bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Shoulder Position Sense During Passive Matching and Active Positioning Tasks in Individuals With Anterior Shoulder Instability
Authors: Hung You-jou , Darling Warren G.
Published: January 2012

Background

Altered neuromuscular control due to compromised joint position sense may contribute to recurrent shoulder instability.

Objective

The purpose of the present study was to examine whether individuals with anterior shoulder instability exhibit larger shoulder position sense errors than those with healthy shoulders in both passive matching and active positioning.

Design

This was a between-groups study with repeated measures.

Methods

Ten people with anterior shoulder instability and 15 people with healthy shoulders participated in the study. Shoulder position sense was examined with 3 different protocols (passive motion to remembered shoulder rotation angles and active shoulder abduction and rotation to verbally specified positions) in positions of both mid-range and end-range of motion.

Results

Participants with unstable shoulders exhibited significantly larger errors (by 1.8° on average) in perception of shoulder position compared with those with healthy shoulders during passive matching. During active positioning, participants with unstable shoulders were able to voluntarily move the shoulder to verbally specified angles as accurately as those with healthy shoulders in both abduction (0.85° difference) and rotation (0.99° difference) tasks.

Conclusions

Results of this study indicate that people with unstable shoulders can perceive shoulder angles as accurately as people with healthy shoulders in activities with voluntary arm movements. Compared with passive matching, better information from muscle spindles and other sources during voluntary arm movements may compensate for the potential joint position sense deficits after the injury. Therefore, individuals with an unstable shoulder may have adequate neuromuscular control to engage proper protective mechanisms to stabilize the shoulder joint during functional activities.
Comment un État libéral peut-il être à la fois neutre et paternaliste ?
Authors: Merrill Roberto
Published: January 2012

Résumé Je défends dans cet article que le perfectionnisme libéral, même lorsque paternaliste, est toutefois compatible avec la neutralité de l’État. Je défends cette compatibilité de la manière suivante. Je distingue d’abord trois types de neutralité, puis trois types de paternalisme. Ensuite, j’examine sous quelles conditions la neutralité et le paternalisme peuvent être compatibles. Enfin, je défends que la neutralité des conséquences, qui me semble être la version la plus exigeante de la neutralité est, elle aussi, compatible avec le paternalisme et je termine en suggérant que la seule manière de rendre incompatibles le paternalisme et la neutralité consiste à exiger que la neutralité englobe à la fois la neutralité des justifications, des buts, et des conséquences.
Le paternalisme peut-il être « doux » ? Paternalisme et justice pénale
Authors: Béal Christophe
Published: January 2012

Résumé Selon la définition la plus courante, le paternalisme juridique consiste à interférer sur les décisions et les actions d’une personne, contre sa volonté, avec pour seule fin de l’empêcher de se nuire à elle-même. Souvent perçu comme une atteinte à la liberté individuelle, ce paternalisme est parfois jugé incompatible avec le libéralisme. Peut-on pour autant éliminer tout paternalisme de la sphère pénale ? Selon Joel Feinberg, il est possible de concevoir un « paternalisme doux » qui préserve l’autonomie des individus tout en limitant les dommages qu’ils pourraient, directement ou indirectement, se causer à eux-mêmes de manière non volontaire. Cette contribution vise à analyser les fondements de ce paternalisme « doux » et ses implications dans le domaine pénal.
Vendre ses organes : un cas de préjudice consenti ?
Authors: Mornington Alicia-Dorothy
Published: January 2012

Résumé Au cœur du débat sur la légalisation de la vente d'organe figure un individu qui consent à vendre une partie de son corps. Ce cas permet de poser la question du préjudice consenti puisque le vendeur semble consentir à un acte qui peut paraitre préjudiciable. À l'aune de la maxime romaine volenti non fit injuria, cet article commence par déplier la question du consentement, en mettant en relief la structure argumentative permettant d'invalider celui du vendeur. L'analyse se focalise sur la notion d'information asymétrique, de contrainte et de vulnérabilité. Puis l'auteure considère la nature du préjudice subi par le vendeur, en examinant le préjudice corporel et psychologique ainsi que la question de la dignité humaine.
Protection légale des animaux ou paternalisme ?
Authors: Iacub Marcela
Published: January 2012

Résumé Cet article examine une affaire judiciaire récente dans laquelle un homme a été condamné pour avoir « sodomisé » son poney « Junior ». Le délit de « sévices de nature sexuelle » concernant les animaux a été ajouté en 2004 à l’article 521.1 du Code pénal, lequel autorise la condamnation des « sévices graves » ou des « actes de cruauté ». Alors que la législation concernant les animaux semble justifiée au nom de la protection de ceux-ci et de la prévention des souffrances inutiles qui pourraient leur être imposées par les hommes sous l’empire desquels ils se trouvent, il apparaît que cette législation condamne au contraire les mauvais penchants de la sexualité humaine sous la forme du moralisme le plus pur. L’interprétation de la loi donnée par les juges dans cette affaire révèle une conception pastoraliste de l’intervention de l’État, confirmant ainsi la rationalité moraliste qui guide les interventions du législateur et du juge dans le domaine de la sexualité depuis les années 1980.
Liberté d'expression : De quoi parle-t-on ?
Authors: Ramond Denis
Published: January 2012

