bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
High‐performance liquid chromatographic method for identification and quantification of three potent liver protective coumarinolignoids—cleomiscosin A, cleomiscosin B and cleomiscosin C—in extracts of Cleome viscosa
Authors: Kaur Ranjeet , Kumar Satyanshu , Chatterjee Arnab , Chattopadhyay Sunil K
Published: February 2010

A simple, rapid, accurate and reproducible reverse‐phase HPLC method has been developed for simultaneous identification and quantification of three coumarinolignoids, cleomiscosin A (Cliv A), cleomiscosin B (Cliv B) and cleomiscosin C (Cliv C) in different extracts of the seeds of Cleome viscosa using photodiode array detection at 326 nm. Cliv A, B and C were separated on a Waters symmetry C18 column (250 × 4.6 mm, 5 μm) using the solvent system consisting of a mixture of acetonitrile : methanol (1:2 v/v) and water : acetic acid (99.5:0.5 v/v) as a mobile phase in a gradient elution mode. The calibration curves were linear in the concentration ranges 15–200, 10–80 and 15–180 μg/mL for Cliv A, Cliv B and Cliv C, respectively. The limits of detection and quantification for Cliv A, Cliv B and Cliv C were 15 and 20 μg/mL, 10 and 15 μg/mL and 15 and 20 μg/mL, respectively. The intra‐day and inter‐day precisions were 2.08 and 0.93% for Cliv A , 1.22 and 0.39% for Cliv B and 1.29 and 0.23 for Cliv C respectively. The developed HPLC method was used to identify and quantify Cliv A, Cliv B and Cliv C in different extracts of seed of Cleome viscosa. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Characterization of anti‐Coxsackie virus B3 constituents of Radix Astragali by high‐performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry
Authors: Ye Guan , Tang Yi‐Hong , Xia Guang‐Xin , Sun Zhao‐Lin , Li Zhi‐Xiong , Huang Cheng‐Gang
Published: February 2010

To profile the anti‐Coxsackie virus B3 constituents of Radix Astragali, an HPLC‐DAD‐MSn analytical method, combined with an in vivo test, has been developed to identify the constituents of the active part, which has been demonstrated to have potency to inhibit the proliferation of virus in cardiac muscle, alleviate infraction in heart and elevate the survival rate of the animal. By comparing their retention time and MS data with those obtained from the authentic compounds and the published data, a total of 19 compounds, including 11 isoflavonoids and eight saponins, were identified, among which one pterocarpane glucoside was reported for the first time. The present study provides an approach to rapidly screening bioactive constituents in traditional Chinese medicines. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Assessing online resources for an engineering course in numerical methods
Authors: Owens Corina , Kaw Autar , Hess Melinda
Published: February 2010

To determine, improve, and refine the quality of the online resources for an engineering course in numerical methods, three assessment instruments were used to gather feedback from (1) the independent instructors of the numerical methods course, (2) the students who use the majority of the resources, and (3) the general students worldwide who use resources on an as‐per‐need basis. The findings of this study provide strong evidence that the use of the website modules is a valued aide to most students. The availability of information in multiple modes and formats, at any time, for the students provides them with accessible and convenient learning material that enhances traditional methods. In addition, the analyses of the open‐ended items by both faculty reviewers and students provided insights into how a website used in a technical course such as Numerical Methods can be effectively organized and implemented to enhance further student learning. Results from the instructor surveys found highest ratings for the perceptions of the degree of helpfulness the modules provided in supplementing student readings and with class presentations, while the results from student surveys found highest ratings in the technological domain. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Comput Appl Eng Educ 20: 426–433, 2012
Facial animation retargeting and control based on a human appearance space
Authors: Stoiber Nicolas , Seguier Renaud , Breton Gaspard
Published: February 2010

Expressive facial animations are essential to enhance the realism and the credibility of virtual characters. Parameter‐based animation methods offer a precise control over facial configurations while performance‐based animation benefits from the naturalness of captured human motion. In this paper, we propose an animation system that gathers the advantages of both approaches. By analyzing a database of facial motion, we create the human appearance space. The appearance space provides a coherent and continuous parameterization of human facial movements, while encapsulating the coherence of real facial deformations. We present a method to optimally construct an analogous appearance face for a synthetic character. The link between both appearance spaces makes it possible to retarget facial animation on a synthetic face from a video source. Moreover, the topological characteristics of the appearance space allow us to detect the principal variation patterns of a face and automatically reorganize them on a low‐dimensional control space. The control space acts as an interactive user‐interface to manipulate the facial expressions of any synthetic face. This interface makes it simple and intuitive to generate still facial configurations for keyframe animation, as well as complete temporal sequences of facial movements. The resulting animations combine the flexibility of a parameter‐based system and the realism of real human motion. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Image‐based detail reconstruction of non‐Lambertian surfaces
Authors: Lin I‐Chen , Chang Wen‐Hsing , Lo Yung‐Sheng , Peng Jen‐Yu , Lin Chan‐Yu
Published: February 2010

This paper presents a novel optimization framework for estimating the static or dynamic surfaces with details. The proposed method uses dense depths from a structured‐light system or sparse ones from motion capture as the initial positions, and exploits non‐Lambertian reflectance models to approximate surface reflectance. Multi‐stage shape‐from‐shading (SFS) is then applied to optimize both shape geometry and reflectance properties. Because this method uses non‐Lambertian properties, it can compensate for triangulation reconstruction errors caused by view‐dependent reflections. This approach can also estimate detailed undulations on textureless regions, and employs spatial‐temporal constraints for reliably tracking time‐varying surfaces. Experiment results demonstrate that accurate and detailed 3D surfaces can be reconstructed from images acquired by off‐the‐shelf devices. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Ring‐Closing Metathesis of Acrylates: A Comparative Study
Authors: Schmidt Bernd , Geißler Diana
Published: February 2010

