bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Postextubation laryngeal edema and stridor resulting in respiratory failure in critically ill adult patients: updated review
Authors: Pluijms Wouter A. , van Mook Walther NKA , Wittekamp Bastiaan HJ , Bergmans Dennis CJJ
Published: August 2015

Endotracheal intubation is frequently complicated by laryngeal edema, which may present as postextubation stridor or respiratory difficulty or both. Ultimately, postextubation laryngeal edema may result in respiratory failure with subsequent reintubation. Risk factors for postextubation laryngeal edema include female gender, large tube size, and prolonged intubation. Although patients at low risk for postextubation respiratory insufficiency due to laryngeal edema can be identified by the cuff leak test or laryngeal ultrasound, no reliable test for the identification of high-risk patients is currently available. If applied in a timely manner, intravenous or nebulized corticosteroids can prevent postextubation laryngeal edema; however, the inability to identify high-risk patients prevents the targeted pretreatment of these patients. Therefore, the decision to start corticosteroids should be made on an individual basis and on the basis of the outcome of the cuff leak test and additional risk factors. The preferential treatment of postextubation laryngeal edema consists of intravenous or nebulized corticosteroids combined with nebulized epinephrine, although no data on the optimal treatment algorithm are available. In the presence of respiratory failure, reintubation should be performed without delay. Application of noninvasive ventilation or inhalation of a helium/oxygen mixture is not indicated since it does not improve outcome and increases the delay to intubation.
Mesenchymal stem cells derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells retain adequate osteogenicity and chondrogenicity but less adipogenicity
Authors: Kang Ran , Zhou Yan , Tan Shuang , Zhou Guangqian , Aagaard Lars , Xie Lin , Bünger Cody , Bolund Lars , Luo Yonglun
Published: August 2015

Introduction

Previously, we established a simple method for deriving mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) from human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC-MSCs). These iPSC-MSCs were capable of forming osteogenic structures in scaffolds and nanofibers. The objective of this study is to systematically characterize the mesenchymal characteristics of the iPSC-MSCs by comparing them to bone marrow-derived MSCs (BM-MSCs).

Methods

Two iPSC-MSC lines (named as mRNA-iPSC-MSC-YL001 and lenti-iPSC-MSC-A001) and one BM-MSC line were used for the study. Cell proliferation, presence of mesenchymal surface markers, tri-lineage differentiation capability (osteogenesis, chondrogenesis, adipogenesis), and expression of “stemness” genes were analyzed in these MSC lines.

Results

The iPSC-MSCs were similar to BM-MSCs in terms of cell morphology (fibroblast-like) and surface antigen profile: CD29+, CD44+, CD73+, CD90+, CD105+, CD11b–, CD14–, CD31–, CD34–, CD45– and HLA-DR–. A faster proliferative capability was seen in both iPSC-MSCs lines compared to the BM-MSCs. The iPSC-MSCs showed adequate capacity of osteogenesis and chondrogenesis compared to the BM-MSCs, while less adipogenic potential was found in the iPSC-MSCs. The iPSC-MSCs and the tri-lineage differentiated cells (osteoblasts, chondrocytes, adipocytes) all lack expression of “stemness” genes: OCT4, SOX2, GDF3, CRIPTO, UTF1, DPPA4, DNMT3B, LIN28a, and SAL4.

Conclusions

The MSCs derived from human iPSCs with our method have advanced proliferation capability and adequate osteogenic and chondrogenic properties compared to BM-MSCs. However, the iPSC-MSCs were less efficient in their adipogenicity, suggesting that further modifications should be applied to our method to derive iPSC-MSCs more closely resembling the naïve BM-MSCs if necessary.
Vertical seismic profile migration velocity analysis via residual moveout in receiver domain common image gathers
Authors: Du Yue , Willis Mark E. , Stewart Robert R.
Published: August 2015

The success of imaging vertical seismic profile (VSP) data critically depends upon obtaining and using an accurate subsurface velocity model. First-arrival-time tomography can be used to derive velocities above the receivers. Reflection time tomography can be used to derive velocities below the receivers, but it requires reflection time picking and association with appropriate horizons. We described an alternative, faster way to perform velocity analysis by assessing the residual moveout after migrating walk-away VSP data. We have derived residual moveout equations for migrated common receiver gathers assuming a constant velocity model with a single horizontal reflector. The observed residual moveout in common image gathers in the receiver domain will be aligned and flat if the migration velocity is correct. If the residual moveout is not flat, by digitizing the extreme point on the unstacked, migrated traces in each common receiver gather, we could invert for the velocity of the target layer using our new residual moveout equations. We then extended this method to handle depth and laterally varying layer geometries using an iterative root-mean-square velocity scheme and a layer-stripping strategy. We combined the power of a prestack VSP depth migration using complicated velocity structures with straightforward velocity updating equations. For a range of synthetic cases and geometries, the estimated velocities were within 3% of the actual value.
Multiscale adjoint waveform tomography for surface and body waves
Authors: Yuan Yanhua O. , Simons Frederik J. , Bozdağ Ebru
Published: August 2015

