bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Re‐estimating the difficulty of closing the digital divide
Authors: James Jeffrey
Published: July 2008

While we now know the most important determinants of the digital divide, such as income, skills, and infrastructure, little has been written about how these variables relate to one another. Yet, it is on the basis of one's answer to this question that the difficulty of closing the divide ultimately depends. In this article, I have sought to challenge the (implicit) prevailing assumption in most of the digital‐preparedness literature that variables can be perfectly substituted for one another and, hence, added together. In particular, and drawing on available evidence, I view the relationship between, say computers and computer skills, as being nearer the opposite extreme, of totally limited substitutability. On this basis, I suggest that the components of digital‐preparedness indexes be multiplied rather than added. Using multiplication rather than addition in most current indexes of digital preparedness reveals a substantial understatement of the real difficulty in closing the digital divide and a different set of policies to deal with this larger problem. Such policies should include sharing arrangements and the use of intermediaries.
A quick MST‐based algorithm to obtain Pathfinder networks (∞, n − 1)
Authors: Quirin Arnaud , Cordón Oscar , Guerrero‐Bote Vicente P. , Vargas‐Quesada Benjamín , Moya‐Anegón Felix
Published: July 2008

Network scaling algorithms such as the Pathfinder algorithm are used to prune many different kinds of networks, including citation networks, random networks, and social networks. However, this algorithm suffers from run time problems for large networks and online processing due to its O(n4) time complexity. In this article, we introduce a new alternative, the MST‐Pathfinder algorithm, which will allow us to prune the original network to get its PFNET(∞, n − 1) in just O(n2 · log n) time. The underlying idea comes from the fact that the union (superposition) of all the Minimum Spanning Trees extracted from a given network is equivalent to the PFNET resulting from the Pathfinder algorithm parameterized by a specific set of values (r = ∞ and q = n − 1), those usually considered in many different applications. Although this property is well‐known in the literature, it seems that no algorithm based on it has been proposed, up to now, to decrease the high computational cost of the original Pathfinder algorithm. We also present a mathematical proof of the correctness of this new alternative and test its good efficiency in two different case studies: one dedicated to the post‐processing of large random graphs, and the other one to a real world case in which medium networks obtained by a cocitation analysis of the scientific domains in different countries are pruned.
Revising and polishing a structured abstract: Is it worth the time and effort?
Authors: Hartley James , Betts Lucy
Published: July 2008

Many writers of structured abstracts spend a good deal of time revising and polishing their texts—but is it worth it? Do readers notice the difference? In this paper we report three studies of readers using rating scales to judge (electronically) the clarity of an original and a revised abstract, both as a whole and in its constituent parts. In Study 1, with approximately 250 academics and research workers, we found some significant differences in favor of the revised abstract, but in Study 2, with approximately 210 information scientists, we found no significant effects. Pooling the data from Studies 1 and 2, however, in Study 3, led to significant differences at a higher probability level between the perception of the original and revised abstract as a whole and between the same components as found in Study 1. These results thus indicate that the revised abstract as a whole, as well as certain specific components of it, were judged significantly clearer than the original one. In short, the results of these experiments show that readers can and do perceive differences between original and revised texts—sometimes—and that therefore these efforts are worth the time and effort.
Proper nouns in English–Arabic cross language information retrieval
Authors: Bellaachia Abdelghani , Amor‐Tijani Ghita
Published: July 2008