The efficiency of ring‐closing metathesis (RCM) reactions of various acrylates to form 2 (5 H)‐furanones, catalyzed by second‐generation ruthenium complexes, is investigated in detail. In particular the effects of substrate concentration and substrate structure were studied for indenylidene and benzylidene catalysts, both of which are shown to catalyze the RCM reaction in good yields. The starting substrate concentration is shown to be an important factor in the reaction, as, at excessive initial substrate concentrations, irreversible catalyst deactivation seems to occur, whereas high catalyst loadings appear to be unnecessary.
Level estimation in oil/water separators based on multiple pressure sensors and multivariate calibration
Authors: Skeie Nils‐Olav , Halstensen Maths
Published: February 2010

Separation of oil, water and gas is an important process stage in oil and gas production. Such mixed fluids with different densities are often separated using a gravity separator. An unwanted emulsion will develop in the layer between oil and water and should not be a part of the oil output flow from the separator. The level and thickness of the emulsion layer together with oil and water content is therefore one of the important properties when controlling the oil output flow rate. The water output flow can be used to adjust the position of the interface/emulsion layer which should be below the oil output. Most of the level estimators are based on radioactive level measurements where the radiation is influenced by the density of the liquids. The radioactive principle is however expensive, and the resolution depends on the number of receivers and the robustness of the software. The main disadvantage is that process operators are exposed to radiation. This paper shows how a set of inexpensive pressure sensors and radar is used together with multivariate calibration for the estimation of the levels and the positions of the different layers in a vertical oil/water/gas separator. The method is calibrated and tested on a pilot scale vertical separator based on the same design as full‐scale separators used in the oil/gas industry. The signals from the radar and pressure sensors are calibrated against known reference levels using partial least squares regression (PLSR). Models based on both competitive and complementary sensor inputs are evaluated. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Specific Induced Circular Dichroism and Enhanced B to Z Transitions of Duplexes Stabilized by Chromophore‐Linked Alkynylnucleoside Residues
Authors: Fujimoto Kazuhisa , Aizawa Sayaka , Oota Ikko , Chiba Junya , Inouye Masahiko
Published: February 2010

We have developed an induced circular dichroism (ICD) probe with a chromophore‐linked alkynyldeoxyribose skeleton for analyzing higher‐order structures of DNA duplexes in the visible‐light region. When CG‐repeated oligonucleotides (ODNs) with the probe at their 5′ ends adopted Z‐form duplexes at a high NaCl concentration, strong ICD signals were observed at the absorptive region of the chromophore. On the other hand, their B‐form duplexes, formed at a low NaCl concentration, produced a faint ICD signal. The specific ICD for the Z‐form duplexes was found to appear only when the chromophores were attached at the 5′ ends of each of the ODNs. Furthermore, the chromophoric alkynylnucleoside residues effectively promoted the B to Z transition of the ODN.
Synthesis, Crystal Structure of Co(II)(6‐methoxybenzothiazole‐ 2‐carboxylate)2(DMF)2and Its Application to Carbonylation of Benzyl Chloride
Authors: Zhang Bin , Li Jianli , Chen Wei , Wang Yunxia , Shi Zhen
Published: February 2010

A new complex, Co(MBTC)2(DMF)2(MBTC=6‐methoxybenzothiazole‐2‐carboxylate, DMF=N,N‐dime‐ thylformamide), was synthesized in DMF solution and characterized by single crystal X‐ray diffraction analysis. Using the cobalt complex as catalyst, phenylacetic acid was prepared by the carbonylation of benzyl chloride with carbon monoxide (0.1 MPa). The effects of solvents, phase transfer catalysts and temperature on the reactions were investigated. The yield of phenylacetic acid was higher than 90% in optimized condition.
Synthesis, Structural Characterization and Luminescence of Lanthanide Coordination Polymers with Pyridine‐2,5‐dicarboxylic Acid
Authors: Feng Xinming , Wei Qing , Chen Sanping , Gao Shengli
Published: February 2010

The complexes of formulas [Ln2(pydc)2(Hpydc)2(H2O)4]·2H2O [Ln=Ce (1), Pr (2), H2pydc=pyridine‐2,5‐di‐carboxylic acid] have been hydrothermally synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, IR, TG and single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction. The structure analyses for 1 and 2 indicate that one‐dimensional metal helical chains are linked through carboxylate groups, and the helical chains are connected with the bridging pydc2− anion, forming two‐dimensional layered polymeric structures. The luminescent properties of complexes were also discussed.
Photocatalytic Reduction of Nitrobenzene by Titanium Dioxide Powder
Authors: Chen Shifu , Zhang Huaye , Yu Xiaoling , Liu Wei
Published: February 2010

The feasibility of photocatalytic reduction of nitrobenzene using titanium dioxide powder as photocatalyst, under the protection of nitrogen and presence of hole scavenger conditions, was studied. Effects of the illumination time, amount of catalyst and sorts of solvent on the photocatalytic reduction of nitrobenzene were investigated, respectively. The results showed that, for the photocatalytic reduction of nitrobenzene, aniline was the main product. When the illumination time was 6 h, 8.15×10−4 mol/L of nitrobenzene could be photocatalytically reduced completely, with the yield of aniline being 88.5%. The optimum amount of TiO2 used was 4.0 g/L, the optimum initial pH value of reaction solution was 4.0 and the best solvent was methanol. The kinetics and mechanisms of the photocatalytic reduction of nitrobenzene were also discussed.
Theoretical Study on the Mechanism of the Petasis‐type Boronic Mannich Reaction of Organoboronic Acids, Amines, and α‐Hydroxy Aldehydes
Authors: Tao Jingcong , Li Shuhua
Published: February 2010

