bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Galaxy cluster strong lensing: image deflections from density fluctuations along the line of sight
Authors: Host Ole 
Published: December 2011

Abstract
A standard method to study the mass distribution in galaxy clusters is through strong lensing of background galaxies in which the positions of multiple images of the same source constrain the surface mass distribution of the cluster. However, current parametrized mass models can often only reproduce the observed positions to within 1 arcsec or a few arcseconds which is worse than the positional measurement uncertainty. One suggested explanation for this discrepancy is the additional perturbations of the path of the light ray caused by matter density fluctuations along the line of sight. We investigate this by calculating the statistical expectation value for the angular deflections caused by density fluctuations, which can be done given the matter power spectrum. We find that density fluctuations can, indeed, produce deflections of a few arcsec. We also find that the deflection angle of a particular image is expected to increase with source redshift and with the angular distance on the sky to the lens. Since the light rays of neighbouring images pass through much the same density fluctuations, it turns out that the images' expected deflection angles can be highly correlated. This implies that line-of-sight density fluctuations are a significant and possibly dominant systematic for strong lensing mass modelling and set a lower limit to how well a cluster mass model can be expected to replicate the observed image positions. We discuss how the deflections and correlations should explicitly be taken into account in the mass model fitting procedure.
Massive black hole binary plane reorientation in rotating stellar systems
Authors: Gualandris Alessia , Dotti Massimo , Sesana Alberto 
Published: December 2011

Abstract
We study the evolution of the orientation of the orbital plane of massive black hole binaries (BHBs) in rotating stellar systems in which the total angular momentum of the stellar cusp is misaligned with respect to that of the binary. We compare results from direct summation N-body simulations with predictions from a simple theoretical model. We find that the same encounters between cusp stars and the BHBs that are responsible for the hardening and eccentricity evolution of the binary lead to a reorientation of the binary orbital plane. In particular, binaries whose angular momentum is initially misaligned with respect to that of the stellar cusp tend to realign their orbital planes with the angular momentum of the cusp on a time-scale of a few hardening times. This is due to angular momentum exchange between stars and the BHBs during close encounters, and may have important implications for the relative orientation of host galaxies and radio jets.
DEVELOPMENT OF A SENSORY LEXICON AND APPLICATION BY AN INDUSTRY TRADE PANEL FOR TURRÓN, A EUROPEAN PROTECTED PRODUCT
Authors: VÁZQUEZ‐ARAÚJO LAURA , CHAMBERS DELORES , CARBONELL‐BARRACHINA ÁNGEL A. 
Published: December 2011

ABSTRACTA lexicon for describing the sensory flavor and texture properties of turrón, a traditional Spanish Protected Geographical Indication almond nougat product, was developed and validated. Sixty‐seven different products were studied, including different product types, brands, commercial categories and manufacturing seasons. Once the lexicon was developed, five products were studied by a different sensory panel to validate the terms. A total of 25 flavor and 16 texture attributes were identified, defined and referenced for turrón evaluation. The main flavor attributes were nutty overall and almond, followed by caramelized, roasted and brown sugar. Predominant texture attributes were different depending on the product because some products have milling stages during processing and others do not. Lexicon validation showed some inconsistencies in texture attributes, e.g., uniformity of bite, graininess/grittiness and cohesiveness. Further studies may be carried out to adapt the definitions and references to products from different countries, unifying therefore the developed lexicon.PRACTICAL APPLICATIONSSensory lexicons are helpful for companies and researchers who are trying to improve uniformity of traditional products by providing standardized sensory terms, definitions and references for future studies. This study will be a model for beginning similar researches on other traditional products. The lexicon will be a tool to relate accurate descriptive data to consumer liking, information that could be use to expand production lines, end the seasonal production and sale of turrón and develop different types of almond nougats.
Gouvernance et sécurité sociale: étendre la portée des lignes directrices de l’AISS en matière de bonne gouvernance
Authors: Musalem Alberto R. , Ortiz Maribel D. 
Published: December 2011

