that final cell density and viability of VHb+ strain at 23 °C were higher than that at 30 °C. In addition, the effects of VHb expression on recombinant β-galactosidase production and oxygen uptake rate were also higher at 23 °C than at 30 °C. Consequently, lower temperature cultures can enlarge VHb effectiveness on cell performance of P. pastoris. This is because VHb activity obtained at 23 °C cultures was twofold higher than that at 30 °C cultures, due to a different heme production. This strategy makes P. pastoris an excellent expression host particularly suitable for increasing the yields of the low-stability and aggregation-prone recombinant proteins.
MicroRNAs as Active Players in the Pathogenesis of Multiple Sclerosis
Authors: Fenoglio Chiara , Ridolfi Elisa , Galimberti Daniela , Scarpini Elio
Published: October 2012

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a recently discovered group of small noncoding RNAs that regulate gene expression post-transcriptionally. They are highly expressed in cells of the immune system, as well as in the central nervous system, and they are deregulated in various neurological disorders. Emerging evidence underlines an involvement of miRNAs in the pathogenesis of Multiple Sclerosis (MS). A number of miRNAs have been found to be dysregulated in blood cells from MS patients, in brain lesions, as well as in biological fluids such as serum and plasma. Despite miRNA altered expression likely showing a high tissue specificity, some profile similarities could be observed for certain miRNAs such as miR-326—such as upregulation in both active lesions and blood—though not for others such as miR-323, which demonstrated upregulation in whole blood, active brain lesions, and T-reg cells, but not in the serum of MS patients. In this review, the possible role of miRNAs in MS pathogenesis will be discussed according to all the available literature, with a particular emphasis on the possibility of considering extracellular miRNAs as a new source for both biomarker identification and therapeutic target discovery.
Over-Expression of Semaphorin4D, Hypoxia-Inducible Factor-1α and Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Is Related to Poor Prognosis in Ovarian Epithelial Cancer
Authors: Chen Ying , Zhang Lei , Pan Yi , Ren Xiubao , Hao Quan
Published: October 2012

Semaphorin4D (SEMA4D) has been regarded as an important protein in tumor angiogenesis, though originally identified in neurodevelopment. SEMA4D is extensively expressed in several malignant solid tumors. Nevertheless, the function and expression of SEMA4D in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is as yet not well understood. The aim of this study was to investigate SEMA4D expression in EOC and evaluate its clinical–pathological and prognostic significance. Immunohistochemistry was used to analyze SEMA4D expression and tumor angiogenesis-related proteins (HIF-1α and VEGF) in tissues from 40 patients with normal ovarian epithelia and 124 EOC patients. SEMA4D was found to be expressed in 61.3% of the 124 EOC tissues, which was significantly higher than in the normal ovarian epithelia (p < 0.001). SEMA4D expression correlated with HIF-1α and VEGF closely (ρ = 0.349 and 0.263, p < 0.001). Positive SEMA4D staining was significantly higher in tissues from patients with low histological grade, FIGO stage III-IV, lymph node metastasis and residual disease ≥1 cm (p < 0.05). In the Cox proportional hazard mode, SEMA4D expression and histologic grade were independent indicators of overall survival (OS) and progress-free survival (PFS) for EOC patients. These findings suggest that the cooperation of SEMA4D, HIF-1α, and VEGF may indicate poor prognosis for patients with EOC, thereby demonstrating that SEMA4D and its role in angiogenesis in EOC warrants further study.
Integrated Management of European Cherry Fruit Fly Rhagoletis cerasi (L.): Situation in Switzerland and Europe
Authors: Daniel Claudia , Grunder Jürg
Published: October 2012