The mechanism of a typical Petasis‐type boronic mannich reaction (the styrylboronic acid, dibenzylamine, and α‐hydroxylpropionaldehyde) has been investigated using density functional theory calculations. According to our calculations, the reaction is most likely to proceed through the following steps: 1) the nucleophilic addition of the amine to the aldehyde to form the carbinolamine; 2) the dehydration of the carbinolamine; 3) the formation of the tetra‐coordinated borate intermediate; 4) the CC bond formation by the intramolecular transfer of the styryl group; 5) the hydrolysis of the resulting intermediate to give the final products. The highest point on the energy profile is the transition state for the CC bond formation (118.8 kJ·mol−1 above the reactants in ethanol). Our results can give reasonable explanations on some experimental facts observed for many Petasis‐type boronic Mannich reactions.
Selective Synthesis of a Hexagonal Co(II)‐Substituted Sodium Zincophosphate via a Simple and Novel Route
Authors: Liao Sen , Liu Gang , Tian Xiaozhen , Chen Xia , Wu Wenwei , Liang Yugui
Published: February 2010

A simple and novel route was provided for the preparation of the hexagonal Co(II)‐substituted sodium zincophosphate (CoZnPO‐HEX), which was obtained with ZnSO4·7H2O, CoCl2·6H2O and Na3PO4·12H2O as raw materials and polyethylene glycol‐400 (PEG‐400) as a surfactant via a one‐step solid‐state reaction at low heating temperature (60°C), and characterized with X‐ray diffraction (XRD), fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), diffuse reflectance spectra, thermogravimetric analysis and the 1st derivative of thermogravimetric analysis (TG/DTG) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The experimental results showed that the CoZnPO‐HEX was selectively formed via this reaction at ambient temperature in the presence of PEG‐400.
Chirality Control by Substituents in the Asymmetric Addition of Et2Zn to Aromatic Aldehydes Catalyzed by cis‐(1R,2S)‐2‐Benzamidocyclohexanecarboxylic Acid Derived 1,3‐Aminoalcohols
Authors: Wang Xiangbo , Kodama Koichi , Hirose Takuji , Zhang Guangyou
Published: February 2010

A series of novel optically active 1,3‐aminoalcohols based on cis‐(1R,2S)‐2‐benzamidocyclohexanecarboxylic acid and trans‐(1R,2R)‐2‐benzamidocyclohexanecarboxylic acid were synthesized and used in the asymmetric diethylzinc addition to aromatic aldehydes. Not only the enantioselectivity but also the stereochemistry of the product were controlled by the N‐substituents and the substituents on the vicinity carbon to hydroxyl group of the cis‐derivatives.
Ultrasound Promoted and Ionic Liquid Catalyzed Cyclocondensation Reaction for the Synthesis of 4(3H)‐Quinazolinones
Authors: Pawar Omprakash B. , Chavan Fulchand R. , Sakate Sachin S. , Shinde Narayan D.
Published: February 2010

4(3H)‐Quinazolinones were synthesized in high yields by one‐pot three‐component condensation of anthranilic acid, carboxylic acid and aniline in the presence of ionic liquid such as 1‐n‐butyl‐3‐methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (BMImBF4) as catalyst under solvent free and neutral conditions.
Theoretical Study of One‐electron Redox Potentials of Some NADH Model Compounds
Authors: Wang Huajing , Huang Xiongyi , Shen Rong , Rui Lei , Fu Yao
Published: February 2010

Several 1‐benzyl‐1,4‐dihydronicotinamide derivatives, which are important NADH model compounds were studied theoretically in acetonitrile. The performances of various DFT methods including B3LYP, B1B95, B3PW91, MPW1B95, MPWKCIS, and M06 were tested to calculate the redox potentials. The first theoretical protocol to predict the redox potentials of these derivatives is B1B95, whose reliability has been tested against almost all the available experimental data. Strikingly, the mean absolute derivations (MAD) and root mean square (RMS) error of the current theoretical model equal 0.015 and 0.017, respectively. By using this method, the important thermodynamic properties of BNAHs were investigated and the mechanisms of hydride transfer progress were explained. Besides, para‐substituents that have a big effect on these redox potentials of BNAH were systematically studied and carefully demonstrated.
Synthesis of N1‐Substituted 1,2,3,6‐Tetrahydropyrimidin‐ 2‐ones via an Unexpected Reaction of Thiazolo[3,2‐a]‐pyrimidine Derivatives and Nitrile Oxide
Authors: Li Xiaofang , Yi Pinggui , Yu Xianyong
Published: February 2010

A new class of N1‐substituted 1,2,3,6‐tetrahydropyrimidin‐2‐ones was prepared in moderate yields by the reaction of nitrile oxide with thiazolo[3,2‐a]pyrimidine derivatives via a domino 1,3‐dipolar cycloaddition/ring‐opening/ substitution process. The structures of the products were characterized thoroughly by IR, elemental analysis, MS, NMR together with X‐ray crystallographic analysis.
A three‐dimensional particle simulation of the formation and collapse of a primary thrombus
Authors: Kamada Hiroki , Tsubota Ken‐ichi , Nakamura Masanori , Wada Shigeo , Ishikawa Takuji , Yamaguchi Takami
Published: February 2010

