bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Impact of DNA Sequence and Oligonucleotide Length on a Polythiophene‐Based Fluorescent DNA Biosensor
Authors: Charlebois Isabelle , Gravel Catherine , Arrad Naoual , Boissinot Maurice , Bergeron Michel G. , Leclerc Mario 
Published: March 2013

AbstractDNA hybridization is a universal and specific mechanism for the recognition of biological targets. Some cationic polythiophene transducers sensitive to DNA structure have been previously utilized to detect such biomolecules. Further characterization of these systems indicates that both DNA sequence composition and length modulate the biosensor performance. It appears that different repeated sequence patterns cause different conformational changes of the polythiophene, from a more relaxed form to an extremely rigid one. A length difference between the DNA oligonucleotide probe and target has a detrimental effect on the fluorescent signal, but it can be attenuated by changing the sequence composition of the protruding target sequence. This demonstrates that the nature of DNA can be critical for hybridization‐based detection systems. magnified image
Role of Phase Morphology on the Damage Initiated Self‐healing Behavior of Ionomer Blends
Authors: Rahman Mohammed Arifur , Spagnoli Gloria , Grande Antonio Mattia , Di Landro Luca 
Published: March 2013

AbstractThe development of self‐healing materials, based on polymer blends, is an important issue either from a scientific or a technological point of view. The application of such materials can be remarkably extended if healing effects can be maintained even in polymers that are modified in order to tune their physical and mechanical behavior. In this research the self‐healing behavior of blends made of ionomers (sodium and zinc salts of poly(ethyelene‐co‐methacrylic acid)—EMNa and EMZn) with functionalized elastomers (epoxidized natural rubber with different epoxidation levels—ENR50 and ENR25, polyisoprene—PISP) of different compositions is investigated. The role of processing conditions, phase morphology, functionalization level, polymers compatibility over self‐healing response are discussed. Rubber functionality and phase dispersion are recognized as crucial factors affecting the healing efficiency of blends. Results of ballistic tests, DSC thermal analysis, FTIR spectroscopy, optical and electron (SEM and TEM) microscopy observations, rheological and mechanical tests are presented as supporting evidences.
Identification of an O‐antigen chain length regulator, WzzP, in Porphyromonas gingivalis
Authors: Shoji Mikio , Yukitake Hideharu , Sato Keiko , Shibata Yasuko , Naito Mariko , Aduse‐Opoku Joseph , Abiko Yoshimitsu , Curtis Michael A. , Nakayama Koji 
Published: March 2013

AbstractThe periodontal pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis has two different lipopolysaccharides (LPSs) designated O‐LPS and A‐LPS, which are a conventional O‐antigen polysaccharide and an anionic polysaccharide that are both linked to lipid A‐cores, respectively. However, the precise mechanisms of LPS biosynthesis remain to be determined. In this study, we isolated a pigment‐less mutant by transposon mutagenesis and identified that the transposon was inserted into the coding sequence PGN_2005, which encodes a hypothetical protein of P. gingivalis ATCC 33277. We found that (i) LPSs purified from the PGN_2005 mutant were shorter than those of the wild type; (ii) the PGN_2005 protein was located in the inner membrane fraction; and (iii) the PGN_2005 gene conferred Wzz activity upon an Escherichia coli wzz mutant. These results indicate that the PGN_2005 protein, which was designated WzzP, is a functional homolog of the Wzz protein in P. gingivalis. Comparison of amino acid sequences among WzzP and conventional Wzz proteins indicated that WzzP had an additional fragment at the C‐terminal region. In addition, we determined that the PGN_1896 and PGN_1233 proteins and the PGN_1033 protein appear to be WbaP homolog proteins and a Wzx homolog protein involved in LPS biosynthesis, respectively.
Ultra‐high aspect ratio Ni nanowires in single‐crystalline InP membranes as multiferroic composite
Authors: Gerngross M.‐D. , Chemnitz S. , Wagner B. , Carstensen J. , Föll H. 
Published: March 2013

