bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An Alternative Oxidizing and Brominating Method Converting Alcohols to Aldehydes and β‐Bromoethyl Esters Using Ionic Liquid [Bmim][Br3].
Authors: Zhang Yu , Bao Weiliang
Published: September 2006

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 200 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract, please click on HTML or PDF.
The Mannich Reaciton of Malonates with Simple Imines Catalyzed by Bifunctional Cinchona Alkaloids: Enantioselective Synthesis of β‐Amino Acids.
Authors: Song Jun , Wang Yi , Deng Li
Published: September 2006

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 200 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract, please click on HTML or PDF.
Asymmetric Cyanosilylation of Ketones Catalyzed by Novel Chiral N,N′‐Dioxide Titanium Complexes.
Authors: Li Qinghan , Liu Xiaohua , Wang Jun , Shen Ke , Feng Xiaoming
Published: September 2006

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 200 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract, please click on HTML or PDF.
“syn‐Effect” in Nucleophilic Addition of Amines to 1,3‐Dienylsulfone.
Authors: Yamazaki Masao , Guha Samar Kumar , Ukaji Yutaka , Inomata Katsuhiko
Published: September 2006

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 200 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract, please click on HTML or PDF.
Rhodium‐Catalyzed Ring‐Opening Reactions of N‐Boc‐Azabenzonorbornadienes with Amine Nucleophiles.
Authors: Cho Yong‐hwan , Zunic Valentin , Senboku Hisanori , Olsen Madeline , Lautens Mark
Published: September 2006

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 200 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract, please click on HTML or PDF.
Baylis—Hillman Chemistry: Synthesis of cis‐ and trans‐α‐Methylene‐γ‐lactones.
Authors: Kabalka George W. , Venkataiah Bollu , Chen Chunlan
Published: September 2006

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 200 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract, please click on HTML or PDF.
KF/Al2O3 Mediated Aza‐Michael Addition of Indoles to Electron‐Deficient Olefins.
Authors: Moghaddam Firouz Matloubi , Bardajee Ghasem Rezanejade , Taimoory Seyedeh Maryam Dokht
Published: September 2006

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 200 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract, please click on HTML or PDF.
Synthesis of the Pyrazole Isostere of Valdecoxib.
Authors: Szabo Gy. , Fischer J. , Kis‐Varga A.
Published: September 2006

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 200 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract, please click on HTML or PDF.
Synthesis and Biological Activity of Novel 2‐(3‐Trifluoromethylphenoxy)‐4‐trifluoromethylthiazole‐5‐carboxamide Derivatives.
Authors: Liu Chang‐Ling , Li Miao , Chi Hui‐Wei , Hou Chun‐Qing , Li Zheng‐Ming
Published: September 2006

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 200 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract, please click on HTML or PDF.
Ambident Properties of 4‐Substituted Thiosemicarbazides in Condensations with Fluoroacetic Acids.
Authors: Vasil'eva E. B. , Filyakova V. I. , Sidorova L. P. , Filatov I. E. , Charushin V. N.
Published: September 2006

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 200 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract, please click on HTML or PDF.
Green Route to the 2,6‐Disubstituted Imidazo[2,1‐b]‐1,3,4‐thiadiazoles by the Cyclocondensation of α‐Bromoacetophenone Derivative and 1,3,4‐Thiadiazoles Using Ionic Liquids.
Authors: Kidwai Mazaahir , Rastogi Shweta
Published: September 2006

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 200 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract, please click on HTML or PDF.
Novel Sequence of Two Base‐Catalyzed 1,3‐Proton Shifts and [1,2]‐Wittig Rearrangement in the Synthesis of 2,4‐Bis‐(trifluoromethyl)‐6‐phenylpyridine.
Authors: Soloshonok Vadim A. , Ohkura Hironari , Yasumoto Manabu
Published: September 2006

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 200 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract, please click on HTML or PDF.
Voltammetric Oxidation of Hantzsch 1,4‐Dihydropyridines in Ethanol‐Water Media.
Authors: Fotouhi Lida , Khaleghi Shahnaz , Heravi Majid M.
Published: September 2006

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 200 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract, please click on HTML or PDF.
Synthesis of Polyhydroquinoline Derivatives under Solvent‐Free Conditions.
Authors: Chen Wei‐Yi , Lu Jun , Jin Jian‐Rong
Published: September 2006

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 200 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract, please click on HTML or PDF.
Utilization of a Tandem Michael—Dieckmann Reaction to Synthesize Orixalone A.
Authors: Cuny Gregory D. , Lee Kyungae , Choi Sungwoon
Published: September 2006

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 200 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract, please click on HTML or PDF.
The New γ‐Spiroiminolactone Synthesis by Reaction Between Alkyl or Aryl Isocyanides and 1,10‐Phenanthroline‐5,6‐dione in the Presence of Acetylenic Esters.
Authors: Maghsoodlou Malek Taher , Khorassani Sayyed Mostafa Habibi , Hazeri Nourollah , Heydari Reza , Marandi Ghasem , Nassiri Mahmoud
Published: September 2006

