bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Turbidity Removal from Wastewaters of Natural Stone Processing by Coagulation/Flocculation Methods
Authors: Ersoy Bahri , Tosun Ismail , Günay Ahmet , Dikmen Sedef
Published: March 2009

The effectiveness of coagulation (at pH values of 6, 7.5, and 9), flocculation (at pH 9), and coagulation plus flocculation (at pH 9) on turbidity removal from natural stone (travertine) processing wastewaters (NSPW) were examined by applying classical sedimentation tests. FeCl3·6 H2O, AlCl3, and Al2(SO4)3·16 H2O were used as coagulants and a polyacrylamide based anionic polymer was used as the flocculant. In this way, it was found that the coagulation method alone was not sufficient to purify NSPW, whereas flocculation and coagulation plus flocculation methods provided superior purification. Among the coagulants used, AlCl3 gave the best result in terms of turbidity removal by coagulation from NSPW at pH 6 and 9, whereas the turbidity removal performances of the three coagulants were almost identical at pH 7.5. In addition, relatively low pH (i. e., pH 6) improved the purification performance of all coagulants. During coagulation of NSPW at pH 6, a charge neutralization mechanism played a decisive role in turbidity removal. However, in neutral (pH 7.5) and slightly basic (pH 9) media, a sweep coagulation mechanism was predominant. For flocculation of NSPW, the basic mechanism comprised of polymer bridging.
The Potential of Eleocharis acicularis for Phytoremediation: Case Study at an Abandoned Mine Site
Authors: Hoang Ha Nguyen Thi , Sakakibara Masayuki , Sano Sakae , Hori Rie S. , Sera Koichiro
Published: March 2009

Phytoremediation, a plant‐based and cost‐effective technology for the cleanup of contaminated soil and water, is receiving increasing attention. In this study, the aquatic macrophyte Eleocharis acicularis was examined for its ability to take up multiple heavy metals and its potential application for phytoremediation at an abandoned mining area in Hokkaido, Japan. Elemental concentrations were measured in samples of E. acicularis, water, and soil collected from areas of mine tailing and drainage. The results reveal that Pb, Fe, Cr, Cu, Ni, and Mn accumulation in the plants increased over the course of the experiment, exceeding their initial concentrations by factors of 930, 430, 60, 25, 10, and 6, respectively. The highest concentrations of Fe, Pb, Zn, Mn, Cr, Cu, and Ni within the plants were 59500, 1120, 964, 388, 265, 235, and 47.4 mg/kg dry wt., respectively, for plants growing in mine drainage after 11 months of the experiment. These results indicate that E. acicularis is a hyperaccumulator of Pb. We also found high Si concentrations in E. acicularis (2.08%). It is likely that heavy metals exist in opal‐A within cells of the plant. The bioconcentration factors (BCF: ratio of metal concentration in the plant shoots to that in the soil) obtained for Cr, Cu, Zn, Ni, Mn, and Pb were 3.27, 1.65, 1.29, 1.26, 1.11, and 0.82, respectively. The existence of heavy metals as sulphides is thought to have restricted the metal‐uptake efficiency of E. acicularis at the mine site. The results of this study indicate that E. acicularis shows great potential in the phytoremediation of mine tailing and drainage rich in heavy metals.
Abnormal timing of menarche in survivors of central nervous system tumors
Authors: Armstrong Gregory T. , Whitton John A. , Gajjar Amar , Kun Larry E. , Chow Eric J. , Stovall Marilyn , Leisenring Wendy , Robison Leslie L. , Sklar Charles A.
Published: March 2009

BACKGROUND:

Children who receive high‐dose radiotherapy to the hypothalamic‐pituitary (H‐P) axis may be at risk for both early and late puberty. To the authors' knowledge, data regarding the risk of altered timing of menarche after higher dose radiotherapy (RT), as used in the treatment of central nervous system (CNS) tumors, are limited.

METHODS:

The authors evaluated 235 female survivors of CNS tumors, diagnosed between 1970 and 1986, and >1000 sibling controls who were participants in the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study, and provided self‐reported data concerning age at menarche.

RESULTS:

Survivors of CNS tumors were more likely to have onset of menarche before age 10 years compared with their siblings (11.9% vs 1.0%) (odds ratio [OR], 14.1; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 7.0‐30.9). Of the 138 survivors who received RT to the H‐P axis, 20 (14.5%) had onset of menarche before age 10 years, compared with 4.3% of those who did not receive RT (OR, 3.8; 95% CI, 1.2‐16.5). Age ≤4 years at the time of diagnosis was associated with an increased risk (OR, 4.0; 95% CI, 1.7‐10.0) of early menarche. In addition, survivors of CNS tumors were more likely than siblings to have onset of menarche after age 16 years (10.6% vs 1.9%) (OR, 6.6; 95% CI, 3.4‐11.4). Doses of RT to the H‐P axis >50 gray OR, 9.0; 95% CI, 2.3‐59.5) and spinal RT conferred an increased risk of late menarche, as did older age (>10 years) at the time of diagnosis (OR, 3.0; 95% CI, 1.3‐7.0).