Out of vocabulary words, mostly proper nouns and technical terms, are one main source of performance degradation in Cross Language Information Retrieval (CLIR) systems. Those are words not found in the dictionary. Bilingual dictionaries in general do not cover most proper nouns, which are usually primary keys in the query. As they are spelling variants of each other in most languages, using an approximate string matching technique against the target database index is the common approach taken to find the target language correspondents of the original query key. N‐gram technique proved to be the most effective among other string matching techniques. The issue arises when the languages dealt with have different alphabets. Transliteration is then applied based on phonetic similarities between the languages involved. In this study, both transliteration and the n‐gram technique are combined to generate possible transliterations in an English–Arabic CLIR system. We refer to this technique as Transliteration N‐Gram (TNG). We further enhance TNG by applying Part Of Speech disambiguation on the set of transliterations so that words with a similar spelling, but a different meaning, are excluded. Experimental results show that TNG gives promising results, and enhanced TNG further improves performance.
Titanocene‐Catalyzed Regioselective Alkylation of Styrenes with Grignard Reagents Using β‐Bromoethyl Ethers, Thioethers, or Amines
Authors: Terao Jun , Kato Yuichiro , Kambe Nobuaki
Published: July 2008

Regioselective double alkylation of styrenes with alkyl Grignard reagents and alkyl bromides having a heteroatom functional group at the β‐position has been achieved by the use of a titanocene catalyst in THF. When ether was used instead of THF as a solvent, monoalkylation by substitution of a vinylic hydrogen atom with an alkyl group proceeded under similar conditions. These reactions involve the addition of alkyl radicals to styrenes to form benzylic radical intermediates.
Highly Active and Removable Ruthenium Catalysts for Transition‐Metal‐Catalyzed Living Radical Polymerization: Design of Ligands and Cocatalysts
Authors: Ouchi Makoto , Ito Makoto , Kamemoto Satoshi , Sawamoto Mitsuo
Published: July 2008

The systematic search and design of phosphine ligands (PR3) and amine cocatalysts resulted in obtaining pentamethyl‐cyclopentadienyl (Cp*) ruthenium(II) phosphine complexes [RuCp*Cl(PR3)2], which are highly active and removable catalysts, for transition‐metal‐catalyzed living radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA). The catalysts are conveniently prepared in situ from a tetrameric precursor [RuCp*(μ3‐Cl)]4 and a selected phosphine (PR3). The combination of the meta‐tolyl phosphine [P(m‐Tol)3] ligand and a primary diamine cocatalyst [NH2(CH2)6NH2] provides a highly active catalytic system with precision control of the molecular weight of the polymer. The high activity enables a low catalyst dose and a high turn‐over frequency without deteriorating the controllability. A hydrophilic amine cocatalyst (amino alcohol) in place of the diamine, further forms an active and removable catalyst; simple treatment with acidic water gave colorless polymers visually free from metal residues (>97 % removal; <64 ppm).
A national assessment of the sensitivity of Australian runoff to climate change
Authors: Preston B. L. , Jones R.
Published: July 2008

The relationship between catchment rainfall, evapotranspiration and runoff can be exploited to assess climate risk to water resources. National data regarding climatology and runoff were used to estimate the sensitivity of regional runoff to projected changes in precipitation and evaporation. These sensitivity factors were integrated with patterns of climate change from 12 different global climate model (GCM) simulations to project future annual runoff sensitivity per degree of global mean temperature change. Divergent runoff sensitivities were identified depending upon the selected GCM. Averaging among GCMs resulted in a robust pattern of runoff sensitivity suitable for estimating future climate risk. Copyright © 2008 Royal Meteorological Society
Dividend payments in the classical risk model under absolute ruin with debit interest
Authors: Wang Chunwei , Yin Chuancun
Published: July 2008

This paper attempts to study the dividend payments in a compound Poisson surplus process with debit interest. Dividends are paid to the shareholders according to a barrier strategy. An alternative assumption is that business can go on after ruin, as long as it is profitable. When the surplus is negative, a debit interest is applied. At first, we obtain the integro‐differential equations satisfied by the moment‐generating function and moments of the discounted dividend payments and we also prove the continuous property of them at zero. Then, applying these results, we get the explicit expressions of the moment‐generating function and moments of the discounted dividend payments for exponential claims. Furthermore, we discuss the optimal dividend barrier when the claim sizes have a common exponential distribution. Finally, we give the numerical examples for exponential claims and Erlang (2) claims. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Multiple options in the past and the present: The impact on inaction inertia
Authors: van Putten Marijke , Zeelenberg Marcel , van Dijk Eric
Published: July 2008