Résumé Cet article propose une analyse critique de la notion de « liberté d’expression ». Revenant sur le caractère à la fois récent et flou de la formule, il tente de montrer son caractère problématique sous deux angles : si l’on défend la liberté d’expression pour son apport à la vie démocratique, alors le terme d’« expression » apparaîtra soit trop restrictif, s’il désigne les énoncés directement politiques ; soit indiscernable, s’il désigne tous les éléments qui contribuent à la formation du jugement politique. Si bien que par « liberté d’expression » entendue au sens large on en vient à signifier la liberté elle-même. En revanche, lorsque l’on défend une conception négative de la liberté d’expression, fondée sur le principe de non-nuisance, le mot « expression » est inutile, voire contre-productif, puisqu’il accorde à l’expression un pouvoir qui peut se retourner contre elle-même. L’invocation de la liberté d’expression n’est donc pas la meilleure manière de la protéger, contrairement à un principe de non-nuisance fondé sur un postulat anti-paternaliste d’autonomie.
Former le « bon citoyen » libéral
Authors: Pélabay Janie
Published: January 2012

Résumé Dans cet article, le rapport complexe qu’une éducation civique moralement « robuste » entretient au pluralisme est examiné à partir d’une lecture croisée des positions de William Galston et Stephen Macedo. Si tous deux enracinent leurs plaidoyers pour l’inculcation des valeurs et vertus du « bon citoyen » libéral dans un rejet commun du libéralisme « neutraliste », leurs positions se désolidarisent face au défi de « l’unité dans la diversité ». Ainsi les divergences entre les modèles « libéral-pluraliste » et « civique-libéral » qu’ils défendent respectivement se cristallisent autour des limites de l’intervention éducative de l’État libéral vis-à-vis des familles et groupes « dissidents ». Ouvrant la perspective d’un choc des paternalismes, la confrontation des points de vue de Galston et Macedo vient révéler les tensions et difficultés, à la fois théoriques et pratiques, engendrées par l’usage d’un langage des « valeurs » en vue de promouvoir la citoyenneté démocratique libérale.
La société civile européenne : les usages d'une fiction
Authors: Sanchez Salgado Rosa
Published: January 2012

Résumé Cet article s’intéresse à la multiplicité d’usages de la notion de société civile par les acteurs politiques européens. À la fin des années 1990, le terme société civile s’impose face à la notion traditionnelle de groupes d’intérêt. Pour les décideurs européens, les acteurs en question ne constituent plus un instrument pour la construction de l’Europe (comme l’entendaient les néo-fonctionnalistes), mais une source de légitimité à exploiter. Cette notion est très adaptée à la publicité politique car elle permet d’intégrer des conceptions du monde très différentes, voir contradictoires. Or, dans la pratique, les acteurs politico-administratifs européens privilégient implicitement une conception de la société civile « libéral pluraliste » où elle est synonyme de société des groupes d’intérêt. Cet usage n’est pas partagé par les acteurs du monde associatif, qui considèrent mériter un traitement spécifique en raison de la valeur supérieure qu’ils attribuent aux positions qu’ils défendent. Si les acteurs politico-administratifs européens réussissent à imposer dans la pratique l’usage de cette notion qui semble plus les convenir, ils ne devraient pas oublier que pour certains, l’usage de cette notion conduit à la légitimation de l’existence des valeurs universelles en dehors de l’autorité publique. L’usage de l’ambigüité en politique est an art qui comporte des risques.
ICOS-Dependent Homeostasis and Function of Foxp3+ Regulatory T Cells in Islets of Nonobese Diabetic Mice
Authors: Kornete Mara , Sgouroudis Evridiki , Piccirillo Ciriaco A.
Published: January 2012

A progressive waning in Foxp3+ regulatory T cell (Treg) functions is thought to provoke autoimmunity in the NOD model of type 1 diabetes (T1D). A deficiency in IL-2 is one of the main triggers for the defective function of Tregs in islets. Notably, abrogation of the ICOS pathway in NOD neonates or BDC2.5-NOD (BDC2.5) mice exacerbates T1D, suggesting an important role for this costimulatory pathway in tolerance to islet Ags. Thus, we hypothesize that ICOS selectively promotes Foxp3+ Treg functions in BDC2.5 mice. We show that ICOS expression discriminates effector Foxp3− T cells from Foxp3+ Tregs and specifically designates a dominant subset of intra-islet Tregs, endowed with an increased potential to expand, secrete IL-10, and mediate suppressive activity in vitro and in vivo. Consistently, Ab-mediated blockade or genetic deficiency of ICOS selectively abrogates Treg-mediated functions and T1D protection and exacerbates disease in BDC2.5 mice. Moreover, T1D progression in BDC2.5 mice is associated with a decline in ICOS expression in and expansion and suppression by intra-islet Foxp3+ Tregs. We further show that the ICOS+ Tregs, in contrast to their ICOS− counterparts, are more sensitive to IL-2, a critical signal for their survival and functional stability. Lastly, the temporal loss in ICOS+ Tregs is readily corrected by IL-2 therapy or protective Il2 gene variation. Overall, ICOS is critical for the homeostasis and functional stability of Foxp3+ Tregs in prediabetic islets and maintenance of T1D protection.
Human T Lymphotropic Virus Type 1 Increases T Lymphocyte Migration by Recruiting the Cytoskeleton Organizer CRMP2
Authors: Varrin-Doyer Michel , Nicolle Adeline , Marignier Romain , Cavagna Sylvie , Benetollo Claire , Wattel Eric , Giraudon Pascale
Published: January 2012