CONCLUSIONS:

Survivors of CNS tumors are at a significantly increased risk of both early and late menarche associated with RT exposure and age at treatment. Cancer 2009. © 2009 American Cancer Society.
Pattern of long‐term sensorimotor recovery following intrastriatal and ‐accumbens DA micrografts in a rat model of Parkinson's disease
Authors: Falkenstein Gero , Rosenthal Christoph , Reum Torsten , Morgenstern Rudolf , Döbrössy Máté , Nikkhah Guido
Published: March 2009

The functional restorative capacity of fetal dopaminergic (DA) transplants is governed by a number of critical parameters including graft location, survival of DA neurons, and transplantation technique. In addition, there is an ongoing controversy whether “too much” or “too little” survival of DA neurons is responsible for the incomplete functional recovery observed in some transplanted Parkinson's disease (PD) patients. Here we investigated two implantation sites, the nucleus accumbens (NAc) and the caudate‐putamen unit (CPU), and two different graft distributions within the CPU, i.e., two 0.75 μL deposits (CPU‐2) versus six 0.25 μL deposits (CPU‐6) in a rat model of PD. Grafts were derived from E14 rat ventral mesencephalon and the long‐term functional outcome was evaluated with a wide range of complex‐sensorimotor behavioral tests. The data show that forelimb stepping, balancing behavior, and skilled forelimb reaching behavior was more restored in CPU‐6‐grafted animals as compared to CPU‐2 animals, although the number surviving dopaminergic neurons and dopamine release were similar in the two groups. Furthermore, a correlation analysis revealed a number of inverse relationships between the rate of DA neuron survival and sensorimotor performances, e.g., for skilled forelimb use. DA grafts placed into the NAc induced a partial recovery in drug‐induced rotation tests but failed to restore any of the other sensorimotor behaviors tested. Taken together, these data have important implications both for a better understanding of the complex functional graft–host interactions as well as for the further optimization of clinical neural transplantation strategies in neurodegenerative diseases. J. Comp. Neurol. 515:41–55, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Effect of levodopa priming on dopamine neuron transplant efficacy and induction of abnormal involuntary movements in parkinsonian rats
Authors: Steece‐Collier Kathy , Soderstrom Katherine E. , Collier Timothy J. , Sortwell Caryl E. , Maries‐Lad Eleonora
Published: March 2009

Clinical trials of neural grafting for Parkinson's disease (PD) have produced variable, but overall disappointing, results. One particular disappointment has been the development of aberrant motor complications following dopamine (DA) neuron grafting. Despite a lack of consistent benefit, the utility of dopamine neuron replacement remains supported by clinical and basic data. In a continued effort to elucidate factors that might improve this therapy, we used a parkinsonian rat model to examine whether pregraft chronic levodopa affected graft efficacy and/or graft‐induced dyskinesia (GID) induction. Indeed, all grafted PD patients to date have had a pregraft history of long‐term levodopa. It is well established that long‐term levodopa results in a plethora of long‐lasting neurochemical alterations and genomic changes indicative of altered structural and synaptic plasticity. Thus, therapeutic dopamine terminal replacement in a striatal environment complicated by such changes could be expected to lead to abnormal or inappropriate connections between graft and host brain and to contribute to suboptimal efficacy and/or postgraft GID behaviors. To investigate the effect of pregraft levodopa, one group of parkinsonian rats received levodopa for 4 weeks prior to grafting. A second levodopa‐naïve group was grafted, and the grafts were allowed to mature for 9 weeks prior to introducing chronic levodopa. We report here that, in parkinsonian rats, preexposure to chronic levodopa significantly reduces behavioral and neurochemical efficacy of embryonic dopamine grafts. Furthermore, dopamine terminal replacement prior to introduction of chronic levodopa is highly effective at preventing development of levodopa‐induced dyskinesias, and GID‐like behaviors occur regardless of pregraft levodopa status. J. Comp. Neurol. 515:15–30, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Response characteristics of vibration‐sensitive interneurons related to Johnston's organ in the honeybee, Apis mellifera
Authors: Ai Hiroyuki , Rybak Jürgen , Menzel Randolf , Itoh Tsunao
Published: March 2009

Honeybees detect airborne vibration by means of Johnston's organ (JO), located in the pedicel of each antenna. In this study we identified two types of vibration‐sensitive interneurons with arborizations in the primary sensory area of the JO, namely, the dorsal lobe‐interneuron 1 (DL‐Int‐1) and dorsal lobe‐interneuron 2 (DL‐Int‐2) using intracellular recordings combined with intracellular staining. For visualizing overlapping areas between the JO sensory terminals and the branches of these identified interneurons, the three‐dimensional images of the individual neurons were registered into the standard atlas of the honeybee brain (Brandt et al. [2005] J Comp Neurol 492:1–19). Both DL‐Int‐1 and DL‐Int‐2 overlapped with the central terminal area of receptor neurons of the JO in the DL. For DL‐Int‐1 an on–off phasic excitation was elicited by vibrational stimuli applied to the JO when the spontaneous spike frequency was low, whereas tonic inhibition was induced when it was high. Moreover, current injection into a DL‐Int‐1 led to changes of the response pattern from on–off phasic excitation to tonic inhibition, in response to the vibratory stimulation. Although the vibration usually induced on–off phasic excitation in DL‐Int‐1, vibration applied immediately after odor stimulation induced tonic inhibition in it. DL‐Int‐2 responded to vibration stimuli applied to the JO by a tonic burst and were most sensitive to 265 Hz vibration, which is coincident with the strongest frequency of airborne vibrations arising during the waggle dance. These results suggest that DL‐Int‐1 and DL‐Int‐2 are related to coding of the duration of the vibration as sensed by the JO. J. Comp. Neurol. 515:145–160, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Identification of novel neuropeptides in the ventral nerve cord ganglia and their targets in an annelid worm, Eisenia fetida
Authors: Herbert Zsófia , Pollák Edit , Zougman Alexandre , Boros Akos , Kapan Neval , Molnár László
Published: March 2009

