bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Synthesis and luminescence of yellow/orange‐emitting poly[tris(2,5‐dihexyloxy‐1,4‐phenylenevinylene)‐alt‐(1,3‐phenylenevinylene)]s
Authors: Liao Liang , Pang Yi , Ding Liming , Karasz Frank E. , Smith Philip R. , Meador Michael A.
Published: October 2004

Soluble yellow/orange‐emitting poly[tris(2,5‐dihexyloxy‐1,4‐phenylenevinylene)‐alt‐(1,3‐phenylenevinylene)] derivatives (6) were synthesized and characterized. These polymers contained oligo(p‐phenylene vinylene) chromophores of equal conjugation length, which were jointed via a commonm‐phenylene unit. An optical comparison of6and its model compound (8) at room temperature and low temperatures revealed the similarity in their absorption and fluorescence band structures. The vibronic band structure of6was assigned with the aid of the spectroscopic data for8at the low temperatures.6was electroluminescent and had an emission maximum wavelength at approximately 565 nm. With the device indium tin oxide/PEDOT/6/Ca configuration, the polymer exhibited an external quantum efficiency as high as 0.25%. Simple substitution onm‐phenylene of6raised the electroluminescence output by a factor of about 10. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 5853–5862, 2004
The role of diphenyl iodonium salt (DPI) in three‐component photoinitiator systems containing methylene blue (MB) and an electron donor
Authors: Kim Dongkwan , Scranton Alec
Published: October 2004

Three‐component initiators generally include a light‐absorbing photosensitizer, an electron donor that is often an amine, and the third component, which is usually an iodonium salt. To characterize the role of diphenyl iodonium chloride (DPI) in three‐component photoinitiator systems containing methylene blue (MB) as the photosensitizer, a systematic series of electron donors was used. The Rhem–Weller equation was used to verify the thermodynamic feasibility for photo‐induced electron transfer from the electron donors to the MB. Comparison of the photopolymerization rates of each two‐component initiator system (containing the photosensitizer and amine) to those of the corresponding three‐component system (with the addition of (DPI) allowed fundamental information regarding the role of the DPI to be obtained. It was concluded that the DPI enhances the photopolymerization kinetics in two ways: (1) it consumes an inactive MB neutral radical and produces an active phenyl radical, thereby regenerating the original methylene blue, and (2) it reduces the recombination reaction of the MB neutral radical and amine radical/cation. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 5863–5871, 2004
Effect of high electric fields on the isotropic phase of a lyotropic liquid‐crystalline system
Authors: Menna T. J. , Filisko F. E.
Published: October 2004

The effect of high (>1000 V/mm) electric fields on solutions of a lyotropic liquid‐crystalline polymer, poly(n‐hexyl isocyanate) in p‐xylene, is presented. The concentrations are adjusted such that the solutions are strictly within the isotropic phase domain region, thus exhibiting no spontaneous liquid crystallinity. The effects of field strength, frequency, and concentration are varied and the morphological changes are noted. The results are analyzed with birefringence measurements via comparison with the optical Kerr effect. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 4116–4125, 2004
Swelling of a polymer brush by a poor solvent
Authors: Gallagher P. D. , Satija S. K. , Karim A. , Douglas J. F. , Fetters L. J.
Published: October 2004

The addition of a small amount of a poor solvent impurity (methanol) to a theta solvent (cyclohexane) is found to cause appreciable swelling (≈30% increase of the average brush height) in a model end‐grafted polystyrene (PS) brush layer. This unusual type of swelling is not observed if octadecyltrichlorosilane (OTS) is first grafted to the portion of the silicon substrate uncovered by the grafting end‐groups of the PS chains. Brush swelling in the absence of OTS surface protection is interpreted as arising from a segregation of methanol to the solid substrate and the resulting modification of the polymer–surface interaction. We also observe that the addition of a small amount of methanol to an adsorbed PS layer exposed to cyclohexane causes rapid film delamination from the silicon substrate. Together these observations imply a strong influence of surface active impurities on the structure and adhesive stability of polymer layers. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 4126–4131, 2004
Determinants of cysteine pKa values in creatine kinase and α1‐antitrypsin
Authors: Naor Mor M. , Jensen Jan H.
Published: October 2004

The structural determinants of the unusually low pKa values of Cys282 in human creatine kinase and Cys232 in α1‐antitrypsin were studied computationally. We have demonstrated that hydrogen bonding to the cysteine residue is the prime determinant for both proteins. In the case of creatine kinase, the hydrogen bond donors are a serine side chain and an amide NH‐group, while in α1‐antitrypsin the donor is an amide NH. Each hydrogen bond lowers the pKa by between 0.8 and 1.5 pH units. The 1.1‐unit lowering due to the Ser284–Cys282 hydrogen bond is in good agreement with the 1.2‐unit difference between the Cys282 pKa value of wild‐type and the S284A mutant of creatine kinase. Proteins 2004. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Measurements of protein sequence–structure correlations
Authors: Crooks Gavin E. , Wolfe Jason , Brenner Steven E.
Published: October 2004