The European cherry fruit fly, Rhagoletis cerasi (L.) (Diptera: Tephritidae), is a highly destructive pest. The low tolerance for damaged fruit requires preventive insecticide treatments for a marketable crop. The phase-out of old insecticides threatens cherry production throughout the European Union (EU). Consequently, new management techniques and tools are needed. With the increasing number of dwarf tree orchards covered against rain to avoid fruit splitting, crop netting has become a viable, cost-effective method of cherry fruit fly control. Recently, a biocontrol method using the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana has been developed for organic agriculture. However, for most situations, there is still a lack of efficient and environmentally sound insecticides to control this pest. This review summarizes the literature from over one hundred years of research on R. cerasi with focus on the biology and history of cherry fruit fly control as well as on antagonists and potential biocontrol organisms. We will present the situation of cherry fruit fly regulation in different European countries, give recommendations for cherry fruit fly control, show gaps in knowledge and identify future research opportunities.
Cytocompatibility and Mechanical Properties of Short Phosphate Glass Fibre Reinforced Polylactic Acid (PLA) Composites: Effect of Coupling Agent Mediated Interface
Authors: Hasan Muhammad Sami , Ahmed Ifty , Parsons Andrew , Walker Gavin , Scotchford Colin
Published: October 2012

In this study three chemical agents Amino-propyl-triethoxy-silane (APS), sorbitol ended PLA oligomer (SPLA) and Hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI) were identified to be used as coupling agents to react with the phosphate glass fibre (PGF) reinforcement and the polylactic acid (PLA) polymer matrix of the composite. Composites were prepared with short chopped strand fibres (l = 20 mm, ϕ = 20 µm) in a random arrangement within PLA matrix. Improved, initial composite flexural strength (~20 MPa) was observed for APS treated fibres, which was suggested to be due to enhanced bonding between the fibres and polymer matrix. Both APS and HDI treated fibres were suggested to be covalently linked with the PLA matrix. The hydrophobicity induced by these coupling agents (HDI, APS) helped to resist hydrolysis of the interface and thus retained their mechanical properties for an extended period of time as compared to non-treated control. Approximately 70% of initial strength and 65% of initial modulus was retained by HDI treated fibre composites in contrast to the control, where only ~50% of strength and modulus was retained after 28 days of immersion in PBS at 37 °C. All coupling agent treated and control composites demonstrated good cytocompatibility which was comparable to the tissue culture polystyrene (TCP) control, supporting the use of these materials as coupling agent’s within medical implant devices.
Characterization of the Interaction Between the Small Regulatory Peptide SgrT and the EIICBGlc of the Glucose-Phosphotransferase System of E. coli K-12
Authors: Kosfeld Anne , Jahreis Knut
Published: October 2012

Escherichia coli is a widely used microorganism in biotechnological processes. An obvious goal for current scientific and technical research in this field is the search for new tools to optimize productivity. Usually glucose is the preferred carbon source in biotechnological applications. In E. coli, glucose is taken up by the phosphoenolpyruvate-dependent glucose phosphotransferase system (PTS). The regulation of the ptsG gene for the glucose transporter is very complex and involves several regulatory proteins. Recently, a novel posttranscriptional regulation system has been identified which consists of a small regulatory RNA SgrS and a small regulatory polypeptide called SgrT. During the accumulation of glucose-6-phosphate or fructose-6-phosphate, SgrS is involved in downregulation of ptsG mRNA stability, whereas SgrT inhibits glucose transport activity by a yet unknown mechanism. The function of SgrS has been studied intensively. In contrast, the knowledge about the function of SgrT is still limited. Therefore, in this paper, we focused our interest on the regulation of glucose transport activity by SgrT. We identified the SgrT target sequence within the glucose transporter and characterized the interaction in great detail. Finally, we suggest a novel experimental approach to regulate artificially carbohydrate uptake in E. coli to minimize metabolic overflow in biotechnological applications.
Acetylated and Methylated β-Cyclodextrins as Viable Soluble Supports for the Synthesis of Short 2′-Oligodeoxyribo-nucleotides in Solution
Authors: Molina Alejandro , Kungurtsev Vyacheslav , Virta Pasi , Lönnberg Harri
Published: October 2012