We have developed a wavelet-multiscale adjoint scheme for the elastic full-waveform inversion of seismic data, including body waves (BWs) and surface waves (SWs). We start the inversion on the SW portion of the seismograms. To avoid cycle skipping and reduce the dependence on the initial model of these dispersive waves, we commence by minimizing an envelope-based misfit function. Subsequently, we proceed to the minimization of a waveform-difference (WD) metric applied to the SWs only. After that, we fit BWs and SWs indiscriminately using a WD misfit metric. In each of these three steps, we guide the iterative inversion through a sequence of nested subspace projections in a wavelet basis. SW analysis preserves a wealth of near-surface features that would be lost in conventional BW tomography. We used a toy model to illustrate the dispersive and cycle-skipping behavior of the SWs, and to introduce the two ways by which we combat the nonlinearity of waveform inversions involving SWs. The first is the wavelet-based multiscale character of the method, and the second the envelope-based misfit function. Next, we used an industry synthetic model to perform realistic numerical experiments to further develop a strategy for SW and joint SW as well as BW tomography. The effect of incorrect density information on wave-speed inversions was also evaluated. We ultimately formalize a flexible scheme for full-waveform inversion based on adjoint methods that includes BWs and SWs, and also considers P- and S-wave speeds, as well as density. Our method is applicable to waveform inversion in exploration geophysics, geotechnical engineering, regional, and global seismology.
Inversion of reservoir porosity, saturation, and permeability based on a robust hybrid genetic algorithm
Authors: Fang Zhilong , Yang Dinghui
Published: August 2015

Reservoir parameter inversion is an essential geophysical problem to quantify the volume of an oil and gas reservoir. This problem can be identified as a nonlinear multiparameter optimization problem, in which the rock-physics model links seismic measurements including the velocity of the P- and S-waves to reservoir properties including porosity, water saturation, and permeability. Due to the complexity of the rock-physics and the nonlinear relationship, local search methods fail if the starting model is too far from the true model. Stochastic methods such as the genetic algorithm have global search ability, but they suffer from weak local search ability and premature convergence. We have developed a novel hybrid genetic algorithm to overcome these drawbacks of conventional genetic algorithm. We have used concepts of the self-adaptive method and evaluation criteria from the simulated annealing method to develop a new self-adaptive selection operator and a new self-adaptive hybrid crossover operator. With the two new operators, the hybrid genetic algorithm has better local search ability and is able to prevent premature convergence. We applied the hybrid genetic algorithm to the reservoir parameter inversion problem, and we used the Biot-squirt model as a rock-physics model. Numerical experiments demonstrated the improved search performance of the hybrid genetic algorithm against conventional methods in terms of solution quality, convergence rate, and convergence speed. We also tested our method on a series of laboratory and field data, which also confirmed the effectiveness of our method.
Bile Acids Trigger GLP-1 Release Predominantly by Accessing Basolaterally Located G Protein–Coupled Bile Acid Receptors
Authors: Brighton Cheryl A. , Rievaj Juraj , Kuhre Rune E. , Glass Leslie L. , Schoonjans Kristina , Holst Jens J. , Gribble Fiona M. , Reimann Frank
Published: August 2015

Bile acids are well-recognized stimuli of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) secretion. This action has been attributed to activation of the G protein–coupled bile acid receptor GPBAR1 (TGR5), although other potential bile acid sensors include the nuclear farnesoid receptor and the apical sodium-coupled bile acid transporter ASBT. The aim of this study was to identify pathways important for GLP-1 release and to determine whether bile acids target their receptors on GLP-1–secreting L-cells from the apical or basolateral compartment. Using transgenic mice expressing fluorescent sensors specifically in L-cells, we observed that taurodeoxycholate (TDCA) and taurolithocholate (TLCA) increased intracellular cAMP and Ca2+. In primary intestinal cultures, TDCA was a more potent GLP-1 secretagogue than taurocholate (TCA) and TLCA, correlating with a stronger Ca2+ response to TDCA. Using small-volume Ussing chambers optimized for measuring GLP-1 secretion, we found that both a GPBAR1 agonist and TDCA stimulated GLP-1 release better when applied from the basolateral than from the luminal direction and that luminal TDCA was ineffective when intestinal tissue was pretreated with an ASBT inhibitor. ASBT inhibition had no significant effect in nonpolarized primary cultures. Studies in the perfused rat gut confirmed that vascularly administered TDCA was more effective than luminal TDCA. Intestinal primary cultures and Ussing chamber–mounted tissues from GPBAR1-knockout mice did not secrete GLP-1 in response to either TLCA or TDCA. We conclude that the action of bile acids on GLP-1 secretion is predominantly mediated by GPBAR1 located on the basolateral L-cell membrane, suggesting that stimulation of gut hormone secretion may include postabsorptive mechanisms.
Protective Hematopoietic Effect of Estrogens in a Mouse Model of Thrombosis: Respective Roles of Nuclear Versus Membrane Estrogen Receptor α
Authors: Valéra Marie-Cécile , Fontaine Coralie , Lenfant Françoise , Cabou Cendrine , Guillaume Maeva , Smirnova Natalia , Kim Sung Hoon , Chambon Pierre , Katzenellenbogen John A. , Katzenellenbogen Benita S. , Payrastre Bernard , Arnal Jean-François
Published: August 2015