RésuméDans bon nombre de pays, les pouvoirs publics redéfinissent leurs politiques et stratégies afin de répondre aux besoins, importants et croissants, de leurs citoyens en matière de sécurité sociale. La bonne gouvernance dans le domaine de l’administration de la sécurité sociale est indispensable pour atteindre les objectifs visés parce que la qualité des nouvelles politiques et stratégies est conditionnée par la qualité de leur mise en œuvre. Le présent article aborde la gouvernance en envisageant deux niveaux d’exercice du pouvoir, en l’occurrence celui des institutions de sécurité sociale et celui du gouvernement national. S’agissant des institutions de sécurité sociale, nous présentons un cadre de gouvernance schématique qui synthétise les différents aspects de la mise en œuvre d’un régime de sécurité sociale. Nous nous plaçons ensuite du point de vue national pour nous concentrer sur la gouvernance d’un système de sécurité sociale. Sur le plan de la gouvernance, il est indispensable que les pouvoirs publics facilitent la formation d’un consensus national sur les grands objectifs du système de sécurité sociale du pays qu’ils dirigent. Nous plaidons pour la désignation, à l’échelon national, d’une autorité supérieure chargée de veiller à ce que les différents dispositifs qui composent le système de sécurité sociale d’un pays soient mis en place et développés de façon cohérente. Par ailleurs, il est nécessaire d’assurer une meilleure coordination de la politique de sécurité sociale et des politiques menées dans le domaine de l’emploi et du marché du travail afin de créer des synergies positives et de renforcer la capacité des politiques à promouvoir l’accès à des emplois dans l’économie formelle, ce qui est indispensable pour lutter contre la pauvreté et l’exclusion sociale et pour permettre à la population pauvre d’accéder à des formes de protection sociale plus complètes. La bonne gouvernance a un rôle à jouer pour garantir une contribution forte et durable des systèmes de sécurité sociale à la croissance et au développement économiques des pays.
Extinction risk and bottlenecks in the conservation of charismatic marine species
Authors: McClenachan Loren , Cooper Andrew B. , Carpenter Kent E. , Dulvy Nicholas K. 
Published: December 2011

AbstractThe oceans face a biodiversity crisis, but the degree and scale of extinction risk remains poorly characterized. Charismatic species are most likely to garner greatest support for conservation and thus provide a best‐case scenario of the status of marine biodiversity. We summarize extinction risk and diagnose impediments to successful conservation for 1,568 species in 16 families of marine animals in the movie Finding Nemo. Sixteen percent (12–34%) of those that have been evaluated are threatened, ranging from 9% (7–28%) of bony fishes to 100% (83–100%) of marine turtles. A lack of scientific knowledge impedes analysis of threat status for invertebrates, which have 1,000 times fewer conservation papers than do turtles. Legal protection is severely deficient for sharks and rays; only 8% of threatened species in our analysis are protected. Extinction risk among wide‐ranging taxa is higher than most terrestrial groups, suggesting a different conservation focus is required in the sea.
Cucurbitacin B inhibits 12‐O‐tetradecanoylphorbol 13‐acetate‐induced invasion and migration of human hepatoma cells through inactivating mitogen‐activated protein kinase and PI3K/Akt signal transduction pathways
Authors: Zhou Xueying , Yang Jiao , Wang Yanli , Li Wen , Li‐Ling Jesse , Deng Yihui , Zhang Meixia 
Published: December 2011

