bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Genistein promotes cell death of ethanol-stressed HeLa cells through the continuation of apoptosis or secondary necrosis
Authors: Xie Xin , Wang Shan Shan , Wong Timothy Chung Sing , Fung Ming Chiu 
Published: June 2013

Abstract

Background
Apoptosis is a major target and treatment effect of multiple chemotherapeutical agents in cancer. A soybean isoflavone, genistein, is a well-studied chemopreventive agent and has been reported to potentiate the anticancer effect of some chemotherapeutics. However, its mechanistic basis of chemo-enhancement effect remains to be fully elucidated.

Methods
Apoptotic features of low concentration stressed cancer cells were studied by microscopic method, western blot, immunostaining and annexin V/PI assay. Genistein’s effects on unstressed cells and recovering cells were investigated using MTT cell viability assay and LDH cytotoxicity assay. Quantitative real-time PCR was employed to analyze the possible gene targets involved in the recovery and genistein’s effect.

Results
Low-concentration ethanol stressed cancer cells showed apoptotic features and could recover after stress removal. In stressed cells, genistein at sub-toxic dosage promoted the cell death. Quantitative real-time PCR revealed the up-regulation of anti-apoptotic genes MDM2 and XIAP during the recovery process in HeLa cells, and genistein treatment suppressed their expression. The application of genistein, MDM2 inhibitor and XIAP inhibitor to the recovering HeLa cells caused persistent caspase activity and enhanced cell death. Flow cytometry study indicated that genistein treatment could lead to persistent phosphatidylserine (PS) externalization and necrotic events in the recovering HeLa cells. Caspase activity inhibition shifted the major effect of genistein to necrosis.

Conclusions
These results suggested two possible mechanisms through which genistein promoted cell death in stressed cancer cells. Genistein could maintain the existing apoptotic signal to enhance apoptotic cell death. It could also disrupt the recovering process in caspase-independent manner, which lead to necrotic events. These effects may be related to the enhanced antitumor effect of chemotherapeutic drugs when they were combined with genistein.
Frontiers of torenia research: innovative ornamental traits and study of ecological interaction networks through genetic engineering
Authors: Nishihara Masahiro , Shimoda Takeshi , Nakatsuka Takashi , Arimura Gen-ichiro 
Published: June 2013

Abstract
Advances in research in the past few years on the ornamental plant torenia (Torenia spps.) have made it notable as a model plant on the frontier of genetic engineering aimed at studying ornamental characteristics and pest control in horticultural ecosystems. The remarkable advantage of torenia over other ornamental plant species is the availability of an easy and high-efficiency transformation system for it. Unfortunately, most of the current torenia research is still not very widespread, because this species has not become prominent as an alternative to other successful model plants such as Arabidopsis, snapdragon and petunia. However, nowadays, a more global view using not only a few selected models but also several additional species are required for creating innovative ornamental traits and studying horticultural ecosystems. We therefore introduce and discuss recent research on torenia, the family Scrophulariaceae, for secondary metabolite bioengineering, in which global insights into horticulture, agriculture and ecology have been advanced. Floral traits, in torenia particularly floral color, have been extensively studied by manipulating the flavonoid biosynthetic pathways in flower organs. Plant aroma, including volatile terpenoids, has also been genetically modulated in order to understand the complicated nature of multi-trophic interactions that affect the behavior of predators and pollinators in the ecosystem. Torenia would accordingly be of great use for investigating both the variation in ornamental plants and the infochemical-mediated interactions with arthropods.
Metabolite analysis distinguishes between mice with epidermolysis bullosa acquisita and healthy mice
Authors: Schönig Sarah , Recke Andreas , Hirose Misa , Ludwig Ralf J , Seeger Karsten 
Published: June 2013

Abstract

Background
Epidermolysis bullosa acquisita (EBA) is a rare skin blistering disease with a prevalence of 0.2/ million people. EBA is characterized by autoantibodies against type VII collagen. Type VII collagen builds anchoring fibrils that are essential for the dermal-epidermal junction. The pathogenic relevance of antibodies against type VII collagen subdomains has been demonstrated both in vitro and in vivo. Despite the multitude of clinical and immunological data, no information on metabolic changes exists.

Methods
We used an animal model of EBA to obtain insights into metabolomic changes during EBA. Sera from mice with immunization-induced EBA and control mice were obtained and metabolites were isolated by filtration. Proton nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra were recorded and analyzed by principal component analysis (PCA), partial least squares discrimination analysis (PLS-DA) and random forest.

Results
The metabolic pattern of immunized mice and control mice could be clearly distinguished with PCA and PLS-DA. Metabolites that contribute to the discrimination could be identified via random forest. The observed changes in the metabolic pattern of EBA sera, i.e. increased levels of amino acid, point toward an increased energy demand in EBA.