Periviscerokinins (PVKs) and pyrokinins (PKs) are neuropeptides known in several arthropod species. Sequence homology of these peptides with the molluscan small cardioactive peptides reveals that the occurrence of PVKs and PKs is not restricted to arthropods. Our study focuses on the biochemical and immunocytochemical identification of neuropeptides with sequence homology to PVKs and PKs in the central and peripheral nervous system of the earthworm Eisenia fetida. By means of affinity chromatography, nanoflow liquid chromatography, and high accuracy mass spectrometry, six peptides, SPFPR(L/I)amide, APFPR(L/I)amide, SPLPR(L/I)amide, SFVR(L/I)amide, AFVR(L/I)amide, and SPAFVR(L/I)amide, were identified in the central nervous system with the common −XR(L/I)amide C‐terminal sequence. The exact anatomical position of 13 labeled XR(I/L)amide expressing neuron groups and numerous peptide‐containing fibers were determined by means of immunocytochemistry and confocal laser scanning microscopy in whole‐mount preparations of ventral nerve cord ganglia. The majority of the stained neurons were interneurons with processes joining the distinct fine‐fibered polysegmental tracts in the central neuropil. Some stained fibers were seen running in each segmental nerve that innervated metanephridia and body wall. Distinct groups of neurosecretory cells characterized by small round soma and short processes were also identified. Based on immunoelectron microscopy six different types of labeled cells were described showing morphological heterogeneity of earthworm peptides containing elements. Our findings confirm that the sequence of the identified earthworm neuropeptides homologous to the insect PVKs and PKs suggesting that these peptides are phylogenetically conservative molecules and are expressed in sister‐groups of animals such as annelids, mollusks, and insects. J. Comp. Neurol. 514:415–432, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Ectopic expression of reelin alters migration of sympathetic preganglionic neurons in the spinal cord
Authors: Yip Yee Ping , Mehta Nisha , Magdaleno Susan , Curran Tom , Yip Joseph W.
Published: March 2009

Reelin, an extracellular matrix molecule, regulates neuronal positioning in the brain, brainstem, and spinal cord. Although Reelin was identified more than a decade ago, its function on neuronal migration is still poorly understood. Using a transgenic mouse that expressed reelin under the nestin promoter, we examined here the function of Reelin in control of sympathetic preganglionic neurons (SPN) migration in the spinal cord. SPN undergo primary and secondary migration to arrive at their final locations. In wildtype mice, postmitotic SPN undergo primary migration from the neuroepithelium to the ventrolateral spinal cord, and then undergo a secondary dorsal migration to their final location to form the intermediolateral column (IML). In reeler, which lacks Reelin, SPN also undergo primary migration to the ventrolateral spinal cord as in wildtype. However, during secondary migration, SPN migrate medially to cluster adjacent to the central canal. Our present study on transgenic rl/rl mutants (rl/rl ne‐reelin) shows that the initial migration of SPN (embryonic day [E]9.5–E12.5) was similar to reeler. SPN migrated from the neuroepithelium to the ventrolateral spinal cord and then back toward the central canal, despite strong reelin expression in the ventricular zone. However, SPN did not aggregate near the central canal when ectopic reelin was expressed. Only when the expression level of ectopic reelin in the ventricular zone became very weak (E18.5) were SPN found to cluster near the central canal. Postnatally, SPN in rl/rl ne‐reelin transgenic mice were located in both the IML and near the central canal. These results show that SPN position can change with location and level of reelin expression. Possible functions of Reelin on SPN migration are discussed. J. Comp. Neurol. 515:260–268, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Complete 3D visualization of primate striosomes by KChIP1 immunostaining
Authors: Mikula Shawn , Parrish Sarah K. , Trimmer James S. , Jones Edward G.
Published: March 2009

High‐resolution 3D reconstruction and morphometric analysis of striosomes was carried out in macaque monkeys by using immunocytochemistry for the Kv4 potassium channel subunit potassium channel interacting protein 1 (KChIP1), a novel marker. The striosomes form a connected reticulum made up of two distinct planar sheets spanning several millimeters in the putamen, and long finger‐like branches in the caudate nucleus and putamen. Although their spatial organization is variable, morphometric analysis of the striosomes, utilizing skeletonizations, reveals several quantitative invariant measures of striosome organization, including the following findings: 1) individual bifurcation‐free striosome branches are 355 ± 108.5 μm in diameter and 1,013 ± 751 μm in length, and are both lognormally distributed; and 2) striosome branches exhibit three pronounced orientation preferences that are approximately orthogonal. The former finding suggests a fundamental anatomical and functional component of the striatum, whereas the latter indicates that striosomes are more lattice‐like than their spatial variability suggests. The perceived variable spatial organization of the striosomes in primates belies many invariant features that may reflect striatal function, development, and pathophysiology. J. Comp. Neurol. 514:507–517, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Axon regeneration in the absence of growth cones: Acceleration by cyclic AMP
Authors: Jin Li‐Qing , Zhang Guixin , Jamison Curtis , Takano Hajime , Haydon Philip G. , Selzer Michael E.
Published: March 2009