Recruitment of virus-infected T lymphocytes into the CNS is an essential step in the development of virus-associated neuroinflammatory diseases, notably myelopathy induced by retrovirus human T leukemia virus-1 (HTLV-1). We have recently shown the key role of collapsin response mediator protein 2 (CRMP2), a phosphoprotein involved in cytoskeleton rearrangement, in the control of human lymphocyte migration and in brain targeting in animal models of virus-induced neuroinflammation. Using lymphocytes cloned from infected patients and chronically infected T cells, we found that HTLV-1 affects CRMP2 activity, resulting in an increased migratory potential. Elevated CRMP2 expression accompanies a higher phosphorylation level of CRMP2 and its more pronounced adhesion to tubulin and actin. CRMP2 forms, a full length and a shorter, cleaved one, are also affected. Tax transfection and extinction strategies show the involvement of this viral protein in enhanced full-length and active CRMP2, resulting in prominent migratory rate. A role for other viral proteins in CRMP2 phosphorylation is suspected. Full-length CRMP2 confers a migratory advantage possibly by preempting the negative effect of short CRMP2 we observe on T lymphocyte migration. In addition, HTLV-1–induced migration seems, in part, supported by the ability of infected cell to increase the proteosomal degradation of short CRMP2. Finally, gene expression in CD69+ cells selected from patients suggests that HTLV-1 has the capacity to influence the CRMP2/PI3K/Akt axis thus to positively control cytoskeleton organization and lymphocyte migration. Our data provide an additional clue to understanding the infiltration of HTLV-1–infected lymphocytes into various tissues and suggest that the regulation of CRMP2 activity by virus infection is a novel aspect of neuroinflammation.
TLR2 Signaling Depletes IRAK1 and Inhibits Induction of Type I IFN by TLR7/9
Authors: Liu Yi C. , Simmons Daimon P. , Li Xiaoxia , Abbott Derek W. , Boom W. Henry , Harding Clifford V.
Published: January 2012

Pathogens may signal through multiple TLRs with synergistic or antagonistic effects on the induction of cytokines, including type I IFN (IFN-I). IFN-I is typically induced by TLR9, but not TLR2. Moreover, we previously reported that TLR2 signaling by Mycobacterium tuberculosis or other TLR2 agonists inhibited TLR9 induction of IFN-I and IFN-I–dependent MHC-I Ag cross processing. The current studies revealed that lipopeptide-induced TLR2 signaling inhibited induction of first-wave IFN-α and IFN-β mRNA by TLR9, whereas induction of second-wave IFN-I mRNA was not inhibited. TLR2 also inhibited induction of IFN-I by TLR7, another MyD88-dependent IFN-I–inducing receptor, but did not inhibit IFN-I induction by TLR3 or TLR4 (both Toll/IL-1R domain-containing adapter-inducing IFN-β dependent, MyD88 independent). The inhibitory effect of TLR2 was not dependent on new protein synthesis or intercellular signaling. IL-1R–associated kinase 1 (IRAK1) was depleted rapidly (within 10 min) by TLR2 agonist, but not until later (e.g., 2 h) by TLR9 agonist. Because IRAK1 is required for TLR7/9-induced IFN-I production, we propose that TLR2 signaling induces rapid depletion of IRAK1, which impairs IFN-I induction by TLR7/9. This novel mechanism, whereby TLR2 inhibits IFN-I induction by TLR7/9, may shape immune responses to microbes that express ligands for both TLR2 and TLR7/TLR9, or responses to bacteria/virus coinfection.
Matrix Metalloproteinase-Dependent Microsomal Prostaglandin E Synthase-1 Expression in Macrophages: Role of TNF-α and the EP4 Prostanoid Receptor
Authors: Khan K. M. Faisal , Kothari Poonam , Du Baoheng , Dannenberg Andrew J. , Falcone Domenick J.
Published: January 2012

Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 contributes to the pathogenesis of chronic inflammatory diseases and cancer. Thus, identifying targetable components of signaling pathways that regulate MMP-9 expression may have broad therapeutic implications. Our previous studies revealed a nexus between metalloproteinases and prostanoids whereby MMP-1 and MMP-3, commonly found in inflammatory and neoplastic foci, stimulate macrophage MMP-9 expression via the release of TNF-α and subsequent induction of cyclooxygenase-2 and PGE2 engagement of EP4 receptor. In the current study, we determined whether MMP-induced cyclooxygenase-2 expression was coupled to the expression of prostaglandin E synthase family members. We found that MMP-1– and MMP-3–dependent release of TNF-α induced rapid and transient expression of early growth response protein 1 in macrophages followed by sustained elevation in microsomal prostaglandin synthase 1 (mPGES-1) expression. Metalloproteinase-induced PGE2 levels and MMP-9 expression were markedly attenuated in macrophages in which mPGES-1 was silenced, thereby identifying mPGES-1 as a therapeutic target in the regulation of MMP-9 expression. Finally, the induction of mPGES-1 was regulated, in part, through a positive feedback loop dependent on PGE2 binding to EP4. Thus, in addition to inhibiting macrophage MMP-9 expression, EP4 antagonists emerge as potential therapy to reduce mPGES-1 expression and PGE2 levels in inflammatory and neoplastic settings.
Serine Protease Inhibitor 6 Is Required To Protect Dendritic Cells from the Kiss of Death
Authors: Lovo Elena , Zhang Manling , Wang Lihui , Ashton-Rickardt Philip G.
Published: January 2012

