bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
LPG assisted high‐power fiber amplifier with Er3+ doped cladding
Authors: Nemova Galina , Kashyap Raman
Published: April 2009

A new theoretical scheme of high power Er3+doped fiber amplifier is presented. In contract to traditional schemes for high power fiber amplifiers, where the amplification process takes place in an Er3+doped core, in our scheme the amplification takes place in Er3+doped cladding. This amplifier is based on specially designed bend resistant fiber, which can support a single cladding mode over the length of the fiber used in the amplifier. The use of a cladding mode in the amplification increase dramatically the effective mode area and as a consequence increases the thresholds of nonlinear effects such as stimulated Raman and Brillouin scattering, since they are proportional to the effective mode area. In the proposed scheme, a weak signal enters to the amplifier in a core mode of a single mode fiber and is converted to a single pre‐determined cladding mode with high (∼100%) efficiency by a long period grating imprinted in the core. A specially designed output fiber of the amplifier provides an almost single mode high quality output. Predicted output powers are in the multi kW regime. (© 2009 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
In vitro anti‐Helicobacter pylori activity of usnic acid
Authors: Safak Birol , Ciftci Ihsan Hakki , Ozdemir Mehmet , Kiyildi Nilay , Cetinkaya Zafer , Aktepe Orhan Cem , Altindis Mustafa
Published: April 2009

Eradication of Helicobacter pylori is an important objective in overcoming gastric diseases. Many regimens are currently available but none of them could achieve 100% success in eradication. Medicinal lichen is used in the treatment of gastric ulcer in local folk medicine in Anatolia (Turkey). The present study was performed to assess the in vitro effects of usnic acid from Usnea dasypoga against clinical isolates and standard H. pylori strains and their minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs). A total of 38 strains was assayed for anti‐H. pylori activity. The agar dilution method was used for the determination of usnic acid and clarithromycin resistance.

Six (16.2%) clinical isolates were resistant to usnic acid and five (13.5%) were resistant to clarithromycin. Dual susceptibility to usnic acid and clarithromycin rate was detected as very high (97.3%). Usnic acid has a strong and dose‐dependent activity against H. pylori strains. The synergism between usnic acid and clarithromycin may be effective in the treatment of H. pylori infection. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Naphthoquinones and bioactive compounds from tobacco as modulators of neuronal nitric oxide synthase activity
Authors: Venkatakrishnan Priya , Gairola C. Gary , Castagnoli Neal , Miller R. Timothy
Published: April 2009

Studies were conducted with extracts of several varieties of tobacco in search of neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) inhibitors which may be of value in the treatment of stroke. Current therapies do not directly exploit modulation of nNOS activity due to poor selectivity of the currently available nNOS inhibitors. The properties of a potentially novel nNOS inhibitor(s) derived from tobacco extracts, and the concentration‐dependent, modulatory effects of the tobacco‐derived naphthoquinone compound, 2,3,6‐trimethyl‐1,4‐naphthoquinone (TMN), on nNOS activity were investigated, using 2‐methyl‐1,4‐naphthoquinone (menadione) as a control. Up to 31 µM, both TMN and menadione stimulated nNOS‐catalysedl‐citrulline production. However, at higher concentrations of TMN (62.5–500 µM), the stimulation was lost in a concentration‐dependent manner. With TMN, the loss of stimulation did not decrease beyond the control activity. With menadione (62.5–500 µM), the loss of stimulation surpassed that of the control (78 ± 0.01% of control activity), indicating a true inhibition of nNOS activity. This study suggests that potential nNOS inhibitors are present in tobacco, most of which remain to be identified. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The inhibitory effect ofHypericum perforatumextract on morphine withdrawal syndrome in rat and comparison with clonidine
Authors: Feily Amir , Abbasi Naser
Published: April 2009

The effects ofHypericum perforatum(St John's wort) on morphine withdrawal syndrome and comparison with clonidine have been investigated in morphine‐dependent rats. Adult male Wistar rats were subjects. The frequencies of withdrawal behavioral signs (rearing, teeth chattering and jumping) induced by naloxone challenge were demonstrated in morphine dependent rats receivingHypericum perforatumextract (HPE), saline or clonidine. The withdrawal behavioral manifestations in rats were inhibited significantly by chronic co‐administration ofHypericum perforatumextract or clonidine with morphine. This study showed that clonidine was more effective than HPE at a dose of 0.4 mL/200 g and there was no significant statistical difference between the mean frequency of withdrawal signs of HPE at a dose of 0.8 mL/200 g compared with clonidine (0.2 mg/kg i.p.) but at a dose of 1.2 mL/200 g of HPE was significantly stronger than clonidine in attenuation of the morphine withdrawal syndrome.