We recently reported that chronic 17β-estradiol (E2) treatment in mice decreases platelet responsiveness, prolongs the tail-bleeding time and protects against acute thromboembolism via the hematopoietic estrogen receptor alpha (ERα), and independently of ERβ. Here, we have explored the respective roles of membrane vs nuclear actions of ERα in this process, using: 1) the selective activator of membrane ERα: estrogen dendrimer conjugate, and 2) mouse models with mutations in ERα. The selective targeting of activation function 2 of ERα provides a model of nuclear ERα loss-of-function, whereas mutation of the ERα palmitoylation site leads to a model of membrane ERα deficiency. The combination of pharmacological and genetic approaches including hematopoietic chimera mice demonstrated that absence of either membrane or nuclear ERα activation in bone marrow does not prevent the prolongation of the tail-bleeding time, suggesting a redundancy of these two functions for this E2 effect. In addition, although hematopoietic membrane ERα is neither sufficient nor necessary to protect E2-treated mice from collagen/epinephrine-induced thromboembolism, the protection against death-induced thromboembolism is significantly reduced in the absence of hematopoietic nuclear ERα activation. Overall, this study emphasizes that hematopoietic cells (likely megakaryocytes and possibly immune cells) constitute an important target in the antithrombotic effects of estrogens, and delineate for the first time in vivo the respective roles of membrane vs nuclear ERα effects, with a prominent role of the latter.
A Benzophosphole P-Oxide with an Electron-Donating Group at 3-Position: Enhanced Fluorescence in Polar Solvents
Authors: Yamaguchi Eriko , Fukazawa Aiko , Kosaka Youhei , Yokogawa Daisuke , Irle Stephan , Yamaguchi Shigehiro
Published: August 2015

Fluorophores with intramolecular charge-transfer (ICT) character in the excited state exhibit significant solvatochromism of their fluorescence. Here, we report an example for such compounds, a benzophosphole P-oxide bearing an electron-donating p-(diphenylamino)phenyl group at the 3-position. While this compound shows only subtle dependence of the absorption maximum on the solvent polarity (λmax = 383–392 nm), its emission maximum is significantly red-shifted upon increasing the solvent polarity (cyclohexane: λem = 457 nm; DMF: λem = 598 nm). Most notably, the fluorescence quantum yields gradually increase with increased Stokes shifts, ultimately reaching ΦF = 0.28 in DMF. This trend is fundamentally different from that observed for the corresponding 2-(diphenylamino)phenyl-substituted benzophosphole congener, for which applications as a fluorescent bioimaging probe were previously demonstrated. In this study, the origins of this striking difference are examined by a combined experimental and theoretical approach. Our results suggest that the observed difference arises from a significant contribution of quinoidal resonance forms in the ICT excited state, which suppresses nonradiative decay and hence increases the quantum yield in polar solvents.
Highlights of the first ISCB Student Council Symposium in Africa 2015
Authors: Souilmi Yassine , Allali Imane , Badad Oussama , Dwibedi Chinmay Kumar
Published: August 2015

This is a summary of the activities and scientific content of the first International Society for Computational Biology Student Council symposium in Africa. This meeting organized by the students for the students took place 8th of March 2015 in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania.
Combatting Crime in China: Legal-Regulatory Aspect
Authors: Troshchinskiy Pavel
Published: August 2015

This article examines the features of legal regulation pursued by the Chinese government in fighting crime. It contains, as examples, current acts of law-making which have been adopted by the legislator in the field of anti-corruption, combating the illicit distribution of narcotic (psychotropic substances), driving the vehicle while intoxicated. The article gives brief historical retrospective of the main directions in the field of crime prevention and combatting after the formation of the PRC in 1949. It is noted, that after the death of Mao and beginning of the “revolutionary” reform and transparency (1978), the Chinese society was challenged by an increasing crime rate, especially in the economic sphere. Law-maker was confronted with urgent necessity to elaborate the much needed codified acts of law-making in the field of criminal law. The Parliament would pass local Decrees in attempt to fill the gaps in the then existing legislation and which were aimed to toughen the criminal liability for new offenses. After introducing significant changes into the Criminal Code (1997) the legal regulation of the fighting against crime has reached a higher and complex stage. Over time, the Chinese legislature adopted various legal acts, the provisions of which also related to fighting against crime. Examples are: the Law “On Suppression of Money Laundering”, the Law “On Prohibition of Drugs”, etc. The analysis of said issues led to the following conclusions: China’s leadership adheres to a rigid criminal policy in the fight against the crime. This approach, according to the statistics, is justified and has already led to positive results. However, under the pressure of international community China embarked upon the path of liberalization of criminal punishment directly relating the death penalty. Due to the amendments to the Criminal Law of 2011, the number of offenses for which the offender may be sentenced to capital punishment has been reduced from 68 to 55. Legal regulation of the fight against crime in China presents not only interest from a scientific point of view but also as a big practical issue.
The Role of In-House Councels in Alternative Dispute Settlement
Authors: Gaidaenko Schaer Natalia
Published: August 2015

The role of the in-house counsels in the commercial companies in the development of alternative dispute resolution practices is currently becoming widespread. The author studies the positive experience accumulated by foreign companies. Also, the article examines the trends where the role of in-house counsels is changing to become more than merely supportive, but to the status of a full fledged party in matters of company management through the system of conflict management which is built into the structure of the company’s business development. In view thereof, the author comes to the conclusion that it is desirable to acquaint the in-house counsels with negotiation technologies in dealing with commercial counterparts.
The Corpus Delicti of International Crime
Authors: Rusanov Gyeorgiy
Published: August 2015