Correlations between protein structures and amino acid sequences are widely used for protein structure prediction. For example, secondary structure predictors generally use correlations between a secondary structure sequence and corresponding primary structure sequence, whereas threading algorithms and similar tertiary structure predictors typically incorporate interresidue contact potentials. To investigate the relative importance of these sequence–structureinteractions,we measured the mutual information among the primary structure, secondary structure and side‐chain surface exposure, both for adjacent residues along the amino acid sequence and for tertiary structure contacts between residues distantly separated along the backbone. We found that local interactions along the amino acid chain are far more important than non‐local contacts and that correlations between proximate amino acids are essentially uninformative. This suggests that knowledge‐based contact potentials may be less important for structure predication than is generally believed. Proteins 2004. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Scoring function for automated assessment of protein structure template quality
Authors: Zhang Yang , Skolnick Jeffrey
Published: October 2004

We have developed a new scoring function, the template modeling score (TM‐score), to assess the quality of protein structure templates and predicted full‐length models by extending the approaches used in Global Distance Test (GDT)1 and MaxSub.2 First, a protein size‐dependent scale is exploited to eliminate the inherent protein size dependence of the previous scores and appropriately account for random protein structure pairs. Second, rather than setting specific distance cutoffs and calculating only the fractions with errors below the cutoff, all residue pairs in alignment/modeling are evaluated in the proposed score. For comparison of various scoring functions, we have constructed a large‐scale benchmark set of structure templates for 1489 small to medium size proteins using the threading program PROSPECTOR_3 and built the full‐length models using MODELLER and TASSER. The TM‐score of the initial threading alignments, compared to the GDT and MaxSub scoring functions, shows a much stronger correlation to the quality of the final full‐length models. The TM‐score is further exploited as an assessment of all ‘new fold’ targets in the recent CASP5 experiment and shows a close coincidence with the results of human‐expert visual assessment. These data suggest that the TM‐score is a useful complement to the fully automated assessment of protein structure predictions. The executable program of TM‐score is freely downloadable at http://bioinformatics.buffalo.edu/TM‐score. Proteins 2004. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Enzyme classification by ligand binding
Authors: Izrailev Sergei , Farnum Michael A.
Published: October 2004

The problem of assigning a biochemical function to newly discovered proteins has been traditionally approached by expert enzymological analysis, sequence analysis, and structural modeling. In recent years, the appearance of databases containing protein–ligand interaction data for large numbers of protein classes and chemical compounds have provided new ways of investigating proteins for which the biochemical function is not completely understood. In this work, we introduce a method that utilizes ligand‐binding data for functional classification of enzymes. The method makes use of the existing Enzyme Commission (EC) classification scheme and the data on interactions of small molecules with enzymes from the BRENDA database. A set of ligands that binds to an enzyme with unknown biochemical function serves as a query to search a protein–ligand interaction database for enzyme classes that are known to interact with a similar set of ligands. These classes provide hypotheses of the query enzyme's function and complement other computational annotations that take advantage of sequence and structural information. Similarity between sets of ligands is computed using point set similarity measures based upon similarity between individual compounds. We present the statistics of classification of the enzymes in the database by a cross‐validation procedure and illustrate the application of the method on several examples. Proteins 2004. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Sequence patterns associated with disordered regions in proteins
Authors: Lise S. , Jones D. T.
Published: October 2004

The relationship between amino acid sequence and intrinsic disorder in proteins is investigated. Two databases, one of disordered proteins and the other of globular proteins, are analyzed and compared in order to extract simple sequence patterns of a few amino acids or amino acid properties that characterize disordered segments. It is found that a number of reliable, nonrandom associations exists. In particular, two types of patterns appear to be recurrent: a proline‐rich pattern and a (positively or negatively) charged pattern. These results indicate that local sequence information can determine disordered regions in proteins. The derived patterns provide some insights into the physical reasons for disordered structures. They should also be helpful in improving currently available prediction methods. Proteins 2005. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Biochemical evidence that an S431F mutation in acetylcholinesterase‐1 of Aphis gossypii mediates resistance to pirimicarb and omethoate
Authors: Benting Jürgen , Nauen Ralf
Published: October 2004

Molecular changes in acetylcholinesterase (AChE) leading to target‐site resistance to carbamate and organophosphate insecticides have recently been identified. Of particular interest is the S431F mutation in ace2 and its orthologue ace1 of Myzus persicae Sulzer and Aphis gossypii Glover, respectively. This mutation has been correlated with resistance to pirimicarb, but biochemical evidence has not yet been provided. Here, we describe for the first time that recombinantly expressed AChE1 from A gossypii carrying the S431F mutation is insensitive to pirimicarb and omethoate, but sensitive to demeton‐S‐methyl and hypersensitive to carbofuran. Furthermore, site‐directed mutagenesis of the serine residue at position 431 in ace1 from a pirimicarb‐susceptible clone of A gossypii conferred insensitivity to pirimicarb. We conclude that AChE1 of A gossypii is the target of toxicological relevance of carbamates and organophosphates. Copyright © 2004 Society of Chemical Industry
A covalent model of the optical spectra and EPR parameters for CdS:Ti2+
Authors: Chen Jia‐Jun , Du Mao‐Lu
Published: October 2004

In this paper, formulas for the optical spectrum and the EPR parameters calculated for d2 ions in Td symmetry are established by using a covalent model, in which the covalence contribution has been considered. Using the model, we have calculated the optical spectra and the ground‐state gyromagnetic factor and zero‐field splitting of CdS:Ti2+. The calculated results could explain well the experimental findings. (© 2004 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Neuroprotective effect of Ginkgo biloba L. extract in a rat model of Parkinson's disease
Authors: Kim M.‐S. , Lee J.‐I. , Lee W.‐Y. , Kim S.‐E.
Published: October 2004