Conclusions
Knowledge about metabolic changes due to EBA could help in future to assess the disease status during treatment. Confirming the metabolic changes in patients needs probably large cohorts.
Nrf2 impacts cellular bioenergetics by controlling substrate availability for mitochondrial respiration
Authors: Holmström Kira M. , Baird Liam , Zhang Ying , Hargreaves Iain , Chalasani Annapurna , Land John M. , Stanyer Lee , Yamamoto Masayuki , Dinkova-Kostova Albena T. , Abramov Andrey Y. 
Published: June 2013

Summary
Transcription factor Nrf2 and its repressor Keap1 regulate a network of cytoprotective genes involving more than 1% of the genome, their best known targets being drug-metabolizing and antioxidant genes. Here we demonstrate a novel role for this pathway in directly regulating mitochondrial bioenergetics in murine neurons and embryonic fibroblasts. Loss of Nrf2 leads to mitochondrial depolarisation, decreased ATP levels and impaired respiration, whereas genetic activation of Nrf2 increases the mitochondrial membrane potential and ATP levels, the rate of respiration and the efficiency of oxidative phosphorylation. We further show that Nrf2-deficient cells have increased production of ATP in glycolysis, which is then used by the F1Fo-ATPase for maintenance of the mitochondrial membrane potential. While the levels and in vitro activities of the respiratory complexes are unaffected by Nrf2 deletion, their activities in isolated mitochondria and intact live cells are substantially impaired. In addition, the rate of regeneration of NADH after inhibition of respiration is much slower in Nrf2-knockout cells than in their wild-type counterparts. Taken together, these results show that Nrf2 directly regulates cellular energy metabolism through modulating the availability of substrates for mitochondrial respiration. Our findings highlight the importance of efficient energy metabolism in Nrf2-mediated cytoprotection.
The septum transversum mesenchyme induces gall bladder development
Authors: Saito Yohei , Kojima Takuya , Takahashi Naoki 
Published: June 2013

Summary
The liver, gall bladder, and ventral pancreas are formed from the posterior region of the ventral foregut. After hepatic induction, Sox17+/Pdx1+ pancreatobiliary common progenitor cells differentiate into Sox17+/Pdx1− gall bladder progenitors and Sox17−/Pdx1+ ventral pancreatic progenitors, but the cell-extrinsic signals that regulate this differentiation process are unknown. This study shows that the septum transversum mesenchyme (STM) grows in the posterior direction after E8.5, becoming adjacent to the presumptive gall bladder region, to induce gall bladder development. In this induction process, STM-derived BMP4 induces differentiation from common progenitor cells adjacent to the STM into gall bladder progenitor cells, by maintaining Sox17 expression and suppressing Pdx1 expression. Furthermore, the STM suppresses ectopic activation of the liver program in the posterior region of the ventral foregut following hepatic induction through an Fgf10/Fgfr2b/Sox9 signaling pathway. Thus, the STM plays pivotal roles in gall bladder development by both inductive and suppressive effects.
Development Of NRU Reflector Wall Inspection System
Authors: Lumsden R.H. , Luloff B. V. , Zahn N. , Simpson N. 
Published: June 2013

In 2009 May, the National Research Universal (NRU) calandria leaked. During the next year, the calandria was inspected with six new Non-Destructive Evaluation (NDE) techniques to determine the extent of the corrosion, repaired, and finally the repair was inspected with four additional new NDE techniques before the reactor was returned to service.The calandria is surrounded by a light-water reflector vessel fabricated from the same material as the calandria vessel. Concerns that the same corrosion mechanism had damaged the reflector vessel led to the development of a system to inspect the full circumference of the reflector wall for corrosion damage. The inspection region could only be accessed through 64 mm diameter ports, was 10 m below the port, and had to be inspected from the corroded surface. The ultrasonic technique was designed to produce a closely spaced wall thickness (WT) grid over an area of approximately 5 m2on the corroded surface using a very small probe holder.This paper describes the Reflector Wall Inspection (RWI) development project and the system that resulted.
Fuelling the debate: Predictive relationships among personality characteristics, motives and effects of melodramatic animated news viewing
Authors: Lo Wai Han , Cheng Benjamin Ka Lun 
Published: June 2013

Abstract
Melodramatic animated news is a new news reporting format used by some media organizations that has drawn a huge online viewership. This study adopted uses and gratifications theory and surveyed 312 college students to investigate their viewing of animated news. Seven motives were identified, through factor analysis, for viewing such animated news videos. The results of hierarchical regression analysis suggest predictive relationships among personality characteristics, the seven motives, the effects of perceived news credibility and newsworthiness, and the intention to share such animated news videos with others. Implications, ethical issues and directions for future research are discussed.
A model failure: Why news can no longer pay its way
Authors: Greenwood Sue 
Published: June 2013

