bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bcl-2 and Ca2+-mediated mitochondrial dysfunction in neural cell death
Authors: Murphy Anne N. , Fiskum Gary
Published: August 2015

Although altered Ca2+ homoeostasis is believed to be a primary cause of death for many cell types in response to toxic insults, the specific Ca2+-stimulated event responsible for directing cells down the death pathway has remained elusive. Recent publications support the hypothesis that mitochondrial Ca2+ sequestration is the critical event in induction of excitotoxic neuronal death. If similar pathways are involved in the induction of Ca2+-induced necrotic and apoptotic death, then agents that mimic the action of the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 should be particularly useful. Our previous results provide evidence that Bcl-2 increases the maximal capacity of mitochondria to accumulate Ca2+ while providing resistance to Ca2+-induced respiratory damage. In addition, we have found that Bcl-2 can block Ca2+-ionophore-induced delayed cell death. These data predict that in response to a challenging mitochondrial Ca2+ load, Bcl-2-containing mitochondria would be capable of continuing bioenergetic function, potentially avoiding a catastrophic death signalling event.
Protease inhibitors and directed evolution: enhancing plant resistance to nematodes
Authors: McPherson Michael J. , Harrison David J.
Published: August 2015

Plant nematodes are agricultural pests, the control of which relies on chemical nematicides and fumigants that are among the most toxic and environmentally damaging of all agrochemicals. New approaches to control, based on transgenic resistance, would provide important health and environmental benefits. In this chapter we consider briefly some targets for engineering nematode resistance and discuss the use of plant protease inhibitors as anti-feedants. This approach has provided plants that display good levels of resistance against a range of nematode species. To enhance this defence strategy further we are investigating the value of directed evolution to improve the characteristics of protease inhibitors. We describe the approaches of DNA shuffling and phage display that are being used to create and screen variant libraries in the search for inhibitors with improved features.
Custom microarray for glycobiologists: considerations for glycosyltransferase gene expression profiling
Authors: Comelli Elena M. , Amado Margarida , Head Steven R. , Paulson James C.
Published: August 2015

The development of microarray technology offers the unprecedented possibility of studying the expression of thousands of genes in one experiment. Its exploitation in the glycobiology field will eventually allow the parallel investigation of the expression of many glycosyltransferases, which will ultimately lead to an understanding of the regulation of glycoconjugate synthesis. While numerous gene arrays are available on the market, e.g. the Affymetrix GeneChip® arrays, glycosyltransferases are not adequately represented, which makes comprehensive surveys of their gene expression difficult. This chapter describes the main issues related to the establishment of a custom glycogenes array.
Clinical aspects of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species
Authors: Warnholtz Ascan , Wendt Maria , August Michael , Münzel Thomas
Published: August 2015

Endothelial dysfunction in the setting of cardiovascular risk factors, such as hypercholesterolaemia, hypertension, diabetes mellitus and chronic smoking, as well as in the setting of heart failure, has been shown to be at least partly dependent on the production of reactive oxygen species in endothelial and/or smooth muscle cells and the adventitia, and the subsequent decrease in vascular bioavailability of NO. Superoxide-producing enzymes involved in increased oxidative stress within vascular tissue include NAD(P)H-oxidase, xanthine oxidase and endothelial nitric oxide synthase in an uncoupled state. Recent studies indicate that endothelial dysfunction of peripheral and coronary resistance and conductance vessels represents a strong and independent risk factor for future cardiovascular events. Ways to reduce endothelial dysfunction include risk-factor modification and treatment with substances that have been shown to reduce oxidative stress and, simultaneously, to stimulate endothelial NO production, such as inhibitors of angiotensin-converting enzyme or the statins. In contrast, in conditions where increased production of reactive oxygen species, such as superoxide, in vascular tissue is established, treatment with NO, e.g. via administration of nitroglycerin, results in a rapid development of endothelial dysfunction, which may worsen the prognosis in patients with established coronary artery disease.
Kinases regulating Golgi apparatus structure and function.
Authors: Preisinger Christian , Barr Francis A.
Published: August 2015

Protein kinases control Golgi function in both mitotic and interphase cells. In mitosis, phosphorylation of structural proteins by Cdk1 (cyclin-dependent kinase 1)-cyclin B, Polo-like and mitogen-activated protein kinases underlie changes in Golgi reorganization during cell division. While in interphase, signalling pathways that are associated with the Golgi control secretory function through a variety of mechanisms. Some of these, notably those involving protein kinase D and Ste20 family kinases, are also relevant for the establishment and maintenance of cell polarization and migration.
BAR domains and membrane curvature: bringing your curves to the BAR.
Authors: Gallop Jennifer L. , McMahon Harvey T.
Published: August 2015

BAR (bin, amphiphysin and Rvs161/167) domains are a unique class of dimerization domains, whose dimerization interface is edged by a membrane-binding surface. In its dimeric form, the membrane-binding interface is concave, and this gives the ability to bind better to curved membranes, i.e. to sense membrane curvature. When present at higher concentrations, the domain can stabilize membrane curvature, generating lipid tubules. This domain is found in many contexts in a wide variety of proteins, where the dimerization and membrane-binding function of this domain is likely to have a profound effect on protein activity. If these proteins function as predicted, then there will be membrane subdomains based on curvature, and thus there is an additional layer of compartmentalization on membranes. These and other possible functions of the BAR domain are discussed.
Type II PtdInsP kinases: location, regulation and function
Authors: Clarke Jonathan H. , Richardson Jonathan P. , Hinchliffe Katherine A. , Irvine Robin F.
Published: August 2015