The neuroprotective effects of a standardized extract of Ginkgo biloba L. (EGb 761) were investigated on 6‐hydroxydopamine (6‐OHDA)‐induced neurotoxicity in the nigrostriatal dopaminergic system of the rat brain. Rats were given a week of pretreatment with daily administrations of EGb 761. Unilateral striatal injection of 6‐OHDA was followed by treatment with EGb 761 for a week. Serial measurement of contralateral forepaw adjusting steps revealed a progressive deﬁcit in motor activity. At 8 weeks after 6‐OHDA lesion the number of contralateral forepaw adjusting steps was signiﬁcantly higher in rats that were treated with high doses of EGb 761 (100 mg/kg daily) than in those treated with low doses (50 mg/kg) or with the vehicle. Dopamine neuron loss in the substantia nigra and a depletion in striatal dopamine corresponded with behavioural deﬁcit. These data suggest that the neuroprotective effects of EGb 761 reduce the behavioural deﬁcit in 6‐OHDA lesions in rat and also indicates a possible role for the extract in the treatment of Parkinson's disease. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Two ellagitannins from the leaves of Terminalia triﬂora with inhibitory activity on HIV‐1 reverse transcriptase
Authors: Martino V. , Morales J. , Martínez‐Irujo J. J. , Font M. , Monge A. , Coussio J.
Published: October 2004

The bioassay‐ guided fractionation of the aqueous extract of Terminalia triﬂora leaves afforded punicalin and 2‐O‐galloylpunicalin, isolated for the ﬁrst time from this species. These compounds showed inhibitory activity on HIV‐1 reverse transcriptase in a dose dependant manner. Punicalin showed an IC50 of 0.11 µg/ml (0.14 µM) and 2‐O‐galloylpunicalin an IC50 of 0.10 µg/ml (0.11 µM). Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The rediscovery of ancient Chinese herbal formulas
Authors: Jia Wei , Gao Wen‐yuan , Yan Yong‐qing , Wang Jie , Xu Zhao‐hui , Zheng Wen‐jie , Xiao Pei‐gen
Published: October 2004

This review presents some recent discoveries of ancient Chinese herbal formulas evolved through thousands of years of clinical practice. It appears that many of the ancient combination formulas have sound scientiﬁc basis through modern pharmacological evaluation. Signiﬁcant chemical changes occurred during the preparation (decoction) process of a prescribed herbal formula. For example, some toxic ingredients were signiﬁcantly reduced and new active compounds generated due to the chemical interactions among the ingredients. Many combination formulas showed signiﬁcantly better pharmacological results than individual herbal medicines participated in the formula. These ﬁndings suggest that the current drug screening and regulatory methodology will not be appropriate for the development of a botanical drug containing a group of phytochemicals, in which a synergistic interaction from chemical ingredients plays a fundamental role in the treatment of disease. If we view a diseased state in a holistic and dynamic way, i.e. it involves interactions among many biological systems in human body and these interactions change as the disease improves or worsens, the treatment of such disease with a single chemical entity may not be logical or technically feasible. Combination formulas may hold the potential to become the therapeutics of choice in the future due to the synergistic effect and dynamic adjustment achieved by the multiple ingredients that will restore the balance of an imbalanced or diseased human body. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Identiﬁcation of the antibacterial component of an ethanolic extract of the Australian medicinal plant, Eremophila duttonii
Authors: Shah Arvind , Cross Reg F. , Palombo Enzo A.
Published: October 2004

Activity‐guided fractionation was used to determine the antibacterial component of an ethanolic extract of the leaves of an Australian native medicinal plant, Eremophila duttonii F. Muell. (Myoporaceae). The extract, previously shown to have activity against Gram positive bacteria, was shown to have activity against additional Gram positive bacteria, including Clostridium perfringens, C. sporogenes and Listeria monocytogenes. Thin layer chromatography (TLC) was used to separate the extract into seven coloured fractions in visible light, one of which was shown by bioautography to contain antibacterial activity. Recovery of the component from the TLC plate and testing for antibacterial activity using a plate‐hole diffusion assay supported this result. The purity of the component was veriﬁed by high‐performance liquid chromatography and a time‐kill experiment indicated that the puriﬁed component showed identical bactericidal activity to the whole extract. TLC spray reagents indicated that the component was a sterol, terpene or sugar but not a ﬂavonoid, while the pigmented nature suggested a carotenoid. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Polyherbal extract of septilin protects mice against whole body lethal dose of gamma radiation
Authors: Jagetia Ganesh Chandra , Baliga Manjeshwar Shrinath
Published: October 2004

The effect of various doses (5, 10, 20, 40, 60, 80, 100, 120, 140 and 160 mg/kg b. wt.) of 50% ethanolic extract of Septilin (a herbal preparation) was studied on the radiation‐induced mortality in mice exposed to 10 Gy of γ‐irradiation. Treatment of mice with different doses of Septilin, consecutively for 5 days before irradiation, delayed the onset of mortality and reduced the symptoms of radiation sickness when compared with the non‐drug treated irradiated controls. All doses of Septilin provided protection against gastrointestinal (GI) deaths (death within 10 days of irradiation). However, the best protection was observed at 100 mg/kg b. wt. of Septilin, as the number of survivors after 30 days post‐irradiation was highest (58.33%) in this group when compared with the other doses of Septilin. The number of survivors was 1.75 fold greater for 100 mg/kg Septilin when compared with the 2‐mercaptopropionylglycine (MPG, 33.33%) which was used as a positive control. The LD50 of Septilin was 1250 mg/kg as against the optimum protective dose of 100 mg/kg. Our study demonstrates Septilin as a good radioprotective agent. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Antimalarial activity of Bidens pilosa L. (Asteraceae) ethanol extracts from wild plants collected in various localities or plants cultivated in humus soil
Authors: Andrade‐Neto Valter F. , Brandão Maria G. L. , Oliveira Francielda Q. , Casali Vicente W. D. , Njaine Brian , Zalis Mariano G. , Oliveira Luciana A. , Krettli Antoniana U.
Published: October 2004