The findings suggest that HPE is capable of reducing the symptoms of opiate withdrawal and its effectiveness may be equivalent to clonidine in reducing the opiate withdrawal syndrome and may have human therapeutic potential. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effect of berberine on the pharmacokinetics of substrates of CYP3A and P‐gp
Authors: Qiu W. , Jiang X. H. , Liu C. X. , Ju Y. , Jin J. X.
Published: April 2009

Thein vivoeffects of berberine (BBR), the widely used bioactive herbal ingredient from many traditional Chinese medicinal herbs, on the pharmacokinetics of carbamazepine (CBZ, a substrate of CYP3A) and its metabolite carbamazepine 10,11‐epoxide (ECBZ), digoxin (DIG, a substrate of P‐gp) and cyclosporine A (CsA, a dual substrate of CYP3A and P‐gp) were evaluated in rats. After a 2‐week pretreatment with BBR, the pharmacokinetic parameters of i.g. administered CBZ and ECBZ were not significantly altered. The pharmacokinetics of i.v. administered DIG was not modified by single and 2‐week pretreatments with BBR, but a dose‐dependent increase inAUCandCmaxwas observed in the i.g. administered DIG parameters in rats. TheAUCs of DIG with BBR (30 mg/kg, 100 mg/kg) were 133%, 170% (single) and 123%, 169% (2‐week) of control, respectively. TheAUCandCmaxof i.g. administered CsA with a 2‐week pretreatment with BBR increased by 62% and 43% (BBR 30 mg/kg,p< 0.05), 96% and 60% (BBR 100 mg/kg,p< 0.01), compared with the control. In conclusion, berberine produced a dose‐dependent increased bioavailability of digoxin and cyclosporine A by inhibition of intestinal P‐gp. No significant changes in CYP3A activity by berberine were observed. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Evaluation of Hypericum perforatum oil extracts for an antiinflammatory and gastroprotective activity in rats
Authors: Zdunić G. , Gođevac D. , Milenković M. , Vučićević D. , Šavikin K. , Menković N. , Petrović S.
Published: April 2009

Oil extracts of Hypericum perforatum L. (Oleum Hyperici) were prepared in three different ways according to the prescriptions from traditional medicine. Variability of constituents and biological activity were evaluated in the obtained oil extracts. The carrageenan‐induced rat paw edema test has been used for screening the antiinflammatory activity, while the indomethacin‐induced rat gastric mucosa damage test was used for evaluation of gastroprotective activity. All examined oil extracts possessed antiinflammatory and gastroprotective activity. Among them, the oil extract prepared by maceration with 96% ethanol, followed by extraction with sunflower oil by heating on a water bath (extract 2), in a dose of 1.25 mL/kg p.o., exhibited the highest antiinflammatory effect (95.24 ± 11.66%) and gastroprotective activity (gastric damage score of 0.21 ± 0.12). The same oil extract had the highest content of quercetin and I3,II8‐biapigenin (129 ± 9 µg/mL and 52 ± 4 µg/mL, respectively). Quercetin and I3,II8‐biapigenin exhibited antiinflammatory activity similar to those of indomethacin as well as significant gastroprotective activity. The results provide evidence for the usage of Oleum Hyperici as an antiinflammatory and gastroprotective agent, which has been based previously only on ethnopharmacological claims. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Kaempferol and quercetin, essential ingredients in Ginkgo biloba extract, inhibit interleukin‐1β‐induced MUC5AC gene expression in human airway epithelial cells
Authors: Kwon Soon Ho , Nam Ji In , Kim Si Hong , Kim Jeong Hong , Yoon Joo‐Heon , Kim Kyung‐Su
Published: April 2009

According to our previous study, Ginkgo biloba extract (GBE) suppresses IL‐1β‐induced MUC5AC gene expression in NCI‐H292 cells via the ERK and p38 MAPK pathways. This study sought to identify which ingredients of GBE suppress IL‐1β‐induced MUC5AC gene expression in NCI‐H292 cells and to examine which MAPKs are related to MUC5AC gene suppression for each ingredient. After the cells were pretreated with each ingredient and treated with IL‐1β (10 ng/mL), MUC5AC mRNA expression was determined by RT‐PCR and real‐time PCR. The results showed that kaempferol (KP) and quercetin (QC) suppressed MUC5AC mRNA expression in a dose‐dependent manner, both with significant inhibition starting from 40 µm (equal concentration to about a twelfth or thirteenth dose of GBE). MAPK proteins were determined by western blot analysis after pretreatment with KP, QC and GBE. All three suppressed the phosphorylation of ERK and p38 kinases. In conclusion, the data suggested that KP and QC, essential ingredients in GBE, may overcome the dose problem of GBE and play a valuable role, clinically, in controlling mucin hypersecretion in airway inflammation. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
An antibacterial and antifungal phenylpropanoid from Carum montanum (Coss. et Dur.) Benth. et Hook.
Authors: Laouer Hocine , Meriem El Kolli , Prado Soizic , Baldovini Nicolas
Published: April 2009

The volatile constituents of the aerial parts of Carum montanum (Coss. et Dur.) Benth. et Hook. were analysed by GC‐FID and GC‐MS, and the main component was isolated and identified as nothoapiole. The antibacterial and antifungal activities of this compound and of the total oil were investigated against Gram‐negative (P. aeruginosa, E. coli), Gram‐positive (E. faecalis, S. aureus, S. epidermitis, S. saprophyticus, S. simulans, S. lugdunensis) bacteria and on one strain of fungus (C. tropicalis). Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Isolation of hypoglycemic phytoconstituent from Swietenia macrophylla seeds
Authors: Maiti Anup , Dewanjee Saikat , Sahu Ranabir
Published: April 2009

The present study was undertaken to isolate a novel antidiabetic molecule from Swietenia macrophylla seeds. The hydroalcohol extract of Swietenia macrophylla seeds was subjected for bioassay guided isolation employing glucose utilization assay by the isolated rat hemi‐diaphragm method in vitro. One tetranortriterpenoid, swietenine, isolated from the chloroform fraction exhibited significant (p < 0.01) activity and the effect was comparable to that of human insulin (p < 0.01). Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Exploring the ameliorative potential ofPunica granatumin dextran sulfate sodium induced ulcerative colitis in mice
Authors: Singh Kavinder , Jaggi Amteshwar Singh , Singh Nirmal
Published: April 2009