The author studies the composition of international crime as a legal phenomena. Subject to analysis are separate elements of corpus delicti of international crime and , in particular, actus reus, mens rea and subject of crime. The signs of actus reas are either an act exclusively or a totality of acts, consequences thereof and relationships between them. Mens rea of international crimes, as a rule, is associated with a particularity of a crime. An optional element here may be the objective, aim of a crime. Subject of international crime are physical persons. In national penal laws of certain states juridical persons may be subjects of criminal responsibility. A state may be a subject of international crime, but may not be a subject of responsibility.
A better use of your time
Authors: Webb Penny
Published: August 2015

When it comes to assessment, pre-planning months ahead is not needed, in fact, thinking on your feet planning is a far more effective way of ensuring you meet every child's needs.
It is your duty to prevent
Authors: Martland Rebecca
Published: August 2015

The Prevent Duty Statutory Guidance recognises the importance of working to safeguard young children who are the ‘most vulnerable and impressionable members of society’.
The significance of bruising in the pre-mobile infant
Authors: Malumphy Siobhan , Patterson Dorothy , Hoy Leontia
Published: August 2015

The majority of children in the UK are loved and cared for. The occasional cases of intentional injury to a child resulting in death or significant harm evoke powerful and uncomfortable feelings ( Devaney et al, 2013 ), and the public outcry may result in health and social workers facing criticism. Identifying whether an infant is at risk of abuse can be a source of stress and anxiety for practitioners ( Brandon et al, 2011 ). Bruising is a strong indicator of child abuse involving intentional injury ( Kemp et al, 2014 ). The incidence of bruising correlates to developmental stage, with non-mobile infants least likely to incur bruising. Therefore, its presence in pre-mobile infants requires immediate assessment. A search of the literature around bruising in pre-mobile infants revealed themes of missed opportunities for early intervention, the role of the father in the family and the significance of child development. Sharing of knowledge and expertise within the multidisciplinary team is key to safeguarding infants.
Impact of bonding questionnaires in an assessment of maternal–infant bonding: A review of the literature
Authors: Mason Malgorzata
Published: August 2015

Maternal–infant bonding is paramount in forming secure attachment. A literature review was conducted with the aim of considering the relevance of using bonding questionnaires in assessment of bonding. Following a literature search, 12 studies were selected. The bonding questionnaires most commonly used in the studies were the Postpartum Bonding Questionnaire ( Brockington et al, 2001 ) and the Mother-to-Infant Bonding Scale ( Taylor et al, 2005 ), although these were adapted and modified in some studies. It was found that up to 13% of mothers not diagnosed with depression develop bonding problems. The use of these bonding questionnaires may be a cost-effective method of screening for bonding disorders, simultaneously raising awareness among mothers and health visitors.
Kent health visitors celebrate World Breastfeeding Week 2015
Authors: thomas sara
Published: August 2015

During the first week of August, an international campaign aimed to promote breastfeeding, with a focus on supporting women to combine breastfeeding and work. Sara Thomas reveals how health visitors across Kent celebrated the awareness week.
Using your leadership skills to achieve improved outcomes for children and families
Authors: McInnes Elaine , Rich Terry
Published: August 2015

In the final part of their series on leadership, Elaine McInnes and Terry Rich discuss how health visitors' leadership skills can be maximised to improve outcomes.
Inspiration to continue with the endless juggling act
Authors: Forbes Lisa
Published: August 2015

Reflecting on her training to become a health visitor and looking ahead to her new career, Lisa Forbes considers the ways in which mothers—including her own, and the many she has met during her SCPHN course—have motivated and inspired her.
Crafting a JMR Manuscript
Authors: Reinartz Werner J.
Published: August 2015

The author provides a guide for effectively communicating and organizing ideas in an academic marketing paper in a manner that allows reviewers to best see their merit. He argues that it is often not the central idea of a piece that falters, but rather the mechanical and stylistic expression of that idea. He posits a straightforward methodology for eschewing ambiguity and appropriately highlighting salient research against a backdrop that is clean and well constructed.
Solution and fuzzy stability of a mixed type functional equation
Authors: Narasimman P.
Published: August 2015

In this paper, we obtain the general solution and we study the generalized Hyers–Ulam stability of the mixed type additive-quadratic functional equation
A method of predicting the secondary protein structure based on dictionaries
Authors: Roterman-Konieczna Irena , Fabian Piotr , Stąpor Katarzyna
Published: August 2015

The shape of a protein chain may be analyzed at different levels of details. The ultimate shape description contains three-dimensional coordinates of all atoms in the chain. In many cases, a description of the local shape, namely secondary structure, is enough to determine some properties of proteins. Although obtaining the full three-dimensional (3D) information also defines the secondary structure, the problem of finding this precise 3D shape (tertiary structure) given only the amino acid sequence is very complex. However, the secondary structure may be found even without having the full 3D information. Many methods have been developed for this purpose. Most of them are based on similarities of the analyzed protein chain to other proteins that are already analyzed and have a known secondary structure. The presented paper proposes a method based on dictionaries of known structures for predicting the secondary structure from either the primary structure or the so-called structural code. Accuracies of up to 79% have been achieved.
Multiscale investigation of stress-corrosion crack propagation mechanisms in oxide glasses
Authors: Pallares Gaël , George Matthieu , Ponson Laurent , Chapuliot Stéphane , Roux Stéphane , Ciccotti Matteo
Published: August 2015