The regulation of the synthesis of PtdIns(4,5)P2 is emerging as being as complex as we might expect from the multi-functional nature of this lipid. In the present chapter we focus on one aspect of inositide metabolism, which is the functions of the Type II PIPkins (Type II PtdInsP kinases). These are primarily PtdIns5P 4-kinases, although in vitro they will also phosphorylate PtdIns3P to PtdIns(3,4)P2. Thus they have three, not necessarily exclusive, functions: to make PtdIns(4,5)P2 by a quantitatively minor route, to remove PtdIns5P and to make PtdIns(3,4)P2 by a route that does not involve a Class I PtdIns 3-kinase. None of these three possible functions has yet been unambiguously proven or ruled out. Of the three isoforms, α and β are widely expressed, the IIα being predominantly cytosolic and the IIβ primarily nuclear. PIPkin IIγ has a much more restricted tissue expression pattern, and appears to be localized primarily to intracellular vesicles. Here we introduce in turn each of the three Type II PIPkins, and discuss what we know about their localization, their regulation and their function.
Structural Aspects of Mitochondrial Adenosine Triphosphatase
Authors: BEECHEY R. B.
Published: August 2015

Protein subunit structure of the soluble ATPase (adenosine triphosphatase)
Fermi‐level managed barrier diode for broadband and low‐noise terahertz‐wave detection
Authors: Ito H. , Ishibashi T.
Published: August 2015

A novel Fermi‐level managed barrier diode has been developed for achieving broadband and low‐noise terahertz‐wave detection. The fabricated quasi‐optical module detected signals at frequencies from 200 GHz to 1 THz. The typical voltage sensitivity was 1020 V/W, and the current sensitivity for a 50 Ω load was 4.5 A/W at 300 GHz for a zero‐biased condition. Square‐law detection with good linearity was demonstrated at 300 GHz with an output current density exceeding 103 A/cm2.
Rules, Standards, and Lower Court Decisions
Authors: Smith Joseph L. , Todd James A.
Published: August 2015

This paper evaluates the impact of a higher court articulating doctrine as either a “rule” or a “standard.” The legal doctrine we evaluate concerns police searches based upon information supplied by confidential informants. The Supreme Court’s Aguilar-Spinelli test was a rule, and its Illinois v. Gates “totality of the circumstances” test is a standard. Using a data set of circuit court opinions from 1951 to 1999, we compare circuit-level implementation of these two doctrines. The results suggest that rules are more effective than standards at constraining ideological voting in lower courts.
Metric Sex Determination of the Human Coxal Bone on a Virtual Sample using Decision Trees
Authors: Savall Frédéric , Faruch‐Bilfeld Marie , Dedouit Fabrice , Sans Nicolas , Rousseau Hervé , Rougé Daniel , Telmon Norbert
Published: August 2015

Decision trees provide an alternative to multivariate discriminant analysis, which is still the most commonly used in anthropometric studies. Our study analyzed the metric characterization of a recent virtual sample of 113 coxal bones using decision trees for sex determination. From 17 osteometric type I landmarks, a dataset was built with five classic distances traditionally reported in the literature and six new distances selected using the two‐step ratio method. A ten‐fold cross‐validation was performed, and a decision tree was established on two subsamples (training and test sets). The decision tree established on the training set included three nodes and its application to the test set correctly classified 92% of individuals. This percentage was similar to the data of the literature. The usefulness of decision trees has been demonstrated in numerous fields. They have been already used in sex determination, body mass prediction, and ancestry estimation. This study shows another use of decision trees enabling simple and accurate sex determination.
Cancer services in Western Australia: A comparison of regional outcomes with metropolitan Perth
Authors: Martin Hilary L. , Ohara Kanako , Chin Wee , Davidson Andrew , Bayliss Evan , Redfern Andrew , Khattak Muhammad Adnan
Published: August 2015

Objective

To investigate whether any survival differences existed between advanced cancer patients treated in metropolitan Perth and those treated in regional Western Australia (WA).

Design

Retrospective study.

Setting

Advanced cancer patients treated through medical oncology clinics at Royal Perth Hospital and regional cancer centres (Kalgoorlie, Albany, Geraldton and Northam).

Participants

Patients diagnosed with advanced melanoma, breast, colorectal, gastro‐oesophageal, prostate, lung and pancreatic cancers between 1 January 2007 and 31 December 2011.

Interventions

Nil.

Main outcome measure

Median survival.

Results

Data were available for 1581 patients with 75% living in a metropolitan setting and 25% in rural WA. Median overall survival was 8.3 months for metropolitan patients and 7.6 months for regional patients (P = 0.06, HR 0.89; 95% CI, 0.78–1.01). There was no statistically significant difference in median survival for different tumour types except pancreatic cancer: breast 22.1 months versus 21.3 months, colorectal 13.1 months versus 16.4 months, lung 5.1 months versus 3.1 months, upper GI 5.6 months versus 7.2 months, pancreatic 4.5 months versus 3 months (P = 0.02, HR 0.57; 95% CI, 0.32–0.99), melanoma 10.4 months versus 10.5 months, prostate 28.6 months versus 15.3 months. Rural cancer patients with breast and pancreatic cancers received fewer lines of anti‐cancer therapy compared to metropolitan patients. The three‐year survival rates for metropolitan compared to rural breast cancer patients were 34 and 23%, respectively (not statistically significant).