Regenerative failure of spinal axons is commonly ascribed to signaling of F‐actin depolymerization and growth cone collapse by molecules such as the myelin‐associated growth inhibitors. cAMP is thought to promote regeneration at least in part by neutralizing this effect, either by direct action in the growth cone or indirectly by transcriptional mechanisms. In vivo evidence for this is based mainly on partial lesion studies in which it is sometimes difficult to distinguish regeneration of injured axons from collateral sprouting by uninjured axons. Moreover, previous observations on fixed lamprey central nervous system (CNS) suggested that regeneration may not involve growth cones. To distinguish actively growing axons from static or retracting ones, fluorescently labeled large reticulospinal axons were imaged in the living, transected lamprey cord with and without application of cAMP analogs and then studied by 2‐photon microscopy. Axon tip movements over 2–48‐hour intervals indicated: 1) regeneration was intermittent; 2) cAMP decreased initial axon retraction and increased subsequent regeneration up to 11‐fold; 3) the increase in regeneration was due to an increase in velocity of axon growth, but not in the time spent in forward movement; 4) tips of actively regenerating axons were more sharply contoured than static tips but no filopodia or lamellipodia were observed, even in db‐cAMP; and 5) during active growth, axon tips contained vesicle‐like inclusions and were highly immunoreactive for neurofilaments. Staining for F‐actin and microtubules was variable and F‐actin was not concentrated at the leading edge. Thus, cAMP accelerates regeneration of lamprey spinal axons without inducing formation of growth cones. J. Comp. Neurol. 515:295–312, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The morphology and spatial arrangement of astrocytes in the optic nerve head of the mouse
Authors: Sun Daniel , Lye‐Barthel Ming , Masland Richard H. , Jakobs Tatjana C.
Published: March 2009

We evaluated the shapes, numbers, and spatial distribution of astrocytes within the glial lamina, an astrocyte‐rich region at the junction of the retina and optic nerve. A primary aim was to determine how the population of astrocytes, collectively, partitions the axonal space in this region. Astrocyte processes labeled with glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) compartmentalize ganglion cell axons into bundles, forming “glial tubes,” and giving the glial architecture of the optic nerve head in transverse section a honeycomb appearance. The shapes of individual astrocytes were studied by using transgenic mice that express enhanced green fluorescent protein in isolated astrocytes (hGFAPpr‐EGFP). Within the glial lamina the astrocytes were transverse in orientation, with thick, smooth primary processes emanating from a cytoplasmic expansion of the soma. Spaces between the processes of neighboring astrocytes were spatially aligned, to form the apertures through which the bundles of optic axons pass. The processes of individual astrocytes were far‐reaching—they could span most of the width of the nerve—and overlapped the anatomical domains of other near and distant astrocytes. Thus, astrocytes in the glial lamina do not tile: each astrocyte participates in ensheathing approximately one‐quarter of all of the axon bundles in the nerve, and each glial tube contains the processes of about nine astrocytes. This raises the mechanistic question of how, in glaucoma or other cases of nerve damage, the glial response can be confined to a circumscribed region where damage to axons has occurred. J. Comp. Neurol. 516:1–19, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Hippocampal injury, atrophy, synaptic reorganization, and epileptogenesis after perforant pathway stimulation‐induced status epilepticus in the mouse
Authors: Kienzler Friederike , Norwood Braxton A. , Sloviter Robert S.
Published: March 2009

Prolonged dentate granule cell discharges produce hippocampal injury and chronic epilepsy in rats. In preparing to study this epileptogenic process in genetically altered mice, we determined whether the background strain used to generate most genetically altered mice, the C57BL/6 mouse, is vulnerable to stimulation‐induced seizure‐induced injury. This was necessary because C57BL/6 mice are reportedly resistant to the neurotoxic effects of kainate‐induced seizures, which we hypothesized to be related to strain differences in kainate's effects, rather than genetic differences in intrinsic neuronal vulnerability. Bilateral perforant pathway stimulation‐induced granule cell discharge for 4 hours under urethane anesthesia produced degeneration of glutamate receptor subunit 2 (GluR2)‐positive hilar mossy cells and peptide‐containing interneurons in both FVB/N (kainate‐vulnerable) and C57BL/6 (kainate‐resistant) mice, indicating no strain differences in neuronal vulnerability to seizure activity. Granule cell discharge for 2 hours in C57BL/6 mice destroyed most GluR2‐positive dentate hilar mossy cells, but not peptide‐containing hilar interneurons, indicating that mossy cells are the neurons most vulnerable to this insult. Stimulation for 24 hours caused extensive hippocampal neuron loss and injury to the septum and entorhinal cortex, but no other detectable damage. Mice stimulated for 24 hours developed hippocampal sclerosis, granule cell mossy fiber sprouting, and chronic epilepsy, but not the granule cell layer hypertrophy (granule cell dispersion) produced by intrahippocampal kainate. These results demonstrate that perforant pathway stimulation in mice reliably reproduces the defining features of human mesial temporal lobe epilepsy with hippocampal sclerosis. Experimental studies in transgenic or knockout mice are feasible if electrical stimulation is used to produce controlled epileptogenic insults. J. Comp. Neurol. 515:181–196, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Flow in collapsible tubes or over compliant surfaces for biomedical applications
Authors: Luo X. Y.
Published: March 2009

Nine papers in the area of ‘Flow in collapsible tubes or over compliant surfaces for biomedical applications’ are collated and presented in this special issue. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Postradical vaginal trachelectomy follow‐up by isthmic‐vaginal smear cytology: A 13‐year audit
Authors: Ghorab Zeina , Ismiil Nadia , Covens Allan , Nofech‐Mozes Sharon , Saad Reda S. , Dubé Valérie , Khalifa Mahmoud A.
Published: March 2009