AbstractBy a combination of chemical etching, atomic layer deposition (ALD) and galvanic deposition it became possible to produce Ni nanowires (NWs) with ultra‐high aspect ratio (∼1000), embedded in a semi‐insulating, piezoelectric, single‐crystalline InP matrix. This Letter discusses the structural and magnetic properties of these Ni NWs. They are crystalline with a preferential growth direction of the grains in 〈111〉. For H ⊥ z, they show a very narrow hysteresis loop with a low coercivity (about 100 Oe) and a very low remanence squareness S of 0.08. So the combination of piezoelectric InP and magnetostrictive Ni forms a very promising multiferroic composite. (© 2013 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Panel zone evaluation of direct connection to box column subjected to bidirectional loading
Authors: Saneei Nia Z. , Ghassemieh M. , Mazroi A. 
Published: March 2013

SUMMARYAs an effective factor for force‐controlled components, in special moment frames, the main advantage of using box column is high biaxial bending strength. Most research studies have been concentrated on the box column performance subjected to unidirectional loading. On the other hand, seismic provisions given so far in codes are limited to beam to wide flange column connections with planar webs. In the research work presented, the bidirectional loading configurations are adopted to better simulate the actual response of the box column subjected to a ground motion excitation. The connection used in the article is welded unreinforced flange–welded web, being the direct connection that was introduced in the American Institute of Steel Construction as one of the prequalified connection. Analytical results from finite element method indicate that when the structure is subjected to bidirectional loading, the level of shear and flexural strength capacity of the box column reduces. Because of the yielding of the panel zone and the inner diaphragm, the distribution of stress and strain in the finite element models reveals that the design criteria presented in most seismic codes seem not to place the plastic hinge out of the panel zone region and therefore need to be modified. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
T-cell Responses in Oiled Guillemots and Swans in a Rehabilitation Setting
Authors: Troisi Gera M. 
Published: March 2013

Abstract
Aquatic birds are commonly affected by oil spills. Despite rehabilitation efforts, the majority of rehabilitated common guillemots (Uria aalge) do not survive, whereas mute swans (Cygnus olor) tend to have higher postrelease survival. Polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) present in crude oil and diesel are immunotoxic in birds affecting cell-mediated responses to immunogens. Because it is a target of PAH toxicity, T-lymphocyte response to controlled mitogen administration (phytohemagglutinnin test) was investigated in a scoping study as a potentially useful minimally invasive in vivo test of cell-mediated immunity. The test was performed on 69 mute swans and 31 common guillemots stranded on the Norfolk and Lincolnshire coastline and inland waterways in England (UK) either due to injury or to contamination with crude or diesel oil. T-lymphocyte response was significantly decreased in swans with greater oil scores. T-lymphocyte responses were also decreased in guillemots, but this finding was not statistically significant.
An explicit algebraic model for the subgrid-scale passive scalar flux
Authors: Rasam Amin , Brethouwer Geert , Johansson Arne V. 
Published: March 2013

AbstractIn Marstorpet al. (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 639, 2009, pp. 403–432), an explicit algebraic subgrid stress model (EASSM) for large-eddy simulation (LES) was proposed, which was shown to considerably improve LES predictions of rotating and non-rotating turbulent channel flow. In this paper, we extend that work and present a new explicit algebraic subgrid scalar flux model (EASSFM) for LES, based on the modelled transport equation of the subgrid-scale (SGS) scalar flux. The new model is derived using the same kind of methodology that leads to the explicit algebraic scalar flux model of Wikströmet al. (Phys. Fluids, vol. 12, 2000, pp. 688–702). The algebraic form is based on a weak equilibrium assumption and leads to a model that depends on the resolved strain-rate and rotation-rate tensors, the resolved scalar-gradient vector and, importantly, the SGS stress tensor. An accurate prediction of the SGS scalar flux is consequently strongly dependent on an accurate description of the SGS stresses. The new EASSFM is therefore primarily used in connection with the EASSM, since this model can accurately predict SGS stresses. The resulting SGS scalar flux is not necessarily aligned with the resolved scalar gradient, and the inherent dependence on the resolved rotation-rate tensor makes the model suitable for LES of rotating flow applications. The new EASSFM (together with the EASSM) is validated for the case of passive scalar transport in a fully developed turbulent channel flow with and without system rotation. LES results with the new model show good agreement with direct numerical simulation data for both cases. The new model predictions are also compared to those of the dynamic eddy diffusivity model (DEDM) and improvements are observed in the prediction of the resolved and SGS scalar quantities. In the non-rotating case, the model performance is studied at all relevant resolutions, showing that its predictions of the Nusselt number are much less dependent on the grid resolution and are more accurate. In channel flow with wall-normal rotation, where all the SGS stresses and fluxes are non-zero, the new model shows significant improvements over the DEDM predictions of the resolved and SGS quantities.
Is Truth Valuable?
Authors: Christensen Ryan 
Published: March 2013