Conclusion

Our findings suggest a trend towards inferior survival for regional cancer patients in WA compared with metropolitan‐based patients.
Influence of metformin intake on the risk of bladder cancer in type 2 diabetes patients
Authors: Goossens Maria E. , Buntinx Frank , Zeegers Maurice P. , Driessen J.H.M. , De Bruin Marie L. , De Vries Frank
Published: August 2015

Aim

The aim of this study was to look at the influence of metformin intake and duration, on urinary bladder cancer (UBC) risk, with sulfonylurea (SU) only users as control using a new user design (inception cohort).

Methods

We conducted a retrospective cohort study using data from the UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD) including all patients with at least one prescription of oral anti‐diabetic drugs (ADD) and/or insulin. The risk of UBC in different groups of ADD users (metformin alone (one), metformin in combination (two) with other ADD medication (glinides, glitazones, DPP‐4‐inhibitors, SUs, insulin or more than one combination), all metformin users (1 + 2) was compared with SU only users using Cox proportional hazards models. The estimates were adjusted for age, gender, smoking status, BMI and diabetes duration.

Results

The inception cohort included 165 398 participants of whom 132 960 were metformin users and 32 438 were SU only users. During a mean follow‐up time of more than 5 years 693 patients developed UBC, 124 of the control group and 461 of the all metformin users. There was no association between metformin use and UBC risk (HR = 1.12, 95% CI 0.90, 1.40) compared with SU only users, even after adjustment for diabetes duration (HR = 1.13, 95% CI 0.90, 1.40). We found a pattern of decreasing risk of UBC with increasing duration of metformin intake, which was statistically not significant.

Conclusion

Metformin has no influence on the risk of UBC compared with SU in type 2 diabetes patients using a new user design.
Sparse Non‐rigid Registration of 3D Shapes
Authors: Yang Jingyu , Li Ke , Li Kun , Lai Yu‐Kun
Published: August 2015

Non‐rigid registration of 3D shapes is an essential task of increasing importance as commodity depth sensors become more widely available for scanning dynamic scenes. Non‐rigid registration is much more challenging than rigid registration as it estimates a set of local transformations instead of a single global transformation, and hence is prone to the overfitting issue due to underdetermination. The common wisdom in previous methods is to impose an ℓ2‐norm regularization on the local transformation differences. However, the ℓ2‐norm regularization tends to bias the solution towards outliers and noise with heavy‐tailed distribution, which is verified by the poor goodness‐of‐fit of the Gaussian distribution over transformation differences. On the contrary, Laplacian distribution fits well with the transformation differences, suggesting the use of a sparsity prior. We propose a sparse non‐rigid registration (SNR) method with an ℓ1‐norm regularized model for transformation estimation, which is effectively solved by an alternate direction method (ADM) under the augmented Lagrangian framework. We also devise a multi‐resolution scheme for robust and progressive registration. Results on both public datasets and our scanned datasets show the superiority of our method, particularly in handling large‐scale deformations as well as outliers and noise.
The loop structure of Actinomycete glycoside hydrolase family 5 mannanases governs substrate recognition
Authors: Kumagai Yuya , Yamashita Keitaro , Tagami Takayoshi , Uraji Misugi , Wan Kun , Okuyama Masayuki , Yao Min , Kimura Atsuo , Hatanaka Tadashi
Published: August 2015

Endo‐β‐1,4‐mannanases from Streptomyces thermolilacinus (StMan) and Thermobifida fusca (TfMan) demonstrated different substrate specificities. StMan hydrolyzed galactosylmannooligosaccharide (GGM5; 6III,6IV‐α‐d‐galactosyl mannopentaose) to GGM3 and M2, whereas TfMan hydrolyzed GGM5 to GGM4 and M1. To determine the region involved in the substrate specificity, we constructed chimeric enzymes of StMan and TfMan and evaluated their substrate specificities. Moreover, the crystal structure of the catalytic domain of StMan (StMandC) and the complex structure of the inactive mutant StE273AdC with M6 were solved at resolutions of 1.60 and 1.50 Å, respectively. Structural comparisons of StMandC and the catalytic domain of TfMan lead to the identification of a subsite around −1 in StMandC that could accommodate a galactose branch. These findings demonstrate that the two loops (loop7 and loop8) are responsible for substrate recognition in GH5 actinomycete mannanases. In particular, Trp281 in loop7 of StMan, which is located in a narrow and deep cleft, plays an important role in its affinity toward linear substrates. Asp310 in loop8 of StMan specifically bound to the galactosyl unit in the −1 subsite.
A global synthesis of the effects of biological invasions on greenhouse gas emissions
Authors: Qiu Jiangxiao
Published: August 2015

Aim

Evidence is mounting that biological invasions profoundly alter the capacity of ecosystems to regulate or mitigate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions – a crucial ecosystem service in a changing climate. However, the growing literature has revealed different, even contradictory results and the general pattern over large spatial scales remains obscure. This study synthesizes the effects of invasions by different alien taxa on major GHG emissions.