Radical trachelectomy is a fertility preserving alternative for early cervical cancer patients. This audit assesses the role of isthmic‐vaginal smear in postoperative follow‐up. A total of 94 patients were identified generating 913 smears. The final surgical margin was at the lower uterine segment in 37 cases (39.4%) and significantly correlated with the presence of lower uterine segment endometrial cells (LUSEC) in smears (P = 0.035). The most common abnormal diagnoses in the presence of LUSEC were ASC‐US and AGUS seen in 14.2% and 11.9% of positive smears, respectively. The most common follow‐up pattern was initial positive smears, which converted to negative (45.7% of patients), showing that reactive changes are another potential overcall pitfall. The only 2 central recurrences were successfully diagnosed by smears. This study summarizes our experience, emphasizing the role of isthmic‐vaginal smears for early detection of central recurrence and highlighting the role of LUSEC and reactive changes as potential overcall pitfalls. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Structural Flexibility and Selective Guest Accommodation in Two CuII Metal–Organic Coordination Frameworks
Authors: Gurunatha Kargal L. , Maji Tapas Kumar
Published: March 2009

Two metal–organic coordination frameworks of CuII, [Na2Cu(2,4‐pyrdc)(H2O)(μ‐OH2)2]n (1) and {[Cu(2,5‐pyrdc) (NH3)](2H2O)}n (2) (2,4‐pyrdc = pyridine‐2,4‐dicarboxylate; 2,5‐pyrdc = pyridine‐2,5‐dicarboxylate), were synthesized and structurally characterized. The structure of compound 1 was known and shows that Cu(2,4‐pyrdc)2(H2O) functions as a metalloligand and is linked to two different NaI atoms to form a 3D heterometallic CuII–NaI framework. The single crystals of compound 2 were obtained from aqueous ammoniacal solution and crystallize in the triclinic (P$\bar {1}$) crystal system. Compound 2 is a 2D sheet consisting of two different CuII 1D chains bridged by a 2,5‐pyrdc ligand. Stacking of the 2D sheets results in a 3D supramolecular host with 1D water‐filled channels. Both frameworks are highly thermally stable and exhibit reversible structural transformation upon removal of the metal‐bound water and NH3 molecules for 1 and 2, respectively. Sorption studies reveal that desolvated frameworks 1′ and 2′ both behave nonporous to N2. However, 1′ exhibits structural transformation and hysteretic stepwise sorption of H2O and MeOH molecules, but THF and C6H6 molecules are not adsorbed. Similarly, H2O and MeOH molecules are easily adsorbed in 2′, but THF and C6H6 molecules are not. Such high selectivity in 1′ and 2′ was correlated to the smaller pore aperture and specific host–guest interaction conferred by the unsaturated Lewis acidic sites on the pore surfaces and the Lewis basic adsorbates. Low‐temperature magnetic study of 2 revealed that theCuII atoms are antiferromagnetically coupled, with J = –1.45 cm–1 and g = 2.01.(© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2009)
Preparation of an Indolylfulgimide‐Adamantane Linker Conjugate with Nitrile Anchoring Groups through Palladium‐Catalyzed Transformations
Authors: Zarwell Sebastian , Dietrich Steffen , Schulz Christine , Dietrich Paul , Michalik Fabian , Rück‐Braun Karola
Published: March 2009

We report the preparation, through palladium‐catalyzed transformations, of the indolylfulgimide linker conjugate 1, containing an adamantane core and nitrile anchoring groups. The ethynylene‐linker 12 for the final Sonogashira coupling was prepared through palladium‐mediated cyanation of an iodo‐substituted precursor with Zn(CN)2. The synthesis of the 6‐bromo‐substituted indolylfulgimide coupling partner 2 was accomplished in seven steps. Model studies using phenylacetylene and the 5‐bromo‐substituted indole 13 were conducted to find conditions that would prevent homocoupling of the ethynylene linker 12 in the final Sonogashira coupling step. The use of Pd(PhCN)2Cl2 and [(tBu)3PH]BF4 in the presence of diisopropylamine, together with CuI as additive, proved to be most efficient. Finally, the photochromic properties of conjugate 1 and indolylfulgimide 2 were studied.(© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2009)
Photolabile Carbonyl Protecting Group: A New Tool for Light‐Controlled Release of Anticancer Agents
Authors: Wang Pengfei , Mondal Mukulesh , Wang Yun
Published: March 2009

A new type of photolabile carbonyl‐protecting group was utilized in releasing anticancer agents upon irradiation at 350 nm in an aqueous environment. (© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2009)
Gold nanoparticle‐enhanced chemiluminescence detection for CE
Authors: Zhao Shulin , Niu Tianxing , Song Yaru , Liu Yi‐Ming
Published: March 2009

Introducing gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) to the running buffer further improved the sensitivity of luminol‐H2O2 chemiluminescence (CL) detection for CE. This has led to the development of sensitive CE‐CL assays of biomedically interesting compounds. Epinephrine and norfloxacin were taken as the model analytes. Epinephrine inhibited light emission from the AuNP‐catalyzed CL while norfloxacin enhanced it. The CE‐CL assays had detection limits of 6.9×10−9 M for epinephrine and 7.3×10−9 M for norfloxacin. It was noted that in the absence of AuNPs no CE‐CL analytical signal was produced by epinephrine at 4.0×10−5 M or norfloxacin at 1.5×10−3 M under similar experimental conditions. Fluorescence spectroscopic measurements showed that although the fluorescence excitation/emission maxima remained the same, the fluorescence lifetime of luminol increased significantly in the presence of AuNPs (τ2 increased from 8.49±0.12 to 9.18±0.047 ns in a two‐exponential fit), indicating that the excited states of luminol molecules were stabilized through the interaction between luminol molecules and AuNPs. Finally, quantitation of epinephrine and norfloxacin in biological samples such as human urine by using the present AuNP‐enhanced CE‐CL method was demonstrated.
Isolation of rare cells from cell mixtures by dielectrophoresis
Authors: Gascoyne Peter R. C. , Noshari Jamileh , Anderson Thomas J. , Becker Frederick F.
Published: March 2009