How dendritic cells (DC) present Ag to cytotoxic T cells (CTL) without themselves being killed through contact-mediated cytotoxicity (so-called kiss of death) has proved to be controversial. Using mice deficient in serine protease inhibitor 6 (Spi6), we show that Spi6 protects DC from the kiss of death by inhibiting granzyme B (GrB) delivered by CTL. Infection of Spi6 knockout mice with lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus revealed impaired survival of CD8α DC. The impaired survival of Spi6 knockout CD8α DC resulted in impaired priming and expansion of both primary and memory lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus-specific CTL, which could be corrected by GrB deficiency. The rescue in the clonal burst obtained by GrB elimination demonstrated that GrB was the physiological target through which Spi6 protected DC from CTL. We conclude that the negative regulation of DC priming of CD8 T lymphocyte immunity by CTL killing is mitigated by the physiological inhibition of GrB by Spi6.
Printing of Highly Integrated Crossbar Junctions
Authors: Sanetra Nils , Karipidou Zoi , Wirtz René , Knorr Nikolaus , Rosselli Silvia , Nelles Gabriele , Offenhaeusser Andreas , Mayer Dirk
Published: January 2012

A new process is presented that combines nanoimprint lithography and soft lithography to assemble metal–bridge–metal crossbar junctions at ambient conditions. High density top and bottom metal electrodes with half‐pitches down to 50 nm are fabricated in a parallel process by means of ultraviolet nanoimprint lithography. The top electrodes are realized on top of a sacrificial layer and are embedded in a polymer matrix. The lifting of the top electrodes by dissolving the sacrificial layer in an aqueous solution results in printable electrode stamps. Crossbar arrays are noninvasively assembled with high yield by printing the top electrode stamps onto bare or modified bottom electrodes. A semiconducting and a quasi metal like conducting type of polymer are incorporated in the cross points to form metal‐polymer‐metal junctions. The electrical characterization of the printed junctions revealed that the functional integrity of the electrically addressed conductive polymers is conserved during the assembling process. These findings suggest that printing of electrodes represents an easy and cost effective route to highly integrated nanoscale metal‐bridge‐metal junctions if imprint lithography is used for electrode fabrication.
Improving the Photoinduced Charge Separation Parameters in Corrole–Perylene Carboximide Dyads by Tuning the Redox and Spectroscopic Properties of the Components
Authors: Flamigni Lucia , Ciuciu Adina I. , Langhals Heinz , Böck Bernd , Gryko Daniel T.
Published: January 2012

A couple of corrole–perylene carboximide dyads (C2‐PIa and C2‐PIx) have been synthesized and their photoreactivity has been evaluated. We aimed at obtaining better performances for photoinduced charge separation, both in terms of efficiency and in terms of lifetime, with respect to formerly studied systems. The energy level of the charge‐separated state was tuned by selecting perylene and corrole components with diverse redox and spectroscopic properties. High spectroscopic energy levels of the perylene carboximide derivatives (PIs) allow a fast charge separation to be maintained in competition with an energy‐transfer process from the PI to the corrole unit. Yields and lifetimes of charge separation in toluene are, respectively, 75 % and 2.5 μs for C2‐PIa and 65 % and 24 ns for C2‐PIx. The results and the effect of solvent polarity are discussed in the framework of current energy‐ and electron‐transfer theories.
Recombinant protein expression and purification: A comprehensive review of affinity tags and microbial applications
Authors: Young Carissa L. , Britton Zachary T. , Robinson Anne S.
Published: January 2012

Protein fusion tags are indispensible tools used to improve recombinant protein expression yields, enable protein purification, and accelerate the characterization of protein structure and function. Solubility‐enhancing tags, genetically engineered epitopes, and recombinant endoproteases have resulted in a versatile array of combinatorial elements that facilitate protein detection and purification in microbial hosts. In this comprehensive review, we evaluate the most frequently used solubility‐enhancing and affinity tags. Furthermore, we provide summaries of well‐characterized purification strategies that have been used to increase product yields and have widespread application in many areas of biotechnology including drug discovery, therapeutics, and pharmacology. This review serves as an excellent literature reference for those working on protein fusion tags.
Biotechniques laboratory: An enabling course in the biological sciences
Authors: Di Trapani Giovanna , Clarke Frank
Published: January 2012

Practical skills and competencies are critical to student engagement and effective learning in laboratory courses. This article describes the design of a yearlong, stand‐alone laboratory course—the Biotechniques Laboratory—a common core course in the second year of all our degree programs in the biological sciences. It is an enabling, introductory laboratory course with a focus on the development of basic, practical skills, competencies, and knowledge in experimental techniques commonly used across the biological sciences. It is based on a full “hands on” approach where all students undertake a variety of practical exercises derived principally from the disciplines of biochemistry, molecular biology, cell biology, and microbiology. Explicit skills training, the opportunity to repeat laboratory exercises until the required skill and/or competency is achieved, the consolidation of learned skills in different contexts throughout the course and a competency based assessment method are all distinctive features that facilitate the achievement of the desired student outcomes. Students graduate from this course enabled to more effectively engage and achieve in advanced laboratory courses and research projects developing higher order skills and knowledge for use in graduate studies and/or employment.
Is the undergraduate research experience (URE) always best?: The power of choice in a bifurcated practical stream for a large introductory biochemistry class
Authors: Rowland Susan L. , Lawrie Gwen A. , Behrendorff James B. Y. H. , Gillam Elizabeth M. J.
Published: January 2012