Aim:  Cucurbitacin B (CuB) is an active component isolated from various plants used as folk medicine in Asian countries and has shown diverse antitumor activities. There is, however, no documented effect of CuB on the migration and invasion of human hepatoma cells yet. The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of CuB on the migration and invasion of hepatoma cells and to explore the possible mechanism.Methods:  Human hepatoma cell lines HepG2 and BEL‐7402 were used for the study. Effects of CuB on cancer cell migration and invasion were evaluated in vitro with wound healing and transwell assays. The effect of CuB on the expression of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)‐9, mitogen‐activated protein kinases (MAPKs), Akt, nuclear factor‐κB (NF‐κB), c‐Fos and c‐Jun was investigated with gelatin zymography and/or western blotting.Results:  Cucurbitacin B has significantly suppressed 12‐O‐tetradecanoylphorbol 13‐acetate (TPA)‐induced cell invasion and migration in a concentration‐dependent manner, which was accompanied with suppression of TPA‐induced MMP‐9 expression through inactivation of phosphorylation of extracellular signal‐regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2, p38 and Akt. In the nucleus, it has also strongly suppressed TPA‐stimulated expression of NF‐κB, c‐Jun and c‐Fos.Conclusion:  Cucurbitacin B has a potential value for suppressing metastasis of human hepatoma cells through suppressing the expression of MMP‐9.
Influence of counting chamber type on CASA outcomes of equine semen analysis
Authors: HOOGEWIJS M. K. , DE VLIEGHER S. P. , GOVAERE J. L. , DE SCHAUWER C. , DE KRUIF A. , VAN SOOM A. 
Published: December 2011

SummaryReasons for performing study: Sperm motility is considered to be one of the key features of semen analysis. Assessment of motility is frequently performed using computer‐assisted sperm analysis (CASA). Nevertheless, no uniform standards are present to analyse a semen sample using CASA.Objectives: We hypothesised that the type of counting chamber used might influence the results of analysis and aimed to study the effect of chamber type on estimated concentration and motility of an equine semen sample assessed using CASA.Methods: Commonly used disposable Leja chambers of different depths were compared with disposable and reusable ISAS chambers, a Makler chamber and a World Health Organization (WHO) motility slide. Motility parameters and concentrations obtained with CASA using these different chambers were analysed. The NucleoCounter was used as gold standard for determining concentration.Results: Concentration and motility parameters were significantly influenced by the chamber type used. Using the NucleoCounter as the gold standard for determining concentration, the correlation coefficients were low for all of the various chambers evaluated, with the exception of the 12 µm deep Leja chamber. Filling a chamber by capillary forces resulted in a lower observed concentration and reduced motility parameters. All chambers evaluated in this study resulted in significant lower progressive motility than the WHO prepared slide, with the exception of the Makler chamber, which resulted in a slight, but statistically significant, increase in progressive motility estimates.Conclusions and potential relevance: Computer‐assisted sperm analysis can only provide a rough estimate of sperm concentration and overestimation is likely when drop‐filled slides with a coverslip are used. Motility estimates using CASA are highly influenced by the counting chamber; therefore, a complete description of the chamber type used should be provided in semen reports and in scientific articles.
The impact of pre‐treatment weight‐loss expectations on weight loss, weight regain, and attrition in people who are overweight and obese: A systematic review of the literature
Authors: Crawford Rochelle , Glover Lesley 
Published: December 2011

Purpose. Research exploring the relationships between initial weight‐loss expectations with actual outcome in terms of weight loss, weight regain, and attrition/attendance suggests contradictory findings. The purpose of this review was to collate research exploring the impact of weight‐loss expectations on weight loss, weight regain, and attendance/attrition. It was hoped this would further the current understanding of the relationship between expectations and outcome.Methods. PsychInfo, Medline, and Web of Science were systematically searched and 13 relevant papers were identified. To be included for review, studies had to assess and analyse weight‐related expectations; distinguish between higher and lower expectations; include participants who were aged over 18 and attempting to lose weight; be published within a peer‐reviewed journal between 1990 and 2010. Findings were analysed qualitatively.Results. Findings were largely unclear. The relationship between expectations and weight loss appears to change with time, whilst the findings from studies looking at weight regain suggest that there is no association. The relationship between expectations with attendance/attrition is also unclear.Conclusions. Through reviewing literature regarding the relationships between expectations with various outcomes, a number of discrepancies emerged. Exploration of these discrepancies enabled an understanding to be developed of the complex relationship between expectations and weight‐loss treatment outcome. The importance of the terminology used and the ways in which expectations are assessed is discussed and future areas of research are suggested.
Pharmacodynamic Analysis of a Serine Protease Inhibitor, MK-4519, against Hepatitis C Virus Using a NovelIn VitroPharmacodynamic System
Authors: Brown Ashley N. , McSharry James J. , Adams Jonathan R. , Kulawy Robert , Barnard Richard J. O. , Newhard W. , Corbin A. , Hazuda Daria J. , Louie Arnold , Drusano George L. 
Published: December 2011