Fracture propagation involves the coupling of many length scales ranging from the sample loading geometry to the molecular level. In brittle materials, the length scales of the damage process zone are reduced to a submicrometric scale and the coupling with the macroscopic scale is expected to be the domain of linear elastic fracture mechanics. However, although 2D elastic analyses are generally adequate to describe the sample deformation at macroscopic scales, local investigations of failure mechanisms at the sample-free surface require the use of 3D mechanical tools due to the crack front local curvature and to the corner point singularities at the intersection between the crack front and the external surfaces of the sample. We present here a thorough multiscale investigation of the slow crack growth of a sharp crack in oxide glasses in the stress-corrosion regime, combining experimental and numerical analyses of the displacement fields from the millimeter scale to the nanoscale range. The principal aim of the study is identifying the length and time scales of the mechanisms of damage and interaction between water and glass, which have been the subject of an extensive debate in the last decades.
Ag Nanowires Single Electrode Triboelectric Nanogenerator and Its Angle Sensors
Authors: Cheng Lu , Xi Yi , Hu Chenguo , Yue Xule , Wang Guo
Published: August 2015

As we known, nanogenerator (NG) can be used in many fields, such as sensors, energy harvesting, biomedical application, and so on. Sometimes, the object that is a part of NG cannot be electrically connected to the load because it is a mobile object. To harvest energy from such a case and reduce the fabrication cost and achieve some new applications such as touch screen products, we need to find new method to fabricate NG. To attain the higher output current and output power, moreover, here we report a flexible and easy fabricated single electrode triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) based on polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and silver (Ag) nanowires (NWs). Due to Ag NWs high specific surface area, the electrical conductivity of Ag NWs is better than the block of Ag, and PDMS is the transparent and flexible. The single electrode TENG not only can harvest energy from environment but also is a self-powered sensor for detecting acceleration from different angles. This TENG can attain an open-circuit voltage up to 330 V, a maximum short-circuit current of 15.5 μ A (2.6 μ A/cm2) and a maximum power of 1.5 mW (0.25 mW/cm2) on the load of 20 MΩ.
Protective effect of dietary fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum) seeds and garlic (Allium sativum) on induced oxidation of low-density lipoprotein in rats
Authors: Mukthamba Puttaswamy , Srinivasan Krishnapura
Published: August 2015

Background: Dietary fenugreek seeds (Trigonella foenum-graecum) and garlic (Allium sativum) have been previously observed to have cardioprotective influence in experimentally induced myocardial infarction in rats. Since low-density lipoprotein (LDL) oxidation is a key factor in the arteriosclerotic process, we evaluated their potential in minimizing the LDL oxidation in rats.

Methods: Fenugreek seeds, garlic, and their combination were included along with a high-cholesterol diet for 8 weeks.

Results: Iron-induced oxidation of LDL in vivo was considerably lowered by dietary fenugreek and garlic. The extent of copper-induced oxidation of isolated LDL in vitro was also signiﬁcantly lesser in fenugreek-fed or fenugreek+garlic-fed rats. Anodic electrophoretic mobility of the oxidized LDL on agarose gel in case of spice-fed animals was decreased and hence consistent with the observed protective inﬂuence on LDL oxidation. Dietary fenugreek, garlic, and their combination significantly lowered lipid peroxide levels in plasma, liver, and heart in iron (II)-administered rats. The results suggest that these two dietary spices have protective effect on LDL oxidation under normal situation as well as in hypercholesterolemic situation. The protective effect of the combination of dietary fenugreek and garlic on LDL oxidation both in vivo and in vitro was greater than that of the individual spices.

Conclusions: The protective effect of dietary fenugreek and garlic on LDL oxidation both in vivo and in vitro as evidenced in the present study is suggestive of their cardioprotective potential since LDL oxidation is a key factor in the arteriosclerotic process.
The emerging role of the endocannabinoid system in the pathogenesis and treatment of kidney diseases
Authors: Tam Joseph
Published: August 2015

Endocannabinoids (eCBs) are endogenous lipid ligands that bind to cannabinoid receptors that also mediate the effects of marijuana. The eCB system is comprised of eCBs, anandamide, and 2-arachidonoyl glycerol, their cannabinoid-1 and cannabinoid-2 receptors (CB1 and CB2, respectively), and the enzymes involved in their biosynthesis and degradation. It is present in both the central nervous system and peripheral organs including the kidney. The current review focuses on the role of the eCB system in normal kidney function and various diseases, such as diabetes and obesity, that directly contributes to the development of renal pathologies. Normally, activation of the CB1 receptor regulates renal vascular hemodynamics and stimulates the transport of ions and proteins in different nephron compartments. In various mouse and rat models of obesity and type 1 and 2 diabetes mellitus, eCBs generated in various renal cells activate CB1 receptors and contribute to the development of oxidative stress, inflammation, and renal fibrosis. These effects can be chronically ameliorated by CB1 receptor blockers. In contrast, activation of the renal CB2 receptors reduces the deleterious effects of these chronic diseases. Because the therapeutic potential of globally acting CB1 receptor antagonists in these conditions is limited due to their neuropsychiatric adverse effects, the recent development of peripherally restricted CB1 receptor antagonists may represent a novel pharmacological approach in treating renal diseases.
Utilizing a Photo-Analysis Software for Content Identifying Method (CIM)
Authors: Nejad Nasim Sahraei , Ali Sharghi
Published: August 2015