Inaction inertia is the effect that people do not act on an attractive opportunity only because they previously missed a more attractive opportunity. We investigated the effect of the presence of alternative options on the occurrence of this effect. We hypothesized and found that the likelihood to act on a current opportunity increases when evaluated in the context of another current option compared to when it is presented separately (Experiments 1 and 2). Likelihood of action decreases when the missed opportunity is presented next to another missed opportunity (Experiment 3). We conclude that when multiple options are currently present, the impact of the missed opportunity as a point of reference decreases, and that when multiple options are missed, the impact of these missed opportunities as a point of reference increases. These results are discussed in light of the literatures about inaction inertia and multiple options. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Sensitive periods for developmental toxicity of orally administered artesunate in the rat
Authors: White Tacey E.K. , Clark Robert L.
Published: July 2008

BACKGROUND: Artesunate has been reported to cause embryolethality and malformations when administered orally to rats during organogenesis. The purpose of this study was to determine the most sensitive period(s) for the induction of these effects in order to provide clues about possible mechanisms and to identify a short treatment regimen for further studies.

METHODS: Pregnant rats were orally administered artesunate (10, 17 or 30 mg/kg/day) on single or multiple days of gestation. Cesarean sections and fetal evaluations were conducted on Day 21 postcoitum (pc).

RESULTS: Embryolethality, cardiovascular malformations and a syndrome of skeletal defects were observed after single doses on days 10 to 14 pc, while no developmental effects were observed before (day 9 pc) or after (days 16 or 17 pc) that period. The most sensitive day for embryo lethality was day 11 pc, where lethality occurred with a very steep dose response (postimplantation loss was ∼15% at 10 mg/kg and 100% at 17 mg/kg/day). The most sensitive day for the induction of malformations was day 10 pc. Malformations tended to occur in partially resorbed litters and included cardiovascular defects and bent and misshapen long bones and scapulae.

CONCLUSIONS: The sensitive window for developmental toxicity of artesunate in the rat was identified as days 10 to 14 pc. Single oral doses produced embryolethality and similar cardiovascular and skeletal malformations as previously reported in longer term dosing experiments. These single dose treatment regimens could be useful to further investigate the mechanistic basis for artesunate‐induced developmental toxicity. Birth Defects Research (Part B) 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Bayesian Analysis of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome: The 2003 Hong Kong Epidemic
Authors: Lekone Phenyo E.
Published: July 2008

This paper analyzes data arising from a Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) epidemic in Hong Kong in 2003 involving 1755 cases. A discrete time stochastic model that uses a back‐projection approach is proposed. Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) methods are developed for estimation of model parameters. The algorithm is further extended to integrate numerically over unobserved variables of the model. Applying the method to SARS data from Hong Kong, a value of 3.88 with a posterior standard deviation of 0.09 was estimated for the basic reproduction number. An estimate of the transmission parameter at the beginning of the epidemic was also obtained as 0.149 with a posterior standard deviation of 0.003. A reduction in the transmission parameter during the course of the epidemic forced the effective reproduction number to cross the threshold value of one, seven days after control interventions were introduced. At the end of the epidemic, the effective reproduction number was as low as 0.001 suggesting that the epidemic was brought under control by the intervention measures introduced. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Design of Long‐Term HIV Dynamic Studies Using Semiparametric Mixed‐Effects Models
Authors: Huang Yangxin , Park Jeong‐Gun , Zhu Yiliang
Published: July 2008