ABSTRACTThe development of new antiviral compounds active against hepatitis C virus (HCV) has surged in recent years. In order for these new compounds to be efficacious in humans, optimal dosage regimens for each compound must be elucidated. We have developed a novelin vitropharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic system, the BelloCell system, to identify optimal dosage regimens for anti-HCV compounds. In these experiments, genotype 1b HCV replicon-bearing cells (2209-23 cells) were inoculated onto carrier flakes in BelloCell bottles and treated with MK-4519, a serine protease inhibitor. Our dose-ranging studies illustrated that MK-4519 inhibited replicon replication in a dose-dependent manner, yielding a 50% effective concentration (EC50) of 1.8 nM. Dose-fractionation studies showed that shorter dosing intervals resulted in greater replicon suppression, indicating that the time that the concentration is greater than the EC50is the pharmacodynamic parameter for MK-4519 linked with inhibition of replicon replication. Mutations associated with resistance to serine protease inhibitors were detected in replicons harvested from all treatment arms. These data suggest that MK-4519 is highly active against genotype 1b HCV, but monotherapy is not sufficient to prevent the amplification of resistant replicons. In summary, our findings show that the BelloCell system is a useful and clinically relevant tool for predicting optimal dosage regimens for anti-HCV compounds.
Identification, Characterization, and Recombinant Expression of Epidermicin NI01, a Novel Unmodified Bacteriocin Produced by Staphylococcus epidermidis That Displays Potent Activity against Staphylococci
Authors: Sandiford Stephanie , Upton Mathew 
Published: December 2011

ABSTRACT

We describe the discovery, purification, characterization, and expression of an antimicrobial peptide, epidermicin NI01, which is an unmodified bacteriocin produced by
Staphylococcus epidermidis
strain 224. It is a highly cationic, hydrophobic, plasmid-encoded peptide that exhibits potent antimicrobial activity toward a wide range of pathogenic Gram-positive bacteria including methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus
(MRSA), enterococci, and biofilm-forming
S. epidermidis
strains. Purification of the peptide was achieved using a combination of hydrophobic interaction, cation exchange, and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization–time of flight (MALDI-TOF) analysis yielded a molecular mass of 6,074 Da, and partial sequence data of the peptide were elucidated using a combination of tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) and
de novo
sequencing. The draft genome sequence of the producing strain was obtained using 454 pyrosequencing technology, thus enabling the identification of the structural gene using the
de novo
peptide sequence data previously obtained. Epidermicin NI01 contains 51 residues with four tryptophan and nine lysine residues, and the sequence showed approximately 50% identity to peptides lacticin Z, lacticin Q, and aureocin A53, all of which belong to a new family of unmodified type II-like bacteriocins. The peptide is active in the nanomolar range against
S. epidermidis
, MRSA isolates, and vancomycin-resistant enterococci. Other unique features displayed by epidermicin include a high degree of protease stability and the ability to retain antimicrobial activity over a pH range of 2 to 10, and exposure to the peptide does not result in development of resistance in susceptible isolates. In this study we also show the structural gene alone can be cloned into
Escherichia coli
strain BL21(DE3), and expression yields active peptide.
Identification of a Cryptococcus neoformans Cytochrome P450 Lanosterol 14α-Demethylase (Erg11) Residue Critical for Differential Susceptibility between Fluconazole/Voriconazole and Itraconazole/Posaconazole
Authors: Sionov Edward , Chang Yun C. , Garraffo H. Martin , Dolan Michael A. , Ghannoum Mahmoud A. , Kwon-Chung Kyung J. 
Published: December 2011

