bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
ChemInform Abstract: Exploiting the Electrophilic Properties of Indole Intermediates: New Options in Designing Asymmetric Reactions.
Authors: Loh Charles C. J. , Enders Dieter
Published: March 2012

Review: 37 refs.
ChemInform Abstract: Recent Applications of the Suzuki—Miyaura Cross—Coupling to Complex Polycyclic Ether Synthesis
Authors: Fuwa Haruhiko , Ebine Makoto , Sasaki Makoto
Published: March 2012

Review: ca. 100 refs.
ChemInform Abstract: Cross‐Coupling Reactions Catalyzed by Iron Group Metals and N‐Heterocyclic Carbenes via Nonconventional Reaction Mechanisms
Authors: Hatakeyama Takuji , Ishizuka Kentaro , Nakamura Masaharu
Published: March 2012

Review: ca. 100 refs.
ChemInform Abstract: Monolithic Catalysts and Reactors: High Precision with Low Energy Consumption
Authors: Moulijn Jacob A. , Kreutzer Michiel T. , Nijhuis T. Alexander , Kapteijn Freek
Published: March 2012

Review: 217 refs.
ChemInform Abstract: Asymmetric Allylation of Carbonyl Compounds via Organoboranes
Authors: Jonnalagadda Subash C. , Kumar J. Sravan , Cirri Anthony , Mereddy Venkatram R.
Published: March 2012

Review: 198 refs.
ChemInform Abstract: Cycloparaphenylenes: The Shortest Possible Segments of Armchair Carbon Nanotubes
Authors: Tian Xia , Jasti Ramesh
Published: March 2012

Review: 58 refs.
ChemInform Abstract: Anions of Buckybowls
Authors: Eisenberg David , Shenhar Roy , Rabinovitz Mordecai
Published: March 2012

Review: 118 refs.
ChemInform Abstract: DFT‐Based Mechanistic Insights into Noble Metal Catalyzed Rearrangement of Propargylic Derivatives: Chirality Transfer Processes
Authors: Faza Olalla Nieto , de Lera Angel R.
Published: March 2012

Review: 131 refs.
ChemInform Abstract: When Does Catalysis with Transition Metal Complexes Turn into Catalysis by Nanoparticles?
Authors: de Vries Johannes C.
Published: March 2012

Review: 116 refs.
Study on flow fields in a bioreactor with perforated blades
Authors: Yufeng Wang , Xiaomei Bie , Fengxia Lv , Chong Zhang , Zhaoxin Lu
Published: March 2012

Flow fields of a gas–liquid fluid in a bioreactor with perforated blades were evaluated with the computational fluid dynamics and particle image velocimetry (PIV). The flow pattern of the fluid was the complex turbulence, and the fluid had preferable flow fields for fermentations. Using a rotating coordinate system and a sliding mesh method, a mesh of 24 × 16 × 80 (X × Y × Z) was selected due to its high accuracy and appropriate workload. The numerical results of the two‐phase flow model agreed well with the experimental results of the PIV, such as flow field characteristics and data curves. The RNG k–ε model was adopted, which could precisely simulate anisotropic flow fields around higher‐speed blades. Whole deviations of X‐, Y‐ and Z‐direction velocities ranged only from 5.4% to 10.5%, and continuous turbulence models could effectively simulate transfer procedures of the fluid. Because of its low cost, simplicity and easy of scale‐up, the bioreactor with perforated blades and its models mechanism of fluid microelements are expected to be efficient for its industrial amplification and application in food industry. © 2012 Canadian Society for Chemical Engineering
Estimation of bitumen froth quality using Bayesian information synthesis: An application to froth transportation process
Authors: Shao Xinguang , Xu Fangwei , Huang Biao , Espejo Aris
Published: March 2012

This study presents the design of soft sensors for estimation of bitumen froth quality in an oil sands natural froth lubricated (NFL) transportation process. One of the most important quality indexes for bitumen froth is the water content. Due to the variation in oil sands composition and the nature of multi‐phase process conditions, existing hardware sensors are not reliable enough to provide on‐line accurate water content measurement. Laboratory analysis result is obtained off‐line with large sampling interval and irregular time delay. Therefore, it is not sufficient for real‐time monitoring and control. To overcome these limitations, Bayesian information synthesis approach is proposed to fuse all the existing information to produce more reliable and more accurate real‐time froth quality information. This technique has been applied in Syncrude Canada Extraction operations; both monitoring and control performance illustrate the promising perspectives of the proposed approach. © 2012 Canadian Society for Chemical Engineering
Regioselective Synthesis of Fused Azo‐linked Pyrazolo[4,3‐e]pyridines Using Nano‐Fe3O4
Authors: Nikpassand Mohammad , Zare Leila , Shafaati Tamila , Shariati Shahab
Published: March 2012

A multicomponent reaction for the synthesis of fused azo‐linked pyrazolo[4,3‐e]pyridines from 3‐amino‐5‐methylpyrazole, indan‐1,3‐dione and synthesized azo‐linked aldehydes using nano‐Fe3O4 as an effective and reusable catalyst is reported. The present methodology offers several advantages, such as a simple procedure with an easy work‐up, short reaction times, high yields, and the absence of any volatile and hazardous organic solvents.
High Performance Liquid Chromatography for the Determination of Metoclopramide in Pharmaceutical Preparations Using Pre‐column Derivatization with Fluorescamine
Authors: Tatar Ulu Sevgi
Published: March 2012