Studies of HIV dynamics in AIDS research are very important in understanding the pathogenesis of HIV‐1 infection and also in assessing the effectiveness of antiviral therapies. There are many AIDS clinical trials on HIV dynamics currently in development worldwide, giving rise to many design issues yet to be addressed. For example, most studies are focused on short‐term viral dynamics and the existing models may not be applicable to describe long‐term virologic response. In this paper, we use a simulation‐based approach to study the designs of long‐term viral dynamics under semiparametric nonlinear mixed‐effects models. These models not only can preserve the meaningful interpretation of the short‐term HIV dynamics, but also characterize the long‐term virologic responses to antiretroviral (ARV) treatment. We investigate a number of feasible clinical protocol designs similar to those currently used in AIDS clinical trials. In particular, we evaluate whether earlier samplings can result in more useful information about the viral response trajectory; we also evaluate the effectiveness of two strategies: more frequent samplings per subject with fewer subjects versus fewer samplings per subject with more subjects while keeping the total number of samplings constant. The results of our investigation provide quantitative guidance for designing and selecting ARV therapy. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Letter to the Editor
Authors: Sisodia B. V. S. , Kaushal R. P.
Published: July 2008

Article http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/bimj.4710360113

Authors reply http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/bimj.200810432
In vivo and in vitro characterization of CCK8 bearing a histidine‐based chelator labeled with 99mTc‐tricarbonyl
Authors: D'Andrea Luca D. , Testa Irma , Panico MariaRosaria , Di Stasi Rossella , Caracò Corradina , Tarallo Laura , Arra Claudio , Barbieri Antonio , Romanelli Alessandra , Aloj Luigi
Published: July 2008

The development of receptor targeting radiolabeled ligands has gained much interest in recent years for diagnostic and therapeutic applications in nuclear medicine. Cholecystokinin (CCK) receptors have been shown to be overexpressed in a subset of neuroendocrine and other tumors. We are evaluating binding and biodistribution properties of a CCK8 peptide derivative labeled with 99mTc(I)‐tricarbonyl. The CCK8 peptide was modified at its N‐terminus by adding to its N‐terminus two lysine–histidine modules (KH), where histidine is coupled to the side chain of the lysine ((KH)2‐CCK8). 99mTc(I)‐tricarbonyl was generated with the IsoLink™ kit. A431 cells stably transfected with a cDNA encoding for the human CCK2 receptor were utilized to determine binding affinity, internalization, and retention of the labeled peptide, in comparison with wild‐type A431 cells. A nude mouse tumor model was obtained by generating A431‐CCK2R and A431‐control tumors in opposite flanks of the animals. High specific activity labeling with 99mTc was achieved. In A431‐CCK2R cells, specific saturable binding was observed as well as evident internalization of the radiolabeled peptide after binding. Biodistribution experiments showed rapid, specific localization of (KH)2‐CCK8 on A431‐CCK2R xenografts compared with control tumors, although absolute uptake values were not markedly higher compared with background activity. Clearance of unbound radioactivity was both urinary and hepatobiliary. In imaging experiments, while targeting to CCK2R positive tumors could be appreciated, there was poor contrast between target and nontarget areas. (KH)2‐CCK8 shows adequate in vitro and in vivo properties for CCK2R targeting although improvement of biodistribution warrant further development. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers (Pept Sci) 90: 707–712, 2008.

This article was originally published online as an accepted preprint. The “Published Online” date corresponds to the preprint version. You can request a copy of the preprint by emailing the Biopolymers editorial office at biopolymers@wiley.com
Inactivation of N‐TIMP‐1 by N‐terminal acetylation when expressed in bacteria
Authors: Van Doren Steven R. , Wei Shuo , Gao Guanghua , DaGue Beverly B. , Palmier Mark O. , Bahudhanapati Harinath , Brew Keith
Published: July 2008