Science undergraduate courses typically cater to a mixed‐learner cohort, with a diversity of motivations and skills. This diversity introduces pressure for designers of the practical laboratory curriculum. Students who are struggling with the course need a series of tasks that begin simply, and transition to more conceptually difficult material. More capable students need opportunities for conceptual extension and creative activity. In this report, we examine an approach we have used to address this problem in the context of a large introductory biochemistry undergraduate class. Rather than attempting to compromise on a single practical series for our 470 students, we devised two parallel but equivalent practical streams and offered students their choice of laboratory experience. One stream (called Laboratory Experience for Acquiring Practical Skills) was designed to allow acquisition of a range of common biochemistry and molecular biology laboratory skills. The other (called Active Learning Laboratory Undergraduate Research Experience) was designed to offer an authentic (but scaffolded) undergraduate research project. We discuss the ramifications and implications of our approach in terms of funding, staffing, and assessment while also examining student motivation, satisfaction, and skills acquisition. We present data supporting the practical and pedagogical value of laboratory exercise streaming to meet the diverse needs of students. We suggest a framework that can be used to pre‐emptively identify and address problems associated with a bifurcated practical series and increase the sustainability of the approach.
Backup support of the mother–child technique: Technical considerations for the size of the mother guiding catheter
Authors: Takeshita Satoshi , Takagi Ayumu , Saito Shigeru
Published: January 2012

Background: We previously proposed a technique called the “mother–child technique” to facilitate stent delivery for complex coronary lesions. This technique is applicable when the backup support of the guiding catheter is insufficient. In this study, we used an in vitro coronary artery tree model to determine the impact of the size of the mother guiding catheter on the backup support of the mother–child guiding system. Methods: The backup support was measured for the 4‐in‐5, 4‐in‐6, 4‐in‐7, and 4‐in‐8 systems as well as for the 5‐in‐6, 5‐in‐7, and 5‐in‐8 systems. Results: Advancement of the child catheter into the coronary artery tree model improved the backup support of the mother–child system. When a 4‐Fr child catheter was advanced by 9 cm, the relative increase in the backup support was 174% in the 4‐in‐5 system; it was 203% in the 4‐in‐6, and 135% in the 4‐in‐7 system (P < 0.05 vs. the mother catheter alone). The relative increase with the 5‐Fr child catheter was 289% in the 5‐in‐6 system, and 152% in the 5‐in‐7 system (P < 0.0001 vs. the mother catheter alone). However, the improvement in the backup support with 9‐cm child catheter advancement did not reach statistical significance for either the 4‐in‐8 (115%) or the 5‐in‐8 (112%) system (P = NS). Conclusions: The relative increase in the backup support of the mother–child system was inversely related to the size of the mother guiding catheter. Thus, the mother–child technique may be most useful for PCIs in which a small guiding catheter is used, such as transradial coronary interventions. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Kinetic and catalytic performance of a BI‐porous composite material in catalytic cracking and isomerisation reactions
Authors: Al‐Khattaf S. , Odedairo T. , Balasamy R. J.
Published: January 2012

Catalytic behaviour of pure zeolite ZSM‐5 and a bi‐porous composite material (BCM) were investigated in transformation of m‐xylene, while zeolite HY and the bi‐porous composite were used in the cracking of 1,3,5‐triisopropylbenzene (TIPB). The micro/mesoporous material was used to understand the effect of the presence of mesopores on these reactions. Various characterisation techniques, that is, XRD, SEM, TGA, FT‐IR and nitrogen sorption measurements were applied for complete characterisation of the catalysts. Catalytic tests using CREC riser simulator showed that the micro/mesoporous composite catalyst exhibited higher catalytic activity as compared with the conventional microporous ZSM‐5 and HY zeolite for transformation of m‐xylene and for the catalytic cracking of TIPB, respectively. The outstanding catalytic reactivity of m‐xylene and TIPB molecules were mainly attributed to the easier access of active sites provided by the mesopores. Apparent activation energies for the disappearance of m‐xylene and TIPB over all catalysts were found to decrease in the order: EBCM > EZSM‐5 and EBCM > EHY, respectively. © 2012 Canadian Society for Chemical Engineering
Ectoenzymes controlling leukocyte traffic
Authors: Salmi Marko , Jalkanen Sirpa
Published: January 2012

Ectoenzymes are a diverse group of membrane proteins that have their catalytic sites outside the plasma membrane. Many of them are found on leukocytes and endothelial cells, and they are multifunctional in nature. Collectively, different ectoenzymes can modulate each step of leukocyte–endothelial contacts, as well as subsequent cell migration in tissues. Here, we review how ectoenzymes belonging to the oxidase, NAD‐metabolizing enzyme, nucleotidase and peptidase/protease families regulate and fine‐tune leukocyte trafficking, and how ectoenzymes have been targeted both in preclinical and clinical trials.
APOE genotype alters glial activation and loss of synaptic markers in mice
Authors: Zhu Yuangui , Nwabuisi‐Heath Evelyn , Dumanis Sonya B. , Tai Leon M. , Yu Chunjiang , Rebeck G. William , Ladu Mary Jo
Published: January 2012