A simple, rapid and sensitive high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method was developed for the determination of metoclopramide in pharmaceutical preparation. The method is based on the derivatization of metoclopramide with fluorescamine. The separation was achieved on a C18 column using methanol‐water (70:30, V/V) mobile phase. Fluorescence detector was used at the excitation and emission of 403 and 485 nm, respectively. The method was validated for linearity, limit of detection, limit of quantification, precision, accuracy, recovery, robustness and system suitability. The assay was linear over the concentration range of 100–2000 ng/mL. The mean recovery was 100.37%. The proposed method was successfully applied to the assay of metoclopramide in tablet preparation. The preparation was also analyzed with an official method and statistical comparison by t‐ and F‐tests revealed that there was no significant difference between the results of the two methods with respect to mean values and standard deviations at the 95% confidence level.
Synthesis of 2‐Aryl‐1‐arylmethyl‐1H‐1,3‐benzimidazole Derivatives Using Silica‐bonded Propyl‐S‐sulfonic Acid as Recyclable Solid Acid Catalyst
Authors: Ghaem Ahmadi‐Ana Sayed Mohammad , Baghernejad Mojtaba , Niknam Khodabakhsh
Published: March 2012

A highly selective synthesis of 2‐aryl‐1‐arylmethyl‐1H‐1,3‐benzimidazoles from the reaction of o‐phenylenediamine and aromatic aldehydes in the presence of silica‐bonded propyl‐S‐sulfonic acid (SBSSA) at 80°C in water in good to excellent yields was developed.
Synthesis and Mesophase Behavior of Phenylthiophene Based Amphiphilic Molecules
Authors: Jing Shan , Zhang Ruilin , Dai Heng , Du Chao , Cheng Xiaohong
Published: March 2012

Novel amphiphilic molecules consisting of a rigid 2‐phenylthiophene core, with a polar flexible tri(oxylethylene) moiety attached to the phenyl ring and one or two alkyl chains attached to the thiophene ring at the other side have been synthesized by using Ni(II) and Pd(0) catalyzed coupling reaction as key steps. The tri(oxylethylene) moieties were terminated with hydroxyl group, sodium carboxylate group and lithium carboxylate group respectively. The thermotropic and solvent induced liquid crystalline behavior of these substances was investigated by polarized optical microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry and X‐ray diffraction. Thereby the influence of the terminal groups attached to the tri(oxylethylene) moities as well as the influence of the length and the number of the alkyl chains on the mesophase behavior were investigated. The single alkyl chain Na‐carboxylate termianted derivatives show smectic A phases, double alkyl chain Na‐carboxylate terminated derivatives show a thermo tropic hexagonal columnar mesophase, while columnar mesophases are found in both single and double alkyl chain Li‐carbonate terminated derivatives. The model for molecular organization in the hexagonal columnar mesophase is established.
Mesoporöse Silica
Authors: Wilke Timm , Haffer Stefanie , Tiemann Michael , Waitz Thomas
Published: March 2012

Poröse Funktionsmaterialien wie halbleitende Metalloxide, Kohlenstoff‐Formen oder auch Silica werden aktuell von verschiedenen Wissenschaftsdisziplinen intensiv für Bereiche der Energiespeicherung, Sensorik, Katalyse und Stofftrennung erforscht. Im Beitrag werden schwerpunktmäßig geordnet‐mesoporöse Silica‐Materialien behandelt, die seit etwa 20 Jahren synthetisch zugänglich sind. Neben den Grundlagen der Herstellung über ein Templat‐Verfahren werden im Beitrag auch drei Experimente vorgestellt, die im Chemieunterricht oder Schülerlabor durchgeführt werden können. Zudem wird gezeigt, dass sich verschiedene Aspekte aus dem Kompetenzbereich Fachwissen mit Hilfe des Themas „Mesoporöse Silica“ miteinander vernetzen lassen.
Developmental expression and cardiac transcriptional regulation of Myh7b, a third myosin heavy chain in the vertebrate heart
Authors: Warkman Andrew S. , Whitman Samantha A. , Miller Melanie K. , Garriock Robert J. , Schwach Catherine M. , Gregorio Carol C. , Krieg Paul A.
Published: March 2012

The mammalian heart expresses two myosin heavy chain (MYH) genes (Myh6 and Myh7), which are major components of the thick filaments of the sarcomere. We have determined that a third MYH, MYH7B, is also expressed in the myocardium. Developmental analysis shows Myh7b expression in cardiac and skeletal muscle of Xenopus, chick and mouse embryos, and in smooth muscle tissues during later stages of mouse embryogenesis. Myh7b is also expressed in the adult human heart. The promoter region of the Myh7b gene shows remarkable similarity between diverse species, suggesting that transcriptional control mechanisms have been conserved. Using luciferase reporter analysis in rat cardiomyocytes, it can be shown that MEF2, GATA, and E‐box regulatory elements are essential for efficient expression of the Myh7b gene. In addition two conserved elements that do not correspond to consensus binding sites for known transcription factors are also essential for full transcriptional activity of the Myh7b reporter. Finally, the Myh7b gene shows a transcriptional response similar to Myh6 in response to cardiac hypertrophy. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc
Effects of temporally varying inlet conditions on flow and particle deposition in the small bronchial tubes
Authors: Soni Bela , Thompson David
Published: March 2012