This report presents a technique based on the particle method to simulate the process of thrombogenesis while considering platelet aggregation under the influence of fluid dynamics. In the employed particle method, the blood region was discretized by particles that were assumed to have the characteristics of plasma and platelets. The moving particle semi‐implicit (MPS) method developed for incompressible viscous flow was applied to the flow of plasma and platelets. Adhesion of platelets to the injured vessel wall was expressed by a spring force acting between them. The same modeling was applied for the aggregation of platelets. Three‐dimensional computer simulation of thrombogenesis was performed in a rectangular flow channel under the condition of Re=0.02. We demonstrated that the proposed method can simulate the formation and destruction of a thrombus with the inclusion of feedback reactions of thrombus development and flow. The results revealed that the growth rate of a thrombus, its height, and time required from the beginning of thrombus formation to its collapse vary according to the flow rate, indicating that flow dynamics plays an important role in regulating the development of a primary thrombus. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The design of puzzle selection strategies for GWAP systems
Authors: Chen Ling‐Jyh , Wang Bo‐Chun , Chen Kuan‐Ta
Published: February 2010

TheGames With A Purpose(GWAP) genre is a type ofHuman Computationthat outsources certain steps of the computational process to humans. By taking advantage of people's desire to be entertained, GWAP attracts people to play voluntarily, and also produce useful metadata as a by‐product. The games have shown promise in solving a variety of problems, which computer computation has been unable to resolve completely thus far. In this paper, we propose a metric, calledsystem gain, for evaluating the performance of GWAP systems, and also use analysis to study the properties of GWAP systems. We argue that it is important for GWAP systems to implement properpuzzle selection strategiesin order to collect human intelligence in a more efficient manner. Therefore, based on our analysis, we implement anOptimal Puzzle Selection Strategy(OPSA) to improve GWAP systems. Using a comprehensive set of simulations, we demonstrate that the proposed OPSA approach can effectively improve the system gain of GWAP systems, as long as the number of puzzles in the system is sufficiently large. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Management of a parameter sweep for scientific applications on cluster environments
Authors: Youn Choonhan , Kaiser Tim
Published: February 2010

The GEOsciences Network (GEON, www.geongrid.org) is a large‐scale collaborative cyberinfrastructure project involving information technology and geoscience researchers from multiple institutions. The GEON infrastructure provides portal, middleware, and data resources to facilitate scientific discovery for domain scientists using applications, tools, and services. It consists of both a service‐oriented Web/Grid framework and application toolkits, using the Web service and portlet programming model to represent applications. Based on those grid environments, we have developed the SYNSEIS (SYNthetic SEISmogram) tool within the GEON infrastructure to support personalized experiments in seismology. In this paper, we present an overview of SYNSEIS from a user point of view, and demonstrate how one can use a simple management scheme to perform a parameter sweep and distribute the work in computational resources, using a scientific application that was not specifically designed to perform parameter sweeps. The performance advantages to be gained by using this scheme with scientific codes for dealing with a large number of jobs on computational grids are very substantial. In particular, we identify the earthquake simulations in the SYNSEIS tool as an example application that can benefit from running jobs on computational resources and subsequently promote the sharing of computational resources among partner sites involved in the GEON project. Finally, we also discuss the parallel scaling behavior of our primary earthquake simulation application. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
How Far Can We Go? Quantum‐Chemical Investigations of Oxidation State +IX
Authors: Himmel Daniel , Knapp Carsten , Patzschke Michael , Riedel Sebastian
Published: February 2010

The highest known oxidation state of any element is +VIII. After the recent discovery of IrVIIIO4 under cryogenic conditions, we have investigated the stability of cationic species [MO4]+ (M=Rh,Ir,Mt). Such compounds would formally represent the new oxidation state +IX, which is experimentally unknown so far for the whole periodic table. [IrO4]+ is predicted to be the most promising candidate. The calculated spin–orbit (SO) coupling shows only minor effects on the stability of the iridium species, whereas SO‐coupling increases enormously for the corresponding Eka‐Iridium (Meitnerium) complexes and destabilizes these.
Metal‐Free Heterogeneous Catalysis for Sustainable Chemistry
Authors: Su Dang Sheng , Zhang Jian , Frank Benjamin , Thomas Arne , Wang Xinchen , Paraknowitsch Jens , Schlögl Robert
Published: February 2010

The current established catalytic processes used in chemical industries use metals, in many cases precious metals, or metal oxides as catalysts. These are often energy‐consuming and not highly selective, wasting resources and producing greenhouse gases. Metal‐free heterogeneous catalysis using carbon or carbon nitride is an interesting alternative to some current industrialized chemical processes. Carbon and carbon nitride combine environmental acceptability with inexhaustible resources and allow a favorable management of energy with good thermal conductivity. Owing to lower reaction temperatures and increased selectivity, these catalysts could be candidates for green chemistry with low emission and an efficient use of the chemical feedstock. This Review highlights some recent promising activities and developments in heterogeneous catalysis using only carbon and carbon nitride as catalysts. The state‐of‐the‐art and future challenges of metal‐free heterogeneous catalysis are also discussed.
Parabiosis model does not show presence of circulating osteoprogenitor cells
Authors: Boban Ivana , Barisic‐Dujmovic Tatjana , Clark Stephen H.
Published: February 2010