The application of dielectrophoretic field‐flow fractionation (depFFF) to the isolation of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) from clinical blood specimens was studied using simulated cell mixtures of three different cultured tumor cell types with peripheral blood. The depFFF method can not only exploit intrinsic tumor cell properties so that labeling is unnecessary but can also deliver unmodified, viable tumor cells for culture and/or all types of molecular analysis. We investigated tumor cell recovery efficiency as a function of cell loading for a 25 mm wide × 300 mm long depFFF chamber. More than 90% of tumor cells were recovered for small samples but a larger chamber will be required if similarly high recovery efficiencies are to be realized for 10 mL blood specimens used CTC analysis in clinics. We show that the factor limiting isolation efficiency is cell–cell dielectric interactions and that isolation protocols should be completed within ∼15 min in order to avoid changes in cell dielectric properties associated with ion leakage.
Centrifugal methods and devices for rapid in‐gel digestion of proteins
Authors: Lazarev Alexander V. , Rejtar Tomas , Dai Shujia , Karger Barry L.
Published: March 2009

Modern proteomic research frequently relies upon separation of proteins in a polyacrylamide gel matrix followed by in‐gel enzymatic digestion and extraction of peptides for subsequent analysis by MS. In this work, we propose a novel semi‐automated method of mechanical processing of gel bands by passing these bands through a specially designed centrifugal device termed a Gel Shredder prior to digestion and extraction of peptides. Such a device allows integrated washing, destaining and shredding of gel bands into uniform blocks of controlled size, approximately 150–300 μm, prior to the enzymatic digestion and extraction of peptides. Shredding into uniform blocks increases the surface area of the gel pieces and promotes improved gel rehydration, allowing improved diffusion of the proteolytic enzymes and solvent into the gel lattice. We demonstrate that the new method substantially reduces the time spent on tedious manual handling of gel bands, while minimizing the risk of sample contamination. The performance of the Gel Shredder has been compared with a conventional in‐gel digestion protocol using several standard proteins and a complex proteomic sample in terms of relative quantitation by either MALDI‐TOF/TOF or nanoLC‐ESI IT‐Fourier transformation ion cyclotron resonance MS. It is shown that significant time savings and improved peptide recovery can be obtained for many proteins using the Gel Shredder compared with the traditional in‐gel digestion protocol.
Hexokinase inhibitor screening based on adenosine 5′‐diphosphate determination by electrophoretically mediated microanalysis
Authors: Wang Tongdan , Kang Jingwu
Published: March 2009

A CE‐based method for hexokinase inhibitor screening was developed in the present paper. In this method, hexokinase activity was assayed via electrophoretically mediated microanalysis (EMMA), which combines on‐column hexokinase‐mediated reaction and measurement of produced adenosine 5′‐diphosphate (ADP) via electrophoretical separation and UV detection. Enzyme inhibition can be read out directly from the reduced peak area of ADP in comparison with a reference electropherogram obtained in the absence of any inhibitor. Conditions for on‐column enzyme reaction and separation of adenosine 5′‐triphosphate (ATP) and ADP were optimized. The optimal buffer composition for enzymatic reaction was 25 mM HEPES buffer (pH 7.5) containing 5 mM MgCl2, whereas the optimal buffer composition for separation was 100 mM Tris‐phosphate buffer (pH 5.5) containing 0.02% (m/v) hexadimethrine bromide (HDB). Fortunately, discontinuous buffer system can be adapted easily in the EMMA method. The time for separation was reduced dramatically to less than 3 min by reversing the direction of EOF via dynamically coating the capillary wall with the cationic polyelectrolyte HDB. Moreover, the peak tailing of ATP was also reduced by HDB coating. The Z′ factor as high as 0.98 was obtained, indicating a high quality of the screening data. The present method is simple, robust and cost‐effective.
Exposure of HepG2 cells to low levels of PAH‐containing extracts from contaminated soils results in unpredictable genotoxic stress responses
Authors: Mattsson Åse , Lundstedt Staffan , Stenius Ulla
Published: March 2009

Contaminated soil is a serious environmental problem, constituting a risk to humans and the environment. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are often present at contaminated sites. However, risk levels are difficult to estimate because of the complexity of contaminants present. Here, we compare cellular effects of extracts from contaminated soils collected at six industrial settings in Sweden. Chemical analysis showed that all soils contained complex mixtures of PAHs and oxy‐PAHs. Western blotting and immunocytochemistry were used to investigate DNA damage signaling in HepG2 cells exposed to extracts from these soils. The effects on phosphorylated Mdm2, p53, Erk, H2AX, 53BP1, and Chk2, cell cycle regulating proteins (cyclin D1 and p21), and cell proliferation were compared. We found that most soil extracts induced phosphorylation of Mdm2 at the 2A10 epitope at low concentrations. This is in line with previous studies suggesting that this endpoint reflects readily repaired DNA‐damage. However, we found concentration‐ and time‐dependent γH2AX and 53BP1 responses that were sustained for 48 hr. These endpoints may reflect the presence of different types of persistent DNA‐damage. High concentrations of soil extracts decreased cyclin D1 and increased p21 response, indicating cell cycle arrest. Phosphorylation of Mdm2 at Ser166, which attenuates the p53 response and is induced by many tumor promoters, was induced in a time‐dependent manner and was associated with Erk phosphorylation. Taken together, the PAH extracts elicited unpredictable signaling responses that differed between samples. More polar compounds, i.e., oxy‐PAHs, also contributed to the complexity. Environ. Mol. Mutagen. 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Factors related to motivation for change in adolescents with eating disorders
Authors: Zaitsoff Shannon L. , Taylor Andrew
Published: March 2009

Objective

To examine the association between motivation for change and eating disorder symptom severity, the quality of the parent–adolescent relationship and depressive symptom severity in adolescents with eating disorders.