The laminar flow in the small bronchial tubes is quite complex because of the presence of vortex‐dominated, secondary flows. Factors contributing to this complexity are the unsteady nature of the inhale–exhale breathing cycle and the geometrical characteristics of the bronchial tubes. To investigate unsteady effects on flows and particle transport, unsteady inhalation flows at a 30‐respiration‐per‐minute frequency, corresponding to a moderate activity level, were simulated for a three‐generation, asymmetric, planar bronchial tube model. Ten‐micron diameter water droplets were introduced at the inlet at different times during inhalation to develop particle destination maps. The differences in the flow fields and destination maps obtained at the unsteady peak flow and the comparable steady‐state inflow condition were minimal. However, particles released at equivalent instantaneous off‐peak inflow conditions produced different destination maps. The differences were attributed to the temporal variations of the fluid velocities and history effects. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Are Auditory and Visual Processing Deficits Related to Developmental Dyslexia?
Authors: Georgiou George K. , Papadopoulos Timothy C. , Zarouna Elena , Parrila Rauno
Published: March 2012

The purpose of this study was to examine if children with dyslexia learning to read a consistent orthography (Greek) experience auditory and visual processing deficits and if these deficits are associated with phonological awareness, rapid naming speed and orthographic processing. We administered measures of general cognitive ability, phonological awareness, orthographic processing, short‐term memory, rapid automatized naming, auditory and visual processing, and reading fluency to 21 Grade 6 children with dyslexia, 21 chronological age‐matched controls and 20 Grade 3 reading age‐matched controls. The results indicated that the children with dyslexia did not experience auditory processing deficits, but about half of them showed visual processing deficits. Both orthographic processing and rapid automatized naming deficits were associated with dyslexia in our sample, but it is less clear that they were associated with visual processing deficits. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Copper(II) n‐Alkylphosphonates Used as Nanofillers: Single Crystal, Powder Structure Studies and Influence of the Alkyl Chain Length on the Magnetic Properties
Authors: Chausson Sophie , Rueff Jean‐Michel , Lepetit Marie Bernadette , Perez Olivier , Retoux Richard , Simon Charles , Le Pluart Loïc , Jaffrès Paul‐Alain
Published: March 2012

This article reports the synthesis, structures and the physical properties of a homologous series of copper alkylphosphonates. Cu(O3PCH2CH3)·H2O (CuPC2) and Cu(O3PCH2CH2CH3)·H2O (CuPC3) are both monoclinic with the same space group P21/a. Hydrothermal synthesis gave blue plate‐like crystals allowing single crystal resolution. The synthesis in solution of the homologous series, from phosphonic acids possessing different alkyl chain lengths (chains with n = 2, 3, 6, 10, 14 or 18 carbon atoms), spontaneously produced either monohydrated Cu[O3P−(CH2)n–1−CH3]·H2O (n = 2, 3, 6) or dehydrated materials Cu[O3P−(CH2)n–1−CH3] for n = 10, 14 and 18. The differences between the hydrated and dehydrated forms occur mainly in the inorganic slabs. The loss of the water molecule leads to a modification of the bonding scheme and the isolated [Cu2O8] dimers present in the hydrated inorganic layer are, in the dehydrated form, connected together by means of one edge. This structural change accounts for the different magnetic behaviour. In the case of dehydrated compounds, these materials were dispersed into a polyamide matrix. It has been observed that the magnetic behaviour is transferred to the polyamide composite.
A Joint Experimental and Computational Investigation on Homoconjugated Push‐Pull Chromophores Derived from 7,7‐Diphenylnorbornane
Authors: Herrero‐García Noelia , del Rosario Colorado Heras María , del Rosario Torres María , Fernández Israel , Osío Barcina José
Published: March 2012

We report hereon the synthesis, spectroscopic properties and computational studies of novel aromatic homoconjugated compounds derived from 7,7‐diphenylnorbornane (DPN). The UV/Vis spectra of these compounds show bands corresponding to the respective chromophores as well as new homoconjugation bands and charge transfer absorptions in D–DPN–A push‐pull derivatives. Homoconjugation between the aromatic rings strongly depends on the nature of the substitution at the aryl moieties. Therefore, electronic communication by homoconjugation can be easily tuned by controlling the electronic nature and positions of the substituents. The strong homoconjugative interaction is also reflected in the reactivity, NMR spectra and NLO properties of the compounds studied. DFT calculations nicely agree with the experimental data and shed light on the electronic delocalization via homoconjugation.
An Efficient and General Iron‐Catalyzed One‐Pot Synthesis of Furans via α‐Hydroxy Ketones and Activated Alkynes
Authors: Cao Hua , Zhan Haiying , Wu Jianyong , Zhong Haiping , Lin Yuanguang , Zhang Hong
Published: March 2012

A new practical and economical process for the synthesis of substituted furan derivatives has been developed by an FeCl3‐catalyzed reaction of α‐hydroxy ketones with activated alkynes. This methodology represents a highly efficient synthetic route to electron‐deficient furans for which catalytic approaches are scarce. Furthermore, this transformation is associated with readily available substrates, good yields, and mild conditions.
A Rapid and Sensitive Aptamer‐Based Electrochemical Biosensor for Direct Detection of Escherichia Coli O111
Authors: Luo Caihui , Lei Yaning , Yan Li , Yu Tianxiao , Li Qing , Zhang Decai , Ding Shijia , Ju Huangxian
Published: March 2012

