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Recognition of injured mitochondria for degradation by macroautophagy is essential for cellular health, but the mechanisms remain poorly understood. Cardiolipin is an inner mitochondrial membrane phospholipid. We found that rotenone, staurosporine, 6-hydroxydopamine and other pro-mitophagy stimuli caused externalization of cardiolipin to the mitochondrial surface in primary cortical neurons and SH-SY5Y cells. RNAi knockdown of cardiolipin synthase or of phospholipid scramblase-3, which transports cardiolipin to the outer mitochondrial membrane, decreased the delivery of mitochondria to autophagosomes. Furthermore, we found that the autophagy protein microtubule-associated-protein-1 light chain 3 (LC3), which mediates both autophagosome formation and cargo recognition, contains cardiolipin-binding sites important for the engulfment of mitochondria by the autophagic system. Mutation of LC3 residues predicted as cardiolipin-interaction sites by computational modelling inhibited its participation in mitophagy. These data indicate that redistribution of cardiolipin serves as an 'eat-me' signal for the elimination of damaged mitochondria from neuronal cells.

Mitophagy is critical for cell homeostasis. Externalization of the inner mitochondrial membrane phospholipid, cardiolipin (CL), to the surface of the outer mitochondrial membrane (OMM) was identified as a mitophageal signal recognized by the microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3. However, the CL-translocating machinery remains unknown. Here we demonstrate that a hexameric intermembrane space protein, NDPK-D (or NM23-H4), binds CL and facilitates its redistribution to the OMM. We found that mitophagy induced by a protonophoric uncoupler, carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone (CCCP), caused externalization of CL to the surface of mitochondria in murine lung epithelial MLE-12 cells and human cervical adenocarcinoma HeLa cells. RNAi knockdown of endogenous NDPK-D decreased CCCP-induced CL externalization and mitochondrial degradation. A R90D NDPK-D mutant that does not bind CL was inactive in promoting mitophagy. Similarly, rotenone and 6-hydroxydopamine triggered mitophagy in SH-SY5Y cells was also suppressed by knocking down of NDPK-D. In situ proximity ligation assay (PLA) showed that mitophagy-inducing CL-transfer activity of NDPK-D is closely associated with the dynamin-like GTPase OPA1, implicating fission-fusion dynamics in mitophagy regulation.

E-government portals are playing an important role in facilitating the citizens' life. The e-government services can be executed by citizens without any time or location constraints, which results in great benefits for the citizens. Therefore, agencies should pay a special attention when designing, developing and maintaining those e-government portals. In order to achieve this, agencies need to follow worldwide e-government portals' best practices that would contribute in the portals' quality. E-government maturity models can be used for this purpose. The purpose of this paper is to propose an e-government portals' maturity model that is based on a best practice model for e-government portals.

E-government portals are playing an important role in facilitating the citizens' life. The e-government services can be executed by citizens without any time and location constraints, which results in great benefits for them. Therefore, governments should pay a special attention when designing, developing and maintaining their e-government portals. In order to achieve this, they need to follow worldwide e-government portals' best practices that would contribute in the enhancement of the portals' quality. Moreover, such best practices can be used to benchmark or rank the portals by measuring the presence of those best practices. This issue is addressed in this chapter by proposing a measurement based e-government portals' maturity model to help governments identify their portals' maturity stage and also provide guidelines and recommendations to move to an upper stage of maturity.

The catalyst Ru-Co/Zr 3 (PO 4 ) 4 was synthesized by impregnation and was tested in the reaction of oligomerization of methane into higher hydrocarbon. The reaction was carried out using a two-steps procedure consisting of: - Methane adsorption. - Hydrogenation of the adsorbed entities and formation of higher hydrocarbons. The production of these alkanes extends from ethane to pentane and could schematically be described by the following pathways: CH 4 ⇄ (CH x ) ads + (4-X)/2H 2 CH x , CH y ⇄ C n H m The results showed that addition of cobalt to ruthenium improved the global activity. This promoter effect was attributed to the synergy brought in by cobalt and to the formation of Ru-CO 2+ species which are more active than ruthenium alone. These species were identified by EDX-STEM and XPS analyses.