Content Identifying Methodology or (CIM) was developed to measure public preferences in order to reveal the common characteristics of landscapes and aspects of underlying perceptions including the individual's reactions to content and spatial configuration, therefore, it can assist with the identification of factors that influenced preference. Regarding the analysis of landscape photographs through CIM, there are several studies utilizing image analysis software, such as Adobe Photoshop, in order to identify the physical contents in the scenes. This study attempts to evaluate public’s ‘preferences for aesthetic qualities of pedestrian bridges in urban areas through a photo-questionnaire survey, in which respondents evaluated images of pedestrian bridges in urban areas. Two groups of images were evaluated as the most and least preferred scenes that concern the highest and lowest mean scores respectively. These two groups were analyzed by CIM and also evaluated based on the respondent’s description of each group to reveal the pattern of preferences and the factors that may affect them. Digimizer Software was employed to triangulate the two approaches and to determine the role of these factors on people’s preferences. This study attempts to introduce the useful software for image analysis which can measure the physical contents and also their spatial organization in the scenes. According to the findings, it is revealed that Digimizer could be a useful tool in CIM approaches through preference studies that utilizes photographs in place of the actual landscape in order to determine the most important factors in public preferences for pedestrian bridges in urban areas.
Fuel Wood Consumption and Species Degradation in South-Western Nigeria: The Ecological Relevance
Authors: Orimoogunje Oluwagbenga O.I. , Asifat Janet
Published: August 2015

The continuous dependence of man on fuel and service wood has resulted in serious degradation of the fragile forest ecosystem. Therefore, this study evaluated the sources and patterns of fuel wood and examined the rate of consumption in the study area. This was with the aim to assess the ecological implications of fuelwood consumption on species degradation. The study utilized both, primary and secondary data. Information was extracted from topographic map on the scale of 1: 50,000 and satellites imageries that cover the study area. Questionnaire administration, field observation and weight measurement of fuel wood were carried out. The results showed that the sources of fuel wood for domestic cooking were forest, nearby bush and abandoned farm while the sources of domestic energy were fuel wood (61.17%), charcoal (27%), kerosene (10%), electricity (1.33%) and gas (0.5%). Fuel wood for small scale industries were: forest (49.23%), farmland (34.62) and fallow land (16.15%). The trend of fuel wood consumption was on the high side from 1995 to 2011, it was 58% in 1995, 70% in 2000, 82% in 2005 and 92% in 2010 and 2011 respectively. Many valuable economic tree species such as Triplochiton scleroxylon, Nesogordonia papaverifera, and Cordia spp. are near their extinction. Animals such as antelope, wolf and fox are going into extinction while monkey, grasscutter, hare, rabbit were endemic in the study area. The study concluded that the patterns of fuel wood use and fuel wood saturation presents a great danger for biodiversity products and services.
Monitoring and analysis of nyamulagira volcano activity using modis data: case of the 2011-2012 eruption
Authors: Bagalwa Montfort , Karume Katcho
Published: August 2015

In this paper we analyzed the 2011-2012 eruption of Nyamulagira volcano using MODIS Data. Eruptions have been occurring every 3–4 years throughout the last century. Satellite infrared data, collected by MODIS sensor to estimate pixels thermal anomaly of hot spots were analized, the radiance emitted at 3,959 and 12.02μm for each pixel and the thermal emissions at Nyamulagira feall into three distinct radiating regimes released during the 2011–2012 eruption. Initial activity was detected on 6 November, at 19:55 UTC, with a large thermal anomaly with 28 pixels approximately on the north flank of the volcano. The anomaly was limited to the north flank. The anomaly reached a maximum size of 1188 pixels in January 2012. The size and intensity of the anomaly rapidly diminished to first April 2012 were no more than 2 piixels indicate the end of eruption.
Degradation of PVDF-based composite membrane and its impacts on membrane intrinsic and separation properties
Authors: Lee Mei Jiun , Ong Chi Siang , Lau Woei Jye , Ng Be Cheer , Ismail Ahmad Fauzi , Lai Soon Onn
Published: August 2015

In this work, an attempt was made to evaluate the effects of ultraviolet (UV) irradiation period on the intrinsic and separation properties of composite membrane composed of organic polyvinylidene fluoride and inorganic titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles by exposing the membrane to UV-A light for up to 250 h. The changes on membrane structural morphologies and chemical characteristics upon UV exposure were studied by field-emission scanning electron microscope and Fourier transform infrared, respectively. It was observed that some cracks and fractures were formed on the membrane outer surface when it was exposed to 120-h UV light. Further increase in UV irradiation time to 250 h had caused membrane structure to collapse, turning it into powder form. Filtration experiments showed that the permeate flux of irradiated membrane was significantly increased from 10.89 L/m2 h to 21.84 L/m2 h (>100% flux increment) while oil rejection decreased with increasing UV exposure time from 0 h to 120 h. Furthermore, the mechanical strength and thermal stability of irradiated membrane were also reported to decrease with increasing UV exposure time, suggesting the negative impacts of UV light on the membrane overall stability. This research is of particular importance to evaluate the suitability and sustainability of polymeric membrane, which is widely considered as the host for photocatalyts and used for wastewater treatment process under UV irradiation.
Effects of bottom ash and granulated blast furnace slag as fine aggregate on abrasion resistance of concrete
Authors: Bilir Turhan , Yüksel Isa , Topcu Ilker Bekir , Gencel Osman
Published: August 2015