The present study was designed to investigate the ameliorative potential ofPunica granatumin dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) induced ulcerative colitis. DSS (2%) was administered orally in drinking water for 7 days to induce ulcerative colitis. The extent and severity of ulceration was analysed macroscopically, histopathologically and using a disease activity index. Myeloperoxidase (MPO), a specific marker of inflammation; histamine, a marker of mast cell degranulation; superoxide anion generation and, lipid peroxides were analysed. Administration of DSS resulted in a significant development of ulceration in the colon along with a rise in histamine, MPO activity and oxidative stress. Treatment withPunica granatumextract and its ellagic acid rich fraction (100 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg p.o.) significantly attenuated DSS‐induced colonic inflammation along with attenuation of histamine, MPO and oxidative stress. The antiulcerative effect ofPunica granatumextract and its ellagic acid rich fraction were comparable to sulphasalazine (100 mg/kg, p.o.) and sodium cromoglycate (40 mg/kg i.p). It is concluded thatPunica granatumhas a potential for ameliorating DSS‐induced colitis and its ellagic acid rich fraction may be responsible for this effect. Further, the antiulcerative effects may be attributed to mast cell stabilizing, antiinflammatory and antioxidant actions. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Ligularia fischeri leaf extract suppresses proinflammatory mediators in SW982 human synovial cells
Authors: Choi Eun‐Mi , Suh Kwang‐Sik
Published: April 2009

Synovial hyperplasia is a hallmark of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and is regarded as a major destructive element of articular bone and cartilage. This pathological process is accompanied by the production of proinflammatory cytokines and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in synoviocytes. The present study was conducted to analyse the effects of Ligularia fischeri extract (LF) on inflammatory functions in the SW982 human synovial cell system. When cells were exposed to LF, LF had a significant inhibitory effect on the production of TNF‐α, IL‐6 and MMP‐3 by SW982 cells (p < 0.05). The mitogen‐activated protein kinases (MAPKs) represent an attractive target for RA because they can regulate MMP and cytokine expression. The effects of LF on the activation of MAPKs and transcription factors were also examined in SW982 cells by ELISA assay. IL‐1β‐induced JNK and p38 activation was inhibited by LF, and LF significantly reduced the DNA‐binding activity of transcription factors NF‐κB and AP‐1. Taken together, these results suggest that LF modulates the inflammatory process involved in arthritis by suppressing the expression of various genes by inhibiting NF‐κB and/or AP‐1 activities. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Lipid‐soluble components of honeybee‐collected pollen exert antiallergic effect by inhibiting IgE‐mediated mast cell activationin vivo
Authors: Ishikawa Yasuko , Tokura Tomoko , Ushio Hiroko , Niyonsaba François , Yamamoto Yuji , Tadokoro Tadahiro , Ogawa Hideoki , Okumura Ko
Published: April 2009

It was shown previously that bee‐collected pollen (bee pollen, BP), inhibitedin vitromurine mast cell activation. This study further analysed the antiallergic effect of BPin vivoby measuring cutaneous mast cell activation using a passive cutaneous anaphylaxis reaction. Daily oral administration of BP to mice, dose‐dependently reduced the cutaneous mast cell activation elicited by IgE and specific antigens. Administration of BP also reduced the plasma concentration of malondialdehyde (MDA), an indicator of lipid peroxidation. The inhibitory effect of BP was mostly in a lipid‐ but not in water‐soluble fraction. The HPLC analysis of isoflavones in BP revealed that genistein was a major isoflavone. However, administration of genistein alone at the concentration found in BP, did not show an inhibitory effect as observed in whole BP, suggesting that component(s) other than genistein would be responsible for the inhibitory effect of BP. These results first reveal that lipid‐soluble components of BP exert an antiallergic action by inhibiting the FcåRI‐mediated cutaneous mast cell activation. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
ESP‐102, a combined extract of Angelica gigas, Saururus chinensis and Schizandra chinensis, protects against glutamate‐induced toxicity in primary cultures of rat cortical cells
Authors: Ma Choong Je , Kim Seung Hyun , Lee Ki Yong , Oh Taehwan , Kim Sun Yeou , Sung Sang Hyun , Kim Young Choong
Published: April 2009

It was reported previously that ESP‐102, a combined extract of Angelica gigas, Saururus chinensis and Schizandra chinensis, significantly improved scopolamine‐induced memory impairment in mice and protected primary cultured rat cortical cells against glutamate‐induced toxicity. To corroborate this effect, the action patterns of ESP‐102 were elucidated using the same in vitro system. ESP‐102 decreased the cellular calcium concentration increased by glutamate, and inhibited the subsequent overproduction of cellular nitric oxide and reactive oxygen species to the level of control cells. It also preserved cellular activities of antioxidative enzymes such as superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase reduced in the glutamate‐injured neuronal cells. While a loss of mitochondrial membrane potential was observed in glutamate treated cells, the mitochondrial membrane potential was maintained by ESP‐102. These results support that the actual mechanism of neuroprotective activity of ESP‐102 against glutamate‐induced oxidative stress might be its antioxidative activity. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Schisandrin B stereoisomers protect against hypoxia/reoxygenation‐induced apoptosis and associated changes in the Ca2+‐induced mitochondrial permeability transition and mitochondrial membrane potential in AML12 hepatocytes
Authors: Chiu Po Yee , Luk Ka Fai , Leung Hoi Yan , Ng Ka Ming , Ko Kam Ming
Published: April 2009