A sensitive and specific electrochemical biosensor based on target‐induced aptamer displacement was developed for direct detection of Escherichia coli O111. The aptamer for Escherichia coli O111 was immobilized on a gold electrode by hybridization with the capture probe anchored on the electrode surface through Au‐thiol binding. In the presence of Escherichia coli O111, the aptamer was dissociated from the capture probe‐aptamer duplex due to the stronger interaction between the aptamer and the Escherichia coli O111. The consequent single‐strand capture probe could be hybridized with biotinylated detection probe and tagged with streptavidin‐alkaline phosphatase, producing sensitive enzyme‐catalyzed electrochemical response to Escherichia coli O111. The designed biosensor showed weak electrochemical signal to Salmonella typhimurium, Staphylococcus aureus and common non‐pathogenic Escherichia coli, indicating high specificity for Escherichia coli O111. Under the optimal conditions, the proposed strategy could directly detect Escherichia coli O111 with the detection limit of 112 CFU mL−1 in phosphate buffer saline and 305 CFU mL−1 in milk within 3.5 h, demonstrated the sensitive and accurate quantification of target pathogenic bacteria. The designed biosensor could become a powerful tool for pathogenic microorganisms screening in clinical diagnostics, food safety, biothreat detection and environmental monitoring.
A large case-control study on the predictability of hepatitis B surface antigen levels three years before hepatitis B surface antigen seroclearance
Authors: Seto Wai-Kay , Wong Danny Ka-Ho , Fung James , Hung Ivan Fan-Ngai , Fong Daniel Yee-Tak , Yuen John Chi-Hang , Tong Teresa , Lai Ching-Lung , Yuen Man-Fung
Published: March 2012

The kinetics of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) levels preceding spontaneous HBsAg seroclearance has not been fully investigated. The kinetics of HBsAg and hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA of 203 treatment-naïve, hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-negative patients with spontaneous HBsAg seroclearance were compared with 203 age- and sex-matched HBeAg-negative controls. Serum samples at 3 years, 2 years, 1 year, and 6 months before HBsAg seroclearance and at the time of HBsAg loss were tested. Median HBsAg levels at these respective time points before HBsAg seroclearance were 23.5, 3.51, 0.524, and 0.146 IU/mL. For all time points, patients with HBsAg seroclearance had significantly lower median HBsAg and HBV DNA levels, compared to those of the controls (all

P

< 0.001). Median HBsAg and HBV DNA levels declined significantly until HBsAg seroclearance (
P

< 0.001). Although median HBsAg levels also decreased significantly with time (
P

= 0.006) in controls, median HBV DNA levels remained similar (
P

= 0.414). Serum HBsAg levels, followed by HBsAg log reduction, were the best predictors of HBsAg seroclearance, with an area under the receiving operator characteristic (AUROC) of 0.833 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.792–0.873) and 0.803 (95% CI: 0.755–0.849), respectively. The optimal cut-off HBsAg level and HBsAg reduction to predict HBsAg seroclearance were <200 IU/mL (sensitivity, 84.2%; specificity, 73.4%) and 0.5 log IU/mL/year (sensitivity, 62.8%; specificity, 88.7%), respectively. For patients with HBsAg levels ≥200 IU/mL, an annual 0.5-log reduction was highly predictive of subsequent HBsAg seroclearance (AUROC, 0.867; 95% CI: 0.778–0.956).

Conclusion:

To conclude, serum HBsAg <200 IU/mL and 0.5-log reduction in HBsAg were predictive of HBsAg seroclearance within 3 years of follow-up. These parameters may serve as good indicators for the consideration of treatment duration and cessation for chronic hepatitis B.
Detection algorithm for the validation of human cell lines
Authors: Eltonsy Névine , Gabisi Vivian , Li Xuesong , Russe K. Blair , Mills Gordon B. , Stemke‐Hale Katherine
Published: March 2012

Cell lines are an important tool in understanding all aspects of cancer growth, development, metastasis and tumor cell death. There has been a dramatic increase in the number of cell lines and diversity of the cancers they represent; however, misidentification and cross‐contamination of cell lines can lead to erroneous conclusions. One method that has gained favor for authenticating cell lines is the use of short tandem repeats (STR) to generate a unique DNA profile. The challenge in validating cell lines is the requirement to compare the large number of existing STR profiles against cell lines of interest, particularly when considering that the profiles of many cell lines have drifted over time and original samples are not available. We report here methods that analyze the variations and the proportional changes extracted from tetra‐nucleotide repeat regions in the STR analysis. This technique allows a paired match between a target cell line and a reference database of cell lines to find cell lines that match within a user designated percentage cut‐off quality matrix. Our method accounts for DNA instability and can suggest whether the target cell lines are misidentified or unstable.
Effect of increased strut porosity of calcium phosphate bone graft substitute biomaterials on osteoinduction
Authors: Coathup Melanie J. , Hing Karin A. , Samizadeh Sorousheh , Chan Oliver , Fang Yvette S. , Campion Charlie , Buckland Thomas , Blunn Gordon W.
Published: March 2012

The effect of increasing strut porosity on the osteoinductivity of porous calcium phosphate (CaP) and silicate‐substituted calcium phosphate (SiCaP) bone substitute materials was investigated in an ovine ectopic model. One to two millimeter‐sized granules or block implants with strut porosities of 10, 20, or 30% were inserted into the left and right paraspinalis muscle. At 12 weeks, histological sections were prepared through the center of each implant and bone contact, bone area and implant area quantified. Backscattered scanning electron microscopy (bSEM) was used to visualize bone within small pores in the struts of the scaffolds. Increased bone formation was measured in the SiCaP with 30% strut porosity (5.482% ± 1.546%) when compared with the nonsilicate CaP with the same morphology (1.160% ± 0.502%, p = 0.02), indicating that silicate substitution may increase osteoinduction. Greater bone formation was seen in scaffolds with increased strut porosity. No bone growth was found in any of the SiCaP scaffold with 10% porosity. There was no significant difference between block and granule specimens. Scanning electron microscopy and EDX in combination with histology demonstrated bone formation within pores <5 μm in size. The use of silicate‐substituted CaP material with increased strut porosity may further augment repair and regeneration in bony sites. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A, 2012.
SPARC/SFN interaction, suppresses type I collagen in dermal fibroblasts
Authors: Chavez‐Muñoz Claudia , Hartwell Ryan , Jalili Reza B. , Jafarnejad Seyed Mehdi , Lai Amy , Nabai Layla , Ghaffari Abdi , Hojabrpour Peymon , Kanaan Natalia , Duronio Vincent , Guns Emma , Cherkasov Artem , Ghahary Aziz
Published: March 2012