Abstract
Throughout its history as a professionalized practice, the adoption of new technologies has affected news journalism as a consequence of changes in its delivery; its consumption; or its management. This article focuses on how new technologies, in particular the web, have affected the business of news. It considers whether the digitalization of news has undermined the business model to make the production of news journalism unaffordable for the handful of large companies that now dominate the UK and US newspaper industries. The article argues that the practice of journalism has become marginalized within the news industry because its business model is based on selling the attention news attracts, rather than on seeing the journalism producing the news as an asset. Finally, the article posits that there is no longer a successful, scalable business model for news journalism in the United Kingdom and United States and a new model will not emerge from adding digital delivery to existing models but from a re-imagining of journalism outside of the news industry.
Warning of potential disasters from outer space: A case study of coverage of asteroid threats
Authors: Shafer Richard , Aregood Richard , Higgs Kim 
Published: June 2013

Abstract
This study addresses issues related to mass media coverage of the threat of asteroid collisions with the earth and speculation on potential mass and catastrophic damage, injury and death. It explores the role of the mass media in reporting the danger of major asteroid impacts, when such impacts are less frequent, but potentially more damaging than disasters related to volcanoes, hurricanes, tsunamis, tornadoes or earthquakes. The study includes interviews with aerospace scientists contributing to determinations about what narrative structures and techniques are most effective in explaining through the mass media important scientific research on asteroid and other space object threats, without resorting to shallowness and sensationalism.
Capturing stories of change: Evaluating media practices of Papua New Guinean journalists during and after media attachment in Australia
Authors: Mikami Akina , Khosla Vipul , Popal Isabel , Freeman Sam 
Published: June 2013

Abstract
In recent years, there has been an increased recognition of the value of developing the professional capacity of journalists in developing countries and emerging democracies, and of evaluating these developments more effectively. In addition to the quantitative assessment of the media training programs along pre-defined indicators, this article argues for a participatory evaluation approach to assessing donor-funded media capacity building program to capture stories of change from the perspectives of the participants. Drawing on a case study of an evaluation of a media attachment program, ‘MDI Social Journalism Award’, it highlights the most significant change stories from the perspectives of two journalists from Papua New Guinea. The article outlines the outcomes and impacts of the program for the participating journalists, along with the facilitators and barriers that can influence the success of such media capacity building programs.
Area minimizing surfaces in mean convex 3-manifolds
Authors: Bourni Theodora , Coskunuzer Baris 
Published: June 2013

Abstract

In this paper, we give several results on area minimizing surfaces in strictly mean convex 3-manifolds. First, we study the genus of absolutely area minimizing surfaces in a compact, orientable, strictly mean convex 3-manifold M bounded by a simple closed curve in ∂M. Our main result is that for any g ≥ 0, the space of simple closed curves in ∂M where all the absolutely area minimizing surfaces they bound in M has genus ≥ g is open and dense in the space 𝒜 of nullhomologous simple closed curves in ∂M. For showing this we prove a bridge principle for absolutely area minimizing surfaces. Moreover, we show that for any g ≥ 0, there exists a curve γ
g
in 𝒜 such that the minimum genus of the absolutely area minimizing surfaces γ
g
bounds is exactly g.

As an application of these results, we further prove that the simple closed curves in ∂M bounding more than one minimal surface in M is an open and dense subset of 𝒜. We also show that there are disjoint simple closed curves in ∂M bounding minimal surfaces in M which are not disjoint. This allows us to answer a question of Meeks, by showing that for any strictly mean convex 3-manifold M, there exists a simple closed curve Γ in ∂M which bounds a stable minimal surface which is not embedded. We also gave some applications of these results to the simple closed curves in ℝ3.
Photoluminescence-enhanced CdTe quantum dots by hyperbranched poly(amidoamine)s functionalization
Authors: Shi Yunfeng , Wang Junjie , Li Sujuan , Wang Zongyao , Zang Xiuxiu , Zu Xuemin , Zhang Xiaoyin , Guo Fang , Tong Gangsheng 
Published: June 2013

Abstract
Designing Nanostructured Hybrid Inorganic-biological Materials via the Self-assembly
Authors: Koufos Evan , Dutt Meenakshi 
Published: June 2013