Many quality models have been used to measure egovernment portals quality. However, the absence of an international consensus for e-government portals quality models results in many differences in terms of quality attributes and measures. The aim of this paper is to compare and analyze the existing e-government quality models proposed in literature (those that are based on ISO standards and those that are not) in order to propose guidelines to build a good and useful e-government portals quality model. Our findings show that, there is no e-government portal quality model based on the new international standard ISO 25010. Besides that, the quality models are not based on a best practice model to allow agencies to both; measure e-government portals quality and identify missing best practices for those portals., {"references":["ISO, \"ISO/IEC 9126-1: Software Engineering-Product Quality-Part 1:\nQuality Model,\" Geneva Switz. Int. Organ. Stand., 2001.","ISO, \"ISO/IEC 25010: 2011: Systems and software engineering–\nSystems and software Quality Requirements and Evaluation (SQuaRE)–\nSystem and software quality models,\" Int. Organ. Stand., 2011.","G. Quirchmayr, S. Funilkul, and W. Chutimaskul, \"A Quality Model of\ne-Government Services Based on the ISO/IEC 9126 Standard,\" in\nProceedings of International Legal Informatics Symposium (IRIS).\nSalzburg, Austria, 2007, pp. 45–53.","M. Ulman, V. Vostrovskỳ, and J. Tyrychtr, \"Agricultural EGovernment:\nDesign of Quality Evaluation Method Based on ISO\nSQuaRE quality Model,\" AGRIS -Line Pap. Econ. Inform., vol. 5, no. 4,\n2013.","X. Papadomichelaki and G. Mentzas, \"A multiple-item scale for\nassessing e-government service quality,\" in Electronic Government,\nSpringer, 2009, pp. 163–175.","X. Papadomichelaki and G. Mentzas, \"e-GovQual: A multiple-item\nscale for assessing e-government service quality,\" Gov. Inf. Q., vol. 29,\nno. 1, pp. 98–109, 2012.","G. Kaisara and S. Pather, \"The e-Government evaluation challenge: A\nSouth African Batho Pele-aligned service quality approach,\" Gov. Inf.\nQ., vol. 28, no. 2, pp. 211–221, 2011.","D. Bhattacharya, U. Gulla, and M. P. Gupta, \"E-service quality model\nfor Indian government portals: citizens' perspective,\" J. Enterp. Inf.\nManag., vol. 25, no. 3, pp. 246–271, 2012.","W. Chutimaskul, S. Funilkul, and V. Chongsuphajaisiddhi, \"The quality\nframework of e-government development,\" in Proceedings of the 2nd\ninternational conference on Theory and practice of electronic\ngovernance, 2008, pp. 105–109.\n[10] R. Osama, H. Thair, H. Osama, A.-S. Bashar, O. Ruba, and N. Sahem,\n\"Towards Developing Successful E-Government Websites,\" J. Softw.\nEng. Appl., vol. 6, p. 559, 2013.\n[11] S. Elling, L. Lentz, M. de Jong, and H. van den Bergh, \"Measuring the\nquality of governmental websites in a controlled versus an online setting\nwith the 'Website Evaluation Questionnaire,'\" Gov. Inf. Q., vol. 29, no.\n3, pp. 383–393, 2012.\n[12] A. Henriksson, Y. Yi, B. Frost, and M. Middleton, \"Evaluation\ninstrument for e-government websites,\" Electron. Gov. Int. J., vol. 4,\nno. 2, pp. 204–226, 2007.\n[13] N. M. Hien, \"A Study on Evaluation of E-Government Service\nQuality,\" 2014.\n[14] A. Fath-Allah, L. Cheikhi, R. AL-Qutaish, and A. Idri, \"E-Government\nPortals Best Practices: A Comprehensive Survey,\" Electronic\nGovernment, an International Journal, 2014."]}