The high‐affinity binding of tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) to matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) is essential for regulation of the turnover of the extracellular matrix during development, wound healing, and progression of inflammatory diseases, such as cancer, atherosclerosis, and arthritis. Bacterially expressed N‐terminal inhibitory domains of TIMPs (N‐TIMPs) have been used extensively for biochemical and biophysical study of interactions with MMPs. Titration of N‐TIMP‐1 expressed in E. coli indicates, however, that only about 42% of the protein is active as an MMP inhibitor. The separation of inactive from fully active N‐TIMP‐1 has been achieved both by MMP affinity and by high‐resolution cation exchange chromatography at an appropriate pH, based on a slight difference of charge. Purification by cation exchange chromatography with a Mono S column enriches the active portion of N‐TIMP‐1 to >95%, with Ki of 1.5 nM for MMP‐12. Mass spectra reveal that the inactive form differs from active N‐TIMP‐1 in being N‐terminally acetylated, underscoring the importance of the free α‐NH2 of Cys1 for MMP inhibition. Nα‐acetylation of the CTCVPP sequence broadens the N‐terminal sequence motifs reported to be susceptible to α‐amino acetylation by E. coli N‐acetyl transferases. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers 89: 960–968, 2008.

This article was originally published online as an accepted preprint. The “Published Online” date corresponds to the preprint version. You can request a copy of the preprint by emailing the Biopolymers editorial office at biopolymers@wiley.com
Nucleic acids absorbance in Mid IR and its effect on diagnostic variates during cell division: A case study with lymphoblastic cells
Authors: Sahu Ranjit K. , Mordechai Shaul , Manor Ester
Published: July 2008

The differences in the absorbance in the mid infrared region (Mid IR) between normal and abnormal tissues have been shown to be a possible criterion for the detection of different forms of cancer. The present work aimed to study the effects of cell growth and DNA synthesis on the RNA/DNA ratio, which is a promising parameter for cancer diagnosis by inducing synthesis of DNA. Lymphoblastic cell lines were synchronized by methotrexate and harvested for Fourier transform infrared microscopy (FTIR‐MSP) at 30‐min interval after thymidine addition. The distribution of DNA in the cells/nuclei and variation of nuclear size was studied using the fluorescent dye propidium iodide (PI) and the nuclear volume was calculated from microscopy. We analyzed the ratio of RNA and DNA to quantify the relative amounts during the process by taking the ratios I(1121)/I(1020) (symmetric) and the I(1244)/I(1230) (antisymmetric) phosphate vibrations. The pattern of changes in the ratios overtime obtained in the symmetric and antisymmetric vibrations were similar though the magnitudes were different. Only a minor effect on the RNA/DNA ratio (due to nuclear volume changes) was observed. The effect due to the unfolding of DNA is greatly masked due to RNA absorbance. The effectiveness of this ratio may lie in the increased transcriptional levels in carcinogenic tissues rather than changes occurring due to unfolding and folding of DNA. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers 89: 993–1001, 2008.

This article was originally published online as an accepted preprint. The “Published Online” date corresponds to the preprint version. You can request a copy of the preprint by emailing the Biopolymers editorial office at biopolymers@wiley.com
The role of weakly polar and H‐bonding interactions in the stabilization of the conformers of FGG, WGG, and YGG; An aqueous phase computational study
Authors: Csontos József , Murphy Richard F. , Lovas Sándor
Published: July 2008

The energetics of intramolecular interactions on the conformational potential energy surface of the terminally protected N‐Ac‐Phe‐Gly‐Gly‐NHMe (FGG), N‐Ac‐Trp‐Gly‐Gly‐NHMe (WGG), and N‐Ac‐Tyr‐Gly‐Gly‐NHMe (YGG) tripeptides was investigated. To identify the representative conformations, simulated annealing molecular dynamics (MD) and density functional theory (DFT) methods were used. The interaction energies were calculated at the BHandHLYP/aug‐cc‐pVTZ level of theory. In the global minima, 10%, 31%, and 10% of the stabilization energy come from weakly polar interactions, respectively, in FGG, WGG, and YGG. In the prominent cases 46%, 62%, and 46% of the stabilization energy is from the weakly polar interactions, respectively, in FGG, WGG, and YGG. On average, weakly polar interactions account for 15%, 34%, and 9% of the stabilization energies of the FGG, WGG, and YGG conformers, respectively. Thus, weakly polar interactions can make an important energetic contribution to protein structure and function. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers 89: 1002–1011, 2008.