Location

Global.

Methods

A structured meta‐analysis of 68 case studies was performed to determine the generality of the effects of biological invasions on emissions of three GHGs and assess the extent to which the heterogeneity of effects can be explained by recipient ecosystems, invasive taxa, functional traits, climate and methodological aspects.

Results

Invasive alien species increased N2O emissions but promoted carbon sequestration. Effects on CH4 emissions remained inconclusive. Given the general trends, effects differed by ecosystems, with greater N2O emissions in invaded forest and higher increase in carbon stock in invaded grassland. Invasive taxa also mediated the effects of invasions: invasive plants enhanced carbon storage whereas animal invaders consistently showed negative effects. Focusing on exotic plant invasions, N‐fixing species caused greater N2O emissions than non‐N‐fixing species, and for carbon stock, N‐fixing and woody plants exerted stronger positive effects than non‐N‐fixing and herbaceous plants, respectively. Moreover, climatic factors explained the variation in effects of exotic plant invasions but not those of animal invasions. The effects of plant invasions on carbon content varied nonlinearly with climate, with more pronounced effects where temperature and precipitation were extremely high or low.

Main conclusions

This meta‐analysis reveals the overall magnitude and direction of the effects of biological invasions on major GHG emissions, demonstrates that the effects vary substantially by GHGs, biological and environmental factors and proposes avenues for future research. These results highlight the importance of considering species traits and local and climatic conditions in assessing and managing biological invaders.
When Love and Violence Meet: Women's Agency and Transformative Politics in Rubaiyat Hossain's Meherjaan
Authors: Chowdhury Elora Halim
Published: August 2015

In official and unofficial histories, and in cultural memorializations of the 1971 war for Bangladeshi independence, the treatment of women's experiences—more specifically the unresolved question of acknowledgment of and accountability to birangonas, “war heroines” (or rape survivors)—has met with stunning silence or erasure, on the one hand, or with narratives of abject victimhood, on the other. By contrast, the film Meherjaan (2011) revolves around the stories of four women during and after the war, and most centrally the relationship between a Bengali woman and a Pakistani soldier. In this article, I investigate the anxieties underlying the responses to Meherjaan, particularly in association with themes of trauma—its absence or omnipresence—to nonnormative gender frames of national sexuality, and the notion of loving the Other. Drawing from feminist theories of vulnerability, ethics, and love, I want to explore these themes at two levels: the political message the film transmits, and its aesthetic choices and affects. Finally, I want to comment on the potential of this film, as feminist art, in furthering a dialogue around healing and ethical memorialization in relation to 1971 in Bangladesh.
HisTOOLogy: an open‐source tool for quantitative analysis of histological sections
Authors: MAGLIARO C. , TIRELLA A. , MATTEI G. , PIRONE A. , AHLUWALIA A.
Published: August 2015

HisTOOLogy is an open‐source software for the quantification of digital colour images of histological sections. The simple graphical user interface enables both expert and non‐expert users to rapidly extract useful information from stained tissue sections. The software's main feature is a generalizable colour separation algorithm based on k‐means clustering which accurately and reproducibly returns the amount of colour per unit area for any stain, thus allowing the quantification of tissue components. Here we describe HisTOOLogy's algorithms and graphical user interface structure, showing how it can be used to separate different dye colours in several classical stains. In addition, to demonstrate how the tool can be employed to obtain quantitative information on biological tissues, the effect of different hepatic tissue decellularization protocols on cell removal and matrix preservation was assessed through image analysis using HisTOOLogy and compared with conventional DNA and total protein content assays. HisTOOLogy's performance was also compared with ImageJ's colour deconvolution plug‐in, demonstrating its advantages in terms of ease of use and speed of colour separation.
An Experimental Investigation on the Characteristics of Turbulent Boundary Layer Flows Over a Dimpled Surface
Authors: Zhou Wenwu , Rao Yu , Hu Hui
Published: August 2015

An experimental investigation was conducted to quantify the characteristics of the turbulent boundary layer flows over a dimpled surface in comparison to those over a conventional flat plate. In addition to measuring surface pressure distributions to determine the friction factors of the test plates and to map the surface pressure inside the dimple cavity, a high-resolution digital particle image velocimetry (PIV) system was used to achieve detailed flow field measurements to quantify the characteristics of the turbulent boundary layer flows over the test plates and the evolution of the unsteady vortex structures inside the dimple cavity at the middle of the dimpled test plate. It was found that the friction factor of the dimpled plate would be about 30–80% higher than that of the flat plate, depending on the Reynolds number of the test cases. In comparison with those over a conventional flat surface, the flow characteristics of the turbulent boundary layer flows over the dimpled surface were found to be much more complicated with much stronger near-wall Reynolds stress and higher turbulence kinetic energy (TKE) levels, especially in the region near the back rims of the dimples. Many interesting flow features over the dimple surface, such as the separation of oncoming boundary layer flow from the dimpled surface when passing over the dimple front rim, the formation and periodic shedding of unsteady Kelvin–Helmholtz vortices in the shear layer over the dimple, the impingement of the high-speed incoming flow onto the back rim of the dimple, and the subsequent generation of strong upwash flow in the boundary flow to promote the turbulent mixing over the dimpled surface, were revealed clearly and quantitatively from the PIV measurement results. The quantitative measurement results are believed to be the first of its nature, which depict a vivid picture about the unique flow features over dimpled surfaces and their correlations with the enhanced heat transfer performance reported in previous studies.
Prediction of Auto-Ignition Temperatures and Delays for Gas Turbine Applications
Authors: Bounaceur Roda , Glaude Pierre-Alexandre , Sirjean Baptiste , Fournet René , Montagne Pierre , Vierling Matthieu , Molière Michel
Published: August 2015