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 200 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract, please click on HTML or PDF.
Fluorescent Labels for Aldehydes.
Authors: Langhals Heinz , Fuchs Kerstin
Published: September 2006

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 200 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract, please click on HTML or PDF.
Substituent Effect of Fluorine Atoms in the 2,4‐Difluorophenyl Group on Antifungal Activity of CS‐758.
Authors: Kagoshima Yoshiko , Konosu Toshiyuki
Published: September 2006

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 200 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract, please click on HTML or PDF.
Identification and Characterization of 4‐Aryl‐3,4‐dihydropyrimidin‐2(1H)‐ones as Inhibitors of the Fatty Acid Transporter FATP4.
Authors: Blackburn Christopher , et al. et al.
Published: September 2006

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 200 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract, please click on HTML or PDF.
Green Protocol for Annulation of the s‐Triazine Ring on Thiazoles Using a Three‐Component Coupling Strategy.
Authors: Yadav Lal Dhar S. , Yadav Seema , Rai Vijai K.
Published: September 2006

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 200 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract, please click on HTML or PDF.
Preparation of a Novel C3 Symmetrical Hexahomotrithiacalix[3]arene that Binds Ag+ with High Selectivity.
Authors: Kohno Kazufumi , Takeshita Michinori , Yamato Takehiko
Published: September 2006

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 200 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract, please click on HTML or PDF.
The Synthesis of Heliannuol C, an Allelochemical from Helianthus annuus.
Authors: Biswas Bidyut , Sen Prabir K. , Venkateswaran Ramanathapuram V.
Published: September 2006

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 200 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract, please click on HTML or PDF.
An Eudesmane Glycoside from Fissistigma pallens
Authors: Thuy T. T. , Sung T. V. , Hao N. T.
Published: September 2006

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 200 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract, please click on HTML or PDF.
Asymmetric Synthesis of Protected Arylglycines by Rhodium‐Catalyzed Addition of Arylboronic Acids to N‐tert‐Butanesulfinyl Imino Esters.
Authors: Beenen Melissa A. , Weix Daniel J. , Ellman Jonathan A.
Published: September 2006

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 200 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract, please click on HTML or PDF.
A Facile Route for the Regioselective Deacetylation of Peracetylated Carbohydrates at Anomeric Position.
Authors: Chittaboina Srinivas , Hodges Blake , Wang Qian
Published: September 2006

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 200 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract, please click on HTML or PDF.
A New Isoflavone from Dalbergia rubiginosa (Roxb)
Authors: Charles J. A. , Gandhidasan R.
Published: September 2006

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 200 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract, please click on HTML or PDF.
Oxo‐Incorporated Metal Acetylide Complexes
Authors: Mathur Pradeep , Chatterjee Saurav
Published: September 2006

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 200 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract, please click on HTML or PDF.
Asymmetric Syntheses of 4‐, 5‐ and 6‐Membered N‐Heterocycles Employing the SAMP/RAMP Hydrazone Methodology
Authors: Enders Dieter , Boudou Marine , Gries Joerg
Published: September 2006

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 200 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract, please click on HTML or PDF.
Synthesis of Selected Biologically Active Compounds via Allylboration
Authors: Dembitsky V. M. , Abu Ali H. , Srebnik M.
Published: September 2006

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 200 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract, please click on HTML or PDF.
Rhodium‐Catalyzed C—H Amination — Versatile Methodology for the Selective Preparation of Amines and Amine Derivatives
Authors: Du Bois Justin
Published: September 2006

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 200 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract, please click on HTML or PDF.
Development of Air‐ and Moisture‐Tolerant Transition Metal Catalysts for Organic Synthesis
Authors: Sherry Benjamin D. , Toste F. Dean
Published: September 2006

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 200 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract, please click on HTML or PDF.
Alkynylation of Chiral Aldehydes: Alkoxy‐, Amino‐, and Thio‐Substituted Aldehydes
Authors: Guillarme Stephane , Ple Karen , Banchet Aline , Liard Annie , Haudrechy Arnaud
Published: September 2006

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 200 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract, please click on HTML or PDF.
Synthetic Approaches to Enantiomerically Pure 8‐Azabicyclo[3.2.1]octane Derivatives
Authors: Pollini Gian P. , Benetti Simonetta , De Risi Carmela , Zanirato Vinicio
Published: September 2006

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 200 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract, please click on HTML or PDF.
5‐Hydroxytryptamine 2C (5‐HT2C) Receptor Agonists as Potential Antiobesity Agents.
Authors: Nilsson Bjoern M.
Published: September 2006

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 200 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract, please click on HTML or PDF.
Hydrophosphination of Unactivated Alkenes, Dienes and Alkynes: A Versatile and Valuable Approach for the Synthesis of Phosphines
Authors: Delacroix O. , Gaumont A. C.
Published: September 2006

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 200 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract, please click on HTML or PDF.
Transport and Thermodynamic Properties in Low Melting Point Ionic Liquids Related to N‐Alkyl Chain Length
Authors: Balaban A. T. , Klein D. J. , March N. H. , Matthai C. C.
Published: September 2006

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 200 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract, please click on HTML or PDF.
The significance of neuroendocrine differentiation in adenocarcinoma of the esophagus and esophagogastric junction after preoperative chemoradiation
Authors: Wang Kim L. , Yang Qinghua , Cleary Karen R. , Swisher Stephen G. , Correa Arlene M. , Komaki Ritsuko , Ajani Jaffer A. , Rashid Asif , Hamilton Stanley R. , Wu Tsung‐Teh
Published: September 2006

BACKGROUND.