This article was originally published online as an accepted preprint. The “Published Online” date corresponds to the preprint version. You can request a copy of the preprint by emailing the Biopolymers editorial office at biopolymers@wiley.com
Investigations of thermotropic phase behavior of newly developed synthetic PEGylated lipids using Raman spectro‐microscopy
Authors: Bista Rajan K. , Bruch Reinhard F. , Covington Aaron M. , Sorger Alexander , Gerstmann Thoralf , Otto Alexander
Published: July 2008

In this article, a temperature‐controlled Raman spectro‐microscopic technique has been utilized to detect and analyze the phase behaviors of two newly developed synthetic PEGylated lipids trademarked as QuSomes™, which spontaneously form liposomes upon hydration in contrast to conventional lipids. The amphiphiles considered in this study differ in their hydrophobic hydrocarbon chain length and contain different units of polyethylene glycol (PEG) hydrophilic headgroups. Raman spectra of these new artificial lipids have been recorded in the spectral range of 500–3100 cm−1 by using a Raman microscope system in conjunction with a temperature‐controlled sample holder. The gel to liquid phase transitions of the sample lipids composed of pure 1,2‐dimyristoyl‐rac‐glycerol‐3‐dodecaethylene glycol (GDM‐12) and 1,2‐distearoyl‐rac‐glycerol‐3‐triicosaethylene glycol (GDS‐23) have been revealed by plotting peak intensity ratios in the CH stretching region as a function of temperature. From this study, we have found that the main phase transitions occur at a temperature of ∼5.2 and 21.2°C for pure GDM‐12 and GDS‐23, respectively. Furthermore, the lipid GDS‐23 also shows a postphase transition temperature at 33.6°C. To verify our results, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) experiments have been conducted and the results are found to be in an excellent agreement with Raman scattering data. This important information may find application in various studies including the development of lipid‐based novel substances and drug delivery systems. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers 89: 1012–1020, 2008.

This article was originally published online as an accepted preprint. The “Published Online” date corresponds to the preprint version. You can request a copy of the preprint by emailing the Biopolymers editorial office at biopolymers@wiley.com
Computational analysis of glycoside hydrolase family 1 specificities
Authors: Hill Anthony D. , Reilly Peter J.
Published: July 2008

Glycoside hydrolase family 1 consists of β‐glucosidases, β‐galactosidases, 6‐phospho‐β‐galactosidases, myrosinases, and other enzymes having similar primary and tertiary structures but diverse specificities. Among these enzymes, β‐glucosidases hydrolyze cellobiose to glucose, and therefore they are key players in any cellulose to glucose process. All family members attack β‐glycosidic bonds between a pyranosyl glycon and an aglycon, but most have little specificity for the aglycon or for the bond configuration. Furthermore, glycon specificity is not absolute. Sixteen family members (six β‐glucosidases, two cyanogenic β‐glucosidases, one 6‐phospho‐β‐galactosidase, two myrosinases, and five β‐glycosidases) have known tertiary structures. We have used automated docking to computationally bind disaccharides with allopyranosyl, galactopyranosyl, glucopyranosyl, mannopyranosyl, 6‐phosphogalactopyranosyl, and 6‐phosphoglucopyranosyl glycons, all linked by β‐(1,2), β‐(1,3), β‐(1,4), and β‐(1,6)‐glycosidic bonds to β‐glucopyranoside aglycons, along with β‐(1,1‐thio)‐allopyranosyl, ‐galactopyranosyl, ‐glucopyranosyl, and ‐mannopyranosyl) β‐glucopyranosides, into all of these structures to investigate the structural determinants of their enzyme specificities. The following are the eight active‐site residues: Glu191, Thr194, Phe205, Asn285, Arg336, Asn376, Trp378, and Trp465 (Zea mays β‐glucosidase numbering), that control a significant amount of glycon specificity. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers 89: 1021–1031, 2008.