Bidens pilosa (Asteraceae), a medicinal plant used worldwide, has antimalarial activity as shown in previous work. This study tested ethanol extracts from wild plants collected in three different regions of Brazil and from plants cultivated in various soil conditions. The extracts were active in mice infected with P. berghei: doses of ≤500 mg/kg administered by oral route reduced malaria parasitaemia and mouse mortality; higher doses were found to be less effective. Tested in vitro against three P. falciparum isolates, two chloroquine resistant and one meﬂoquine resistant, the plants cultivated under standard conditions, and in humus enriched soil, were active; but the wild plants were the most active. Analysis using thin layer chromatography demonstrated the presence of ﬂavonoids (compounds considered responsible for the antimalarial activity) in all plants tested, even though at different proﬁles. Because B. pilosa is proven to be active against P. falciparum drug‐resistant parasites in vitro, and in rodent malaria in vivo, it is a good candidate for pre‐clinical tests as a phytotherapeutic agent or for chemical isolation of the active compounds with the aim of ﬁnding new antimalarial drugs. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Oxygen activation by photoexcited protoberberinium alkaloids from Mahonia aquifolium
Authors: Brezová Vlasta , Dvoranová Dana , Košt'álová Daniela
Published: October 2004

Protoberberinium salts, i.e. berberine (I), palmatine (II) and jatrorrhizine (III) prepared from Mahonia aquifolium (Pursh) Nutt. belong to isoquinoline alkaloids possessing interesting biological activity (e.g. antibacterial, antimalarial, antitumor). The characteristic UV/Vis absorption band maxima of I–III iodide salts were found in regions 350 and 425 nm in dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) and ethanol solvents, and were only negligibly inﬂuenced by substitution changes on the C‐2 and C‐3 positions. The ﬂuorescence intensity of protoberberinium salts monitored in ethanol solutions was signiﬁcantly lowered by iodide counter‐ions, and decreased in the order berberine > palmatine > jatrorrhizine. EPR spectroscopy supplied evidence of the formation of super‐oxide anion radicals and singlet oxygen upon irradiation of berberine in oxygenated DMSO solvent. The photochemical generation of O2·− and 1O2 in DMSO solutions of palmatine and jatrorrhizine was substantially lower, and probably reﬂected the replacement of a photolabile methylenedioxy group at C‐2 and C‐3 positions in the berberine molecule by two methoxy groups in palmatine, and methoxyl (C‐2) and hydroxyl (C‐3) substitution in jatrorrhizine. Additionally, the powder EPR spectra of protoberberinium iodides I–III measured at 290 K revealed the presence of single‐line EPR signals (geff = 2.0044), which were attributed to hydroperoxidic structures produced by the autoxidation process. The photochemical reactions of protoberbenium salts producing reactive oxygen species after UVA excitation should be integrated in biological activity investigations, as well as in their applications in skin disorder treatment. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Antimicrobial activity of Mahonia aquifolium crude extract and its major isolated alkaloids
Authors: Slobodníková Lívia , KoSt'álová Daniela , Labudová Darina , Kotulová Daniela , Kettmann Viktor
Published: October 2004

The crude extract of Mahonia aquifolium (Pursh) Nutt. stem bark and its two main protoberberine alkaloids, berberine and jatrorrhizine, were tested for their in vitro antimicrobial activity. Twenty strains of coagulase‐negative staphylococci and 20 strains of Propionibacterium acnes isolated from skin lesions of patients with a severe form of acne, and 20 strains of Candida sp. isolated from chronic vulvovaginal candidoses were tested for their susceptibility to crude extract and two isolated alkaloids. The minimum inhibitory concentrations obtained in this study illustrate the varying degrees of antibacterial and antifungal activity of the tested agents. The results indicate a rational basis for the traditional use of Mahonia aquifolium for localized skin and mucosal infection therapy, as well as for the possible development of a preparation for supportive therapy of the diseases mentioned above. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
In vitro anti‐β‐secretase and dual anti‐cholinesterase activities of Camellia sinensis L. (tea) relevant to treatment of dementia
Authors: Okello Edward J. , Savelev Sergey U. , Perry Elaine K.
Published: October 2004

The primary target of licensed drugs for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease is the inhibition of the enzyme acetylcholinesterase, although preventing β‐amyloidosis is a prime target for drugs in development. The in vitro dual anti‐cholinesterase and β‐secretase activities of Camellia sinensis L. extract (tea) is reported. Green and black tea inhibited human acetylcholinesterase (AChE) with IC50 values of 0.03 mg/mL and 0.06 mg/mL respectively, and human butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) with IC50 values 0.05 mg/mL. Green tea at a ﬁnal assay concentration of 0.03 mg/mL inhibited β‐secretase by 38%. These novel ﬁndings suggest that tea infusions contain biologically active principles, perhaps acting synergistically, that may be used to retard the progression of the disease assuming that these principles, yet to be identiﬁed, reach the brain. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Antimicrobial evaluation of some medicinal plants for their anti‐enteric potential against multi‐drug resistant Salmonella typhi
Authors: Rani Phulan , Khullar Neeraj
Published: October 2004