Esophageal and esophagogastric junction (EGJ) adenocarcinomas frequently have neuroendocrine (NE) differentiation, but the significance of NE differentiation in patients who have undergone preoperative chemoradiation and resection remains unclear.

METHODS.

The authors evaluated the presence of NE differentiation in esophageal and EGJ adenocarcinomas by immunohistochemistry for chromogranin A and synaptophysin and evaluated the clinical significance of NE differentiation in 83 patients (10 patients who had a complete tumor response and 73 patients who had residual tumor in resection specimens) who received preoperative chemoradiation.

RESULTS.

Of 73 patients who had residual tumor after preoperative treatment, 52% showed NE differentiation. The proportion of tumor cells with NE differentiation had increased from 6% ± 18% in pretreatment biopsy specimens to 47% ± 42% (P = .00003) in posttreatment resection specimens in 30 patients who had paired pretreatment biopsy and resection specimens available. Disease‐free survival (P = .002) and overall survival (P = .006) were significantly better in patients who had a complete tumor response than in patients who had residual tumor. Among patients who had residual tumor after preoperative chemoradiation, disease‐free survival (P = .03) and overall survival (P = .045) were significantly better in patients who had residual tumor without NE differentiation than in patients who had residual tumor with NE differentiation. In multivariate analysis, the presence of NE differentiation in residual tumor was a prognostic factor for worse disease‐free survival (P = .02) independent of pathologic stage and extent of residual tumor.

CONCLUSIONS.

The results from this study suggested that tumor cells with NE differentiation were more resistant to neoadjuvant chemoradiation in patients with esophageal and EGJ adenocarcinomas. The presence of NE differentiation in residual tumor was associated with poor survival after preoperative neoadjuvant therapy. Cancer 2006. © 2006 American Cancer Society.
Pitx2c overexpression promotes cell proliferation and arrests differentiation in myoblasts
Authors: Martínez‐Fernandez Sergio , Hernández‐Torres Francisco , Franco Diego , Lyons Gary E. , Navarro Francisco , Aránega Amelia E.
Published: September 2006

Pitx2 is a paired‐related homeobox gene that has been shown to play a central role during development. In the mouse, there are three isoforms, Pitx2a, b, and c, which differ only in their amino terminal regions. Pitx2 is expressed in myotomes, myoblasts, and myofibers and may be involved in muscle patterning. However, the mechanism by which Pitx2 acts in muscle cell lineages as well as the distinct functions of the individual isoforms have not been investigated. In this study, we used Sol8 myoblasts to investigate the function of Pitx2 in skeletal myogenesis. We found that Pitx2c is the main Pitx2 isoform present in Sol8 myoblasts. Overexpression of Pitx2c in Sol8 myoblasts inhibited myocyte differentiation and myotube formation. Furthermore, Sol8 cells overexpressing Pitx2c maintained high proliferative capacity and a significant up‐regulation of the cell cycle genes cyclin D1, cyclin D2, and c‐myc. Gene expression analysis for Pax3 and the s MyoD and myogenin showed that Pitx2c‐overexpression caused Sol8 cells to remain as myoblasts, in an undifferentiated myogenic state. Furthermore, down‐regulation of the muscle‐specific genes sTnI and MyHC3 demonstrated that Sol8‐overexpressing Pitx2c myoblasts failed to reach terminal differentiation. This study sheds light on previously unknown functions of the Pitx2c isoform in balancing proliferation vs. differentiation in a myogenic cell line. Developmental Dynamics 235:2930–2939, 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Inhibitors of CXCR4 affect the migration and fate of CXCR4+ progenitors in the developing limb of chick embryos
Authors: Yusuf Faisal , Rehimi Rizwan , Moroşan‐Puopolo Gabriela , Dai Fangping , Zhang Xiaobing , Brand‐Saberi Beate
Published: September 2006

Chemokines and their receptors play major roles in numerous physiological and pathological processes during development and disease. CXCR4 is the most abundantly expressed chemokine receptor during development. In contrast to other chemokine receptors, CXCR4 binds and is activated exclusively by its ligand stromal derived factor‐1 (SDF‐1) or CXCL12. SDF‐1 signaling has a wide range of effects on CXCR4‐expressing cells depending on the cell type ranging from cell growth to adhesion, chemotaxis, and migration. CXCR4 also serves as a co‐receptor for HIV‐1 entry into T‐cells and has been implicated in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis and cancer growth and invasion. Numerous inhibitors and antagonists of CXCR4 have been produced and are being tested for their efficiency to target its role in pathogenesis. Our initial expression analysis revealed that CXCR4 is expressed by the migrating myogenic and angiogenic precursors in the developing chick limb. In this study, we used the most specific peptidic inhibitors of CXCR4, T140 and its analog TN14003, to analyse the effect of blocking CXCR4/SDF‐1 signaling on the undetermined bioptent migratory progenitors in the developing chick limb. Our results point to defects in migration and an altered differentiation program of these CXCR4‐expressing progenitor pool in the limb. Developmental Dynamics 235:3007–3015, 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Primary body axes of vertebrates: Generation of a near‐Cartesian coordinate system and the role of Spemann‐type organizer
Authors: Meinhardt Hans
Published: September 2006