We previously suggested that keratinocyte releasable factors might modulate the wound healing process by regulating the expression of key extracellular matrix components such as collagenase (matrix metalloproteinase‐1) and type I collagen in fibroblasts. The first one, we called it keratinocyte‐derived anti‐fibrogenic factor (KDAF), identified as stratifin (SFN) also named 14‐3‐3σ, revealing a strong collagenase activity. However, the second factor, which we named keratinocyte‐derived collagen‐inhibiting factor(s) (KD‐CIF) that has shown to control the synthesis of type I collagen, was not known. Upon conducting a series of systematic protein purification methods followed by mass spectroscopy, two proteins: secreted protein acidic rich in cystein (SPARC) and SFN were identified in keratinocyte‐conditioned media. Using co‐immunoprecipitation and 3D modeling, we determined that SFN and SPARC form a complex thereby controlling the type I collagen synthesis and expression in fibroblasts. The levels of these proteins in fibrotic tissues (animal and human) were also evaluated and a differential expression of these proteins between normal and fibrotic tissue confirmed their potential role in development of fibrotic condition. In conclusion, this study describes for the first time an interaction between SPARC and SFN that may have implications for the regulation of matrix deposition and prevention of dermal fibrotic conditions such as hypertrophic scars and keloid. J. Cell. Biochem. 113: 2622–2632, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Cognitive Processes Mediate the Relation Between Mindfulness and Social Anxiety Within a Clinical Sample
Authors: Schmertz Stefan K. , Masuda Akihiko , Anderson Page L.
Published: March 2012

Objectives

The researchers investigated the relation between mindfulness and social anxiety symptoms, and examined whether this relation is mediated by cognitive appraisals commonly associated with social anxiety.

Participants

Ninety‐eight individuals diagnosed with social phobia.

Design

Using a cross‐sectional design, ordinary least squares regression and bootstrapping mediation analyses were used to test the study hypotheses.

Results

Mindfulness was negatively related to symptoms of social anxiety. This relation was partially mediated by cognitive appraisals about the likelihood and cost of a negative social outcome.

Conclusion

Further research using a longitudinal design and other measures of mindfulness is needed to replicate these findings and further explicate the mechanism by which mindfulness might be associated with negative cognitive appraisals.
GRP78/BiP is a novel downstream target of IGF‐1 receptor mediated signaling
Authors: Pfaffenbach Kyle T. , Pong Michelle , Morgan Todd E. , Wang Hongjun , Ott Kate , Zhou Beiyun , Longo Valter D. , Lee Amy S.
Published: March 2012

Glucose regulated protein 78/immunoglobulin binding protein (GRP78/BiP) is an endoplasmic reticulum (ER) chaperone protein and master regulator of the unfolded protein response (UPR). The response of GRP78 to overt pharmacologically induced ER stress is well established, whereas the modulation of GRP78 to physiologic changes is less characterized. In this study, we examined the regulation of GRP78 in response to reduced IGF‐1 growth factor signaling, a common consequence of calorie restriction (CR). ER chaperone protein expression was quantified in cell lysates prepared from the livers of calorie restricted (CR) and ad libitum fed mice, as well as MEFs grown in normal medium or serum starved. The requirement of IGF‐1 signaling on GRP78 expression was studied using MEFs with IGF‐1 receptor overexpression (R+) or deletion (R−), and the regulatory mechanism was examined using mTORC1 and PI3K inhibitors, as well as R− cells with knockdown of transcription factor FOXO1 compared to shRNA control. We observed a 40% reduction in GRP78 protein expression in CR mice and in serum‐starved MEF cells. R− cells had drastically reduced AKT phosphorylation and exhibited lower levels of ER chaperones, in particular 80% less GRP78. Despite an 80% reduction in GRP78 expression, R− cells were not under chronic ER stress, but were fully capable of activating the UPR. Neither forced expression of FOXO1‐AAA nor knockdown of FOXO1 in R− cells affected GRP78 expression. In conclusion, we report that IGF‐1 receptor signaling regulates GRP78 expression via the PI3K/AKT/mTORC1 axis independent of the canonical UPR and FOXO1. J. Cell. Physiol. 227: 3803–3811, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Mass spectrometry of rhenium complexes: a comparative study by using LDI‐MS, MALDI‐MS, PESI‐MS and ESI‐MS
Authors: Petroselli Gabriela , Mandal Mridul Kanti , Chen Lee Chuin , Ruiz Gustavo T. , Wolcan Ezequiel , Hiraoka Kenzo , Nonami Hiroshi , Erra‐Balsells Rosa
Published: March 2012