The effects of the schisandrin B stereoisomers, (±)γ‐schisandrin [(±)γ‐Sch] and (−)schisandrin B [(−)Sch B], on hypoxia/reoxygenation‐induced apoptosis were investigated in AML12 hepatocytes. Changes in cellular reduced glutathione (GSH) levels, Ca2+‐induced mitochondrial permeability transitions (MPTs) and mitochondrial membrane potentials (Δψm values) were also examined in (±)γ‐Sch‐ and (−)Sch B‐treated cells, without or with hypoxia/reoxygenation challenge. The (±)γ‐Sch/(−)Sch B pretreatments (2.5–5.0 µm) protected against hypoxia/reoxygenation‐induced apoptosis in AML12 cells in a concentration‐dependent manner, with the (−)Sch B effect being more potent. Drug antiapoptotic effects were further evidenced by suppression of hypoxia/reoxygenation‐induced mitochondrial cytochrome c release and subsequent cleavage of caspase 3 and poly‐ADP‐ribose polymerase by (−)Sch B pretreatment. Whereas hypoxia/reoxygenation challenge increased the extent of Ca2+‐induced MPT pore opening, and Δψm, in AML12 hepatocytes, cytoprotection afforded by (±)γ‐Sch/(−)Sch B pretreatment against hypoxia/reoxygenation‐induced apoptosis was associated with a decreased sensitivity to Ca2+‐induced MPT and an increased Δψm in both unchallenged and challenged cells, compared with the drug‐free control. The results indicate that (±)γ‐Sch/(−)Sch B pretreatment protected against hypoxia/reoxygenation‐induced apoptosis in AML12 hepatocytes and that the cytoprotection afforded by (±)γ‐Sch/(−)Sch B may at least in part be mediated by a decrease in sensitivity to Ca2+‐induced MPT, which may in turn result from enhancement of cellular GSH levels by drug pretreatments. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effect of aqueous extracts of black and green teas in arsenic‐induced toxicity in rabbits
Authors: Raihan S. Zahir , Chowdhury A. K. Azad , Rabbani Golam H. , Marni Farzana , Ali M. Shawkat , Nahar Lutfun , Sarker Satyajit D.
Published: April 2009

Arsenic causes oxidative stress in the body. Its administration (3 mg/kg/day) for 14 days in rabbits resulted in a significant reduction of whole blood glutathione (GSH), and elevation of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and the index of nitrite/nitrate (NOx) levels. These are the markers of oxidative stress. Both black tea (BT) and green tea (GT) (Camellia sinensis), when administered to the arsenic‐treated rabbits for 14 days, caused a significant elevation of the depleted GSH level to 53.12% and 57.47%, respectively. On the contrary, in the placebo group the level was 26.59%. The BT and GT reduced the elevated TBARS level to 43.27% and 62.28%, respectively, whereas the corresponding level in the placebo groups was 21.24%. The NOx levels were also reduced to 63.62%, 67.67% and 58.94% in BT, GT and the placebo groups, respectively. When arsenic and black tea were given concurrently to another group the results were even more pronounced. The polyphenol components of black and green tea were 27.69% and 29.71% of the dry weight of the total extracts, respectively. These results indicated that arsenic‐induced toxicities in rabbits were significantly reversed by the black and green tea polyphenols. The greater activity of green tea than that of black tea correlates with the slightly higher content of polyphenols in green tea. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Sutherlandia frutescens limits the development of insulin resistance by decreasing plasma free fatty acid levels
Authors: MacKenzie Janine , Koekemoer Trevor , van de Venter Maryna , Dealtry Gill , Roux Saartjie
Published: April 2009

Intake of high caloric food induces raised plasma free fatty acids, culminating in insulin resistance (IR) and Diabetes mellitus type 2 (DMT2). The present study has shown for the first time that Sutherlandia frutescens reduces plasma free fatty acid levels in rats fed a high fat diet, thereby preventing the development of insulin resistance. A commercially available S. frutescens extract was administered to rats to examine its effects on the progression of high fat diet induced IR. In comparison to rats fed high fat diet only (positive control for IR), levels of plasma free fatty acids (FFA) were significantly reduced after one week (p < 0.025). Twelve weeks of treatment with S. frutescens reduced the level of plasma free fatty acids below that of rats fed a normal diet (negative control) (p < 0.025). QUICKI and HOMA‐IR index confirmed that S. frutescens treated rats did not develop IR when fed a high fat diet for twelve weeks. In addition to preventing IR and reducing plasma FFA, chronic medication over twelve weeks decreased total cholesterol levels and the LDL/HDL ratio. We propose that S. frutescens is an effective medicinal remedy to prevent elevated plasma free fatty acids and IR, and therefore DMT2. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The antioxidant activity of Clitoria ternatea flower petal extracts and eye gel
Authors: Kamkaen N. , Wilkinson J. M.
Published: April 2009