Method

Fifty‐four female adolescents with eating disorders (mean age = 15.8 years, SD = 1.6) participated in this research prior to beginning outpatient treatment. Participants completed the Motivational Stages of Change for Adolescents Recovering from an Eating Disorder, the Eating Disorders Inventory‐2, the Relations with Parents scale from the Behavioral Assessment System for Children and Adolescents Self‐report and the Child Depression Inventory.

Results

Greater motivation for change was associated with less body dissatisfaction, more adaptive parent–adolescent relationships and fewer depressive symptoms. The association between motivation for change and adolescents' perception of their relationship with their parents remained significant even after controlling for age, body dissatisfaction and depressive symptoms.

Conclusion

Involvement of families in treatment for adolescents with eating disorders may serve to enhance their motivation to recover. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.
The prevalence, incidence and development of eating disorders in finnish adolescents—a two‐step 3‐year follow‐up Study
Authors: Isomaa Rasmus , Isomaa Anna‐Lisa , Marttunen Mauri , Kaltiala‐Heino Riittakerttu , Björkqvist Kaj
Published: March 2009

Objective

To investigate the prevalence, incidence and development of eating disorders and subclinical eating pathology.

Method

A two‐step three‐year follow‐up study on eating disorders in adolescence (N = 595) was conducted in western Finland. A screening questionnaire followed by a semi‐structured interview was used to determine the prevalence, incidence and development of eating disorders.

Results

The lifetime prevalence rates for females age 18 were 2.6% for anorexia nervosa (AN), 0.4 for bulimia nervosa (BN), 7.7% for AN‐NOS, 1.3% for BN‐NOS and 8.5% for subclinical eating disorders. No prevalent case of DSM‐IV eating disorders was found among the male participants. The incidence rate of any eating disorder in females age 15–18 was 1641 per 100 000 person‐years.

Conclusion

Eating disorders are relatively common in female adolescents. As many as one in five adolescent females are or have been struggling with eating disorder related issues during their teenage years. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.
Perfectionism and eating attitudes in portuguese students: A longitudinal study
Authors: Soares Maria João , Macedo António , Bos Sandra Carvalho , Marques Mariana , Maia Berta , Pereira Ana Telma , Gomes Ana , Valente José , Pato Michele , Azevedo Maria Helena
Published: March 2009

Aim

To investigate the role of perfectionism in the development of disordered eating behaviours.

Method

382 female university students completed the Hewitt & Flett MPS and the EAT‐40 at baseline, and 1 year after (T1) and 206 2 years later (T2).

Results

Perfectionism at baseline was significantly associated with long‐term abnormal eating attitudes/behaviours. Self‐Oriented Perfectionism (SOP) and Socially Prescribed Perfectionism (SPP) were significant predictors of disordered eating behaviours. Regression analysis revealed that SOP at baseline was predictive of Diet Concerns and overall eating disturbance (EAT total score), at T1 and T2. SPP was a significant predictor of Social Pressure to Eat at T1 and T2 and of Bulimic Behaviours only at T1.

Conclusion

Our findings contribute to a more clear understanding of the association between perfectionism and eating disorders. SOP and SPP were prospectively associated with abnormal eating attitudes/behaviours and SOP was found to be predictive of diet concerns and overall eating disturbance. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.
Integrative high‐resolution microarray analysis of human myeloma cell lines reveals deregulated miRNA expression associated with allelic imbalances and gene expression profiles
Authors: Lionetti Marta , Agnelli Luca , Mosca Laura , Fabris Sonia , Andronache Adrian , Todoerti Katia , Ronchetti Domenica , Deliliers Giorgio Lambertenghi , Neri Antonino
Published: March 2009

It is thought that altered microRNA (miRNA) expression due to various mechanisms plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of most human cancers. Notably, about half of the known miRNAs are intragenic and frequently coexpressed with their host genes. To date there is little evidence concerning miRNA expression in multiple myeloma (MM). In an attempt to provide insights into miRNA deregulation in MM, we profiled global miRNA expression in a panel of molecularly well‐characterized human myeloma cell lines (HMCLs) using high‐resolution microarrays, and then used integrative analyses to identify altered patterns correlated with DNA copy number (CN) or gene expression profiles. We identified 16 miRNAs mapped to chromosomal regions frequently involved in numerical imbalances in MM, whose expression significantly correlated with the CN of the corresponding miRNA genes; among these, miR‐22 expression was also affected by chromosome arm 17p loss in a representative panel of primary MM tumors. The expression of 32 intronic miRNAs significantly correlated with that of their host transcripts, some of which were highly deregulated in MM patients. The expression of some of the miRNAs was validated by quantitative RT‐PCR. Finally, a number of the identified miRNAs have previously been reported to play important roles in tumorigenesis. Overall, our data highlight that genomic alterations may significantly affect miRNA expression in HMCLs and demonstrate a frequent coexpression of intronic miRNAs with their host genes that may have a pathogenetic relevance in plasma cell transformation. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Stat3 inhibition activates tumor macrophages and abrogates glioma growth in mice
Authors: Zhang Leying , Alizadeh Darya , Van Handel Michelle , Kortylewski Marcin , Yu Hua , Badie Behnam
Published: March 2009