Screening was done of some plants of importance in the Ayurvedic system of traditional medicine used in India to treat enteric diseases. Fifty four plant extracts (methanol and aqueous) were assayed for their activity against multi‐drug resistant Salmonella typhi. Strong antibacterial activity was shown by the methanol extracts of Aegle marmelos, Salmalia malabarica, Punica granatum, Myristica fragrans, Holarrhena antidysenterica, Terminalia arjuna and Triphal (mixture of Emblica ofﬁcinalis, Terminalia chebula and Terminalia belerica). Moderate antimicrobial activity was shown by Picorhiza kurroa, Acacia catechu, Acacia nilotica, Cichorium intybus, Embelia ribes, Solanum nigrum, Carum copticum, Apium graveolens, Ocimum sanctum, Peucedanum graveolens and Butea monosperma. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Diterpenoids with inhibitory activity against NFAT transcription factor from Acanthopanax koreanum
Authors: Cai Xing Fu , Lee Im Seon , Dat Nguyen Tien , Shen Guanghai , Kim Young Ho
Published: October 2004

Six diterpenoids and two diterpene glycosides were isolated from the dichloromethane and the water fractions of Acanthopanax koreanum roots, respectively. Of these compounds, 16αH, 17‐isovaleryloxy‐ent‐kauran‐19‐oic acid containing an isovaleryloxy group at C‐17 was found to exhibit the strongest inhibitory activity (IC50, 6.7 µm) against NFAT transcription factor. However, sumogaside, 16α‐hydroxy‐ent‐kauran‐19‐oic acid and paniculosides IV containing a hydroxy group at C‐16 or a glycoside at C‐4 carboxyl acid showed no activity. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The antibacterial principle of Caesalpina sappan
Authors: Xu Hong‐Xi , Lee Song F.
Published: October 2004

Using a bioassay‐directed puriﬁcation scheme, the active antibacterial principle from Caesalpina sappan was isolated and identiﬁed to be brasilin. This compound showed potent activity against antibiotic‐resistant bacteria, notably methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin‐resistant enterococci (VRE), multi‐drug resistant Burkholderia cepacia as well as a number of other bacteria. The minimal inhibitory concentrations ranged from 4 to 32 µg/mL. The results from time‐kill studies showed that brasilin is bactericidal against MRSA. The addition of brasilin to growing MRSA cells resulted in a rapid inhibition of incorporation of [3H] thymidine or [3H] serine into DNA and proteins, respectively. Exposure of MRSA to a sub‐MIC level of brasilin for ten consecutive subcultures did not induce resistance to the compound. The Trypan blue dye exclusion test showed that brasilin lacked cytotoxicity against Vero cells. In conclusion, brasilin is an antibacterial principle from C. sappan and it has the potential to be developed into an antibiotic. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Investigation of fractions present in the stem bark of Annickia kummeriae on their P‐glycoprotein inhibitory pump activity
Authors: Owusu M. K. , Kamuhabwa A. R. , Nshimo C. , Van Boven M. , de Witte P. A.
Published: October 2004

Using MCF‐7R cells and rhodamine 6G as the ﬂuorescent probe, a bioassay‐targeted puriﬁcation process was pursued in order to isolate the active P‐gp inhibitory fractions from Annickia kummeriae. Of 24 fractions obtained in the ﬁrst preparative liquid chromatography (p‐LC) run, only fraction 1 exhibited activity. Further p‐LC fractionation led to the separation of fraction 1 into fractions 1.1–1.8. Fractions 1.4, 1.5 and 1.6 proved to be active by inducing a signiﬁcant accumulation of rhodamine 6G by 3.3‐, 4.5‐ and 4.9‐fold at 10 µg/mL, and by 5.3‐, 6.3‐ and 6.8‐fold at 100 µg/mL, respectively. Fraction 1.6 was separated into several fractions by using an analytical liquid chromatography (a‐LC) system. Fractions 1.6.18, 1.6.19 and 1.6.20 were active and they induced an accumulation of rhodamine 6G by 3.0‐, 1.8‐ and 3.5‐fold at 1x µg/mL and by 4.8‐, 6.7‐ and 6.8‐fold at 10x µg/mL, respectively. Afterwards, 28.3 mg of fraction 1.6 was processed by a‐LC, and fractions 1.6.18, 1.6.19 and 1.6.20 were collected separately and dried. The amounts of materials recovered were 6.2, 7.4 and <1 mg, corresponding to 21.9%, 26.1% and <3.5% of fraction 1.6, respectively. From the total amount injected and the relative masses represented by these fractions, it can be calculated that the 1x µg/mL level corresponded to ca. 35, 42 and <5 µg/mL, respectively. Fluorescence microscopy revealed that incubation of the cells with rhodamine 6G alone did not show any ﬂuorescence, whereas cells which were incubated in medium containing rhodamine 6G together with fraction 1.4, 1.6 or reserpine, clearly indicated accumulation of the dye intracellularly. This is an indication that the active compounds effected high intracellular ﬂuorescence by inducing accumulation of the dye in the cells through inhibition of the P‐gp pump. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Antiallergic activity of a disaccharide isolated from Sanguisorba ofﬁcinalis
Authors: Park Kwan Ha , Koh Dongsoo , Kim Kangjeon , Park Jongmin , Lim Yoongho
Published: October 2004