A rationale for the complex‐appearing generation of the primary body axes in vertebrates can be obtained if this process is divided into two parts. First, an ancestral system is responsible for the anteroposterior (AP) patterning of the brain and the positioning of the heart. The blastopore (marginal zone) acts as a source region that generates primary AP‐positional information for the brain, a process that is largely independent of the organizer. This evolutionary old system was once organizing the single axis of radial–symmetric ancestors. Second, the trunk is assumed to be an evolutionary later addition. The AP organization of the trunk depends on a time‐controlled posterior transformation in which an oscillation plays a crucial role. This oscillation also leads to the repetitive nature of the trunk pattern as seen in somites or segments. The function of the Spemann‐type organizer is not to specify the dorsoventral (DV) positional information directly but to initiate the formation of a stripe‐shaped midline organizer, realized with different structures in the brain and in the trunk (prechordal plate vs. notochord). The distance of the cells to this midline (rather than to the organizer) is crucial for the DV specification. The basically different modes of axes formation in vertebrates and insects is proposed to have their origin in the initial positioning of the mesoderm. Only in vertebrates the mesoderm is initiated in a ring at a posterior position. Thus, only in vertebrates complex tissue movements are required to transform the ring‐shaped posterior mesoderm into the rod‐shaped axial structures. Developmental Dynamics 235:2907–2919, 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Relationships between perfectionism and specific disordered eating behaviors
Authors: Forbush Kelsie , Heatherton Todd F. , Keel Pamela K.
Published: September 2006

Objective:

Perfectionism has been reported as a specific risk factor for anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, but not binge eating disorder. This study examined whether these differences are due to differential associations between perfectionism and specific eating disorder behaviors.

Method:

Participants (N = 2,482) completed the eating disorders inventory perfectionism scale and a questionnaire assessing eating disorder symptoms.

Results:

Perfectionism was associated with an array of disordered eating behaviors in women. However, associations were strongest for fasting and purging. Further, the association between binge eating and perfectionism was statistically mediated by fasting. In men, perfectionism was significantly associated only with fasting, and this association was greater than associations with other disordered eating behaviors.

Conclusion:

Results explain why previous studies have reported weak or inconsistent associations between perfectionism and binge eating and may inform etiological models of EDNOS characterized by fasting or purging. © 2006 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Eat Disord 2006
Physical activity and its correlates in treatment‐seeking obese patients with binge eating disorder
Authors: Hrabosky Joshua I. , White Marney A. , Masheb Robin M. , Grilo Carlos M.
Published: September 2006

Objective:

This study examined the physical activity levels reported by obese individuals with binge eating disorder (BED), as well as the relationships between physical activity and body mass index (BMI), features of eating disorders, and associated psychological variables.

Method:

A series of 166 obese treatment‐seeking adults (121 women and 45 men) with BED were administered structured diagnostic interviews and self‐report questionnaires.

Results:

This clinical group was found to be extremely sedentary. Self‐reported physical activity levels, measured by the Paffenbarger Physical Activity Questionnaire, were comparable with those reported by obese samples with or without binge eating in other studies, but were considerably lower than those reported by a community sample. Lifestyle physical activity (e.g., amounts of walking and stair climbing) and sports and recreational physical activity were unrelated to most clinical characteristics. BMI was significantly, albeit weakly, associated with reported sports and recreational activities in women, but not in men.

Conclusion:

Our findings highlight the degree to which obese patients with BED are inactive. Physical activity was largely uncorrelated with measures of eating disorder and psychological functioning in both men and women but was significantly, but weakly, correlated with BMI in women. Additional research is needed to determine the clinical value of physical activity for this patient group. © 2006 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Eat Disord 2006
Optimization of Xylanase Production by Sporotrichum thermophile Using Corn Cobs and Response Surface Methodology
Authors: Katapodis P. , Christakopoulou V. , Christakopoulos P.
Published: September 2006

A 32 central composite experimental design was performed with the aim of optimizing the production of xylanase by Sporotrichum thermophile grown on corn cobs in submerged cultures. Various carbon and nitrogen sources were consecutively optimized, and corn cobs and ammonium phosphate concentrations were selected as substrates to test the effect of two variables, i.e., both substrate concentrations, on xylanase production. A second‐order quadratic model and a response surface method showed that the optimum conditions for xylanase production were 2.7 % [w/v] corn cobs and 0.7 % [w/v] ammonium phosphate. These optimum conditions were transferred to 7 L bioreactors, where activities as high as 56 U/mL were obtained.
Origin and evolution of closed depressions in central Belgium, European loess belt
Authors: Vanwalleghem T. , Poesen J. , Vitse I. , Bork H. R. , Dotterweich M. , Schmidtchen G. , Deckers J. , Lang A. , Mauz B.
Published: September 2006

Closed depressions (CDs) are lower lying areas where the sediment eroded from the surrounding soil surfaces draining towards the CD is trapped in the system. CDs have been reported in several regions of the European loess belt and are attributed either to natural processes (e.g. dissolution of subsurface horizons) or to human intervention (e.g. quarrying). Previous studies focussed mainly on cropland areas where, however, only few and largely filled in CDs remain.