As the main effector‐cell population of the central nervous system, microglia (MG) are considered to play an important immunoregulatory function in a number of pathological conditions such as inflammation, trauma, degenerative disease, and brain tumors. Recent studies, however, have suggested that the anti‐neoplastic function of MG may be suppressed in malignant brain tumors. Considering the proposed suppressive role of signal transducers and activators of transcription 3 (Stat3) in antitumor immunity, we evaluated the role of Stat3 inhibition on MG and macrophage (MP) activation and tumor growth in a murine glioma model. N9 MG cells were exposed to GL261 glioma conditioned medium (GL261‐CM) and evaluated for Stat3 activity and cytokine expression. Furthermore, the role of Stat3 inhibition on MG and MP activation was studied both in vitro and in vivo. Finally, the effect of Stat3 inhibition on tumor growth was assessed in intracranial GL261 gliomas. GL261‐CM increased Stat3 activity in N9 cells in vitro and resulted in overexpression of IL‐10 and IL‐6, and downregulation of IL1‐β, a pro‐inflammatory cytokine. Inhibition of Stat3 by CPA‐7 or siRNA reversed glioma‐induced cytokine expression profile in N9 cells. Furthermore, inactivation of Stat3 in intracranial GL261 tumors by siRNA resulted in MG/MP activation and tumor growth inhibition. Glioma‐induced MG and MP suppression may be mediated thorough Stat3. Inhibition of Stat3 function in tumor MG/MP may result in their activation and can potentially be used as an adjunct immunotherapy approach for gliomas. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Enhancement of neuronal outward delayed rectifier K+ current by human monocyte‐derived macrophages
Authors: Hu Dehui , Liu Jianuo , Xiong Huangui
Published: March 2009

Macrophages are critical cells in mediating the pathology of neurodegenerative disorders and enhancement of neuronal outward potassium (K+) current has implicated in neuronal apoptosis. To understand how activated macrophages induce neuronal dysfunction and injury, we studied the effects of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‐stimulated human monocytes‐derived macrophage (MDM) on neuronal outward delayed rectifier K+ current (IK) and resultant change on neuronal viability in primary rat hippocampal neuronal culture. Bath application of LPS‐stimulated MDM‐conditioned media (MCM) enhanced neuronal IK in a concentration‐dependentmanner, whereas non‐stimulated MCM failed to alter neuronal IK. The enhancement of neuronal IK was repeated in a macrophage‐neuronal co‐culture system. The link of stimulated MCM (MCM(+))‐associated enhancement of IK to MCM(+)‐induced neuronal injury, as detected by PI/DAPI (propidium iodide/4′,6‐diamidino‐2‐phenylindol) staining and MTT assay, was demonstrated by experimental results showing that addition of IK blocker tetraethylammonium to the culture protected hippocampal neurons from MCM(+)‐associated challenge. Further investigation revealed elevated levels of Kv 1.3 and Kv 1.5 channel expression in hippocampal neurons after addition of MCM(+) to the culture. These results suggest that during brain inflammation macrophages, through their capacity of releasing bioactive molecules, induce neuronal injury by enhancing neuronal IK and that modulation of Kv channels is a new approach to neuroprotection. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Differential expression of sPLA2 following spinal cord injury and a functional role for sPLA2‐IIA in mediating oligodendrocyte death
Authors: Titsworth W. Lee , Cheng Xiaoxin , Ke Yan , Deng Lingxiao , Burckardt Kenneth A. , Pendleton Chris , Liu Nai‐Kui , Shao Hui , Cao Qi‐Lin , Xu Xiao‐Ming
Published: March 2009

After the initial mechanical insult of spinal cord injury (SCI), secondary mediators propagate a massive loss of oligodendrocytes. We previously showed that following SCI both the total phospholipase activity and cytosolic PLA2‐IVα protein expression increased. However, the expression of secreted isoforms of PLA2 (sPLA2) and their possible roles in oligodendrocyte death following SCI remained unclear. Here we report that mRNAs extracted 15 min, 4 h, 1 day, or 1 month after cervical SCI show marked upregulation of sPLA2‐IIA and IIE at 4 h after injury. In contrast, SCI induced down regulation of sPLA2‐X, and no change in sPLA2‐IB, IIC, V, and XIIA expression. At the lesion site, sPLA2‐IIA and IIE expression were localized to oligodendrocytes. Recombinant human sPLA2‐IIA (0.01, 0.1, or 2 μM) induced a dose‐dependent cytotoxicity in differentiated adult oligodendrocyte precursor cells but not primary astrocytes or Schwann cells in vitro. Most importantly, pretreatment with S3319, a sPLA2‐IIA inhibitor, before a 30 min H2O2 injury (1 or 10 mM) significantly reduced oligodendrocyte cell death at 48 h. Similarly, pretreatment with S3319 before injury with IL‐1β and TNFα prevented cell death and loss of oligodendrocyte processes at 72 h. Collectively, these findings suggest that sPLA2‐IIA and IIE are increased following SCI, that increased sPLA2‐IIA can be cytotoxic to oligodendrocytes, and that in vitro blockade of sPLA2 can create sparing of oligodendrocytes in two distinct injury models. Therefore, sPLA2‐IIA may be an important mediator of oligodendrocyte death and a novel target for therapeutic intervention following SCI. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.