Extracts of Clitoria ternatea (butterfly pea) flowers are used in Thailand as a component of cosmetics and the chemical composition of the flowers suggest that they may have antioxidant activity. In this study the potential antioxidant activity of C. ternatea extracts and an extract containing eye gel formulation was investigated. Aqueous extracts were shown to have stronger antioxidant activity (as measured by DPPH scavenging activity) than ethanol extracts (IC50 values were 1 mg/mL and 4 mg/mL, respectively). Aqueous extracts incorporated in to an eye gel formulation were also shown to retain this activity, however, it was significantly less than a commercial antiwrinkle cream included for comparison. The total phenolic content was 1.9 mg/g extract as gallic acid equivalents. The data from this study support the use of C. ternatea extracts as antioxidant inclusions in cosmetic products. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Cytoprotective effect of lignans from Forsythia suspensa against peroxynitrite‐induced LLC‐PK1 cell damage
Authors: Piao Xiang Lan , Cho Eun Jung , Jang Moon Hee , Cui Jian
Published: April 2009

There is mounting evidence that peroxynitrite (ONOO−) is closely related to the pathogenesis of various diseases. As a pharmacological strategy aimed at preventing ONOO−‐mediated toxicity, the protective activity of Forsythia suspensa (Thunb.) Vahl (Oleaceae) against ONOO−‐induced cellular damage was investigated and its active components identified. After bioactivity‐guided fractionation of its methylene chloride fraction, two tetrahydrofurofuran lignans were isolated, namely phillygenin and 8‐hydroxypinoresinol. The protective effects of these lignans against ONOO−‐induced cell death were evaluated using renal epithelial cell LLC‐PK1. Phillygenin and 8‐hydroxypinoresinol significantly reduced the cell injury by 3‐morpholinosydnonimine (SIN‐1), a ONOO− generator. The hydroxy substituents on the phenyl moieties may contribute to the antioxidant activities of these lignans. These results suggest that phillygenin and 8‐hydroxypinoresinol may be useful for the therapeutic or preventive applications in treating ONOO−‐related diseases. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Antitumor activity of water extract of a mushroom, Inonotus obliquus, against HT‐29 human colon cancer cells
Authors: Lee Sung Hak , Hwang Hee Sun , Yun Jong Won
Published: April 2009

In the current study, it was demonstrated that the hot water extract of I. obliquus (IOWE) exerts inhibitory activity against the proliferation of human colon cancer cells (HT‐29). The inhibitory effect of IOWE on the growth of HT‐29 cancer cells was evaluated by treating cells with IOWE at concentrations of 0.25, 0.5 and 1.0 mg/mL for 24 or 48 h. The IOWE inhibited cell growth in a dose‐dependent manner, and this inhibition was accompanied by apoptotic cell death. The maximum inhibitory effect (56%) was observed when IOWE was treated at a concentration of 1.0 mg/mL for 48 h. The apoptotic effect of IOWE on HT‐29 cells was also confirmed by flow cytometric analysis. In addition, the apoptotic cell percentage was closely associated with down‐regulation of Bcl‐2 and up‐regulation of Bax and caspase‐3. The results suggest that IOWE would be useful as an antitumor agent via the induction of apoptosis and inhibition of the growth of cancer cells through up‐regulation of the expression of proapoptotic proteins and down‐regulation of antiapoptotic proteins. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Procyanidins extracted from the lotus seedpod ameliorate scopolamine‐induced memory impairment in mice
Authors: Xu Jiqu , Rong Shuang , Xie Bijun , Sun Zhida , Zhang Li , Wu Hailei , Yao Ping , Zhang Yunjian , Liu Liegang
Published: April 2009

The major purpose of this study was to determine the effect of procyanidins extracted from the lotus seedpod (LSPC) on the learning and memory impairments induced by scopolamine (1 mg/kg, i.p.) in mice. The capacities of memory and learning were evaluated by the Morris water maze and the step‐down avoidance test. LSPC (50, 100, 150 mg/kg BW, p.o.) significantly reversed scopolamine‐induced learning and memory impairments in the Morris water maze test, as evaluated by shortened escape latency and swimming distance. In the step‐down avoidance test, LSPC (50, 100, 150 mg/kg BW, p.o.) treatment significantly reduced the number of errors and shortened latency compared with that of scopolamine. In addition, LSPC was also found to inhibit acetyl cholinesterase (AChE) activity. These results of this study suggest that LSPC may play a useful role in the treatment of cognitive impairment caused by AD and aging. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
In vitro evaluation of the antiplasmodial activity of Dendropanax morbifera against chloroquine‐sensitive strains of Plasmodium falciparum
Authors: Chung Ill‐Min , Kim Min‐Young , Park Sun‐Dong , Park Won‐Hwan , Moon Hyung‐In
Published: April 2009

Dendropanax morbifera Leveille (Araliaceae) is well known in Korea traditional medicine for a variety of diseases. The methanol extract of the lower stem parts of D. morbifera was investigated for its activity against chloroquine‐sensitive strains of Plasmodium falciparum using the parasite lactate dehydrogenase assay method. Two cycloartane‐type glycosides oleifoliosides A (1) and B (2), and dendropanoxide (3), β‐amyrin (4), α‐amyrin (5) have been isolated from the stem parts of D. morbifera. All five compounds were evaluated for in vitro antiplasmodial activities as well as their cytotoxic potential on SK‐OV‐3 cancer cell lines. Compounds 2 and 3 showed notable growth inhibitory activity against chloroquine‐sensitive strains of Plasmodium falciparum with IC50 values of 6.2 and 5.3 µm. This compound showed no significant cytotoxicity (IC50 > 150 µm) evaluated using SK‐OV‐3 cancer cell lines. This is the first report on the antiplasmodial activity of the compounds from D. morbifera. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Limitations of a linear model for the hurricane boundary layer
Authors: Vogl Stefanie , Smith Roger K.
Published: April 2009