The objectives of this study were to i) assess the spatial distribution of CDs under forest and cropland, ii) to determine and compare the morphology of CDs under forest and under cropland, and iii) to determine the origin and age of these CDs under forest.

In a study area located partly in ancient forest (13 km2) and partly in cropland (29 km2), a systematic survey revealed the presence of 71 CDs under forest (5·3 CD.km−2) and 30 CDs under cropland (1 CD.km−2). Comparison of their morphology showed that CDs under forest were significantly deeper, with steeper sidewalls and a smaller surface area because of the erosion and deposition processes acting on the CDs under cropland. By comparing CDs that had been under cropland for different time intervals, the rate of this morphological evolution could be reconstructed.

Analysis of the soil stratigraphy of two representative CDs in the ancient forest area confirmed their origin as quarries. Most probably, calcareous loess was excavated since this soil horizon, about two to five meters thick, was completely absent within the CDs. Dating of the infilling of one CD by optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) shows that the CD filled in between the first century BC and the fourth century AD. This dating corresponds to the dating of sediment deposits in nearby, human‐induced gullies that were attributed to an agricultural land use phase between the 18th century BC and the third century AD.
Soils and soil sediments at Göbekli Tepe, southeastern Turkey: A preliminary report
Authors: Pustovoytov Konstantin
Published: September 2006

A pedological investigation at Göbekli Tepe, a Pre‐Pottery Neolithic (PPN) site in the northern Fertile Crescent (southeastern Turkey), was undertaken to gain a better understanding of its chronology and paleoenvironments. A catena at the southern slope of the central mound suggests that complex pedosedimentary processes took place at the surface of the mound after the abandonment of the site. Soil formation resulted in a markedly dark Ah horizon and a Bk horizon with secondary carbonate accumulations; both hold promise as sources of chronological and paleoecological information. Three fossil Ah horizons from the PPN period were found within the fill. One of them provided a 14C age of 8880 ± 60 yr B.P. (on humic acids) that may approximate the time of abandonment. 14C dating of the oldest microlamina of pedogenic carbonate gave two new dates: 7450 ± 80 yr B.P. for a PPNB context and 6405 ± 70 yr B.P. for a post‐PPNB context. These dates have to be considered as well‐estimated minimum ages of the contexts. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Electrophoretic deposition of hydroxyapatite coating on fecralloy and analysis of human osteoblastic cellular response
Authors: Guo Xingyuan , Gough Julie , Xiao Ping
Published: September 2006

Hydroxyapatite has been successfully deposited onto Fecralloy substrate (a metal alloy with 22% Cr, 4.8% Al) by electrophoretic deposition in an attempt to promote the adhesion between coating and substrate, consequently to extend the lifetime of implants. Fecralloy has the ability to generate a dense and stable α‐Al2O3 layer “in situ” during thermal treatment, which will highly improve the adhesion and the corrosion resistance of the coating system. Phases and morphologies of HA coating were found to vary after sintering according to XRD and SEM analysis. Besides the physicochemical characterization, the effects of the Fecralloy, thermally generated oxide layer, and HA coating on the early and late responses of osteoblasts in vitro were determined. Cellular morphology and proliferation were studied up to 7 days. Quantitative assays of mineralization were conducted up to 14 days. Osteoblasts showed increased cell spreading and cell proliferation on metal substrates, with significantly higher mineralization on HA coating. The results in this study proved that Fecralloy is a biocompatible metal and the HA coating on Fecralloy provides a good candidate for orthopaedic and dental implants. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res, 2007
Biocompatibility and drug release behavior of spontaneously formed phospholipid polymer hydrogels
Authors: Kimura Mizuna , Takai Madoka , Ishihara Kazuhiko
Published: September 2006