AbstractThis paper examines a puzzle about whether truth is a valuable property: Valuable properties, like beauty and moral goodness, come in degrees; but truth does not come in degrees. Hence, the argument concludes, truth is not valuable. This result is puzzling since it seems to conflict with a deep intuition that truth is valuable. It is suggested that a roughly Platonic theory, on which truth is distinguished into two different concepts, gives a satisfying answer to the puzzle. One of these concepts can be had in degrees, which, it is suggested, may be determined by the true proposition's explanatory power.
Why theTractatus, like the Old Testament, is ‘Nothing but a Book’
Authors: Evans K.L. 
Published: March 2013

AbstractInThe Education of the Human Race, G. E. Lessing helps his readers understand why the propositions of the Old Testament are pseudo-propositions, or why they do not resemble the significant propositions of natural science but thetautologicalpropositions of mathematics and of logic. That is, the so-called propositions of the Old Testament do not teach readers whether what actually happens is this or that; rather what they teach us is to imagine expressions by substitution in such a way as to throw their structure into relief. One of Lessing's most attentive readers was Wittgenstein. Or perhaps only Wittgenstein would have been able to grasp so immediately Lessing's insight that the tautological or pseudo-propositions of the Old Testament invite thinkingonlywhen readers use them to understand ‘what is the case’ in the pictures (the thoughts) the propositions have – logically – constructed. Thus in this essay I use Wittgenstein's reading of Lessing to throw light on his work in theTractatus. Rather than take up the new logician's interest in completely analyzing expressions (which would include settling the way a referent is referred to in an expression), Wittgenstein insists in theTractatusthat the expressions we use, even those that seem to be propositions or that contain assertions, are in fact designed to be elucidatorywithoutsaying anything about the nature of the subjects that figure in them. Wittgenstein's great insight was to see that the propositional signs of our language are able to bring something to mindwithoutsaying what is a representation of what.
Does Regulation Matter? an Analysis of Corporate Charters in a Laissez-Faire Environment
Authors: Rojas Gonzalo Islas 
Published: March 2013

AbstractAre laws that protect minority investors a necessary condition for the development of stock markets? This paper attempts to answer this question using data on the origins of the corporate sector in Chile to construct an empirical analysis of the contractual provisions included in charters of corporations in the 19th century. Our findings indicate that, even though corporate law at the time was silent with respect to governance rules and investor protection, a significant number of corporations were created and their shares traded. The empirical analysis of the corporate charters reveals that these contracts frequently included provisions favourable to outside investors and the use of these provisions is consistent with the predictions of a simple agency model.
La Bolsa De La Habana, El Mercado Mundial De Azúcar Y Las Fluctuaciones De La Economía Cubana, 1910-1959
Authors: Lázaro Javier Moreno 
Published: March 2013

AbstractThis paper presents the course taken by the Cuban economy from the early twentieth century until the outbreak of the Revolution, seen from the perspective of what happened in the stock market. I have therefore prepared an index of Havana Stock Exchange listings which shows strong dependence on what happened in the sugar market, particularly in sugar exports. However, my research highlights the weakness of this institution, conceived more as an instrument of speculative enrichment rather than one of financing, the evolution of which reveals the fragility of the Cuban economy and particularly the poor development of its capital markets.
Can a fast-growing early-successional tree (Ochroma pyramidale, Malvaceae) accelerate forest succession?
Authors: Vleut Ivar , Levy-Tacher Samuel Israel , de Boer Willem Frederik , Galindo-González Jorge , Ramírez-Marcial Neptalí 
Published: March 2013