Abrasion resistance is one of the most important durability properties of concrete. Especially, highway, airport and industrial floor pavements should be resistant to abrasion. Recently, many research studies have been carried out on the utilization of industrial by-products in concrete. Granulated blast-furnace slag (GBFS) and bottom ash (BA) are two of these by-products. BA is not generally utilized in concrete and has a limited usage. It is mostly dumped, leading to additional costs and environmental problems. On the other hand, both GBFS and BA have potential for concrete production to provide sustainability. They can substitute fine aggregate thanks to their positive effects on concrete durability. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the abrasion resistance of concretes produced with GBFS and BA substituting fine aggregate. Three different concrete series were produced by replacing fine aggregate with GBFS, BA and both of them by mixing them at equal ratios. The replacement ratios of by-products were 10%, 20%, 30%, 40% and 50% by volume. Compressive strength and Bohme abrasion tests were conducted on series. Results were compared to each other. It can be said that abrasion resistance can be improved by these by-products.
High-resolution fiber-coupled interferometric point sensor for micro- and nano-metrology
Authors: Schake Markus , Schulz Markus , Lehmann Peter
Published: August 2015

The determination of surface roughness is a common challenge in
industrial quality assurance. Because tactile techniques like the stylus
method or atomic force microscopy run the risk of damaging the measurement
object there is a high demand for contact-free optical measurements. In this
contribution we demonstrate the feasibility of a high resolution fiber-coupled
interferometric point sensor with periodical path length modulation to
determine the surface profile of rough surfaces. Measurements on two specimens
characterized by different roughness parameters are presented and corrections
for common measurement errors, due to phase ambiguity are
discussed.
Einsatzblock mit einer Mehrfachfixpunktzelle für einen Temperatur-Blockkalibrator
Authors: Marin Sebastian , Hohmann Michael , Schalles Marc , Krapf Gunter , Fröhlich Thomas
Published: August 2015

Eine Mehrfachfixpunktzelle zur Verwendung in einem Temperatur
Blockkalibrator wurde mittels Finite-Elemente Simulationen mit
ANSYS Workbench und parametrischen Variationen in optiSLang
entworfen. Die Zelle enthält drei reine Materialien, sogenannte
Fixpunktmaterialien, die ihre Fixpunkttemperaturen (Schmelz- und
Erstarrungstemperatur) innerhalb des Arbeitsbereiches des
Blockkalibrratores, 20 ℃ bis 600 ℃
haben. Sie ermöglichen eine in-situ Kalibrierung des unteren
Referenzsensors des Blockkalibrators bei den
Phasenumwandlungstemperaturen der Fixpunktmaterialien. Dieser Artikel
zeigt unterschiedliche mögliche Geometrien der Mehrfachfixpunktzelle,
ihre Optimierung, simulierte Temperaturverläufe während der
Phasenumwandlung und Temperaturfelder, sowie die Bewertung der
Konstruktionsvarianten.
Minimalinvasives, doppelt fasergekoppeltes
Laserhygrometer für die schnelle in-situ Gasanalyse
mit Absorptionslängen im Millimeterbereich
Authors: Klein Alexander , Ebert Volker
Published: August 2015

Die direkte Absorptionsspektroskopie mittels durchstimmbaren
Diodenlasern (dTDLAS) ist ein vielversprechendes Analysenverfahren
für eine schnelle, hoch-selektive, empfindliche,
kalibrierungsfreie, in-situ Analyse von Gaskomponenten. Für viele
optisch schlecht zugängliche Anwendungen, bspw. in der Prozess-
oder Verbrennungsanalyse, sind jedoch extrem kompakte,
minimalinvasive, fasergekoppelte Sensoren besonders interessant. Dies
gilt vor allem für die schnelle Gasanalyse in Verbrennungsmotoren,
aufgrund der extremen schnell variablen Prozessbedingungen und der
sehr begrenzten Zugangsmöglichkeiten.

Für extrem platzbeschränkte Anwendungen bspw. in der
Motordiagnostik wurde ein neues, dank doppelter Faserkopplung, sehr
kompaktes, Laserhygrometer im kurzwelligen Infrarot entwickelt. Das
sehr schnelle Spektrometer verfügt über einen minimalinvasiven
Sensorkopf, dessen Sensoroptik – mit einem Außendurchmesser von
12 mm – die Größe einer handelsüblichen
Zündkerze hat und in den Motorblock eingeschraubt werden
kann. Dank einer einfach gefalteten, nur 21 mm langen
Wegstrecke, ermöglicht er, stark lokalisierte, in-situ
Wasserdampfmessungen am Zündkerzenport eines Motors, mit kHz
Repetitionsrate und einer Zeitauflösung im μs-Bereich.