The antiallergic activity of the natural disaccharide, 5‐O‐α‐d‐(3‐C‐hydroxymethyl)lyxofuranosyl‐β‐d‐(2‐C‐hydroxymethyl)arabinofuranose was evaluated using both in vivo and in vitro experimental models. Intravenously administered compound inhibited the passive cutaneous anaphylaxis response in rats in a dose‐dependent manner (ED50 = 9.6 mg/kg). The compound inhibited histamine release evoked by both compound 48/80 and calcium ionophore A23187 in rat peritoneal mast cells indicating that mast cell stabilization is the major mechanism of action for its antiallergic activity. In passively sensitized isolated guinea‐pig hearts, an in vitro anaphylaxis model in which histamine release plays a key role for functional deterioration, the compound markedly diminished both coronary ﬂow reduction and histamine release on challenge to the antigen. These data demonstrate that this antiallergic natural disaccharide exerts its effect via inhibition of mast cell mediator release. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Potent antioxidative and antigenotoxic activity in aqueous extract of Japanese rice bran – association with peroxidase activity
Authors: Higashi‐Okai Kiyoka , Kanbara Keiko , Amano Kanako , Hagiwara Akiko , Sugita Chie , Matsumoto Norie , Okai Yasuji
Published: October 2004

To estimate the preventive potential of Japanese rice bran (Oryza sativa japonica) against the oxygen radical‐related chronic diseases such as cardio‐vascular diseases and cancer, antioxidative and antigenotoxic activities of the rice bran extracts were analyzed by using assay systems for lipid peroxidation and genotoxin‐induced umu gene expression. When effects of the rice bran extracts under different extraction conditions on hydroperoxide generation from auto‐oxidized linoleic acid were examined using aluminum chloride method, the water extract showed strong antioxidant activity, but the methanol and acetone extracts did not exhibit signiﬁcant activity. The water extract of rice bran was divided into the ethanol‐precipitable (EP) and supernatant fractions, and EP fraction showed the dominant antioxidant activity, but the supernatant fraction did not exhibit signiﬁcant antioxidant activity. When the effect of EP fraction on umu C gene expression in SOS response associated with DNA damage in Salmonella typhimurium (TA 1535/pSK 1002) induced by 3‐amino‐1,4‐dimethyl‐5H‐pyrido[4,3‐b]indole (Trp‐P‐1) was analyzed, it showed a dose‐dependent suppressive activity against Trp‐P‐1‐induced umu C gene expression. The bio‐chemical analisis of EP fraction indicates that the major antioxidative and antigenotoxic activity of EP fraction is associated with a proteinous component with the molecular weight of more than 30 KDa. As a possible active principle for the antioxidative and antigenotoxic activity in EP fraction, the strong activity of an oxygen radical‐scavenging enzyme, peroxidase was detected, and the puriﬁed horseradish peroxidase also caused the similar antioxidative and antigenotoxic activities. The signiﬁcance of this ﬁnding is discussed from theviewpoint of the preventive role of rice bran against oxygen radical‐related chronic diseases. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Composition optimization of extruded starch foams using response surface methodology
Authors: Lui Wai‐Bun , Peng Jinchyau
Published: October 2004

Response surface methodology (RSM) was used to analyse the effect of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and calcium carbonate (CaCO3) on the objective attributes (shipping bulk density, radial expansion ratio, compressibility and spring index) of a biodegradable cushioning extrudate. A rotatable central composite design (CCD) was used to develop models for the objective responses. The experiments were run at 105°C with a feed rate of 27.8 l/h, screw speed 500 r.p.m. and die diameter 3.92 mm. Responses were most affected by changes in polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) levels and to a lesser extent by calcium carbonate (CaCO3) levels. Individual contour plots of the different responses were overlaid, and regions meeting the optimum shipping bulk density of 6.00 kg/m3, radial expansion ratio of 3.30, compressibility of 43.71 N, and spring index of 0.91 were identified at the PVA level of 20.23% and the CaCO3 level of 7.89%, respectively. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Properties of polysaccharide‐coated polypropylene films as affected by biopolymer and plasticizer types
Authors: Hong Seok‐In , Lee Joo‐Won , Son Seok‐Min
Published: October 2004

Plasticized polysaccharide coatings on polypropylene (PP) film were prepared to evaluate the optical and tensile properties of the resulting coated films, as affected by biopolymer and plasticizer types, in order to develop a novel film structure of biopolymer coatings on common plastics intended for food packaging applications. Composite structures of PP film coated with several kinds of polysaccharides (MC, HPMC, chitosan, κ‐carrageenan, dextrin) and plasticizers (PG, glycerol, PEG, sucrose, sorbitol) were obtained through a simple casting method. High glossy surfaces were observed on the coated films with chitosan and κ‐carrageenan, with the sucrose‐plasticized chitosan coating giving the highest gloss of 142.7 GU. Biopolymers, but no plasticizers, exerted noticeable influence on the colour of the coated films. Chitosan‐ and κ‐carrageenan‐coated PP films also showed greater transparency, tensile strength and elongation than the other coated films. Nisin‐incorporated κ‐carrageenan coatings on PP film exhibited significant bacterial growth inhibition against Lactobacillus plantarum. The results suggest that coatings based on chitosan and κ‐carrageenan with proper plasticizers possess excellent visual and mechanical characteristics and have great potential for acting efficiently as antimicrobial agent carriers in active packaging systems. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Prediction of oxygen transmission rate for thermoformed trays
Authors: Pettersen Marit KvalvÅg , Nilsson Astrid , Espedal Aud , Kohler Achim
Published: October 2004