The linear model for the steady boundary layer of a rapidly rotating axisymmetric vortex is derived from a detailed scale analysis of the full equations of motion. The previously known analytic solution is re‐appraised for vortices of hurricane scale and strength. The internal consistency of the linear approximation is investigated for such a vortex by calculating from the solution the magnitude of the nonlinear terms that are neglected in the approximation compared with the terms retained. It is shown that the nonlinear terms are not negligibly small in a large region of the vortex, a feature that is consistent with the scale analysis. We argue that the boundary‐layer problem is well‐posed only at outer radii where there is subsidence into the layer. At inner radii, where there is ascent, only the radial pressure gradient may be prescribed and not the wind components at the top of the boundary layer, but the linear problem cannot be solved in these circumstances. We examine the radius at which the vertical flow at the top of the boundary layer changes sign for different tangential wind profiles relevant to hurricanes and show that this is several hundred kilometres from the vortex centre. This feature represents a further limitation of the linear model applied to hurricanes. While the present analysis assumes axial symmetry, the same limitations presumably apply to non‐axisymmetric extensions to the linear model. Copyright © 2009 Royal Meteorological Society
The assimilation of Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer radiances at ECMWF
Authors: Collard A. D. , McNally A. P.
Published: April 2009

The assimilation of Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI) radiances at the European Centre for Medium‐Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) is described. The configuration of the IASI radiance assimilation system relies heavily on the experience obtained from using Atmospheric InfraRed Sounder (AIRS) data over the previous five years. IASI observations are found to be of high quality, particularly in the important region of the 15 µm temperature‐sounding band. The choice of channels to be actively assimilated is focused on this 15 µm band and experiments have shown that the additional use of IASI data produces a statistically significant positive impact on forecast quality. Copyright © 2009 Royal Meteorological Society
Observations on the detection of b‐ and y‐type ions in the collisionally activated decomposition spectra of protonated peptides
Authors: Lau King Wai , Hart Sarah R. , Lynch Jennifer A. , Wong Stephen C. C. , Hubbard Simon J. , Gaskell Simon J.
Published: April 2009

Tandem mass spectrometric data from peptides are routinely used in an unsupervised manner to infer product ion sequence and hence the identity of their parent protein. However, significant variability in relative signal intensity of product ions within peptide tandem mass spectra is commonly observed. Furthermore, instrument‐specific patterns of fragmentation are observed, even where a common mechanism of ion heating is responsible for generation of the product ions. This information is currently not fully exploited within database searching strategies; this motivated the present study to examine a large dataset of tandem mass spectra derived from multiple instrumental platforms. Here, we report marked global differences in the product ion spectra of protonated tryptic peptides generated from two of the most common proteomic platforms, namely tandem quadrupole‐time‐of‐flight and quadrupole ion trap instruments. Specifically, quadrupole‐time‐of‐flight tandem mass spectra show a significant under‐representation of N‐terminal b‐type fragments in comparison to quadrupole ion trap product ion spectra. Energy‐resolved mass spectrometry experiments conducted upon test tryptic peptides clarify this disparity; b‐type ions are significantly less stable than their y‐type N‐terminal counterparts, which contain strongly basic residues. Secondary fragmentation processes which occur within the tandem quadrupole‐time‐of‐flight device account for the observed differences, whereas this secondary product ion generation does not occur to a significant extent from resonant excitation performed within the quadrupole ion trap. We suggest that incorporation of this stability information in database searching strategies has the potential to significantly improve the veracity of peptide ion identifications as made by conventional database searching strategies. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Motivation, learning, and transformative experience: A study of deep engagement in science
Authors: Pugh Kevin J. , Linnenbrink‐Garcia Lisa , Koskey Kristin L. K. , Stewart Victoria C. , Manzey Christine
Published: April 2009

This study investigated the prevalence of transformative experiences, antecedents of transformative experience, and the relation between transformative experience and deep‐level learning (conceptual change and transfer) for high school biology students (N = 166). Results suggested that the high school students in our sample typically engaged in low levels of transformative experience with respect to biology, but those students who strongly identified with science and who endorsed a mastery goal orientation were more likely to report engagement in higher levels of transformative experience. Furthermore, a higher level of engagement in transformative experience was positively associated with (a) conceptual change in understanding the concept of natural selection, but not inheritance, at the post‐ and follow‐up assessments and (b) transfer at the follow‐up assessment. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Sci Ed 94:1–28, 2010
A lightweight intrusion detection framework for wireless sensor networks
Authors: Hai Tran Hoang , Huh Eui‐Nam , Jo Minho
Published: April 2009

In recent years, Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) have demonstrated successful applications for both civil and military tasks. However, sensor networks are susceptible to multiple types of attacks because they are randomly deployed in open and unprotected environments. It is necessary to utilize effective mechanisms to protect sensor networks against multiple types of attacks on routing protocols. In this paper, we propose a lightweight intrusion detection framework integrated for clustered sensor networks. Furthermore, we provide algorithms to minimize the triggered intrusion modules in clustered WSNs by using an over‐hearing mechanism to reduce the sending alert packets. Our scheme can prevent most routing attacks on sensor networks. In in‐depth simulation, the proposed scheme shows less energy consumption in intrusion detection than other schemes. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Achieving capacity fairness for wireless mesh networks
Authors: Guo Wenxuan , Huang Xinming
Published: April 2009