The ϵ4 allele of the Apolipoprotein E (APOE) gene is the strongest genetic risk factor for late‐onset Alzheimer's disease (AD), and affects clinical outcomes of chronic and acute brain damages. The mechanisms by which apoE affect diverse diseases and disorders may involve modulation of the glial response to various types of brain damage. We examined glial activation in a mouse model where each of the human APOE alleles are expressed under the endogenous mouse APOE promoter, as well as in APOE knock‐out mice. APOE4 mice displayed increased glial activation in response to intracerebroventricular lipopolysaccharide (LPS) compared to APOE2 and APOE3 mice by several measures. There were higher levels of microglia/macrophage, astrocytes, and invading T‐cells after LPS injection in APOE4 mice. APOE4 mice also displayed greater and more prolonged increases of cytokines (IL‐1β, IL‐6, TNF‐α) than APOE2 and APOE3 mice. We found that APOE4 mice had greater synaptic protein loss after LPS injection, as measured by three markers: PSD‐95, drebin, and synaptophysin. In all assays, APOE knock‐out mice responded similar to APOE4 mice, suggesting that the apoE4 protein may lack anti‐inflammatory characteristics of apoE2 and apoE3. Together, these findings demonstrate that APOE4 predisposes to inflammation, which could contribute to its association with Alzheimer's disease and other disorders. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Nek2A contributes to tumorigenic growth and possibly functions as potential therapeutic target for human breast cancer
Authors: Wang Shuling , Li Weidong , Liu Ning , Zhang Fei , Liu Han , Liu Fen , Liu Junjun , Zhang Tongxian , Niu Yun
Published: January 2012

Nek2A (NIMA‐related kinases 2A) has been known as an important centrosome regulatory factor. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of Nek2A and the role it played in different stages of breast cancer. We detected the expression of Nek2A in both mRNA and protein levels in MCF10 cell lines including MCF‐10A, MCF‐10DCIS.com, MCF‐10CA1a and in human breast samples which contained normal breast tissue (NBT), breast ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), and invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC). Our study revealed that the mRNA and protein expression of Nek2A were significantly up‐regulated in MCF‐10DCIS.com and MCF‐10CA1a cell lines as well as in human primary breast cancer tissue (DCIS and IDC). Our study also presented a correlation between Nek2A mRNA expression and some clinic pathological factors. We found that Nek2A mRNA expression was associated with molecular subtypes, ER, PR and Ki‐67 immunoreactivity (P < 0.05) in DCIS and associated with histological grade, lymph node metastasis, molecular subtypes, c‐erbB‐2, and Ki‐67 expression (P < 0.05) in IDC. In addition, we observed that ectopic expression of Nek2A in “normal” immortalized MCF‐10A breast epithelial cell resulted in increased Nek2A which lead to abnormal centrosomes. Furthermore, knockdown of Nek2A in MCF‐10DCIS.com could remarkably inhibit cell proliferation and induce cell cycle arrest in MCF‐10DCIS.com cell line. These data suggested that Nek2A might bear a close relationship with development and progression of breast carcinoma, and highlighted its role as a novel potential biomarker for diagnosis and a possible therapeutic target for human breast cancer especially for DCIS. J. Cell. Biochem. 113: 1904–1914, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Euscaphic acid isolated from roots of Rosa rugosa inhibits LPS‐induced inflammatory responses via TLR4‐mediated NF‐κB inactivation in RAW 264.7 macrophages
Authors: Kim In‐Tae , Ryu Suran , Shin Ji‐Sun , Choi Jung‐Hye , Park Hee‐Juhn , Lee Kyung‐Tae
Published: January 2012

As an attempt to search for bioactive natural products exerting anti‐inflammatory activity, we have evaluated the anti‐inflammatory effects of euscaphic acid (19α‐hydroxyursane‐type triterpenoids, EA) isolated from roots of Rosa rugosa and its underlying molecular mechanisms in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‐induced RAW 264.7 macrophages. EA concentration‐dependently reduced the production of nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α), and interleukin‐1β (IL‐1β) induced by LPS in RAW 264.7 macgophages. Consistent with these data, expression levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase‐2 (COX‐2) protein and iNOS, COX‐2, TNF‐α, and IL‐1β mRNA were inhibited by EA in a concentration‐dependent manner. In addition, EA attenuated LPS‐induced DNA binding and transcriptional activity of nuclear factor‐kappa B (NF‐κB), which was accompanied by a parallel reduction of degradation and phosphorylation of inhibitory kappa Bα (IκBα) and consequently by decreased nuclear translocation of p65 subunit of NF‐κB. Pretreatment with EA significantly inhibited the LPS‐induced phosphorylation of IκB kinase β (IKKβ), p38, and JNK, whereas the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 was unaffected. Furthermore, EA interfered with the LPS‐induced clustering of TNF receptor‐associated factor 6 (TRAF6) with interleukin receptor associated kinase 1 (IRAK1) and transforming growth factor‐β‐activated kinase 1 (TAK1). Taken together, these results suggest that EA inhibits LPS‐induced inflammatory responses by interference with the clustering of TRAF6 with IRAK1 and TAK1, resulting in blocking the activation of IKK and MAPKs signal transduction to downregulate NF‐κB activations. J. Cell. Biochem. 113: 1936–1946, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The PPARδ ligand L‐165041 inhibits vegf‐induced angiogenesis, but the antiangiogenic effect is not related to PPARδ
Authors: Park Jin‐Hee , Lee Kuy‐Sook , Lim Hyun‐Joung , Kim Hanna , Kwak Hyun‐Jeong , Park Hyun‐Young
Published: January 2012

Peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor (PPAR)δ is known to be expressed ubiquitously and involved in lipid and glucose metabolism. Recent studies have demonstrated that PPARδ is expressed in endothelial cells (ECs) and plays a potential role in endothelial survival and proliferation. Although PPARα and PPARγ are well recognized to play anti‐inflammatory, antiproliferative, and antiangiogenic roles in ECs, the general effect of PPARδ on angiogenesis in ECs remains unclear. Thus, we investigated the effect of the PPARδ ligand L‐165041 on vascular EC proliferation and angiogenesis in vitro as well as in vivo. Our data show that L‐165041 inhibited VEGF‐induced cell proliferation and migration in human umbilical vein ECs (HUVECs). L‐165041 also inhibited angiogenesis in the Matrigel plug assay and aortic ring assay. Flow cytometric analysis indicated that L‐165041 reduced the number of ECs in the S phase and the expression levels of cell cycle regulatory proteins such as cyclin A, cyclin E, CDK2, and CDK4; phosphorylation of the retinoblastoma protein was suppressed by pretreatment with L‐165041. We confirmed whether these antiangiogenic effects of L‐165041 were PPARδ‐dependent using GW501516 and PPARδ siRNA. GW501516 treatment did not inhibit VEGF‐induced angiogenesis, and transfection of PPARδ siRNA did not reverse this antiangiogenic effect of L‐165041, suggesting that the antiangiogenic effect of L‐165041 on ECs is PPARδ‐independent. Together, these data indicate that the PPARδ ligand L‐165041 inhibits VEGF‐stimulated angiogenesis by suppressing the cell cycle progression independently of PPARδ. This study highlights the therapeutic potential of L‐165041 in the treatment of many disorders related to pathological angiogenesis. J. Cell. Biochem. 113: 1947–1954, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Dispersive interactions in water bilayers at metallic surfaces: A comparison of the PBE and RPBE functional including semiempirical dispersion corrections
Authors: Tonigold Katrin , Groß Axel
Published: January 2012

The accuracy and reliability of the density functional theory (DFT)‐D approach to account for dispersion effects in first‐principles studies of water–metal interfaces has been addressed by studying several water–metal systems. In addition to performing periodic DFT calculations for semi‐infinite substrates using the popular PBE and RPBE functionals, the water dimer and water–metal atom systems have also been treated by coupled‐cluster calculations. We show that indeed semiempirical dispersion correction schemes can be used to yield thermodynamically stable water bilayers at surfaces. However, the actual density functional needs to be chosen carefully. Whereas the dispersion‐corrected RPBE functional yields a good description of both the water–water and the water–metal interaction, the dispersion‐corrected PBE functional overestimates the energies of both systems. In contrast thereto, the adsorption distances predicted by the PBE functional is hardly changed due to the additional dispersion interaction, explaining the good performance of previous DFT‐PBE studies of water–metal systems. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comput Chem, 2012
Effect of surfactant on styrene removal from waste gas streams in biotrickling filters
Authors: Song Tiantian , Yang Chunping , Zeng Guangming , Yu Guanlong , Xu Chao
Published: January 2012

BACKGROUND: The performance of two biotrickling filters (BTFs) was evaluated for styrene removal from gas streams at the start‐up period and at a pseudo‐steady‐state under various operating conditions.

RESULTS: The BTFs exceeded 99% removal efficiency within 19 days when the average inlet styrene concentration was 250 mg m−3 and gas empty bed retention time (EBCT) was 30.0 s. The effect of a surfactant, Triton X‐100, on styrene removal was examined by comparative experiments in which one biofilter was fed with nutrient solution with the surfactant while the other without the surfactant, and the average organic loading rate of styrene was set at 65.3, 100.9 and 201.7 g styrene m−3 h−1, respectively. Results showed that the corresponding average removal efficiency was 87%, 70% and 50% for the BTF without surfactant, while the average removal efficiency for the BTF with surfactant was 96%, 92% and 82%. Excessive biomass accumulation was observed in the medium when the styrene loading rate was high. However, the biomass density within the BTF medium when the surfactant was added remained stable during the whole period of the operation.

CONCLUSION: These results demonstrated that the use of Triton X‐100 can improve the degradation of styrene and control the excessive biomass accumulation. Copyright © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry
A meta‐analysis of randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled trials for the effects of garlic on serum lipid profiles
Authors: Zeng Tao , Guo Fang‐Fang , Zhang Cui‐Li , Song Fu‐Yong , Zhao Xiu‐Lan , Xie Ke‐Qin
Published: January 2012

BACKGROUND: Inconsistent results were obtained for the lipid‐regulating effects of garlic in clinical trials. With increasing interest in complementary medicine for hyperlipoidemia, it is important to explore the real effects of garlic. This meta‐ analysis was performed to investigate the influence of garlic on serum lipid parameters.

RESULTS: A total of 26 studies were included into meta‐analysis. Overall, garlic was superior to placebo in reducing serum total cholesterol (TC) and triglyceride (TG) levels. Compared with the placebo groups, serum TC and TG levels in the garlic group were reduced by 0.28 (95% CI, − 0.45, − 0.11) mmol L−1 (P = 0.001) and 0.13 (95% CI, − 0.20, − 0.06) mmol L−1 (P < 0.001), respectively. The effects of garlic were more striking in subjects with long‐term intervention and higher baseline TC levels. Garlic powder and aged garlic extract were more effective in reducing serum TC levels, while garlic oil was more effective in lowering serum TG levels. In contrast, garlic did not influence other lipid parameters, including low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol, high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL‐C), apolipoprotein B, and TC/HDL‐C ratio.