There is a desire in the food industry to be able to estimate the oxygen transmission rate (OTR) of packages by knowing the permeability data of unconverted sheet/film, instead of measuring the OTR of packages. Due to thermoforming, the permeability of a material changes and therefore it is difficult to estimate the permeability (OTR) of converted trays from the OTR values of unconverted material. This paper evaluates the possibilities and limitations of predicting the OTR of thermoformed trays. Different methods for the calculation of OTR due to thickness measurements were compared. The use of theoretical thickness was satisfactory in the calculation of OTR of trays based on the OTR of unconverted sheet, area and thickness. Both linear and quadratic regression models were evaluated. Validation of the regression models was made by comparing the measured and calculated OTR of trays made of PS/EVOH/PE, A‐PET/PE, PS/PE and PP/PE. These trays were manufactured on different thermoforming machines, different processing parameters and different sizes of mould. None of the models (linear and quadratic) were suitable for the calculation of OTR of trays made of PS/PE and PP/PE. Both linear and quadratic models gave satisfactory agreement with measured values for trays made of both PS/EVOH/PE and A‐PET/PE. This case study indicates that a general equation for the calculation of OTR for different polymer combinations was not possible to generate. The equations presented in this paper are strictly applicable only for the polymer combinations used in this experiment, and can not be considered as general equations. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Rat‐PET study without anesthesia: Anesthetics modify the dopamine D1 receptor binding in rat brain
Authors: Momosaki Sotaro , Hatano Kentaro , Kawasumi Yasuhiro , Kato Takashi , Hosoi Rie , Kobayashi Kaoru , Inoue Osamu , Ito Kengo
Published: October 2004

Positron emission tomography (PET) measurements in 6‐month‐old F344/N rats were performed in the conscious state and the influence of chloral hydrate, ketamine, and pentobarbital anesthesia on dopamine D1 (DA‐D1) receptor binding was evaluated using [11C]SCH23390, a selective DA‐D1 receptor ligand. To perform the PET study in conscious rats, an original fixation apparatus was developed and the animals were trained to acclimate to the scanning atmosphere for 3 h. This training was carried out twice a day for 2 weeks. PET measurements in conscious rats were successful, since the trained rats scarcely moved during the scanning (as monitored by video camera) and since highly reproducible measurements of binding potential (BP) were derived from their scanning. Chloral hydrate and ketamine anesthesia significantly increased the striatal BP of DA‐D1 receptors by 36% and 46%, respectively, compared to that observed in the conscious state. In contrast, pentobarbital markedly decreased the BP by 41%. These BP values of DA‐D1 receptors were calculated using a curve‐fitting method. Our results indicate that PET studies in rats should be performed in the conscious state since the anesthetics dramatically modified ligand‐receptor bindings, such as DA‐D1 receptor binding, in rat brain. Synapse 54:207–213, 2004. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Preoperative diagnosis of colouterine fistula secondary to diverticulitis by sonohysterography with contrast medium
Authors: Takada T. , Nakagawa S. , Hashimoto K. , Sone K. , Kugu K. , Kozuma S. , Taketani Y.
Published: October 2004

Colouterine fistulae secondary to sigmoid diverticulitis are unusual. Methods for diagnosis remain to be established. We report a case with a colouterine fistula in which sonohysterography detected the flow of ultrasound contrast medium between the uterine cavity and the sigmoid colon through the posterior uterine wall, thus confirming the diagnosis. The diagnosis was further substantiated by a charcoal challenge test. The patient underwent en bloc resection of the uterus, Fallopian tubes, ovaries and sigmoid colon, the organs involved with diverticulitis. This is the first report to describe a colouterine fistula successfully diagnosed by sonohysterography using ultrasound contrast medium. Copyright © 2004 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Intraobserver and interobserver reproducibility of fetal biometry
Authors: Perni S. C. , Chervenak F. A. , Kalish R. B. , Magherini‐Rothe S. , Predanic M. , Streltzoff J. , Skupski D. W.
Published: October 2004

Objective

To assess the intra‐ and interobserver reproducibility of ultrasound measurements of fetal biometric parameters.

Methods

We assessed the intraobserver and the interobserver agreement in measurements of fetal biparietal diameter (BPD), abdominal circumference (AC), head circumference (HC) and femur length (FL) on 122 singleton pregnancies. Patients were each examined twice by the first sonographer to determine the intraobserver reliability of measurements of fetal biometry. Subsequently, during the same ultrasound examination, a second blinded sonographer measured fetal biometric parameters to assess interobserver reliability. The consensus between and among observers was analyzed using the intraclass correlation coefficient (intra‐CC) and interclass correlation coefficient (inter‐CC) and the reliability coefficients (RC, α) for the four biometric measurements. A value > 0.75 was considered a reliable consensus for the intra‐CC and inter‐CC. A Bland and Altman plot was also created for the fetal biometric parameters to assess the repeatability of the measurements.