Hydrogels containing 2‐methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC) moieties were formed from aqueous solutions with water‐soluble MPC polymers with carboxylic acid and alkyl groups because of hydrogen bonding formation. To investigate the biocompatibility and drug release behavior of the hydrogels, we used random‐ and block‐type carboxylic acid MPC polymers, such as poly [MPC‐co‐methacrylic acid (MA)] (rPMA), poly[MPC‐co‐4‐(2‐methacryloyloxyethyl) trimellitic acid (MET)] (rPMT), poly (MA‐block‐MPC‐block‐MA) (bPMA) and poly(MET‐block‐MPC‐block‐MET) (bPMT), and alkyl MPC polymers, such as poly[MPC‐co‐n‐butyl methacrylate] (PMB) and poly(MPC‐co‐benzyl methacrylate) (PMBz). We investigated the biocompatibility of the spontaneously formed MPC polymer hydrogels by a hemolysis test and an in vivo injection test. The random MPC polymers having carboxylic acid groups expressed more hemolytic activity compared to the block polymers. The results of the in vivo injection test also indicated low biocompatibility of the carboxylic acid polymers especially at high concentration. The alkyl MPC polymers, the PMB and PMBz showed excellent biocompatibility in both hemolysis and in vivo injection test. However, the hydrogels, the rPMA/PMB hydrogel (rABgel) and the rPMT/PMBz hydrogel (rTZgel) lowered the hemolytic activity of elemental polymers, the rPMA and rPMT. Thus, suppression of the ionization of the carboxylic acid groups is necessary for biocompatibility. We also investigated the drug release behavior with attention to the interaction between the polymer and the drugs. The release behavior of a relatively low‐molecular‐weight hydrophilic drug, 5‐fluorouracil, did not depend on the structure of the polymers. The higher‐molecular‐weight drugs, ketoprofen and indomethacin, were released faster from the block polymer hydrogel than the random polymer hydrogel, the rABgel, while the highest‐molecular‐weight drug, doxorubicin, was released faster from the random polymer hydrogel. A probable reason for this is the difference in the molecular structure; that is, the separated hydrophilic and hydrophobic sections in the block polymers constructed pathways where a drug can diffuse. In addition, the rTZgel suppressed the release of a drug with a large number of aromatic rings probably because of the stacking effect. The results of the compression test also suggested the existence of the stacking effect between the rTZgel and the drugs. Based on these results, control of drug release is possible by selecting a reservoir with an appropriate chemical structure to interact with the drug. For example, release of a relatively linear‐structured drug with less aromatic rings can be suppressed in the rABgel rather than in the rTZgel. Thus, it can be concluded that if the ionization is suppressed, these MPC polymer hydrogels can be used as a material for a drug reservoir that can be selected according to the drug. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res, 2007
Purified titanium oxide with novel morphologies upon spark anodization of Ti alloys in mixed H2So4/H3PO4 electrolytes
Authors: Kern P. , Zinger O.
Published: September 2006

The spark anodization behavior of α/β Ti6Al4V and Ti6Al7Nb alloys and of α c.p. Ti in H2SO4, H3PO4, and mixtures of these acids was studied. Chemical depth profiling revealed oxides purified with respect to the substrate alloying elements. This was particularly pronounced on Ti alloys spark anodized in H2SO4/H3PO4 mixtures, the Al content decreasing continuously towards the surface, and V and Nb hardly detectable in the outermost 200 nm. The incorporation of S was significantly reduced in mixed electrolytes, while about 8 at‐% P was present. A novel oxide morphology with “worm‐like” features in the micrometer range, very different from well‐known nano/microporous oxides, was found in mixed electrolytes under suitable conditions. Similar but more porous‐like morphologies were formed on Ti. Simple α/β substrate microstructural considerations cannot explain the morphological and chemical observations. Raman spectroscopy indicated the presence of mixed anatase, rutile, and brookite phase on anodized Ti alloys. Bond strengths of 34 MPa for worm‐like and 40–50 MPa for nano/microporous morphologies as well as excellent abrasion behavior were found. The compatibility of grit‐blasting with the spark anodization process for creating multitopography surfaces was demonstrated. Neither the observed chemical effects, nor the observed particular morphology or the presence of brookite have been reported before. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res, 2007
In vitro pyrogen test—A new test method for solid medical devices
Authors: Mazzotti Francesca , Beuttler Julia , Zeller Richard , Fink Ulrich , Schindler Stefanie , Wendel Albrecht , Hartung Thomas , von Aulock Sonja
Published: September 2006

Medical devices manufactured for implantation into humans must be free of any contamination with viable bacteria. However, remnants of dead bacteria and bacterial components alone may induce an inflammatory immune response. Pyrogen tests for such inflammatory contaminations are generally performed either by determining the content of lipopolysaccharide in rinsing solutions of batch samples by limulus amoebocyte lysate assay, by injecting the rinsing solutions into rabbits or by implanting batch samples into rabbits and measuring change of body temperature. In this study, we show that the in vitro pyrogen test (IPT), which measures the release of the inflammatory cytokine IL‐1β in fresh or cryopreserved human whole blood, can be used to assess the pyrogenic contamination of implantable medical devices. This test was used to check neurosurgical implants, namely aneurysm clips, as a proof of principle. Owing to the direct contact of the test material with the blood cells, this test does not require rinsing procedures, which have variable efficacy. The use of human blood ensures the detection of all substances that are pyrogenic for humans and reflects their relative potency. The safety of the products as delivered could be confirmed. The effects of sterilization and depyrogenization procedures on intentional pyrogenic contaminations of samples could be followed. This new application of the already internationally validated method promises to replace further rabbit pyrogen tests. It generates extremely sensitive results with an extended range of detectable pyrogenic contaminants. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res, 2007
Analysis of TIMP‐1 Gene Polymorphisms in Italian Sclerodermic Patients
Authors: Indelicato Manuela , Chiarenza Valentina , Libra Massimo , Malaponte Grazia , Bevelacqua Valentina , Marchini Maurizio , McCubrey James A. , Stivala Franca , Scorza Raffaella , Mazzarino Maria Clorinda
Published: September 2006