Abstract:Species-specific traits of trees affect ecosystem dynamics, defining forest structure and understorey development. Ochroma pyramidale is a fast-growing tree species, with life-history traits that include low wood density, short-lived large leaves and a narrow open thin crown. We evaluated forest succession in O. pyramidale-dominated secondary forests, diverse secondary forests, both 10–15 y since abandonment, and rain forests by comparing height, density and basal area of all trees (> 5 cm dbh). Furthermore, we compared species richness of understorey trees and shrubs, and basal area and density of trees of early- and late-successional species (< 5 cm dbh) between forest types. We found that tree basal area (mean ± SD: 32 ± 0.9 m2 ha−1) and height (12.4 ± 1.8 m) of canopy trees were higher, and density (1450 ± 339 ha−1) lower in O. pyramidale forests than in diverse forests, and more similar to rain forest. Understorey shrub diversity and tree seedling density and diversity were lower in O. pyramidale forests than in diverse forests, but these forest types had a similar density of early- and late-successional trees. Canopy openness (> 15%) and leaf litter (> 10 cm) were both highest in O. pyramidale forests, which positively affected density of understorey trees and shrubs and negatively affected density of late-successional trees. In conclusion, O. pyramidale forests presented structural features similar to those of rain forest, but this constrained the establishment of understorey tree species, especially late-successional species, decreasing successional development.
Arithmetic Progressions in Sumsets and Lp-Almost-Periodicity
Authors: CROOT ERNIE , ŁABA IZABELLA , SISASK OLOF 
Published: March 2013

We prove results about the Lp-almost-periodicity of convolutions. One of these follows from a simple but rather general lemma about approximating a sum of functions in Lp, and gives a very short proof of a theorem of Green that if A and B are subsets of {1,. . .,N} of sizes αN and βN then A+B contains an arithmetic progression of length at least

\begin{equation}
\exp ( c (\alpha \beta \log N)^{1/2} - \log\log N).
\end{equation}

Another almost-periodicity result improves this bound for densities decreasing with N: we show that under the above hypotheses the sumset A+B contains an arithmetic progression of length at least

\begin{equation}
\exp\biggl( c \biggl(\frac{\alpha \log N}{\log^3 2\beta^{-1}} \biggr)^{1/2} - \log( \beta^{-1} \log N) \biggr).
\end{equation}
Regulating the Helping Hand: Improving Legal Preparedness for Cross-Border Disaster Medicine
Authors: Fisher David 
Published: March 2013

AbstractMedical care is a highly regulated field in nearly every country. Therefore, it is not surprising that legal issues regularly arise in cross-border disaster operations that have with the potential to profoundly impact the effectiveness of international assistance. Little attention has been paid to preparing for and addressing these kinds of issues. This paper will report on research by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) on International Disaster Response Law, and discuss new developments in the international legal framework for addressing these issues.For seven years, the IFRC has studied legal issues in cross-border disaster assistance. Its activities have included several dozen case studies, a global survey of governments and humanitarian stakeholders, and a series of meetings and high-level conferences.The IFRC has found a consistent set of regulatory problems in major disaster relief operations related to the entry and regulation of international relief. These include some issues specific to the health field, such as the regulation of drug donations and the recognition of foreign medical qualifications. To address the gaps in domestic and international regulatory structures, the IFRC spearheaded the development of new international guidelines.The legal risks for international health providers in disaster settings are real and should be better integrated into program planning. Governments must become more proactive in ensuring that legal frameworks are flexible enough to mitigate these problems.
The Path to 2020: A Vision for Change. Personal Reflections on the PLL (Private Law Libraries) Summit Held at the 105th Annual Meeting and Conference of the American Association of Law Libraries
Authors: Hayes Kathryn 
Published: March 2013