Gas turbines burn a large variety of gaseous fuels under elevated pressure and temperature conditions. During transient operations, variable gas/air mixtures are involved in the gas piping system. In order to predict the risk of auto-ignition events and ensure a safe operation of gas turbines, it is of the essence to know the lowest temperature at which spontaneous ignition of fuels may happen. Experimental auto-ignition data of hydrocarbon–air mixtures at elevated pressures are scarce and often not applicable in specific industrial conditions. Auto-ignition temperature (AIT) data correspond to temperature ranges in which fuels display an incipient reactivity, with timescales amounting in seconds or even in minutes instead of milliseconds in flames. In these conditions, the critical reactions are most often different from the ones governing the reactivity in a flame or in high temperature ignition. Some of the critical paths for AIT are similar to those encountered in slow oxidation. Therefore, the main available kinetic models that have been developed for fast combustion are unfortunately unable to represent properly these low temperature processes. A numerical approach addressing the influence of process conditions on the minimum AIT of different fuel/air mixtures has been developed. Several chemical models available in the literature have been tested, in order to identify the most robust ones. Based on previous works of our group, a model has been developed, which offers a fair reconciliation between experimental and calculated AIT data through a wide range of fuel compositions. This model has been validated against experimental auto-ignition delay times corresponding to high temperature in order to ensure its relevance not only for AIT aspects but also for the reactivity of gaseous fuels over the wide range of gas turbine operation conditions. In addition, the AITs of methane, of pure light alkanes, and of various blends representative of several natural gas and process-derived fuels were extensively covered. In particular, among alternative gas turbine fuels, hydrogen-rich gases are called to play an increasing part in the future so that their ignition characteristics have been addressed with particular care. Natural gas enriched with hydrogen, and different syngas fuels have been studied. AIT values have been evaluated in function of the equivalence ratio and pressure. All the results obtained have been fitted by means of a practical mathematical expression. The overall study leads to a simple correlation of AIT versus equivalence ratio/pressure.
The Relationship Between Joint Stiffness and Muscle Activity in Unstable Ankles and Copers
Authors: Needle Alan R. , Kaminski Thomas W. , Baumeister Jochen , Higginson Jill S. , Farquhar William B. , Swanik C. Buz
Published: August 2015

Context:

Rolling sensations at the ankle are common after injury and represent failure in neural regulation of joint stiffness. However, deficits after ankle injury are variable and strategies for optimizing stiffness may differ across patients.

Objective:

To determine if ankle stiffness and muscle activation differ between patients with varying history of ankle injury.

Patients:

Fifty-nine individuals were stratified into healthy (CON, n = 20), functionally unstable (UNS, n = 19), and coper (COP, n = 20) groups.

Main Outcome Measures:

A 20° supination perturbation was applied to the ankle as position and torque were synchronized with activity of tibialis anterior, peroneus longus, and soleus. Subjects were tested with muscles relaxed, while maintaining 30% muscle activation, and while directed to react and resist the perturbation.

Results:

No group differences existed for joint stiffness (F = 0.07, P = .993); however, the UNS group had higher soleus and less tibialis anterior activation than the CON group during passive trials (P < .05). In addition, greater early tibialis anterior activation generally predicted higher stiffness in the CON group (P ≤ .03), but greater soleus activity improved stiffness in the UNS group (P = .03).

Conclusion:

Although previous injury does not affect the ability to stiffen the joint under laboratory conditions, strategies appear to differ. Generally, the COP has decreased muscle activation, whereas the UNS uses greater plantar-flexor activity. The results of this study suggest that clinicians should emphasize correct preparatory muscle activation to improve joint stiffness in injury-rehabilitation efforts.
Comparison of Glomerular Filtration Rate Estimation from Serum Creatinine and Cystatin C in HNF1A-MODY and Other Types of Diabetes
Authors: Szopa Magdalena , Kapusta Maria , Matejko Bartlomiej , Klupa Tomasz , Koblik Teresa , Kiec-Wilk Beata , Borowiec Maciej , Malecki Maciej T.
Published: August 2015