A group of rhenium (I) complexes including in their structure ligands such as CF3SO3‐, CH3CO2‐, CO, 2,2′‐bipyridine, dipyridil[3,2‐a:2′3′‐c]phenazine, naphthalene‐2‐carboxylate, anthracene‐9‐carboxylate, pyrene‐1‐carboxylate and 1,10‐phenanthroline have been studied for the first time by mass spectrometry. The probe electrospray ionization (PESI) is a technique based on electrospray ionization (ESI) that generates electrospray from the tip of a solid metal needle. In this work, mass spectra for organometallic complexes obtained by PESI were compared with those obtained by classical ESI and high flow rate electrospray ionization assisted by corona discharge (HF‐ESI‐CD), an ideal method to avoid decomposition of the complexes and to induce their oxidation to yield intact molecular cation radicals in gas state [M]+. and to produce their reduction yielding the gas species [M]–.. It was found that both techniques showed in general the intact molecular ions of the organometallics studied and provided additional structure characteristic diagnostic fragments. As the rhenium complexes studied in the present work showed strong absorption in the UV–visible region, particularly at 355 nm, laser desorption ionization (LDI) mass spectrometry experiments could be conducted. Although intact molecular ions could be detected in a few cases, LDI mass spectra showed diagnostic fragments for characterization of the complexes structure. Furthermore, matrix‐assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) mass spectra were obtained. Nor‐harmane, a compound with basic character, was used as matrix, and the intact molecular ions were detected in two examples, in negative ion mode as the [M]–. species. Results obtained with 2‐[(2E)‐3‐(4‐tert‐buthylphenyl)‐2‐methylprop‐2‐enylidene] malononitrile (DCTB) as matrix are also described. LDI experiments provided more information about the rhenium complex structures than did the MALDI ones. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
In Situ Forming Poly(ethylene glycol)‐ Poly(L‐lactide) Hydrogels via Michael Addition: Mechanical Properties, Degradation, and Protein Release
Authors: Buwalda Sytze J. , Dijkstra Pieter J. , Feijen Jan
Published: March 2012

Chemically crosslinked hydrogels are prepared at remarkably low macromonomer concentrations from 8‐arm poly(ethylene glycol)‐poly(L‐lactide) star block copolymers bearing acrylate end groups (PEG‐(PLLAn)8‐AC, n = 4 or 12) and multifunctional PEG thiols (PEG‐(SH)n, n = 2, 4, or 8) through a Michael‐type addition reaction. Hydrogels are obtained within 1 min after mixing PEG‐(PLLA4)8 ‐AC and PEG‐(SH)8 in phosphate buffered saline, quickly reaching a high storage modulus of 17 kPa. Lysozyme and albumin are released for 4 weeks from PEG‐(PLLA12)8‐AC/PEG‐(SH)8 hydrogels. Lysozyme release from PEG‐(PLLA12)8‐AC/PEG‐(SH)2 and PEG‐(PLLA12)8‐AC/PEG‐(SH)4 hydrogels is significantly faster with complete release in 3 and 12 d, respectively, as a result of a combination of degradation and diffusion.
A multicenter prospective observational study of the conformity of temozolomide prescriptions in France
Authors: Tilleul Patrick , Brignone Melanie , Hassani Yasmine , Labrande Christelle , Pedeboscq Stéphane , Gensollen Sophie , Lahille Benedicte , Exinger Delphine , Bertholle Valérie , Billard Martine , Charlety Dominique , Prebay Danielle , Pinguet Frederic , Taillibert Sophie , Cartalat Stéphanie , Chinot Olivier , Borget Isabelle ,   Temozolomide Study Group of Société Française de Pharmacie Oncologique
Published: March 2012

Context

Temozolomide (TMZ) is approved for the treatment of high‐grade gliomas such as glioblastoma (GBM) multiforme and refractory anaplastic astrocytoma, but it is also used in indications not mentioned in the summary of product characteristics (SPC). The main objective of this study was to evaluate the conformity of TMZ prescriptions to the French SPC and prescription guidebook.

Methods

We conducted a prospective observational study of all consecutive patients treated with TMZ in 21 French hospitals between September 2006 and February 2007, accounting for 39% of total TMZ consumption in France. The conformity of TMZ prescriptions was evaluated in terms of the indication, dosage, treatment duration, and combination with other treatments, with respect to the SPC and prescription guidebook.

Results

We enrolled 831 patients (median age, 56 years) who received a total of 5982 TMZ treatment cycles. TMZ was mainly prescribed to patients with newly diagnosed GBM (384 patients), GBM in progression/relapse (28 patients), or anaplastic astrocytoma in progression/relapse (19 patients). Prescriptions conformed to the SPC in 51.9% of cases and to the prescription guidebook in 91.5% of cases. Global conformity with the SPC, in terms of the dosage, treatment duration, and combination with other treatments, was 62% for newly diagnosed GBM treated with radiotherapy plus TMZ, 72% for TMZ maintenance monotherapy, and 66% for GBM and anaplastic astrocytoma in progression/relapse.

Conclusion/discussion

In France, routine TMZ prescriptions conform to the SPC and practice guidebook. This is one of the largest studies of drug use in neuro‐oncology in terms of the number of patients and cycles analyzed. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Protein‐semiconductor quantum dot hybrids for biomedical applications
Authors: Mansur Herman , Mansur Alexandra , González Juan
Published: March 2012

The present work reports the bioconjugation of CdS quantum dots (QDs) with protein by means of an aqueous route at room temperature, applying colloidal chemistry methods. Essentially, the bioconjugates were developed based on albumin (BSA) used as capping ligands for the stabilization of CdS QDs produced using cadmium perchlorate and thioacetamide precursors. CdS QDs were directly capped with BSA or BSA bioconjugated to polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) polymer. UV‐visible spectroscopy (UV‐vis), TEM and photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL) were used to characterize the stability and morphology of CdS nanoparticles. The CdS nanocrystals were produced with estimated average particle size smaller than 4.0 nm, indicating that they were within the so‐called “quantum‐size confinement range”. The results have clearly shown that both routes (BSA and BSA conjugates) were effective on stabilizing fluorescent QDs in aqueous dispersions to be potentially used in biomedical applications (© 2012 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Biomarker dynamics: estimating infection rates from serological data
Authors: Teunis PFM , van Eijkeren JCH , Ang CW , van Duynhoven YTHP , Simonsen JB , Strid MA , van Pelt W
Published: March 2012

The marginal distribution of serum antibody titres in a cross‐sectional population sample can be expressed as a function of the infection rate, taking into account heterogeneity in peak levels and decay rates. This marginal model allows estimation of incidences, as well as simple tests for homogeneity across age, gender or geographic strata, using likelihood ratio tests.