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is an autoimmune disease characterized by skin and internal organs fibrosis due to an extracellular matrix (ECM) accumulation of type I collagen. The turnover of the ECM is dependent on the balance between matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and tissue inhibitors of matrix metalloproteinases (TIMPs). The disruption of this balance is involved in SSc because higher serum TIMP‐1 levels have been demonstrated in SSc patients than in controls. On this basis, we analyzed three polymorphisms: −19A>G, +261C>T, and +372T>C of the TIMP‐1 gene in SSc patients (67 females, eight males) and controls (29 females, nine males). The C allele of the +372T>C single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) was observed at a higher frequency in male patients than in healthy individuals (P=0.02), while no differences were observed in the female subjects. Our findings suggest that the +372T>C polymorphism of the TIMP‐1 gene is associated with SSc in male individuals. No association with the clinical characteristics of SSc Italian patients and TIMP‐1 gene polymorphisms was observed. Thus, the role of TIMP‐1 gene in predisposition to SSc remains controversial. J. Clin. Lab. Anal. 20:173–176, 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Zinc (II) ion recovery by biosorption onto powdered waste sludge (PWS): effects of operating conditions
Authors: Kargi Fikret , Cikla Sinem
Published: September 2006

Powdered waste sludge (PWS) obtained from a paint industry wastewater treatment plant and pretreated with 1% H2O2 was used for biosorption of Zn(II) ions from aqueous solution. The effects of operating conditions, pH, temperature, agitation speed, PWS particle size, Zn ion and PWS concentrations on the extent of Zn ion biosorption were investigated in batch experiments. The optimum pH resulting in maximum Zn ion biosorption was found to be pH = 5, since Zn ions precipitated in the form of Zn(OH)2 at pH levels above 5. The rate and extent of Zn ion biosorption increased with temperature between 25 and 50 °C, although biosorption was not strongly sensitive to temperature variations since the activation energy was low at 4.5 kcal mol−1. Biosorbent particle size had a significant effect on Zn ion biosorption, yielding high percentage Zn removals at small particle sizes (Dp < 100 µm) or large surface areas of PWS. Agitation speed also considerably affected the extent of Zn ion removal, and should be above 150 rpm in order to obtain a high rate. The extent of Zn ion biosorption was also affected by the initial Zn ion and PWS concentrations. At constant biosorbent (PWS) concentration, percentage Zn ion removal decreased, but the biosorbed Zn concentration increased with increasing initial Zn ion concentrations. However, at constant initial Zn concentrations, percentage Zn removal increased, but the biosorbed Zn ion concentration decreased with increasing adsorbent (PWS) concentration. With a maximum Zn ion biosorption capacity of 168 mg g−1 powdered waste sludge was proven to be an effective biosorbent compared to other biosorbents. Copyright © 2006 Society of Chemical Industry
Lentiviral vector integration sites in human NOD/SCID repopulating cells
Authors: Laufs Stephanie , Guenechea Guillermo , Gonzalez‐Murillo Africa , Zsuzsanna Nagy K. , Luz Lozano M. , del Val Coral , Jonnakuty Sunitha , Hotz‐Wagenblatt Agnes , Jens Zeller W. , Bueren Juan A. , Fruehauf Stefan
Published: September 2006

Background

Recent observations of insertional mutagenesis in preclinical and clinical settings emphasize the relevance of investigating comprehensively the spectrum of integration sites targeted by specific vectors.

Methods

We followed the engraftment of lentivirally transduced human cord blood (CB) progenitor cells after transplantation into NOD/SCID mice using a self‐inactivating HIV‐1‐derived vector expressing the enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP).

Results

The mean of transduction of CD34+ CB cells was 41%, as deduced from the percentage of EGFP+ cells before transplantation. At 3 weeks post‐transplantation, the average of EGFP+ cells in the human cell population was 65 ± 8%, and increased to 75 ± 10% at 12 weeks post‐transplantation. In order to determine the proviral integration sites in human NOD/SCID repopulating cells (SRCs) we used the ligation‐mediated polymerase chain reaction (LM‐PCR) technique. Sixty‐eight percent of the integrations were found to be located in RefSeq genes, most of them in intron regions. Twenty percent of these integrations occurred within a distance of 10 kb from the transcription start site; a percentage that is significantly lower compared to that observed in cells transduced by gammaretroviral vectors. Sixty‐two percent of integrations occurred in genes with a biological function in cell metabolism, and four integrations were located in genes with a role in tumorigenesis.

Conclusions

These investigations indicate that integration of lentiviral vectors in human repopulating cells capable of engrafting NOD/SCID mice preferentially occur in coding regions of the human genome. Nevertheless, the clustering of integrations at the transcriptional start is not as high as that observed for gammaretroviral vectors. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
SENSE imaging with a quadrature half‐volume transverse electromagnetic (TEM) coil at 4T
Authors: Avdievich Nikolai I. , Peshkovsky Alexey S. , Kennan Richard P. , Hetherington Hoby P.
Published: September 2006

Purpose

To demonstrate the feasibility of high‐field SENSE imaging of large objects, such as the human head, using a semicircular (half‐volume) coil for both transmission and multi‐channel reception.