CONCLUSION: Garlic could reduce serum TC and TG levels, and garlic therapy should benefit patients with risk of cardiovascular diseases. Copyright © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry
LAND USE AND CLIMATE CHANGES AND THEIR IMPACTS ON RUNOFF IN THE YARLUNG ZANGBO RIVER BASIN, CHINA
Authors: Liu Z. , Yao Z. , Huang H. , Wu S. , Liu G.
Published: January 2012

Impacts of land use and climate change on runoff were investigated by studying the runoff in the Yarlung Zangbo River basin, China. Trends in precipitation, mean air temperature, and runoff were analysed by non‐parametric Mann‐Kendall tests. Land‐use changes were examined with land‐use transition matrix and geographic information system tools. Land‐use and climate changes showed several characteristics, including increased reforestation, decreased grassland, retreat of glaciers and increased desertification. Human activity caused great impact, especially within densely populated regions and cities. Reforestation and degradation of grasslands were more frequent than deforestation and cultivation of grasslands. Annual mean air temperature, precipitation and runoff showed increasing trends between 1974 and 2000. The impacts of land use and climate change on runoff had different effects depending on region and season. In the season of freezing, climate change clearly affected runoff within regions that experienced precipitation. Altered evapotranspiration accounted for about 80 per cent of runoff changes, whereas land‐use changes appear to have had greatest impact on runoff changes within regions that have inconsistent relationships between runoff and climate change. It was demonstrated that afforestation leads to increased runoff in dry seasons. It was estimated that glacier snow melt has caused annual runoff to increase at least 6·0 mm/10yr, 2·1 mm/10yr and 1·7 mm/10yr in Regions 1, 3 and 4, respectively, whereas evapotranspiration caused annual runoff to decrease at least 7·4 mm/10yr in Region 2. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A hypercyclic rank one perturbation of a unitary operator
Authors: Grivaux Sophie
Published: January 2012

We prove that there exists a rank 1 perturbation of a unitary operator on a complex separable infinite dimensionai Hilbert space which is hypercyclic.
Live Monitoring of Cargo Release From Peptide‐Based Hybrid Nanocapsules Induced by Enzyme Cleavage
Authors: Andrieu Julien , Kotman Niklas , Maier Matthias , Mailänder Volker , Strauss Wolfgang S. L. , Weiss Clemens K. , Landfester Katharina
Published: January 2012

The miniemulsion process is used as a new route for the preparation of enzyme‐responsive nanocapsules with payload‐release properties. Peptide‐based hybrid nanocapsules are prepared via interfacial polyaddition containing a water‐soluble dye that is efficiently encapsulated inside. The influence of the synthetic parameters as the functionality of the peptide and the nature of the dispersed phase on the structure of the nanocapsules were investigated. After redispersion in water, the enzymatic cleavage of the peptide sequence and the release of the fluorescent dye are both monitored in real time. This is evidenced because of the quenching FRET system framing the recognition site in the peptide sequence, and the fluorescence recovery of the self‐quenched encapsulated dye respectively.
Quantitative assessment of small bowel motility by nonrigid registration of dynamic MR images
Authors: Odille Freddy , Menys Alex , Ahmed Asia , Punwani Shonit , Taylor Stuart A. , Atkinson David
Published: January 2012

Evaluation of small bowel motility from two‐dimensional dynamic MRI is of increasing interest for the assessment of segmental diseases such as Crohn's disease. We propose to use nonrigid image registration for automated motility analysis. Registration is particularly difficult when localized intensity changes occur (e.g., due to intraluminal flow or through‐plane motion). Therefore, displacements were extracted using a joint registration and modeling of intensity changes. Results were analyzed in 10 patients with known or suspected Crohn's disease. Bowel wall displacements were assessed by tracking bowel cross‐sectional markers over time. Automated tracking with the proposed technique was in good agreement with manual tracking (similar bias, improved standard deviations). The ability to quantify different grades of bowel motility was investigated by comparing direct motion measures (i.e., changes in bowel cross‐sectional diameter or area) and various parametric maps, e.g., based on the Jacobian of the measured displacements with expert grading. Among these measures, the standard deviation over time of the Jacobian was the best at predicting grades from 1 (moving normally) to 4 (not moving at all) in 50 bowel regions with normal and pathologically reduced motility, yielding 93% correct classification with a 1‐class tolerance (i.e., same score as the expert ± 1). Magn Reson Med, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Stress‐dependent hardening and failure surfaces of dry sand
Authors: Ehlers W. , Avci O.
Published: January 2012

During several triaxial compression experiments on plastic hardening, softening, and failure properties of dense sand specimens, it was found on various stress paths that the size of the failure surface was not constant. Instead, it changed depending on the current state of hydrostatic pressure. This finding is in contrast to the standard opinion consisting of the fact that the failure surface remains constant, once it has been reached during an experiment or in situ.

In general, the behaviour of cohesionless granular‐material‐like sand is somehow characterised in between fluid and solid, where the solid behaviour results from the angle of internal friction and the confining pressure. Although the friction angle is an intrinsic material property, the confining pressure varies with the boundary conditions, thus defining different solid properties like plastic hardening, softening, and also failure.

Based on our findings, it was the goal of the present contribution to introduce an improved setting for the plastic strain hardening and softening behaviour including the newly found yield properties at the limit state. For the identification of the material parameters, a complete triaxial experimental analysis of the tested sand is given. The overall elasto‐plasticity concept is validated by numerical computations of several laboratory foundation‐ and slope‐failure experiments. The performance of the proposed approach is compared with the standard concept of a constant failure surface, where the corresponding yield surfaces are understood as contours of equivalent plastic work or plastic strain. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.