An example is given using Campylobacter serum antibody data. Using a hierarchical dynamic model to analyse data from a follow‐up study in patients with symptomatic Campylobacter infection, we show that the serum antibody response consists of a rapid increase to peak levels followed by a slow decline with a geometric mean halftime of 1.4, 0.6 and 0.3 years for IgG, IgM and IgA, respectively. Antibody peak levels and decay rates were highly variable among subjects.

Incidence estimates are consistent among different antibody classes (IgG, IgM and IgA). High seroconversion rates indicate that Campylobacter infection is a frequent event, occurring approximately once every year in any adult person, in the Netherlands, supporting the conclusion that a small fraction of infections leads to symptoms severe enough for notification. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Assessment of Swallowing Function Impairment in Patients with Benign Goiters and Impact of Thyroidectomy: A Case Control Study
Authors: Sabaretnam Mayilvaganan , Mishra Anjali , Chand Gyan , Agarwal Gaurav , Agarwal Amit , Verma Ashok Kumar , Mishra Saroj Kanta
Published: March 2012

Background

Swallowing‐related quality of life (QoL) in patients with benign thyroid goiters is not much studied. The aim of this study was to assess swallowing function impairment in patients with benign goiters, compare it to a control population, and also find the impact of thyroidectomy and various factors on the outcome of swallowing function.

Methods

We performed a prospective case–control study from September 2009 to September 2011 which consisted of 124 patients who were to undergo primary thyroid surgery and 100 age‐ and sex‐matched controls. A translated and validated modified swallowing quality‐of‐life (SWAL‐QOL) questionnaire was used to assess patients’ perception of dysphagia. Presurgery scores of patients and controls and pre‐ and postsurgery scores (>6 months after surgery) of patients were compared.

Results

The mean age of males and females in the control and patient groups were 37.7 vs. 39.5 years and 37.4 vs. 39.8 years, respectively. Twelve patients (9.7%) complained of dysphasia at presentation. Sixty‐three patients (50.8%) underwent total thyroidectomy and 61 (49.2%) had hemithyroidectomy at the time of initial evaluation, 75, 23.4, and 1.6% of patients were euthyroid, hyperthyroid, and hypothyroid, respectively. Presurgery scores of patients in all of the 11 domains of the SWAL‐QOL were lower compared to those of controls. Comparing separately with the matched controls, females had significant differences in nine domains (except for sleep and fatigue) of the SWAL‐QOL questionnaire but males did not. Postoperatively, both male and female patients showed significant improvement in the scores of all the domains. Female gender, hyperthyroidism, thyroid nodularity, retrosternal extension, procedure, and weight of the resected specimen were the factors associated with significant improvement in various domains.

Conclusion

Dysphagia seems to be an underestimated problem in patients with benign goiters. Uncomplicated thyroidectomy results in significant improvement in swallowing‐related QoL irrespective of patient profile and extent of thyroidectomy.
EVALUATION OF DIFFERENT COMPONENTS UNDER INTEGRATED FARMING SYSTEM (IFS) FOR SMALL AND MARGINAL FARMERS UNDER SEMI-HUMID CLIMATIC ENVIRONMENT
Authors: KUMAR SANJEEV , SUBASH N. , SHIVANI S. , SINGH S. S. , DEY A.
Published: March 2012

For efficient utilisation of available farm resources and to increase the income per unit of land, seven integrated farming systems were developed and different combinations of crop, animal, fish and bird were evaluated at three locations of Eastern India,viz. Patna, Vaishali and Munger districts, to sustain productivity, profitability, employment generation and nutrient recycling for lowland situations from 2007–2008 to 2009–2010. Among the tested different Integrated Farming System (IFS) models,viz. (i) crop + fish + poultry, (ii) crop + fish + duck, (iii) crop + fish + goat, (iv) crop + fish + duck + goat, (v) crop + fish + cattle, (vi) crop + fish + mushroom and (vii) crop alone, crop + fish + cattle model recorded higher rice (Oryza sativaL.) grain equivalent yield (RGEY) (18.76 t/ha) than any other combinations, but in terms of economics, crop + fish + duck + goat model supersedes over all other combinations. The highest average net returns (USD 2655/yr) were recorded from crop + fish + duck + goat system over all other systems tested here. Higher average employment of 656 man-days/year were also recorded from crop + fish + duck + goat system because of better involvement of farm family labours throughout the year. Based on a sustainability index (SI) derived from different models, crop + fish + duck + goat system was found superior with a maximum sustainability for net returns (73.1%), apart from the addition of appreciable quantity of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium into the system in the form of recycled animal and plant wastes. The wastes/by-products of crop/animals were used as input for another component to increase the nutrient efficiency at the farm level through nutrient recycling. Results on integration of different components with crop depending upon suitability and preferences were found encouraging, and to enhance the productivity, economic returns, generating employment for farm families and maintaining soil health of the farm, the crop + fish + duck + goat combination could be adopted in the eastern part of India than cultivating the crop alone on the same piece of land under irrigated condition. Addition of organic residues in the form of animal and plant wastes could also help in improving the soil-health and thereby productivity over a longer period of time with lesser environmental hazards. The livelihoods of small and marginal farmers could be improved by their adoption of IFS technologies on a larger scale, as they provide scope to employ more labour year-round.
The Heraldry of the Twelve Tribes of Israel: An English Reformation Subject for Church Decoration
Authors: TILBURY CLARE
Published: March 2012