The e-government emerging concept transforms the way in which the citizens are dealing with their governments. Thus, the citizens can execute the intended services online anytime and anywhere. This results in great benefits for both the governments (reduces the number of officers) and the citizens (more flexibility and time saving). Therefore, building a maturity model to assess the egovernment portals becomes desired to help in the improvement process of such portals. This paper aims at proposing an egovernment maturity model based on the measurement of the best practices’ presence. The main benefit of such maturity model is to provide a way to rank an e-government portal based on the used best practices, and also giving a set of recommendations to go to the higher stage in the maturity model., {"references":["World Bank, \"Definition of E-Government.\" (Online). Available: http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/TOPICS/ EXTINFORMATIONANDCOMMUNICATIONANDTECHNOLOGIES/EXTEGOVERNMENT/0,,contentMDK:20507153~menuPK:702592~pagePK:148956~piPK:216618~theSitePK:702586,00.html. (Accessed: 13-Mar-2014).","United Nations, \"E-Government Development,\" 2010. (Online). Available: http://unpan3.un.org/egovkb/egovernment_overview/ereadiness.htm. (Accessed: 13-Mar-2014).","United-Nations, UN E-Government Survey 2012: E-Government for the People, 2012.","Capgemini, \"eGovernment Benchmark,\" 2009.","K. Layne and J. Lee, \"Developing fully functional E-government: A four stage model,\" Gov. Inf. Q., vol. 18, no. 2, pp. 122–136, 2001.","K. V. Andersen and H. Z. Henriksen, \"E-government maturity models: Extension of the Layne and Lee model,\" Gov. Inf. Q., vol. 23, no. 2, pp. 236–248, 2006.","S. M. Alhomod, M. M. Shafi, M. N. Kousarrizi, F. Seiti, M. Teshnehlab, H. Susanto, M. N. Almunawar, Y. C. Tuan, M. S. Aksoy, and Y. A. Batawi, \"Best Practices in E government: A review of Some Innovative Models Proposed in Different Countries,\" Int. J. Electr. Comput. Sci., vol. 12, no. 01, pp. 1–6, 2012.","J. S. Hiller and F. Belanger, Privacy strategies for electronic government, E-Government Series, the PricewaterhouseCoopers Endowment for the Business of Government, USA, 2001.","R. S. Almazan and J. R. Gil-Garcia, \"E-Government Portals in Mexico,\" in Electronic Government: Concepts, Methodologies, Tools, and Applications, (Edited by: Anttiroiko, A.-V.), Information Science Reference, PA, USA, pp. 1726-1734, 2008.\n[10]\tCisco IBSG, \"e-Government Best Practices learning from success, avoiding the pitfalls,\" 2007.\n[11]\tG. Karokola and L. Yngström, \"Discussing E-Government Maturity Models for Developing World-Security View,\" in Proceedings of the Information Security South Africa Conference, 2009, pp. 81–98.\n[12]\tD. M. West, \"E-Government and the Transformation of Service Delivery and Citizen Attitudes,\" Public Adm. Rev., vol. 64, no. 1, pp. 15–27, 2004.\n[13]\tK. A. Shahkooh, F. Saghafi, and A. Abdollahi, \"A proposed model for e-Government maturity,\" in Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Information and Communication Technologies: From Theory to Applications (ICTTA'08), 2008, pp. 1–5.\n[14]\tM. Howard, \"E-government across the globe: how will 'e' change government,\" Government Finance Review, vol. 90, p. 80, 2001.\n[15]\tG. Lee and Y. H. Kwak, \"An Open Government Maturity Model for social media-based public engagement,\" Gov. Inf. Q., vol. 29, no. 4, pp. 492–503, 2012.\n[16]\tK. Siau and Y. Long, \"Synthesizing e-government stage models–a meta-synthesis based on meta-ethnography approach,\" Ind. Manag. Data Syst., vol. 105, no. 4, pp. 443–458, 2005.\n[17]\tR. E. Al-Qutaish and A. Abran, \"A Maturity Model of Software Product Quality.,\" J. Res. Pract. Inf. Technol., vol. 43, no. 4, pp. 307-327, 2011."]}

We studied the B-1 lymphocyte involvement in host reactions to parasites in the murine model of schistosomiasis.No modifications were observed in the prepostural phase of the disease.From the acute phase on, we observed sequentially an increase of Mad- B-1 cells in the spleen, followed by their appearance in Peyer's patches and in mesenteric ganglia, suggesting that a fraction of splenic B-1 cells might follow this pathway of migration, acquiring progressively the Mac1 expression.These results are consistent with a primary activation of the splenic B cell compartment, with the subsequent mobilization of B-1 cells into the tissue involved by parasites.Conversely, we found no evidence of an increase of B-1 cells in the peritoneum, nor a mobilization of B-1 cells expressing the peritoneal phenotype (CD51°, IgMhi) into the tissues involved by infection, despite the general inflammatory reactivity of peritoneal cells.In schistosomiasis, the peritoneal cavity B-1 cells on one side, and those involved in inflammatory reactions to parasites in the spleen, Peyer's patches, and mesenteric ganglia on the other, represent two distinct B-1 lymphocyte pools.

BACKGROUND Hypotension and hypoxemia worsen traumatic brain injury outcomes. Hyperoxic resuscitation is controversial. The authors proposed that hyperoxia would improve hemodynamics and neuronal survival by augmenting oxygen delivery despite increased oxidative stress and neuroinflammation in experimental combined controlled cortical impact plus hemorrhagic shock in mice. METHODS Adult C57BL6 mice received controlled cortical impact followed by 35 min of hemorrhagic shock (mean arterial pressure, 25-27 mmHg). The resuscitation phase consisted of lactated Ringer's boluses titrated to mean arterial pressure greater than 70 mmHg. Definitive care included returning shed blood. Either oxygen or room air was administered during the resuscitation phases. Brain tissue levels of oxidative stress and inflammatory markers were measured at 24 h and hippocampal neuronal survival was quantified at 7 days. RESULTS Hyperoxia markedly increased brain tissue oxygen tension approximately four- to fivefold (n = 8) and reduced resuscitation fluid requirements approximately 15% (n = 53; both P < 0.05). Systemic and cerebral physiologic variables were not significantly affected by hyperoxia. Hippocampal neuron survival was approximately 40% greater with oxygen versus room air (n = 18, P = 0.03). However, ascorbate depletion doubled with oxygen versus room air (n = 11, P < 0.05). Brain tissue cytokines and chemokines were increased approximately 2- to 20-fold (n = 10) after combined controlled cortical impact injury plus hemorrhagic shock, whereas hyperoxia shifted cytokines toward a proinflammatory profile. CONCLUSIONS Hyperoxic resuscitation of cortical impact plus hemorrhagic shock reduced fluid requirements and increased brain tissue oxygen tension and hippocampal neuronal survival but exacerbated ascorbate depletion and neuroinflammation. The benefits of enhanced oxygen delivery during resuscitation of traumatic brain injury may outweigh detrimental increases in oxidative stress and neuroinflammation.