The goal of this study was to determine the presence of osteoprogenitor cells in the peripheral blood. Experiments were conducted with a parabiosis model in which osteoblast specific transgenic mice (Col2.3GFP or hOC‐GFP) were surgically joined with a transgenic mouse where herpes virus thymidine kinase gene is under the control of the collagen α1 promoter (Col2.3ΔTK). This method permits conditional ablation of osteoblasts by ganciclovir (GCV) treatment. In parabionts treated with GCV for 15 days or 1.5–2 months, GFP (hOC‐GFP or Col2.3GFP) expression was not detected in histological preparations or in marrow stromal cell cultures from the Col2.3ΔTK parabiont. Finally, Col2.3GFP/Col2.3ΔTK pairs were treated with GCV for 15 days and allowed to recover from GCV for 3 months. Again there was a failure to detect Col2.3GFP expressing cells in the Col2.3ΔTK parabiont. These observations, at least within the limits of this model system, allow the conclusion that osteoprogenitor cells do not readily circulate. genesis 48:171–182, 2010. © 2010 wiley‐Liss, Inc.
A mouse line expressing Sall1‐driven inducible Cre recombinase in the kidney mesenchyme
Authors: Inoue Shuji , Inoue Miki , Fujimura Sayoko , Nishinakamura Ryuichi
Published: February 2010

Sall1 is expressed in the metanephric mesenchyme in the developing kidney, and mice deficient in Sall1 show kidney agenesis or dysgenesis. Sall1 is also expressed elsewhere, including in the limb buds, anus, heart, and central nervous system. Dominant‐negative mutations of Sall1 in mice and humans lead to developmental defects in these organs. Here, we generated a mouse line expressing tamoxifen‐inducible Cre recombinase (CreERT2) under the control of the endogenous Sall1 promoter. Upon tamoxifen treatment, these mice showed genomic recombination in the tissues where endogenous Sall1 is expressed. When CreERT2 mice were crossed with the floxed Sall1 allele, tamoxifen administration during gestation led to a significant decrease in Sall1 expression and small kidneys at birth, suggesting that Sall1 functions were disrupted. Furthermore, Sall1 expression in the kidney was significantly reduced by neonatal tamoxifen treatment. The Sall1CreERT2 mouse is a valuable tool for in vivo time‐dependent and region‐specific knockout and overexpression studies. genesis 48:207–212, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Parenchymal cells critically curtail cytotoxic T‐cell responses by inducing Bim‐mediated apoptosis
Authors: Gruber Anton , Cannarile Michael A. , Cheminay Cedric , Ried Christine , Marconi Peggy , Häcker Georg , Brocker Thomas
Published: February 2010

To develop cytolytic effector functions, CD8+ T lymphocytes need to recognize specific Ag/MHC class I complexes in the context of costimuli on Ag‐presenting DC. Thereafter they differentiate into effector and memory CTL able to confer protection against pathogen infection. Using transgenic mice with DC‐selective MHC class I expression and DC‐specific versus ubiquitous vaccination regimen, we found that DC are sufficient to prime CTL responses. However, Ag recognition on parenchymal non‐professional APC negatively affected CD8+ T‐cell responses in mice by inducing expression of the pro‐apoptotic bcl2‐family member bim in CTL. This unexpected induction of apoptosis in the early phase of effector CTL accumulation lead to suboptimal clonal burst size and diminished long‐term memory. Thus, our data demonstrate that effector CTL differentiation and apoptosis are regulated independently. Moreover, Ag distribution on cells other than DC critically reduces CTL responses.
Targeted inhibition of IL‐10‐secreting CD25− Treg via p38 MAPK suppression in cancer immunotherapy
Authors: Ohkusu‐Tsukada Kozo , Toda Masahiro , Udono Heiichiro , Kawakami Yutaka , Takahashi Kimimasa
Published: February 2010

Cancer‐induced immunotolerance mediated by inducible Treg (iTreg) is a major obstacle to cancer immunotherapy. In a basic study of immunotolerance, injection of an endogenous superantigen, i.e. the minor lymphocyte stimulatory (Mls)‐1a, into specific TCR Vβ8.1‐Tg mice enabled generation of anergic CD25− iTreg, the immunosuppressive function of which was maintained by IL‐10 production via p38‐MAPK activation. Interestingly, although p38‐chemical inhibitor (p38‐inhibitor) is capable of breaking CD25− iTreg‐induced immunotolerance, the p38‐inhibitor had hardly any immunotolerance breaking effect when CD25+ Treg were present, suggesting that depletion of CD25+ Treg is necessary for p38‐inhibitor to be effective. Peptide OVA323–339 iv.‐injection into its specific TCR‐Tg (OT‐II) mice also induced adaptive tolerance by iTreg. Peptide immunotherapy with p38‐inhibitor after CD25+ Treg‐depletion was performed in an OVA‐expressing lymphoma E.G7‐bearing tolerant model established by adoptive transfer of OT‐II CD25− iTreg, which resulted in suppression of tumor growth. Similarly, the antitumor immunity induced by peptide immunotherapy in colon carcinoma CT26‐bearing mice, in which the number of IL‐10‐secreting iTreg is increased, was augmented by treatment with p38‐inhibitor after CD25+ Treg‐depletion and resulted in inhibition of tumor progression. These results suggest that simultaneous inhibition of two distinct Treg‐functions may be important to the success of cancer immunotherapy.
Impaired CD4+ T‐cell proliferation and effector function correlates with repressive histone methylation events in a mouse model of severe sepsis
Authors: Carson William F. , Cavassani Karen A. , Ito Toshihiro , Schaller Matthew , Ishii Makoto , Dou Yali , Kunkel Steven L.
Published: February 2010