This paper addresses a joint problem of power control and channel assignment within a wireless mesh network. A wireless mesh network is made up of two kinds of nodes: mesh routers (MRs) and user nodes (UNs). The MRs form a backbone network, while UNs receive data from the backbone network by connecting to the MRs via one hop. This paper aims to find the optimal joint solution of power control and channel assignment of the wireless mesh networks such that the minimum capacity of all links is maximized. We develop an upper bound for the objective by relaxing the integer variables and linearization. Subsequently, we put forward a heuristic approach to approximate the optimal solution, which tries to increase the minimal capacity of all links via setting tighter constraint and solving a binary integer programming problem. Simulation results show that solutions obtained by this algorithm are very close to the upper bounds obtained via relaxation, thus suggesting that the solution produced by the algorithm is near‐optimal. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Correction of Blount's disease by a multi-axial external fixation system
Authors: Pandya Nirav K. , Clarke Sylvan E. , McCarthy James J. , Horn B. David , Hosalkar Harish S.
Published: April 2009

Background

Blount's disease is a multi-planar deformity affecting the pediatric population which leads to varus alignment of the lower extremities. The Multi-Axial Correction (MAC) monolateral external fixation system (Biomet, Parsippany, NJ, USA) is a non-circular fixator that was developed as a response to the technical difficulty for both patients and physicians of placing, managing, and tolerating a circular fixator. The purpose of this study was to determine the efficacy of the MAC system for the treatment of pediatric patients with Blount's disease.

Methods

A retrospective analysis of 17 consecutive patients with surgically corrected Blount's disease using the MAC system with tibial and fibular osteotomies was identified. Patient charts and radiographs at three different time points (pre-operative, fixator removal, and final follow-up) were reviewed. The mechanical axis deviation (MAD), tibial–femoral angle (TFA), medial proximal tibial angle (MPTA), and posterior proximal tibial angle (PPTA) were measured in the MAC group at the three time points mentioned previously. The total wear time, total operative time, and post-operative complications were noted.

Results

The MAC system was able to correct the deformity of Blount's disease as measured by a decrease in the MAD (40.2 ± 29.3 mm; P ≤ 0.001) and TFA (15.9 ± 13.7°; P ≤ 0.001), as well as an increase in the MPTA (15.7 ± 14.6°; P = 0.001) at the time of fixator removal. The correction was maintained for these parameters at the time of final follow-up ( P ≤ 0.025). The absolute values obtained at final follow-up for MAD (20.5 ± 12.7 mm medial), TFA (8.0 ± 4.1° varus), and MPTA (83.7 ± 8.1°) after correction with the MAC system were close to what is considered as normal for these indices. The most common complications noted were superficial pin tract infections and/or cellulitis, with no patients having nerve palsy, compartment syndrome, non-union, or leg length discrepancies. The total time that the fixator was on the patients prior to removal was 130.6 days (standard deviation [SD] = 44.8). The mean operative time was 120.6 min (SD = 21.2).

Conclusions

Correction of Blount's disease with osteotomy of the tibia and fibula as well as dynamic fixation with the MAC system achieved deformity correction as measured by radiographic indices with minimal intra- and post-operative complications. The ease of application and adjustment of the MAC system makes it an attractive option for Blount's deformity correction.
Do buyer cooperative actions matter under relational stress? Evidence from Japanese and U.S. assemblers in the U.S. automotive industry
Authors: Zhang Chun , Henke John W. , Griffith David A.
Published: April 2009

Buyers can create relational stress even as they work cooperatively with suppliers. This study investigates the moderating effects of relational stress on the ability of buyer‐initiated cooperative actions to influence a supplier's willingness to invest in technology that will be of benefit to the buyer. Data on 2012 buying situations were collected from Tier 1 suppliers to three U.S. domestic automotive assemblers (Chrysler, Ford, and General Motors) and three Japanese transplant automotive assemblers (Honda, Nissan, and Toyota) over three consecutive years (2003–2005). The results indicate that (1) buyer‐initiated cooperative actions of communication, assistance, and supplier involvement increase a supplier's willingness to invest in technology, (2) the relationship‐enhancing effect of buyer assistance increases under high relational stress, while the effectiveness of buyer communication decreases, and (3) that the effect of supplier involvement is not significantly influenced by relational stress levels. Furthermore, we found that supplier relations with Japanese transplant assemblers are characterized by higher levels of cooperative actions, lower levels of relational stress, and higher levels of supplier willingness to invest in technology when compared to those of U.S. domestic assemblers.
Religious conventions and science in the early Restoration: Reformation and ‘Israel’ in Thomas Sprat's History of the Royal Society (1667)
Authors: MORGAN JOHN
Published: April 2009