Results

Reliable consensus was observed for both the intra‐CC and inter‐CC and RC for all four biometric parameters. The intra‐CC with the 95% CI and RC for the BPD, AC, HC and FL were as follows: 0.996 (0.995, 0.997), α 0.998; 0.994 (0.992, 0.996), α 0.997; 0.996 (0.994, 0.997), α 0.998; and 0.994 (0.992, 0.996), α 0.997, respectively. Similarly, the inter‐CC with the 95% CI and RC for the same parameters were as follows: 0.995 (0.993, 0.997), α 0.998; 0.980 (0.971, 0.990), α 0.990; 0.994 (0.992, 0.996), α 0.997; and 0.990 (0.985,0.993), α 0.995, respectively. The Bland and Altman plots demonstrated a high degree of repeatability of BPD, AC, HC, and FL measurements.

Conclusion

Our results demonstrate that the intra‐ and interobserver reproducibility of ultrasound measurements of fetal biometry are highly reliable. Copyright © 2004 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A new formula for calculating weight in the fetus of ≤ 1600 g
Authors: Schild R. L. , Fell K. , Fimmers R. , Gembruch U. , Hansmann M.
Published: October 2004

Objective

To develop and test a new formula for estimating weight in the fetus of ≤ 1600 g.

Methods

A formula for sonographic estimation of fetal weight was produced retrospectively from 84 singleton fetuses with a birth weight of ≤ 1600 g, examined sonographically within 1 week before delivery. Exclusion criteria were multiple pregnancy, intrauterine death and major structural or chromosomal anomalies. The new formula was then compared prospectively in an evaluation group of fetuses (n = 87) with six currently available equations for estimating weight in the preterm fetus.

Results

Stepwise regression analysis with gestational age (in days) and fetal biometric parameters was employed to yield the best‐fit formula for predicting fetal weight at birth. The new formula (estimated fetal weight = 5381.193 + 150.324 × head circumference + 2.069 × femur length3 + 0.0232 × abdo‐ minal circumference3—6235.478 × log(head circumference)) proved to be superior to established equations. The lowest mean ± SD absolute error was 66.2 ± 59 g and the lowest mean absolute percentage error was 7.1 ± 5.9% SD when studied prospectively in the evaluation group. With the new formula, 48.3% of estimates fell within ±5% of the actual weight at birth, 73.6% fell within ±10%, 90.8% fell within ±15% and 95.4% fell within ±20%.

Conclusion

Our new formula is relatively easy to use and needs no adjustment to weight centiles or to fetal lie. It allows reliable weight estimation in the fetus ≤ 1600 g. Copyright © 2004 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Spontaneous ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome and hyperreactio luteinalis are entities in continuum
Authors: Haimov‐Kochman R. , Yanai N. , Yagel S. , Amsalem H. , Lavy Y. , Hurwitz A.
Published: October 2004

Hyperreactio luteinalis (HL) and spontaneous ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) are both rare conditions during pregnancy. The clinical presentation of HL and OHSS are comparable and both should be differentiated from ovarian carcinoma. We present a case of a 32‐year‐old woman who was initially seen with markedly enlarged multicystic ovaries and ascites in the 13th week of a spontaneously conceived pregnancy. Ultrasonographic follow‐up and magnetic resonance imaging of the ovaries were employed in order to avoid exploratory laparotomy and rule out ovarian carcinoma. The patient received supportive therapy and delivered a healthy child at term. The increasing use of ultrasonography may lead to more frequent findings of multicystic ovaries in spontaneously conceived pregnancies. Making the distinction between HL and spontaneous OHSS in these cases may be difficult though clinically irrelevant as the approach to treatment is similar in both. Copyright © 2004 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Random sets of probability measures in slope hydrology and stability analysis
Authors: Hall J.W. , Rubio E. , Anderson M.G.
Published: October 2004

When the variables (x1, ... xn+q) of a function y = g(x1,..., xn+q) are described by a joint probability distribution over variables x1,..., xn and a random relation over variables xn+1, ..., xn+q, the dependent variable y is described by a random set of probability measures. Starting with a brief review of the theory of random sets, the formalism of a random set of probability measures is introduced. One approach to constructing a random set from a set of interval estimates from different sources is reviewed. The use of random sets of probability measures is demonstrated in the practical context of an integrated slope hydrology and stability model called CHASM. When the parameters defining the slope stability problem are described by a random set of probability measures the analysis using CHASM generates a lower and upper cumulative probability distribution on the slope Factor of Safety. It is demonstrated how point measurements can be used to update prior imprecise information on geotechnical parameters.
Introductory remarks: Mathematical models of uncertainty
Authors: Oberguggenberger M.
Published: October 2004

As indicated in the preface to this volume, it is essential in the engineering modelling process that the uncertainty of input parameters is captured and formulated in mathematical terms, so that it can be propagated through numerical computations. This is a necessary requirement for a proper assessment of the output variability. This introduction serves to discuss a number of mathematical approaches, focused around generalizations of probability theory, that are able to formalize the state of knowledge about parameter uncertainty. It is a very brief introduction to the realm of what is now commonly termed imprecise probabilities [2,4]. The papers collected in this volume all use one or more of these approaches; the purpose of this introduction is to point out some unifying ideas, remarks on interpretations (correspondence rules between model and reality, or semantics), and rudiments of a hierarchical classification. To keep the presentation simple, we shall consider a single input parameter called (upper case) A, while the specific values it may take (realizations) will be denoted by lower case letters. Further, the computational engineering model produces an output as a function F(A) of the input A. Uncertainty of multivariate models, correlations and stochastic field variables have their counterparts in all the approaches discussed below; for this we refer the reader to the literature cited at the end.