Immunosuppression following severe sepsis remains a significant human health concern, as long‐term morbidity and mortality rates of patients who have recovered from life‐threatening septic shock remain poor. Mouse models of severe sepsis indicate this immunosuppression may be partly due to alterations in myeloid cell function; however, the effect of severe sepsis on subsequent CD4+ T‐cell responses remains unclear. In the present study, CD4+ T cells from mice subjected to an experimental model of severe sepsis (cecal ligation and puncture (CLP)) were analyzed in vitro. CD4+CD62L+ T cells from CLP mice exhibited reduced proliferative capacity and altered gene expression. Additionally, CD4+CD62L+ T cells from CLP mice exhibit dysregulated cytokine production after in vitro skewing with exogenous cytokines, indicating a decreased capability of these cells to commit to either the TH1 or TH2 lineage. Repressive histone methylation marks were also evident at promoter regions for the TH1 cytokine IFN‐γ and the TH2 transcription factor GATA‐3 in naïve CD4+ T cells from CLP mice. These results provide evidence that CD4+ T‐cell subsets from post‐septic mice exhibit defects in activation and effector function, possibly due to chromatin remodeling proximal to genes involved in cytokine production or gene transcription.
SUMOylation attenuates c‐Maf‐dependent IL‐4 expression
Authors: Lin Bo‐Shiou , Tsai Pei‐Yun , Hsieh Wan‐Yun , Tsao Hsiao‐Wei , Liu Meng‐Wei , Grenningloh Roland , Wang Li‐Fang , Ho I‐Cheng , Miaw Shi‐Chuen
Published: February 2010

The function of transcription factors can be critically regulated by SUMOylation. c‐Maf, the cellular counterpart of v‐maf oncogene, is a potent transactivator of the IL‐4 gene in Th2 cells. We found in a yeast two‐hybrid screen that c‐Maf can interact with Ubc9 and PIAS1, two key enzymes of the SUMOylation pathway. In this study, we report that c‐Maf co‐localized with these two SUMO (small ubiquitin‐like modifier) ligases in the nucleus and that c‐Maf can be SUMOylated in vitro and also in primary Th2 cells. We also demonstrated that lysine‐33 is the dominant, if not the only, SUMO acceptor site of c‐Maf. SUMOylation of c‐Maf attenuated its transcriptional activity. Reciprocally, a SUMOylation resistant c‐Maf was more potent than WT‐c‐Maf in driving IL‐4 production in c‐Maf‐deficient Th2 cells. Furthermore, we showed that ablation of the SUMO site did not alter the subcellular localization or the stability of c‐Maf protein but instead enhanced its recruitment to the Il4‐promoter. We conclude that SUMOylation at lysine‐33 is a functionally critical post‐translational modification event of c‐Maf in Th cells.
The DC‐SIGN family member LSECtin is a novel ligand of CD44 on activated T cells
Authors: Tang Li , Yang Juntao , Tang Xiaoming , Ying Wantao , Qian Xiaohong , He Fuchu
Published: February 2010

LSECtin, a novel member of the C‐type lectin DC‐SIGN family, not only acts as an attachment factor for pathogens, but also recognizes “endogenous” activated T cells. The endogenous ligands of LSECtin, however, have remained unclear. In this study, we identified CD44 on Jurkat T cells as a candidate ligand of LSECtin, and confirmed the specific interaction between LSECtin and CD44. Moreover, we showed that LSECtin selectively bound CD44s, CD44v4 and CD44v8‐10 by screening a series of typical CD44 isoforms. By deletion of the carbohydrate‐recognition domain region and mutation of crucial amino acids involved in carbohydrate‐recognition of LSECtin and by inhibition of the N‐linked glycosylation of CD44, we further demonstrated that the interaction between CD44 and LSECtin is dependent on protein‐glycan recognition. Our findings indicate that CD44 is the first identified endogenous ligand of LSECtin, and similarly, that LSECtin is a novel ligand of CD44. These findings provide important new perspectives on the biology of both LSECtin and CD44 in the immune system.
DEAD/H BOX 3 (DDX3) helicase binds the RIG‐I adaptor IPS‐1 to up‐regulate IFN‐β‐inducing potential
Authors: Oshiumi Hiroyuki , Sakai Keisuke , Matsumoto Misako , Seya Tsukasa
Published: February 2010

Retinoic acid‐inducible gene‐I (RIG‐I)‐like receptors (RLR) are members of the DEAD box helicases, and recognize viral RNA in the cytoplasm, leading to IFN‐β induction through the adaptor IFN‐β promoter stimulator‐1 (IPS‐1) (also known as Cardif, mitochondrial antiviral signaling protein or virus‐induced signaling adaptor). Since uninfected cells usually harbor a trace of RIG‐I, other RNA‐binding proteins may participate in assembling viral RNA into the IPS‐1 pathway during the initial response to infection. We searched for proteins coupling with human IPS‐1 by yeast two‐hybrid and identified another DEAD (Asp‐Glu‐Ala‐Asp) box helicase, DDX3 (DEAD/H BOX 3). DDX3 can bind viral RNA to join it in the IPS‐1 complex. Unlike RIG‐I, DDX3 was constitutively expressed in cells, and some fraction of DDX3 is colocalized with IPS‐1 around mitochondria. The 622‐662 a.a DDX3 C‐terminal region (DDX3‐C) directly bound to the IPS‐1 CARD‐like domain, and the whole DDX3 protein also associated with RLR. By reporter assay, DDX3 helped IPS‐1 up‐regulate IFN‐β promoter activation and knockdown of DDX3 by siRNA resulted in reduced IFN‐β induction. This activity was conserved on the DDX3‐C fragment. DDX3 only marginally enhanced IFN‐β promoter activation induced by transfected TANK‐binding kinase 1 (TBK1) or I‐kappa‐B kinase‐ε (IKKε). Forced expression of DDX3 augmented virus‐mediated IFN‐β induction and host cell protection against virus infection. Hence, DDX3 is an antiviral IPS‐1 enhancer.
Diisobutylaluminium Hydride (DIBAL‐H) Promoted Secondary Rim Regioselective Demethylations of Permethylated β‐Cyclodextrin: A Mechanistic Proposal
Authors: Xiao Sulong , Yang Ming , Sinaÿ Pierre , Blériot Yves , Sollogoub Matthieu , Zhang Yongmin
Published: February 2010