Novel soluble supports for oligonucleotide synthesis 11a–c have been prepared by immobilizing a 5′-O-protected 3′-O-(hex-5-ynoyl)thymidine (6 or 7) to peracetylated or permethylated 6-deoxy-6-azido-β-cyclodextrins 10a or 10b by Cu(I)-promoted 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition. The applicability of the supports to oligonucleotide synthesis by the phosphoramidite strategy has been demonstrated by assembling a 3′-TTT-5′ trimer from commercially available 5′-O-(4,4′-dimethoxytrityl)thymidine 3′-phosphoramidite. To simplify the coupling cycle, the 5′-O-(4,4′-dimethoxytrityl) protecting group has been replaced with an acetal that upon acidolytic removal yields volatile products. For this purpose, 5′-O-(1-methoxy-1-methylethyl)-protected 3′-(2-cyanoethyl-N,N-diisopropyl-phosphoramidite)s of thymidine (5a), N4-benzoyl-2′-deoxycytidine (5b) and N6-benzoyl-2′-deoxyadenosine (5c) have been synthesized and utilized in synthesis of a pentameric oligonucleotide 3′-TTCAT-5′ on the permethylated cyclodextrin support 11c.
Suzuki-Miyaura Reactions Catalyzed by C2-Symmetric Pd-Multi-Dentate N-Heterocyclic Carbene Complexes
Authors: Jiang Lan , Shan Fengjun , Li Zhengning , Zhao Defeng
Published: October 2012

Suzuki-Miyaura coupling reactions are promoted by Pd complexes ligated with C2-symmetric multi-dentate N-heterocyclic carbenes derived in situ from Pd(OAc)2 and imidazolium salts. Good to excellent yields were obtained for aryl bromides as substrates. Turnover numbers of up to 105 could be achieved with 5 × 10−4 mol% of Pd(OAc)2/1 × 10−3 mol% NHC precatalyst in 24 h.
Synthesis and Characterization of New Thieno[3,2-b]thiophene Derivatives
Authors: Ahmed Moawia , Pisula Wojciech , Mhaisalkar Subodh
Published: October 2012

Three derivatives of thieno[3,2-b]thiophene end-capped with phenyl units have been synthesized and characterized by MALDI TOF mass spectroscopy, elemental analysis, UV-vis absorption spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). All compounds were prepared using Pd-catalyzed Stille or Suzuki coupling reactions. Optical measurements and thermal analysis revealed that these compounds are promising candidates for p-type organic semiconductor applications.
Intranasal Delivery of Camptothecin-Loaded Tat-Modified Nanomicells for Treatment of Intracranial Brain Tumors
Authors: Taki Hiroyuki , Kanazawa Takanori , Akiyama Fuminari , Takashima Yuuki , Okada Hiroaki
Published: October 2012

The blood-brain barrier is a substantial obstacle for delivering anticancer agents to brain tumors, and new strategies for bypassing it are sorely needed for brain tumor therapy. Intranasal delivery provides a practical, noninvasive method for delivering therapeutic agents to the brain. Intranasal application of nano-sized micelles that have been modified with Tat peptide facilitates brain delivery of fluorescent model materials. In this study, we evaluated a nose-to-brain delivery system for brain tumor therapy. We nasally administered the anti-tumor drug camptothecin (CPT) in solution and in methoxy poly(ethylene glycol) (MPEG)/poly(e-caprolactone) (PCL) amphiphilic block copolymers (MPEG-PCL) and cell penetrating peptide, Tat analog-modified MPEG-PCL (MPEG-PCL-Tat) MPEG-PCL-Tat to rats bearing intracranial glioma tumors and quantified the cytotoxicity against glioma cells, and the therapeutic effects. CPT-loaded MPEG-PCL-Tat micelles showed higher cytotoxicity than CPT-loaded MPEG-PCL. CPT-free MPEG-PCL-Tat didn’t show any cytotoxicity, even at high concentrations (2 mmol/mL). CPT-loaded MPEG-PCL-Tat micelles significantly prolonged the median survival of rats. These results indicate that intranasal delivery of anti-cancer drugs with cell penetrating peptide-modified nanomicelles might be an effective therapy for brain tumors.
Comparative Theology: Between Theology and Religious Studies
Authors: Bernhardt Reinhold
Published: October 2012

In the German-speaking academy there is a widespread rivalry between theology and religious studies. “Comparative Theology” provokes suspicions from both sides. This contribution first takes a look at the history of the rivalry, refers then to the criticism from both sides against “Comparative Theology” and suggests a way of positioning it between the two stools. It pleads for distinguishing between the levels of (analytical) method and (constructive) interpretation as far as possible. The comparative approach should be understood and used as a method of comparative analysis in accordance with the standards of religious studies, while theological reflection should constitute the hermeneutical frame of motivation and interpretation.
Satellite Remote Sensing: A New Tool for Archaelogy. Edited by Rosa Lasaponara and Nicola Masini, Springer, 2012; 364 pages. Price: CHF 173.00, ISBN 978-90-481-8800
Authors: Lin Shu-Kun
Published: October 2012