This paper claims the heraldry of the twelve tribes of Israel as a distinct iconographic invention in post-Reformation England. It is argued that the theme became popular during the reign of King James, a period usually regarded as iconophobic. Little-studied examples of church wall-painting are understood in relation to analogous bible illustrations and writings which have been ignored by historians of this period. The depictions of the twelve patriarchs themselves, part of a ‘Laudian’ beautification of Burton Latimer church in the 1630s, during the incumbency of Robert Sibthorpe allows exploration of the shifting meanings of this Reformation subject.
Papal Attempts at a Commercial Boycott of the Muslims in the Crusader Period
Authors: MENACHE SOPHIA
Published: March 2012

Notwithstanding the many precedents for economic boycott before the crusader period, the first evidence of a Christian offensive other than on the battlefield appears only in the second half of the twelfth century, almost seventy years after the Council of Clermont. This paper aims to complement Moore's theory about the emergence of the Christian persecuting society with an additional case that, from a medieval Christian point of view, associates two of the Devil's main partners: first and foremost Muslims but also Christian merchants who profited from trading with them. It is the premise of this study that the many bans on trade with the Muslims in the crusader period – both in their essence and timing – and the reactions that they aroused reveal conflicting attitudes toward Muslims and Islam, thus contributing new perspectives for the study of the crusades.
Beyond the Paradox: Religion, Family and Modernity in Contemporary Bangladesh
Authors: WHITE SARAH C.
Published: March 2012

This paper reflects on the apparent ‘paradox’ of a contemporary Bangladesh that appears both ‘more modern’ and ‘more Islamic’, focusing on changes in the family (and the gender and generational orders that it embodies) as a central locus of anxiety and contestation. The paper begins with theory, how the paradox is framed by classical social science expectations of religious decline and how this has been contested by contemporary writers who describe specifically modern forms of piety. It then turns to Bangladesh, where highly publicized symbolic oppositions between ‘religion’ and ‘development’ contrast sharply with people's pragmatic accommodation of development goods in everyday life. Analysis of religious references in interview data reveal the co-existence of very different understandings: a more traditional view of religion as embedded in the moral order; and a more modern deliberate cultivation of a religious life. They also reveal how many of the uses which people make of religion are not specifically religious: to conjure a moral universe, to mark what is important to them, to say things about themselves. The final section returns to theory, reflecting on how this is informed by the findings from Bangladesh, and suggesting that the importance of the private and personal as a site for governance offers a further dimension of why the supposed ‘paradox’ of a religious modernity may not be so paradoxical after all.
John Oman on feeling and theology
Authors: HOOD ADAM
Published: March 2012

This article revisits Oman's idea that an intuitive felt knowledge of the divine underlies the articulate knowledge found in faith and theology. Such feeling, Oman claims, is analogous to ordinary perception and gives rise to the attempt to evaluate, understand, and respond to the divine. Theology is the formalized attempt to respond to the intuition of the divine. The article argues that Oman's emphasis on the experiential and experimental character of theology is helpful, but that his analysis of the logic of faith requires reformulation.
Structure of child and adult past counterfactuals, and implications for acquisition of the construction
Authors: CRUTCHLEY ALISON
Published: March 2012

Children start producing if p, q conditionals relatively late. Past counterfactuals (PCFs), for example ‘If she had shut the cage, the rabbit wouldn't have escaped’, are particularly problematic for children; despite evidence of comprehension in the preschool years, children aged eleven are still making production errors in PCF structure (Crutchley, 2004). Working within a usage-based framework, the present study explores whether PCFs in the conversational component of the British National Corpus show structural similarities to the set of PCF structures produced by six- to eleven-year-old children in an elicitation task. Adult PCFs are found to be both rare in spontaneous conversation and very varied in structure. Low token frequency and high type frequency are hypothesized to account partly for children's late acquisition of the PCF construction. However, regularities in the use of subjects and verbs in adult PCFs are hypothesized to assist children's acquisition of the construction.
Population-based laboratory assessment of the burden of community-onset bloodstream infection in Victoria, Canada
Authors: LAUPLAND K. B. , KIBSEY P. C. , GREGSON D. B. , GALBRAITH J. C.
Published: March 2012

Although community-onset bloodstream infection (BSI) is recognized as a major cause of morbidity and mortality, its epidemiology has not been well defined in non-selected populations. We conducted population-based laboratory surveillance in the Victoria area, Canada during 1998–2005 in order to determine the burden associated with community-onset BSI. A total of 2785 episodes were identified for an overall annual incidence of 101·2/100 000. Males and the very young and the elderly were at highest risk. Overall 1980 (71%) episodes resulted in hospital admission for a median length of stay of 8 days; the total days of acute hospitalization associated with community-onset BSI was 28 442 days or 1034 days/100 000 population per year. The in-hospital case-fatality rate was 13%. Community-onset BSI is associated with a major burden of illness. These data support ongoing and future preventative and research efforts aimed at reducing the major impact of these infections.