Methane conversion to higher hydrocarbons at temperatures ranging from 100 to 400°C was studied on ruthenium loaded zirconium phosphate 'Zr3(PO4)4' using a two-step reaction procedure. During the first step, the catalyst was exposed to a flow of pure methane in order to deposit carbonaceous species on its surface. During the second step, after interrupting the methane flow, the surface species were submitted to a continuous flow of hydrogen. Hydrocarbons ranging from C2 to C5 were observed to evolve. Their distribution as the reaction temperature was raised, varied in favour of the heaviest ones. Of the three loaded supports A1203, A1PO4, Zr3(PO4)4 investigated under similar conditions, zirconium phosphate exhibited the best activity per gram of metal. However, expressed per unit of ruthenium surface area, the activities were found to decrease as the metal dispersion increased whatever be the support.

Methane conversion to higher hydrocarbons at temperatures ranging from 100 to 400°C was studied on ruthenium loaded zirconium phosphate 'Zr3(PO4)4' using a two-step reaction procedure. During the first step, the catalyst was exposed to a flow of pure methane in order to deposit carbonaceous species on its surface. During the second step, after interrupting the methane flow, the surface species were submitted to a continuous flow of hydrogen. Hydrocarbons ranging from C2 to C5 were observed to evolve. Their distribution as the reaction temperature was raised, varied in favour of the heaviest ones. Of the three loaded supports A1203, A1PO4, Zr3(PO4)4 investigated under similar conditions, zirconium phosphate exhibited the best activity per gram of metal. However, expressed per unit of ruthenium surface area, the activities were found to decrease as the metal dispersion increased whatever be the support.

Ascorbate is a vital reductant/free radical scavenger in the CNS, whose content defines - to a large extent - the redox status and the antioxidant reserves. Quick, reliable and specific methods for its measurement in brain samples are highly desirable. We have developed a new high-throughput screening assay for measurements of ascorbate using a fluorescence plate-reader. This assay is based on a direct reaction of ascorbate with a nitroxide radical conjugated with a fluorogenic acridine moiety, 4-((9-acridinecarbonyl)-amino)-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl radical (AC-TEMPO), yielding fluorescent hydroxylamine product (AC-TEMPO-H). The reaction was monitored over time using fluorescence and electron spin resonance techniques. The appearance of fluorescent AC-TEMPO-H was linear within the range of 3.75-75μM AscH(-) in the sample (0.5-10μM AscH(-) in the well). Assay was validated with high performance liquid chromatography method. The concentration of ascorbate in murine tissue samples, including brain samples after traumatic brain injury and hemorrhagic shock, was measured.

The measurement of software usability is recommended in ISO 9126-2 to assess the external quality of software by allowing the user to test its usefulness before it is delivered to the client. Later, during the operation and maintenance phases, usability should be maintained, otherwise the software will have to be retired. This then raises harmonization issues about the proper positioning of the usability characteristic: does usability really belong to the external quality view of ISO 9126-2 and should the external quality characteristic of usability be harmonized with that of the quality in use model defined in ISO 9126-1 and ISO 9126-4? This paper analyzes these two questions: first, we identify and analyze the subset of ISO 9126-2 quality subcharacteristics and measures of usability that can be useful for quality in use, and then we recommend improvements to the harmonization of these ISO 9126 models.

Mémoire numérisé par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal.

The study of the diffusion through a homogeneous dense film, covers practically and theoretically a fundamental interest. In pervaporation (membrane separation process) the diffusion is the limiting step in the operation of the transfer and thus directly influences the performance of the membrane. The knowledge of the diffusion coefficient of an aqueous solution in a membrane makes it possible to elucidate the mechanism of this elementary step of pervaporation. Several methods were used to determine the diffusivity of a compound through a dense membrane (differential permeation, kinetic of sorption). In this work, we tried to validate the method of the scattered packet. It is about a digital method, of cellular automaton, which produces really the process of diffusion through a membrane using the second law of Fick in which the diffusion coefficient is considered constant. Permeation flux data obtained by simulation allowed validating this method. By using the method of relaxation time and the method of maximum slope, can thus determine the coefficient of diffusion of diffusing species through the membrane. Keywords : Diffusivity, Membrane, Pervaporation, Scattered Packet Method.