Diisobutylaluminium hydride (DIBAL‐H) promotes secondary rim regioselective bis‐de‐O‐methylation at the 2A‐ and 3B‐positions of permethylated β‐cyclodextrin. This result contrasts with the selective bis‐de‐O‐benzylation of perbenzylated cyclodextrins in which regioselective deprotection occurs at the primary rim. To gain an insight into the mechanism of this remarkable contrasting behavior, the two corresponding permethylated cyclodextrins with an alcohol function at either the 2‐ or 3‐position were synthesized. The cyclodextrin with the alcohol at the 3‐position reacts withDIBAL‐H to afford the 2A,3B‐diol whereas the cyclodextrin with the alcohol at the 2‐position is unreactive. This observation allows us to propose a mechanism for the demethylation reaction that involves for each demethylation step two molecules of aluminium reagent, in accord with the previous hypothesis on the debenzylation reaction. The second demethylation step appears to be faster than the first, the coordination of aluminium now being an intramolecular process.
Chiral Isocyanoazides: Efficient Bifunctional Reagents for Bioconjugation
Authors: Nenajdenko Valentine G. , Gulevich Anton V. , Sokolova Nadezhda V. , Mironov Andrey V. , Balenkova Elizabeth S.
Published: February 2010

Chiral scaffolds combining isocyanide and azide groups can be effectively synthesized to permit the efficient construction of both amino (hydroxy) acids and triazole derivatives, which enables the preparation of hybrid peptide molecules by Ugi/click or click/Ugi strategies.
Uncatalyzed Three‐Component Synthesis of α‐Hydrazido Phosphonates
Authors: Herrera Raquel P. , Roca‐López David , Navarro‐Moros Gloria
Published: February 2010

Various α‐hydrazido phosphonates have been easily prepared on the basis of the nucleophilic addition of diphenyl phosphite to reactive, preformed N‐acylhydrazones and a three‐component (aldehydes, N‐benzoylhydrazide and diphenyl phosphite) coupling reaction through a non‐catalyzed process. An unprecedented and promising enantioselective example of this reaction is also reported.
Characterization of complex fluvial systems using remote sensing of spatial and temporal water level variations in the Amazon, Congo, and Brahmaputra Rivers
Authors: Jung Hahn Chul , Hamski James , Durand Michael , Alsdorf Doug , Hossain Faisal , Lee Hyongki , Hossain A. K. M. Azad , Hasan Khaled , Khan Abu Saleh , Hoque A.K.M. Zeaul
Published: February 2010

The Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) satellite mission will provide global, space‐based estimates of water elevation, its temporal change, and its spatial slope in fluvial environments, as well as across lakes, reservoirs, wetlands, and floodplains. This paper illustrates the utility of existing remote sensing measurements of water temporal changes and spatial slope to characterize two complex fluvial environments. First, repeat‐pass interferometric SAR measurements from the Japanese Earth Resources Satellite are used to compare and contrast floodplain processes in the Amazon and Congo River basins. Measurements of temporal water level changes over the two areas reveal clearly different hydraulic processes at work. The Amazon is highly interconnected by floodplain channels, resulting in complex flow patterns. In contrast, the Congo does not show similar floodplain channels and the flow patterns are not well defined and have diffuse boundaries. During inundation, the Amazon floodplain often shows sharp hydraulic changes across floodplain channels. The Congo, however, does not show similar sharp changes during either infilling or evacuation. Second, Shuttle Radar Topography Mission measurements of water elevation are used to derive water slope over the braided Brahmaputra river system. In combination with in situ bathymetry measurements, water elevation and slope allow one to calculate discharge estimates within 2.3% accuracy. These two studies illustrate the utility of satellite‐based measurements of water elevation for characterizing complex fluvial environments, and highlight the potential of SWOT measurements for fluvial hydrology. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Spatial and temporal deformation characteristics of marine alluvial deposits due to land reclamation: implications from InSAR observation and geotechnical estimate
Authors: Jiang Liming , Lin Hui , Zhao Qing
Published: February 2010

Ground deformation of reclaimed land is a key issue for reclamation design, construction and sustainable development in coastal areas as this consolidation process of the underlying compressible marine sediment sequences over very long‐time periods could lead to damage of both ground constructions and underground facilities. In this case study, we have investigated the spatial and temporal characteristics of residual reclamation settlement of Chek Lap Kok Airport, Hong Kong, one of the largest land reclamation projects worldwide. A total of 25 time series ENVISAT ASAR datasets, acquired between December 2003 and October 2008, were used to retrieve settlement rates and deformation history at high resolution and accuracy by means of advanced Synthetic Aperture Radar Interferometry (InSAR). The InSAR‐derived results show a fairly homogenous and stable pattern in the sectors of the airport site corresponding to the two original islands of Chek Lap Kok and Lam Chau. In contrast, a relatively high spatial settlement variability, ranging from moderate (3–7?mm/yr) to strong (>10?mm/yr) settlement rates, was discovered within the majority of the reclaimed portion of the airport. A joint analysis of InSAR observations and geological materials indicates that the variability of the recorded residual settlement was highly correlated with the variations of thickness and pre‐consolidation state of alluvial deposits below the reclamation. A quantitative comparison analysis also has been carried out between time series InSAR observations and theoretical estimates of residual settlement modelled by geotechnical investigations. The results imply that a primary consolidation process in alluvial deposits below the reclamation might be delayed with respect to the predicted results and may still have been occurring in most reclaimed areas during the investigation period (2003–2008); the time to complete it could stretch to decades depending on hydraulic conductivity and natural drainage conditions. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Quantifying lateral root reinforcement in steep slopes – from a bundle of roots to tree stands
Authors: Schwarz M. , Lehmann P. , Or D.
Published: February 2010