This book provides a state-of-the-art overview of satellite archaeology and it is an invaluable volume for archaeologists, scientists, and managers interested in using satellite Earth Observation (EO) to improve the traditional approach for archaeological investigation, protection and management of Cultural Heritage.
Source Localization with Acoustic Sensor Arrays Using Generative Model Based Fitting with Sparse Constraints
Authors: Velasco Jose , Pizarro Daniel , Macias-Guarasa Javier
Published: October 2012

This paper presents a novel approach for indoor acoustic source localization using sensor arrays. The proposed solution starts by defining a generative model, designed to explain the acoustic power maps obtained by Steered Response Power (SRP) strategies. An optimization approach is then proposed to fit the model to real input SRP data and estimate the position of the acoustic source. Adequately fitting the model to real SRP data, where noise and other unmodelled effects distort the ideal signal, is the core contribution of the paper. Two basic strategies in the optimization are proposed. First, sparse constraints in the parameters of the model are included, enforcing the number of simultaneous active sources to be limited. Second, subspace analysis is used to filter out portions of the input signal that cannot be explained by the model. Experimental results on a realistic speech database show statistically significant localization error reductions of up to 30% when compared with the SRP-PHAT strategies.
Thermography and Sonic Anemometry to Analyze Air Heaters in Mediterranean Greenhouses
Authors: López Alejandro , Valera Diego , Molina-Aiz Francisco , Peña Araceli
Published: October 2012

The present work has developed a methodology based on thermography and sonic anemometry for studying the microclimate in Mediterranean greenhouses equipped with air heaters and polyethylene distribution ducts to distribute the warm air. Sonic anemometry allows us to identify the airflow pattern generated by the heaters and to analyze the temperature distribution inside the greenhouse, while thermography provides accurate crop temperature data. Air distribution by means of perforated polyethylene ducts at ground level, widely used in Mediterranean-type greenhouses, can generate heterogeneous temperature distributions inside the greenhouse when the system is not correctly designed. The system analyzed in this work used a polyethylene duct with a row of hot air outlet holes (all of equal diameter) that expel warm air toward the ground to avoid plant damage. We have observed that this design (the most widely used in Almería’s greenhouses) produces stagnation of hot air in the highest part of the structure, reducing the heating of the crop zone. Using 88 kW heating power (146.7 W∙m−2) the temperature inside the greenhouse is maintained 7.2 to 11.2 °C above the outside temperature. The crop temperature (17.6 to 19.9 °C) was maintained above the minimum recommended value of 10 °C.
Implementation of Obstacle-Avoidance Control for an Autonomous Omni-Directional Mobile Robot Based on Extension Theory
Authors: Pai Neng-Sheng , Hsieh Hung-Hui , Lai Yi-Chung
Published: October 2012

The paper demonstrates a following robot with omni-directional wheels, which is able to take action to avoid obstacles. The robot design is based on both fuzzy and extension theory. Fuzzy theory was applied to tune the PMW signal of the motor revolution, and correct path deviation issues encountered when the robot is moving. Extension theory was used to build a robot obstacle-avoidance model. Various mobile models were developed to handle different types of obstacles. The ultrasonic distance sensors mounted on the robot were used to estimate the distance to obstacles. If an obstacle is encountered, the correlation function is evaluated and the robot avoids the obstacle autonomously using the most appropriate mode. The effectiveness of the proposed approach was verified through several tracking experiments, which demonstrates the feasibility of a fuzzy path tracker as well as the extensible collision avoidance system.
Experimental Study of Cement Mortar-Steel Fiber Reinforced Rammed Earth Wall
Authors: Pang Miao , Yang Shuai , Zhang Yongqiang
Published: October 2012