ABSTRACT

Cryptococcus neoformans
strains resistant to azoles due to mutations causing alterations in the
ERG11
gene, encoding lanosterol 14α-demethylase, have rarely been reported. In this study, we have characterized a
C. neoformans
serotype A strain that is resistant to high concentrations of fluconazole (FLC). This strain, which was isolated from an FLC-treated patient, contained five missense mutations in the
ERG11
gene compared to the sequence of reference strain H99. Molecular manipulations of the
ERG11
gene coupled with susceptibility to triazole revealed that a single missense mutation resulting in the replacement of tyrosine by phenylalanine at amino acid 145 was sufficient to cause the high FLC resistance of the strain. Importantly, this newly identified point mutation in the
ERG11
gene of
C. neoformans
afforded resistance to voriconazole (VRC) but increased susceptibility to itraconazole (ITC) and posaconazole (PSC), which are structurally similar to each other but distinct from FLC/VRC. The
in vitro
susceptibility/resistance of the strains with or without the missense mutation was reflected in the therapeutic efficacy of FLC versus ITC in the animals infected with the strains. This study shows the importance of the Y145F alteration of Erg11 in
C. neoformans
for manifestation of differential susceptibility toward different triazoles. It underscores the necessity of
in vitro
susceptibility testing for each FLC-resistant
C. neoformans
clinical isolate against different groups of azoles in order to assist patient management.
Ethambutol Pharmacokinetic Variability Is Linked to Body Mass in Overweight, Obese, and Extremely Obese People
Authors: Hall Ronald G. , Swancutt Mark A. , Meek Claudia , Leff Richard D. , Gumbo Tawanda 
Published: December 2011

ABSTRACT

We conducted a prospective study of 18 adult volunteers (male-to-female ratio of 1) whose body mass index fell into categories of <25, 25 to 40, or >40 kg/m
2
, who received a single oral dose of 1,600 mg ethambutol. Only individuals with normal renal function were recruited. The minimum body mass (M) was 45.6 kg, the median was 90.8 kg, and the maximum weight was 160.4 kg. Ethambutol pharmacokinetics were best described by a two-compartment model. Inclusion of weight as a covariate dramatically improved the model, with a relative likelihood approaching infinity. The typical clearance was 42.6 liters/h. Ethambutol systemic clearance was proportional to (M/45.6)
3/4
and thus obeyed fractal geometry-based laws. This means that the area under the concentration-time curve (AUC) actually decreased for obese patients compared to that for leaner patients, reducing chances of concentration-dependent toxicity. On the other hand, such reduced AUCs could lead to therapy failure. Thus, new and individualized ethambutol dosing regimens need to be designed for obese and extremely obese patients.
Mechanism of Interaction of Human Mitochondrial DNA Polymerase γ with the Novel Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitor 4′-Ethynyl-2-Fluoro-2′-Deoxyadenosine Indicates a Low Potential for Host Toxicity
Authors: Sohl Christal D. , Singh Kamlendra , Kasiviswanathan Rajesh , Copeland William C. , Mitsuya Hiroaki , Sarafianos Stefan G. , Anderson Karen S. 
Published: December 2011

ABSTRACT
The potent antiretroviral 4′-ethynyl-2-fluoro-2′-deoxyadenosine (EFdA) is a promising experimental agent for treating HIV infection. Pre-steady-state kinetics were used to characterize the interaction of EFdA-triphosphate (EFdA-TP) with human mitochondrial DNA polymerase γ (Pol γ) to assess the potential for toxicity. Pol γ incorporated EFdA-TP 4,300-fold less efficiently than dATP, with an excision rate similar to ddATP. This strongly indicates EFdA is a poor Pol γ substrate, suggesting minimal Pol γ-mediated toxicity, although this should be examined under clinical settings.