A review of present modelling approaches for root reinforcement in vegetated steep hillslopes reveals critical gaps in consideration of plant–soil interactions at various scales of interest for shallow landslide prediction. A new framework is proposed for systematic quantification of root reinforcement at scales ranging from single root to tree root system, to a stand of trees. In addition to standard basal reinforcement considered in most approaches, the critical role of roots in stabilizing slopes through lateral reinforcement is highlighted. Primary geometrical and mechanical properties of root systems and their function in stabilizing the soil mass are reviewed. Stress–strain relationships are considered for a bundle of roots using the formalism of the fiber bundle model (FBM) that offers a natural means for upscaling mechanical behavior of root systems. An extension of the FBM is proposed, considering key root and soil parameters such as root diameter distribution, tortuosity, soil type, soil moisture and friction between soil and root surface. The spatial distribution of root mechanical reinforcement around a single tree is computed from root diameter and density distributions based on easy to measure properties. The distribution of root reinforcement for a stand of trees was obtained from spatial and mechanical superposition of individual tree values with regard to their positions on a hillslope. Potential applications of the proposed approach are illustrated in a numerical experiment of spatial strength distribution in a hypothetical slope with 1000 trees randomly distributed. The analyses result in spatial distribution of weak and strong zones within the soil where landslide triggering is expected in large and continuous zones with low reinforcement values. Mapping such zones would enhance the quality of landslide susceptibility maps and optimization of silvicultural measures in protection forests. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Micro‐geomorphology determines community structure of biological soil crusts at small scales
Authors: Li Xin‐Rong , He Min‐Zhu , Zerbe Stefan , Li Xiao‐Jun , Liu Li‐Chao
Published: February 2010

Biological soil crusts (BSCs) are ubiquitous communities of diminutive organisms such as cyanobacteria, green algae, lichens, mosses and others associated closely with particles of surface soil, forming a cohesive thin horizontal layer. The ecological roles of BSCs affecting soil nutrient cycling, stability and hydrological processes, influencing the germination and establishment of vascular plants, and serving as habitats for numerous arthropods and microorganism have been well documented. We tested the hypothesis that micro‐geomorphological features determine the spatial distribution of BSCs by reallocating related abiotic resources at small‐ and medium‐scales in the Tengger Desert. Our results showed that higher soil pH and higher total potassium content in topsoil positively correlated with the colonization of cyanobacteria and algae in the earliest successional stages of BSCs, while increasing dust deposition onto the topsoil enhanced the development of lichen and mosses in the later stages of BSCs. Increasing soil moisture raised the proportion of mosses and lichen in BSCs, this will possibly change the ecological functions of BSCs, such as nitrogen‐fixation by cyanobacteria, due to the conversion from a complex to relative simple type of BSC. Micro‐geomorphology has created various habitats at a small‐scale affecting colonization and development of cryptogams. This paper considers the contribution of micro‐geomorphology to biodiversity in the extreme arid desert systems. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Impacts of sediment retention by dams on delta shoreline recession: evidences from the Krishna and Godavari deltas, India
Authors: Rao K. Nageswara , Subraelu P. , Kumar K.Ch.V. Naga , Demudu G. , Malini B. Hema , Rajawat A.S. , Ajai
Published: February 2010

River deltas are the major repositories of terrestrial sediment flux into the world's oceans. Reduction in riverine inputs into the deltas due to upstream damming might lead to a relative dominance of waves, tides and currents that are especially exacerbated by coastal subsidence and sea‐level rise ultimately affecting the delta environment. Analysis of multi‐date satellite imagery and maps covering the Krishna and Godavari deltas along the east coast of India revealed a net erosion of 76 km2area along the entire 336‐km‐long twin delta coast during the past 43 years (1965–2008) with a progressively increasing rate from 1·39 km2 yr−1between 1965 and 1990, to 2·32 km2 yr−1during 1990–2000 and more or less sustained at 2·25 km2 yr−1during 2000–2008. At present the Krishna has almost become a closed basin with decreased water discharges into the delta from 61·88 km3during 1951–1959 to 11·82 km3by 2000–2008; and the suspended sediment loads from 9 million tons during 1966–1969 to as low as 0·4 million tons by 2000–2005. In the case of the Godavari delta, although the water discharge data do not show any major change, there was almost a three‐fold reduction in its suspended sediment loads from 150·2 million tons during 1970–1979 to 57·2 million tons by 2000–2006. A comparison of data on annual sediment loads recorded along the Krishna and Godavari Rivers showed consistently lower sediment quantities at the locations downstream of dams than at their upstream counterparts. Reports based on bathymetric surveys revealed considerable reduction in the storage capacities of reservoirs behind such dams. Apparently sediment retention at the dams is the main reason for the pronounced coastal erosion along the Krishna and Godavari deltas during the past four decades, which is coeval to the hectic dam construction activity in these river basins. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley and Sons, Ltd.