AbstractKathryn Hayes reflects on the PLL (Private Law Libraries) Summit at the 2012 AALL Annual Meeting and Conference in Boston, which focussed on what law libraries and information services will look like in 2020 and what we should be doing now to advance that vision.
Proteolytic activation of prochemerin by kallikrein 7 breaks an ionic linkage and results in C-terminal rearrangement
Authors: Schultz Stephan , Saalbach Anja , Heiker John T. , Meier Rene , Zellmann Tristan , Simon Jan C. , Beck-Sickinger Annette G. 
Published: March 2013

The excessive accumulation of adipose tissue in obesity is associated with multiple inflammatory dermatological diseases. Chemerin, a chemoattractant adipokine, dependent on proteolytical activation, is highly expressed in skin. Different proteases have been reported to activate prochemerin, but none is inherently expressed in human skin. In the present study, we identified a tissue-specific protease and investigated the underlying mechanism of activation at the molecular level. We characterized human KLK7 (kallikrein 7) as a prochemerin processing protease in vitro converting prochemerin into active chemerinF156. The activating truncation by the protease might trigger a structural rearrangement leading to an increased affinity of chemerin to CMKLR1 (chemokine-like receptor 1). Molecular modelling and experimental data suggest an underlying ionic interaction in prochemerin C-terminal domains. These findings provide a general molecular basis for the necessity of C-terminal processing of prochemerin. Moreover, immunohistochemistry was used to investigate prochemerin, KLK7 and the recently identified KLK7 inhibitor vaspin expression in human skin biopsies, and distinct co-localization in psoriatic biopsies was observed. On the basis of these results, it is hypothesized that KLK7 activity may contribute to the development of psoriatic lesions as a consequence of excessive chemerin activation and impaired protease activity regulation by vaspin. Therefore this interaction represents an interesting target for psoriasis therapy and treatment of other obesity-related diseases.
Phosphodiesterase-8A binds to and regulates Raf-1 kinase
Authors: Brown Kim M. , Day Jon P. , Huston Elaine , Zimmermann Bastian , Hampel Kornelia , Christian Frank , Romano David , Terhzaz Selim , Lee Louisa C. Y. , Willis Miranda J. , Morton David B. , Beavo Joseph A. , Shimizu-Albergine Masami , Davies Shireen A. , Kolch Walter , Houslay Miles D. , Baillie George S. 
Published: March 2013

Significance
The ERK pathway is a ubiquitous mechanism for transducing a variety of extracellular signals into intracellular events. It also is misregulated in a number of different disease states including several cancers. The ERK pathway crosstalks with other signaling cascades, including the cAMP system. In this paper, we show that a key component of the ERK pathway, Raf-1 kinase, can associate with a specific cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase, phosphodiesterase 8A (PDE8A), to modulate the activity of the kinase. We report that the interaction between Raf-1 and PDE8A underpins functional consequences of ERK signaling in several different model systems.
The Simmune Modeler visual interface for creating signaling networks based on bi-molecular interactions
Authors: Zhang Fengkai , Angermann Bastian R. , Meier-Schellersheim Martin 
Published: March 2013

Abstract
Motivation: Biochemical modeling efforts now frequently take advantage of the possibility to automatically create reaction networks based on the specification of pairwise molecular interactions. Even though a variety of tools exist to visualize the resulting networks, defining the rules for the molecular interactions typically requires writing scripts, which impacts the non-specialist accessibility of those approaches. We introduce the Simmune Modeler that allows users to specify molecular complexes and their interactions as well as the reaction-induced modifications of the molecules through a flexible visual interface. It can take into account the positions of the components of trans-membrane complexes relative to the embedding membranes as well as symmetry aspects affecting the reactions of multimeric molecular structures. Models created with this tool can be simulated using the Simmune Simulator or be exported as SBML code or as files describing the reaction networks as systems of ODEs for import into Matlab.
Availability: The Simmune Modeler and the associated simulators as well as extensive additional documentation and tutorials are freely available for Linux, Mac and Windows: http://go.usa.gov/QeH (Note shortened case-sensitive URL!).
Contact: zhangfen@niaid.nih.gov or mms@niaid.nih.gov
Supplementary information: Supplementary Data are available at Bioinformatics online.