ABSTRACTOur objective is to design nanostructured hybrid inorganic-biological materials using the selfassembly of functionalized nanotubes and lipid molecules. In this presentation, we summarize the multiple control parameters which direct the equilibrium morphology of a specific class of nanostructured biomaterials. Individual lipid molecules are composed of a hydrophilic head group and two hydrophobic tails. A bare nanotube encompasses an ABA architecture, with a hydrophobic shaft (B) and two hydrophilic ends (A). We introduce hydrophilic hairs at one end of the tube to enable selective transport through the channel. The dimensions of the nanotube are set to minimize its hydrophobic mismatch with the lipid bilayer. We use a Molecular Dynamicsbased mesoscopic simulation technique called Dissipative Particle Dynamics which simultaneously resolves the structure and dynamics of the nanoscopic building blocks and the hybrid aggregate. The amphiphilic lipids and functionalized nanotubes self-assemble into a stable hybrid vesicle or a bicelle in the presence of a hydrophilic solvent. We demonstrate that the morphology of the hybrid structures is directed by factors such as the temperature, the molecular rigidity of the lipid molecules, and the concentration of the nanotubes. We present material characterization of the equilibrium morphology of the various hybrid nanostructures. A combination of the material characterization and the morphologies of the hybrid aggregates can be used to predict the structure and properties of other hybrid materials.
Marine Adhesive Containing Nanocomposite Hydrogel with Enhanced Materials and Bioadhesive Properties
Authors: Liu Yuan , Zhan Hao , Skelton Sarah , Lee Bruce P. 
Published: June 2013

ABSTRACT4-arm poly(ethylene glycol) end-capped with mimics of adhesive moiety found in mussel adhesive protein, dopamine, was combined with a biocompatible nano-silicate, Laponite, in creating a nanocomposite hydrogel with improved materials and adhesive properties. Dopamine’s ability to form both irreversible covalent (cohesive and interfacial) and reversible physical (with Laponite) crosslinks was exploited in creating an injectable tissue adhesive. Incorporation of Laponite did not interfere with the curing of the adhesive. In some instances, increasing Laponite content reduced gelation time as dopamine-Laponite bond reduced the required number of covalent bonds needed for network formation. Incorporation of Laponite also increased compressive materials properties (e.g., max strength, energy to failure, etc.) of the nanocomposite without compromising its compliance as strain at failure was also increased. From lap shear adhesion test using wetted pericardium as the substrate, incorporating Laponite increased work of adhesion by 5 fold over that of control. Strong, physical bonds formed between dopamine and Laponite increased bulk materials properties, which contributed to the enhanced adhesive properties.
Selective Etching of SnO2:F Films with a Pulse Programmable Industrial Fiber Laser
Authors: Rekow M. , Panarello T. , Sampath W. S. 
Published: June 2013

ABSTRACTIn our work on laser scribing CdTe solar cells we have found what appears to be an unpublished laser material interaction that allows precise laser etching of SnO2 films to an arbitrary thickness with high uniformity. This precise and efficient laser etching mechanism allows arbitrary reduction of the film thickness in a controlled manner on the scale of tens of nm. In addition to the fine depth selection, we find that there develops a pulse duration dependent microstructure on the surface. This micro microstructure results in a strong diffraction effect in the visible portion of the spectrum. In this work we propose a physical mechanism behind this novel depth selective laser interaction as well as the resultant micro-structure. Finally we demonstrate and propose some possible applications for this process.
Introducing Resources in Oil Spill Trajectory Modeling – Contingency Analysis
Authors: Ranieri A. , Viana C. , de Castro Lyra A. , Lutz G. , Petry M. , de Andrade F. , dos Santos F. , Pellegrini Júlio C. 
Published: June 2013

Abstract
In Brazil, the decision of the minimum amount of resources to be used in response operations are guided by the requirements established in the national legislation and the optimal is advised by oil spill response specialists.
Important instrument to orient the determination of strategies and resources in Oil Spill Response Plans is the oil trajectory modeling, which shows the region that can be covered by the spill and the locations likely to be achieved in different seasonal conditions.
Meanwhile, this modeling normally considers the drafting of the total spill volume without the action of any contingency procedure, which does not reflect a real emergency situation.
The main objective of this proposal is to evaluate an oil spill trajectory modeling that covers this gap and allows a better preparation of the oil & gas companies to deal with oil spill incidents.
The oil trajectory modeling (probabilistic and deterministic) suggested by this paper proposal will be made through the MEMW (Marine Environmental Modeling Workbench), a computational tool developed by SINTEF which includes OSCAR (Oil Spill Contingency and Response) model.
This model, developed for calculating the dispersion of oil slick, is composed by weathering and trajectory models in three dimensions and it can assess the progress of the oil in the water surface and water column considering the influence of the main strategies used during an oil spill response.
The process to evaluate and test the tool will comprise two main steps: (a) parameter sensitive analysis to determine relative importance of factors in each strategy provided in the model (containment and recovery, chemical dispersant); (b) assessment of the different strategies, capacities and locations of resources in cases of oil spills at sea, through the analysis of different incident scenarios.
The main result expected for this tool is study and select, case-by-case, the best combination of oil spill response strategies and the optimal amount and distribution of resources, according to the particularities of the project.
Therefore, the tool will contribute to improve the emergency response plans, increasing its reliability and efficiency, as well as provide a procedure for costs optimization.