Introduction. We previously showed that in HNF1A-MODY the cystatin C-based glomerular filtration rate (GFR) estimate is higher than the creatinine-based estimate. Currently, we aimed to replicate this finding and verify its clinical significance. Methods. The study included 72 patients with HNF1A-MODY, 72 with GCK-MODY, 53 with type 1 diabetes (T1DM), 70 with type 2 diabetes (T2DM), and 65 controls. Serum creatinine and cystatin C levels were measured. GFR was calculated from creatinine and cystatin C using the CKD-EPI creatinine equation (eGRF-cr) and CKD-EPI cystatin C equation (eGFR-cys), respectively. Results. Cystatin C levels were lower (p<0.001) in the control (0.70±0.13 mg/L), HNF1A (0.75±0.21), and GCK (0.72±0.16 mg/L) groups in comparison to those with either T1DM (0.87±0.15 mg/L) or T2DM (0.9±0.23 mg/L). Moreover, eGFR-cys was higher than eGRF-cr in HNF1A-MODY, GCK-MODY, and the controls (p=0.004; p=0.003; p<0.0001). This corresponded to 8.9 mL/min/1.73 m2, 9.7 mL/min/1.73 m2, and 16.9 mL/min/1.73 m2 of difference. Additionally, T1DM patients had higher eGFR-cr than eGFR-cys (11.6 mL/min/1.73 m2; p=0.0004); no difference occurred in T2DM (p=0.91). Conclusions. We confirmed that eGFR-cys values in HNF1A-MODY patients are higher compared to eGFR-cr. Some other differences were also described in diabetic groups. However, none of them appears to be clinically relevant.
Polysaccharides fromEnteromorpha proliferaImprove Glucose Metabolism in Diabetic Rats
Authors: Lin Wenting , Wang Wenxiang , Liao Dongdong , Chen Damiao , Zhu Pingping , Cai Guoxi , Kiyoshi Aoyagi
Published: August 2015

This study investigated the effects of polysaccharides fromEnteromorpha prolifera(PEP) on glucose metabolism in a rat model of diabetes mellitus (DM). PEP (0, 150, 300, and 600 mg/kg) was administered intragastrically to rats for four weeks. After treatment, fasting blood glucose (FBG) and insulin (INS) levels were measured, and the insulin sensitivity index (ISI) was calculated. The morphopathological changes in the pancreas were observed. Serum samples were collected to measure the oxidant-antioxidant status. The mRNA expression levels of glucokinase (GCK) and insulin receptor (InsR) in liver tissue and glucose transporter type 4 (GLUT-4) and adiponectin (APN) in adipose tissue were determined. Compared with the model group, the FBG and INS levels were lower, the ISI was higher, and the number of isletβ-cells was significantly increased in all the PEP groups. In the medium- and high-dose PEP groups, MDA levels decreased, and the enzymatic activities of SOD and GSH-Px increased. The mRNA expression of InsR and GCK increased in all the PEP groups; APN mRNA expression increased in the high-dose PEP group, and GLUT-4 mRNA expression increased in adipose tissue. These findings suggest that PEP is a potential therapeutic agent that can be utilized to treat DM.
Nuevos Registros de Hepáticas y Anthocerotófitas para Panamá
Authors: L. Gregorio Dauphin , Pocs Tamás , Villarrealy Juan Carlos , Allen Noris Salazar
Published: August 2015

Twenty eight hepatics and eight hornwort species are reported as new to Panama. Data on their habitat, local and general distribution and are included. One species, Cololejeunea panamensis G. Dauphin & Pócs is described as new to science. A new combination, Megaceros canaliculatus (Pagán) Shaw & Renzaglia, corr. et emend. J. C. Vill. & Salazar Allen, is proposed. Eight further hepatic records from the literature have been added. This raises the total number of hepatics reported from Panama to 325 species in 100 genera and 28 families.
Sphagnum denticulatum var. monocladum , a new taxon from the Azores, with notes on Sphagnum monocladum Warnst.

Authors: Frahm Jan-Peter , Sabovljeviæ Marko
Published: August 2015

A monoclade Sphagnum was found on the Azorean island of Terceira. It resembles much S. pylaisii in appearance, and has been recorded under this name from this locality, but differs by the position of the chlorocysts in transverse section of the leaves. With regard to the position of chlorocysts, it has to be included in sect. Subsecunda. In fact, the plants grew together with S. denticulatum. To test, whether the monoclade plants belong to S. denticulatum, the Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) 1/2 regions of nrDNA of the normal and monoclade expressions was sequenced. It turned out that both show almost no differences (except for two deletions) and thus belong to the same species. The monoclade expression of S. denticulatum is interpreted as somatic mutation of the latter and described here as new variety.In connection with this study, the type of Sphagnum monocladum Warnst. was examined. It is not monoclade as the name suggests but irregularly branched. The type belongs definitely to the sect. Cuspidata as originally attributed by Warnstorf and not to sect. Subsecunda as suggested by Paul.
Inventario preliminar de la familia Aneuraceae en Venezuela
Authors: G. Ricardo Rico
Published: August 2015

Con base en registros de literatura investigada se presenta un listado preliminar de 23 especies de la familia Aneuracea (Hepatophyta) para Venezuela, de las cuales 1 corresponde al género Aneura y 22 al género Riccardia. Los Andes y la región al sur del río Orinoco, son las áreas con mayor información disponible.
Simulation and Prediction of Category 4 and 5 Hurricanes in the High-Resolution GFDL HiFLOR Coupled Climate Model*
Authors: Murakami Hiroyuki , Vecchi Gabriel A. , Underwood Seth , Delworth Thomas L. , Wittenberg Andrew T. , Anderson Whit G. , Chen Jan-Huey , Gudgel Richard G. , Harris Lucas M. , Lin Shian-Jiann , Zeng Fanrong
Published: August 2015