Anhand eines im Rahmen der Arbeit hergestellten, voll
funktionsfähigen Sensorprototyps wurde das spektroskopische,
optische und mechanische Konzept erfolgreich an einer Hochdruckzelle
validiert. Dabei wurde bei 100 μs Zeitauflösung
eine optische Auflösung der Absorbanz von 3E-3 erreicht. Der Sensor ermöglicht hierbei eine kalibrierungsfreie
H2O Messung mit einer Detektionsgrenze von
0.06 Vol.-% und einem Dynamikbereich von
0.1 Vol.-% bis 100 Vol.-%. Druckbereiche
von 0.1–0.5 MPa wurden erfolgreich realisiert, so dass
der Kompressionstakt eines Motors sehr gut untersucht werden
kann. Desweiteren konnten die Unsicherheiten für die H2O
Messung mittels dTDLAS, durch die Bestimmung der benötigten
molekularen Parameter (z. B. Linienstärke) mit hoher Genauigkeit,
maßgeblich verbessert werden.
Eschatologie und Ethik bei Paul Tillich
Authors: Matern Harald
Published: August 2015

Paul Tillich’s eschatology is strongly linked to his ethics. In order to understand the theological and philosophical implications of this linkage it is necessary to consult his systematic main works from the 1920’s era. The intellectual environment of the Weimar era was used to apocalyptical descriptions of its present age - which within protestant theology was reflected in eschatological terms. Tillich’s contribution to the eschatological discourse of that time consisted in the development of an eschatology which (while preserving the critical attitude of dialectic theology) was designed to be a transcendental theory reflecting the conditions of the constitution of agency.
Von der Erwartung zur Utopie.
Authors: Sturm Erdmann
Published: August 2015

Expectation and utopia are rooted in the ontological structure of man’s being. The struggle for a meaningful society and against a demonized society is a necessary expression for the expectation of the Kingdom of God. In his paper on “The Kingdom of God and History” from 1936, Tillich does not start from man’s ontological structure and his expectation or utopia but from the symbol for the Kingdom of God. In his bi-polar “applied theology” and his doctrine of the kairos he affirms the idea that the Kingdom of God is involved in historical events, in actualization in time.
A Flippase-Mediated GAL80/GAL4 Intersectional Resource for Dissecting Appendage Development inDrosophila
Authors: Smith Brittany N , Ghazanfari Arash M , Bohm Rudolf A , Welch William P , Zhang Bing , Masly John P
Published: August 2015

Drosophila imaginal discs provide an ideal model to study processes important for cell signaling and cell specification, tissue differentiation, and cell competition during development. One challenge to understanding genetic control of cellular processes and cell interactions is the difficulty in effectively targeting a defined subset of cells in developing tissues in gene manipulation experiments. A recently developed Flippase-induced intersectional GAL80/GAL4 repression method incorporates several gene manipulation technologies in Drosophila to enable such fine-scale dissection in neural tissues. In particular, this approach brings together existing GAL4 transgenes, newly developed enhancer-trap flippase transgenes, and GAL80 transgenes flanked by Flippase recognition target sites. The combination of these tools enables gene activation/repression in particular subsets of cells within a GAL4 expression pattern. Here, we expand the utility of a large collection of these enhancer-trap flippase transgenic insertion lines by characterizing their expression patterns in third larval instar imaginal discs. We screened 521 different enhancer-trap flippase lines and identified 28 that are expressed in imaginal tissues, including two transgenes that show sex-specific expression patterns. Using a line that expresses Flippase in the wing imaginal disc, we demonstrate the utility of this intersectional approach for studying development by knocking down gene expression of a key member of the planar cell polarity pathway. The results of our experiments show that these enhancer-trap flippase lines enable fine-scale manipulation in imaginal discs.
Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress–Related Genes in Yellow Catfish Pelteobagrus fulvidraco: Molecular Characterization, Tissue Expression, and Expression Responses to Dietary Copper Deficiency and Excess
Authors: Song Yu-Feng , Luo Zhi , Huang Chao , Chen Qi-Liang , Pan Ya–Xiong , Xu Yi-Huan
Published: August 2015

Two endoplasmic reticulum (ER) molecular chaperones [glucose-regulated protein 78 (grp78) and calreticulin (crt)] and three ER stress sensors [PKR-like ER kinase (perk), inositol requiring enzyme (ire)-1α, and activating transcription factor (atf)-6α] cDNAs were first characterized from yellow catfish, Pelteobagrus fulvidraco. The predicted amino acid sequences for the yellow catfish grp78, crt, perk, ire-1α, and atf-6α revealed that the proteins contained all of the structural features that were characteristic of the five genes in other species, including the KDEL motif, signal peptide, sensor domain, and effector domain. mRNAs of the five genes mentioned above were expressed in various tissues, but their mRNA levels varied among tissues. Dietary Cu excess, but not Cu deficiency, activated the chaperones (grp78 and crt) and folding sensors in ER, and the UPR signaling pathways (i.e., perk–eif2α and the ire1–xbp1) in a tissue-specific manner. For the first time, our study cloned grp78, crt, perk, ire-1α, and atf-6α genes in yellow catfish and demonstrated their differential expression among tissues. Moreover, the present study also indicated differential regulation of these ER stress–related genes by dietary Cu deficiency and excess, which will be beneficial for us to evaluate effects of dietary Cu levels in fish at the molecular level, based on the upstream pathway of lipid metabolism (the ER) and thus provide novel insights regarding the nutrition of Cu in fish.