Materials and Methods

As a proof of concept, we present experimental data obtained using a seven‐element half‐volume (180° of arc) transmit/receive quadrature transverse electromagnetic (TEM) coil. SENSE images of the human brain were acquired with a reduction factor of R = 2, using two degenerate linear modes of the same coil as independent receive channels at 4T. Since the need for additional hardware (i.e., a separate set of receive coils) is eliminated, the design can be substantially simplified.

Results

The experimental data demonstrate that linear modes of the half‐volume TEM coil have essentially no noise correlation, and their sensitivity profiles satisfy the requirement for small g‐factors. Also, this type of coil provides efficient transmission with a relatively large uniform region and a reception profile that is more uniform than that of the surface coils.

Conclusion

We demonstrate the feasibility of SENSE imaging using a half‐volume coil. Half‐volume coils allow reduced total power deposition compared to full‐volume coils, and may replace the latter in body imaging applications in which the target region of interest (ROI) is smaller than the entire torso. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
ENSO and the South China Sea summer monsoon onset
Authors: Zhou Wen , Chan Johnny C. L.
Published: September 2006

This paper investigates the relationship between the onset date of the South China Sea summer monsoon (SCSSM) and the El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO). The monsoon onset date (MOD) is defined on the basis of the switch of the 850‐hPa zonal winds over the South China Sea (SCS) from easterly to westerly for two consecutive pentads. The ENSO signal is represented by the ocean heat content (OHC), which is proportional to the depth of the 20 °C isotherm.

It is found that, in years associated with a warm (cold) ENSO event or the year after, the monsoon tends to have a late (an early) onset and the intensity of the SCSSM also tends to be weaker (stronger). During a 2‐year period prior to the onset, anomalies of OHC have an obvious eastward propagation. The 850‐hPa flow east of the Philippines, specifically the strength of the subtropical high, is also found to be critical in determining the MOD. The link between these two results appears to be the propagation of cold (warm) subsurface water into the western North Pacific (WNP), which strengthens (weakens) the subtropical high, and hence a late (an early) SCSSM onset. Copyright © 2006 Royal Meteorological Society.
Hanging on the coat tails of the obesity epidemic: will metabolic syndrome be the next public health crisis and does nutrition have a role in its prevention?
Authors: Buttriss Judith L
Published: September 2006

Worldwide rates of obesity are on the increase and following in their tracks are increases in the metabolic syndrome (a cluster of characteristic features associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes). Along with these trends, healthcare costs are expected to escalate and part of the solution to coping with this situation is to direct the public health focus towards prevention. The situation is complicated by the fact that people are living longer and longer (and people gradually tend to put on weight as they get older). Cognisant of the major challenges ahead, funding agencies are supporting a variety of multidisciplinary projects, some of which are showcased here (Ob‐Age and Lipgene), that are seeking to understand, on the one hand, the influence our genetic make‐up has on the way our bodies handle particular nutrients and how these relationships relate to disease risk, and at the other end of the spectrum how the food chain can be manipulated to improve the nutritional value of the food we consume. Crucial to developing targeted dietary messages is a sound understanding of the nutritional value of foods. Weaknesses in current databases are being addressed by a pan‐European Project, EuroFIR. Looking to the future, it is to be hoped that new research underway in the UK and around the world, some of which is referred to here, will inform policy that will enable us to really get to grips with the current trends in obesity and related conditions such as the metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes, which are currently threatening the improvements in life expectancy seen consistently around the world over the past 150 years. Copyright © 2006 Society of Chemical Industry
High‐capacity purification of hen egg‐white proteins by ion‐exchange electrochromatography with an oscillatory transverse electric field
Authors: Yuan Wei , Zhao Guo‐Feng , Dong Xiao‐Yan , Sun Yan
Published: September 2006

The ion‐exchange electrochromatography with an oscillatory electric field perpendicular to the mobile‐phase flow driven by pressure (pIEEC) was used to separate hen egg‐white (HEW) proteins. The results were compared with those of normal ion‐exchange chromatography (IEC). The column was designed as three‐compartment rectangular column of 2‐mL with dimensions (length×width×depth) of 40×10×5 mm3 and the electric field was applied across the direction of column width. Q Sepharose FF was packed into the central compartment as the chromatographic bed. It was confirmed that the dynamic binding capacity (DBC) of different proteins (ovotransferrin and ovalbumin) in the HEW solution increased 2.3 times when an oscillatory electric current of 30 mA at 1/20 Hz was applied in the transverse column direction. Then, the HEW proteins were separated by the pIEEC at loading amounts 2.3‐fold higher than those by the IEC. When the feedstock of about one‐third of the DBC was applied to the columns (i. e., 7 mL for the pIEEC and 3 mL for the IEC), similar separation efficiencies of the two chromatographic modes were achieved. Both the recovery yield and purity reached 73% to over 90%. The results indicate that the pIEEC is promising for high‐capacity purification of proteins.