A new high-resolution Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory (GFDL) coupled model [the High-Resolution Forecast-Oriented Low Ocean Resolution (FLOR) model (HiFLOR)] has been developed and used to investigate potential skill in simulation and prediction of tropical cyclone (TC) activity. HiFLOR comprises high-resolution (~25-km mesh) atmosphere and land components and a more moderate-resolution (~100-km mesh) sea ice and ocean component. HiFLOR was developed from FLOR by decreasing the horizontal grid spacing of the atmospheric component from 50 to 25 km, while leaving most of the subgrid-scale physical parameterizations unchanged. Compared with FLOR, HiFLOR yields a more realistic simulation of the structure, global distribution, and seasonal and interannual variations of TCs, as well as a comparable simulation of storm-induced cold wakes and TC-genesis modulation induced by the Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO). Moreover, HiFLOR is able to simulate and predict extremely intense TCs (Saffir–Simpson hurricane categories 4 and 5) and their interannual variations, which represents the first time a global coupled model has been able to simulate such extremely intense TCs in a multicentury simulation, sea surface temperature restoring simulations, and retrospective seasonal predictions.
Resposta de niveis freáticos do sistema Aquifero Bauru (formação ada-mantina) em função da precipitação e evapotranspiração sob diferentes usos da terra
Authors: Nava Aira , Manzione Rodrigo Lilla
Published: August 2015

O monitoramento das águas subterrâneas é uma ferramenta essencial para o planejamento dos recursos hídricos, tendo em vista que a resposta dos níveis freáticos aos eventos de precipitação varia não só pelas condições hidrogeológicas locais mas também em função do uso, manejo e ocupação da terra. Desta forma, o presente trabalho teve como objetivo a aplicação de modelo baseado em séries temporais a partir de dados de monitoramento de águas subterrâneas para compreensão dos processos que ocorrem durante o ciclo hidrológico e afetam a disponibilidade dos recursos subterrâneos do Sistema Aquífero Bauru (SAB), um dos principais mananciais disponíveis na região do Médio Paranapanema. Os resultados mostraram um comportamento distinto entre os poços localizados sob a mesma formação geológica, mas com usos da terra distintos. Notou-se que em área agrícola os níveis foram mais sensíveis às variações sazonais e às práticas de manejo ali empregadas, denotando células de fluxo local, enquanto que em área de conservação florestal onde não há perturbações antrópicas os dados de monitoramento refletem o escoamento de base em direção à drenagem mais próxima, influenciada principalmente pelo fluxo intermediário/regional das águas subterrâneas.
PLATAFORMAS VIRTUALES EN 3D: NUEVAS HERRAMIENTAS PARA EL FORTALECIMIENTO DE LA EDUCACIÓN EN COLOMBIA A TRAVÉS DE E-LEARNING
Authors: Martínez Alayón Carlos Andrés , Ferro Escobar Roberto , Piñeros Mora Giovanni Javier Ricardo , Barrios Robayo Mónica Jannette
Published: August 2015

El artículo presenta brevemente la importancia que tiene la sociedad del conocimiento, en tanto, una nueva generación de usuarios que utilizan los recursos humanos y tecnológicos para el desarrollo de conocimientos diferentes, por medio del método de e-learning. Estos se logran con apoyo de las comunidades colaborativas o comunidades online, como focos de conocimiento y a partir de proyectar la interactividad por medio de la web 2.0 y 3.0, así como el uso de medios virtuales y plataformas 3D.
Laboratory Studies on Fluid-Recovery Enhancement and Mitigation of Phase Trapping by Use of Microemulsion in Gas Sandstone Formations
Authors: Rostami A.. , Nguyen D. T. , Nasr-El-Din H. A.
Published: August 2015

One of the challenges in slickwater fracturing of gas reservoirs is post-treatment fluid recovery. More than 60% of the injected fluid remains in the critical near-wellbore region and has a significant negative impact on the relative permeability to gas and well productivity. The trapping of water could be caused by capillary forces around the fractured formation.

Commonly available surfactants are added to slickwater to reduce surface tension between the treating fluids and gas. The problem with surfactants is that, upon exposure to the formation, they adsorb on the surface of the rock.

The addition of microemulsions to the fracturing fluids can result in a reduction in the pressure needed to displace injected fluids and/or condensate from the formations. This alteration of the fracturing fluid effectively reduces the capillary forces in the near-wellbore region, and in the case of fracturing, the fluids that have been trapped in the region surrounding the fracture. This will result in the removal of water and condensate blocks, as well as the mitigation of phase trapping, and therefore, an increase in permeability to gas.

This paper examines the effectiveness of microemulsions in the improvement of fluid recovery by use of sandstone cores with permeability greater than 10 md. Compatibility tests were performed for microemulsions to investigate their compatibility with the condensate and stability upon dilution with brine. One microemulsion showed incompatibility and was excluded from further experiments. Coreflood runs that used 20-in. Bandera sandstone cores with permeabilities greater than 10 md showed that the improvement factor in effective gas permeability because of treatment with microemulsions was up to 2.5, depending on the type of microemulsion. Thermal stability tests were performed on microemulsions, and the results showed stability of the microemulsions at high temperatures up to 400°F.