Rammed earth construction is an ancient technique which has recently attracted renewed interest throughout the world. Although rammed earth is currently regarded as a promising material in the construction industry in the context of sustainable development, it is difficult to quantify its bearing capacity, mechanical performance, as well as retrofitting approach, which discourages people from large-scale application in architectural engineering. This paper is devoted to the study of these problems based on rammed earth wall model experimentation. Three different models are studied considering different material components as well as structural configurations. By measuring the strain and deformation of the rammed earth wall models subjected to uniformly-distributed vertical loading, their ultimate bearing capacities are tested based on experimental investigation. Then the method of cement mortar-steel fiber reinforcement (CMSF) is carried out to study the ultimate bearing capacity enhancement of the wall models. Results show that the method of cement mortar-steel fiber reinforcement can increase the ultimate bearing capacity of the rammed earth wall models significantly, which is of relevant engineering significance in practical application.
D471G Mutation in LCMV-NP Affects Its Ability to Self-associate and Results in a Dominant Negative Effect in Viral RNA Synthesis
Authors: Ortiz-Riaño Emilio , Cheng Benson , Torre Juan , Martínez-Sobrido Luis
Published: October 2012

Arenaviruses merit significant interest because several family members are etiological agents of severe hemorrhagic fevers, representing a major burden to public health. Currently, there are no FDA-licensed vaccines against arenaviruses and the only available antiviral therapy is limited to the use of ribavirin that is partially effective. Arenavirus nucleoprotein (NP) is found associated with the genomic RNA forming the viral ribonucleoproteins (vRNPs) that together with the polymerase (L) direct viral replication and transcription. Virion formation requires the recruitment of vRNPs into budding sites, a process in which the arenavirus matrix-like protein (Z) plays a major role. Therefore, proper NP-NP and NP-Z interactions are required for the generation of infectious progeny. In this work we demonstrate the role of the amino acid residue D471 in the self-association of lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus nucleoprotein (LCMV-NP). Amino acid substitutions at this position abrogate NP oligomerization, affecting its ability to mediate replication and transcription of a minigenome reporter plasmid. However, its ability to interact with the Z protein, counteract the cellular interferon response and bind to dsRNA analogs was retained. Additionally, we also document the dominant negative effect of D471G mutation on viral infection, suggesting that NP self-association is an excellent target for the development of new antivirals against arenaviruses.
Inhibition of Recall Responses through Complementary Therapies Targeting CD8+T-Cell- and Alloantibody-Dependent Allocytotoxicity in Sensitized Transplant Recipients
Authors: Zimmerer Jason M. , Horne Phillip H. , Fiessinger Lori A. , Fisher Mason G. , Jayashankar Kartika , Garcia Sierra F. , Abdel-Rasoul Mahmoud , Van Rooijen Nico , Bumgardner Ginny L.
Published: October 2012

Allospecific T memory cell responses in transplant recipients arise from environmental exposure to previous transplantation or cross-reactive heterologous immunity. Unfortunately, these memory responses pose a significant barrier to the survival of transplanted tissue. We have previously reported that concurrent inhibition of CD154 and LFA-1 suppresses primary CD8-dependent rejection responses that are not controlled by conventional immunosuppressive strategies. We hypothesized that CD154- and LFA-1-mediated inhibition, by targeting activation as well as effector functions, may also be efficacious for the control of alloreactive CD8+T-cell responses in sensitized hosts. We found that treatment with anti-LFA-1 mAb alone enhanced transplant survival and reduced CD8-mediated cytotoxicity in sensitized CD4 KO recipients. However, treatment with anti-CD154 mAb alone did not have an effect. Notably, when both CD4- and CD8-dependent rejection pathways are operative (wild-type sensitized recipients), LFA-1 significantly inhibited CD8-mediated in vivo allocytotoxicity but did not correspond with enhanced hepatocyte survival. We hypothesized that this was due to alloantibody-mediated rejection. When anti-LFA-1 mAb treatment was combined with macrophage depletion, which we have previously reported impairs alloantibody-mediated parenchymal cell damage, in vivo cytotoxic effector function was significantly decreased and was accompanied by significant enhancement of hepatocyte survival in sensitized wild-type recipients. Therefore, LFA-1 is a potent therapeutic target for reduction of CD8-mediated cytotoxicity in sensitized transplant recipients and can be combined with other treatments that target non-CD8-mediated recall alloimmunity.