Sprat situated his analysis of the Royal Society within an emerging Anglican Royalist narrative of the longue durée of post-Reformation England. A closer examination of Sprat's own religious views reveals that his principal interest in the History of the Royal Society, as in the closely related reply to Samuel de Sorbière, the Observations, was to appropriate the advantages and benefits of the Royal Society as support for a re-established, anti-Calvinist Church of England. Sprat connected the two through a reformulation of the powerful conventions of ‘Reformation’ and ‘Israel’, both of which still resonated strongly in the religious politics of the 1660s. Applying his voluntarist theology, Sprat changed especially the representation of the chosen nation from a tale of divine castigation and punishment to a rational and probabilistic covenant based on material success as the indicator of God's pleasure. Sprat proposed that the knowledge and application of nature, through the experimental labours of the Royal Society, could build an increasingly wealthy nation and so a permanent home for the reconfigured Israel. Attaching this to a renewed monarchical and Anglican state also meant security for the traditional forms of rule.
The Astronomer Royal, the Hydrographer and the time ball: collaborations in time signalling 1850–1910
Authors: HOMES CAITLIN
Published: April 2009

This paper examines the relationship between the Admiralty and the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, by studying the roles of the Hydrographer and the Astronomer Royal as they worked together on the problem of communicating accurate time to ships. The collaboration between the Astronomer Royal and the Hydrographer directed the development of time balls and other visual signals throughout their period of use in Britain and its colonies. This paper focuses on the time ball and clock developed by the Astronomer Royal William Christie and the Hydrographer William Wharton as a key example of significant and productive collaboration between the two institutions. The paper also highlights the importance of the telegraph system to visual time signals. The ability to drop a time ball at a distance from an observatory created significant opportunities to improve the time signal service to mariners and stimulated further innovation in this field.
Producing and using the Historical Relation of Ceylon: Robert Knox, the East India Company and the Royal Society
Authors: WINTERBOTTOM ANNA
Published: April 2009

Robert Knox's An Historical Relation of the Island of Ceylon was produced, published and enlarged through the collaboration of the author with scholars including Robert Hooke and financial support from members of the East India Company. The Relation should be seen in the context of a number of texts collected, translated or commissioned by the East India Company in cooperation with the Royal Society during the late seventeenth century that informed and shaped both European expansion and natural philosophy. As well as circulating between European intellectual centres, often reorientated in the process of translation, these texts served as practical guides across settlements and trading posts abroad. Comparing written accounts with experience led to annotations and borrowings that served as the basis for further writings. Company records and Knox's own unpublished works reveal how the Relation was used as the basis for bio-prospecting for naturally occurring drugs and food sources and in efforts at agricultural transplantation spanning the Indian and Atlantic Oceans. Through the reports of seamen like Knox, such experiments contributed to contemporary theories concerning the effects of latitude on plant life.
The Royal Society, natural history and the peoples of the ‘New World(s)’, 1660–1800
Authors: GASCOIGNE JOHN
Published: April 2009

This paper focuses on the response of the Royal Society to the increasing contact with parts of the globe beyond Europe. Such contact was in accord with the programme of Baconian natural history that the early Royal Society espoused, but it also raised basic questions about the extent and nature of the pursuit of natural history. In particular, the paper is concerned with the attention paid to one particular branch of natural history, the study of other peoples and their customs. Such scrutiny of other peoples in distant lands raised basic questions about what methods natural history should employ and the extent to which it could serve as a foundation for more general and theoretical claims. By taking a wide sweep from the beginnings of the Royal Society until the end of the eighteenth century it is hoped light will be shed on the changing understanding of natural history over this period.
Lilley revisited: or science and society in the twentieth century
Authors: ENEBAKK VIDAR
Published: April 2009

In the 1940s the Marxist mathematician and historian of science Samuel Lilley (1914–87) made a substantial contribution to British history of science both intellectually and institutionally. His role, however, has largely gone unnoticed. Lilley is otherwise portrayed either as exemplifying the immaturity of Marxism, most famously by Rupert Hall in ‘Merton revisited’ (1963), or as a tragic figure marginalized during the Cold War because of his communist commitment. But both themes of exclusion and victimization keep Lilley's legacy hidden. By revisiting Lilley and his long-standing commitment to developing our discipline, this essay challenges the notion of radical discontinuity with respect to Lilley's legacy and argues for a more sustained contribution by Marxist historiography of science. This, in turn, requires a more appreciative understanding of the moderate Marxist model developed by Lilley in his popular, political and professional publications on the history of the social relations of science.
Hobbes and the Congo: Frames, Local Violence, and International Intervention
Authors: Autesserre Séverine
Published: April 2009

Why do international peacebuilders fail to address the local causes of peace process failures? The existing explanations of peacebuilding failures, which focus on constraints and vested interests, do not explain the international neglect of local conflict. In this article, I show how discursive frames shape international intervention and preclude international action on local violence. Drawing on more than 330 interviews, multi-sited ethnography, and document analysis, I develop a case study of the Democratic Republic of Congo's transition from war to peace and democracy (2003–2006). I demonstrate that local agendas played a decisive role in sustaining local, national, and regional violence. However, a postconflict peacebuilding frame shaped the international understanding of violence and intervention in such a way that local conflict resolution appeared irrelevant and illegitimate. This frame included four key elements: international actors labeled the Congo a “postconflict” situation; they believed that violence there was innate and therefore acceptable even in peacetime; they conceptualized international intervention as exclusively concerned with the national and international realms; and they saw holding elections, as opposed to local conflict resolution, as a workable, appropriate, and effective tool for state- and peacebuilding. This frame authorized and justified specific practices and policies while precluding others, notably local conflict resolution, ultimately dooming the peacebuilding efforts. In conclusion, I contend that analyzing discursive frames is a fruitful approach to the puzzle of international peacebuilding failures beyond the Congo.