A newly developed microemulsion (Nguyen 2013) that was formulated with a blend of anionic and nonionic surfactants, short-chain alcohol, oil, and water was tested and showed a significant reduction in the surface tension between water and nitrogen gas when compared with mutual-solvent and fluoropolymer-surfactant solutions. Among the tested chemicals, ME-V with a contact angle of 63.4° had the lowest capillary pressure, which makes this microemulsion the best treatment fluid among the four chemicals tested for gas-permeability enhancement and cleanup of the fluid in the near-wellbore region. The resulting capillary pressure for the fracture fluid treated with 0.25 wt% of this chemical in 2 wt% KCl is nearly six times lower than that of the untreated fluid with no microemulsion.
Feasibility of "CopeSmart": A Telemental Health App for Adolescents
Authors: Kenny Rachel , Dooley Barbara , Fitzgerald Amanda
Published: August 2015

Background

Early intervention is important in order to improve mental health outcomes for young people. Given the recent rise in mobile phone ownership among adolescents, an innovative means of delivering such intervention is through the use of mobile phone applications (apps).

Objective

The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of “CopeSmart”, a telemental health app developed to foster positive mental health in adolescents through emotional self-monitoring and the promotion of positive coping strategies.

Methods

Forty-three adolescents (88% female) aged 15-17 years downloaded the app and used it over a one-week period. They then completed self-report questionnaires containing both open-ended and closed-ended questions about their experiences of using the app. The app itself captured data related to user engagement.

Results

On average participants engaged with the app on 4 of the 7 days within the intervention period. Feedback from users was reasonably positive, with 70% of participants reporting that they would use the app again and 70% reporting that they would recommend it to a friend. Thematic analysis of qualitative data identified themes pertaining to users’ experiences of the app, which were both positive (eg, easy to use, attractive layout, emotional self-monitoring, helpful information, notifications, unique) and negative (eg, content issues, did not make user feel better, mood rating issues, password entry, interface issues, engagement issues, technical fixes).

Conclusions

Overall findings suggest that telemental health apps have potential as a feasible medium for promoting positive mental health, with the majority of young people identifying such technologies as at least somewhat useful and displaying a moderate level of engagement with them. Future research should aim to evaluate the efficacy of such technologies as tools for improving mental health outcomes in young people.
Kinetics for gas–solid reactions involving dual-reaction interfaces
Authors: Zhang Guo-Hua , Chou Kuo-Chih
Published: August 2015

A series of new equations have been developed, based on the pseudo-steady state approximation, to describe the kinetics of gas–solid reactions involving two reaction interfaces. These formulae can be applied to cases where two solid product layers (stoichiometric compounds or solid solution products) are involved, or to one solid product layer and one volatile species (formed by the reaction of solid product with gas). For the latter case, when either the solid product layer is dense, or the diffusion process is the controlling step, the relationship is equivalent to the widely-used Tedmon model.
On the widths of the hysteresis of mechanically and thermally induced martensitic transformations in Ni–Ti-based shape memory alloys
Authors: Jaeger Stefanie , Maaß Burkhard , Frenzel Jan , Schmidt Marvin , Ullrich Johannes , Seelecke Stefan , Schütze Andreas , Kastner Oliver , Eggeler Gunther
Published: August 2015

It is well known that a good crystallographic compatibility between austenite and martensite in Ni–Ti-based shape memory alloys results in narrow thermal hystereses (e.g. Ball and James, Arch. Ration. Mech. Anal., 1987). The present work suggests that a good crystallographic fit is moreover associated with a small mechanical hysteresis width, observed during a forward and reverse stress-induced transformation. Furthermore, shape memory alloys with a good crystallographic fit show smaller transformation strains. The results obtained in the present study suggest that these correlations are generic and apply to binary Ni–Ti (with varying Ni contents) and quaternary Ni–Ti–Cu–X (X = Cr, Fe, V) alloys. For binary Ni–Ti, it was observed that Ni-rich compositions (good lattice fit) show a lower accummulation of irreversible strains during pseudoelastic cycling.
Associations of learning style with cultural values and demographics in nursing students in Iran and Malaysia
Authors: Abdollahimohammad Abdolghani , Ja’afar Rogayah
Published: August 2015

Purpose: The goal of the current study was to identify associations between the learning style of nursing students and their cultural values and demographic characteristics. Methods: A non-probability purposive sampling method was used to gather data from two populations. All 156 participants were female, Muslim, and full-time degree students. Data were collected from April to June 2010 using two reliable and validated questionnaires: the Learning Style Scales and the Values Survey Module 2008 (VSM 08). A simple linear regression was run for each predictor before conducting multiple linear regression analysis. The forward selection method was used for variable selection. P-values ≤0.05 and ≤0.1 were considered to indicate significance and marginal significance, respectively. Moreover, multi-group confirmatory factor analysis was performed to determine the invariance of the Farsi and English versions of the VSM 08. Results: The perceptive learning style was found to have a significant negative relationship with the power distance and monumentalism indices of the VSM 08. Moreover, a significant negative association was observed between the solitary learning style and the power distance index. However, no significant association was found between the analytic, competitive, and imaginative learning styles and cultural values (P>0.05). Likewise, no significant associations were observed between learning style, including the perceptive, solitary, analytic, competitive, and imaginative learning styles, and year of study or age (P>0.05). Conclusion: Students who reported low values on the power distance and monumentalism indices are more likely to prefer perceptive and solitary learning styles. Within each group of students in our study sample from the same school the year of study and age did not show any significant associations with learning style.