This article was originally published online as an accepted preprint. The “Published Online” date corresponds to the preprint version. You can request a copy of the preprint by emailing the Biopolymers editorial office at biopolymers@wiley.com
Microbial bio‐production of a recombinant stimuli‐responsive biosurfactant
Authors: Kaar W. , Hartmann B.M. , Fan Y. , Zeng B. , Lua L.H.L. , Dexter A.F. , Falconer R.J. , Middelberg A.P.J.
Published: July 2008

Biosurfactants have been the subject of recent interest as sustainable alternatives to petroleum‐derived compounds in areas ranging from soil remediation to personal and health care. The production of naturally occurring biosurfactants depends on the presence of complex feed sources during microbial growth and requires multicomponent enzymes for synthesis within the cells. Conversely, designed peptide surfactants can be produced recombinantly in microbial systems, enabling the generation of improved variants by simple genetic manipulation. However, inefficient downstream processing is still an obstacle for the biological production of small peptides. We present the production of the peptide biosurfactant GAM1 in recombinant E. coli. Expression was performed in fusion to maltose binding protein using chemically defined minimal medium, followed by a single‐step affinity capture and enzymatic cleavage using tobacco etch virus protease. Different approaches to the isolation of peptide after cleavage were investigated, with special emphasis on rapid and simple procedures. Solvent‐, acid‐, and heat‐mediated precipitation of impurities were successfully applied as alternatives to post‐cleavage chromatographic peptide purification, and gave peptide purities exceeding 90%. Acid precipitation was the method of choice, due to its simplicity and the high purification factor and recovery rate achieved here. The functionality of the bio‐produced peptide was tested to ensure that the resulting peptide biosurfactant was both surface active and able to be triggered to switch between foam‐stabilizing and foam‐destabilizing states. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2009;102: 176–187. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Directing vanillin production from ferulic acid by increased acetyl‐CoA consumption in recombinant Escherichia coli
Authors: Lee Eun‐Gyeong , Yoon Sang‐Hwal , Das Amitabha , Lee Sook‐Hee , Li Cui , Kim Jae‐Yean , Choi Myung‐Suk , Oh Deok‐Kun , Kim Seon‐Won
Published: July 2008

The amplification of gltA gene encoding citrate synthase of TCA cycle was required for the efficient conversion of acetyl‐CoA, generated during vanillin production from ferulic acid, to CoA, which is essential for vanillin production. Vanillin of 1.98 g/L was produced from the E. coli DH5α (pTAHEF‐gltA) with gltA amplification in 48 h of culture at 3.0 g/L of ferulic acid, which was about twofold higher than the vanillin production of 0.91 g/L obtained by the E. coli DH5α (pTAHEF) without gltA amplification. The icdA gene encoding isocitrate dehydrogenase of TCA cycle was deleted to make the vanillin producing E. coli utilize glyoxylate bypass which enables more efficient conversion of acetyl‐CoA to CoA in comparison with TCA cycle. The production of vanillin by the icdA null mutant of E. coli BW25113 harboring pTAHEF was enhanced by 2.6 times. The gltA amplification of the glyoxylate bypass in the icdA null mutant remarkably increased the production rate of vanillin with a little increase in the amount of vanillin production. The real synergistic effect of gltA amplification and icdA deletion was observed with use of XAD‐2 resin reducing the toxicity of vanillin produced during culture. Vanillin of 5.14 g/L was produced in 24 h of the culture with molar conversion yield of 86.6%, which is the highest so far in vanillin production from ferulic acid using recombinant E. coli. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2009;102: 200–208. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Detailed understanding of enhanced specific antibody productivity in NS0 myeloma cells
Authors: Khoo Soo Hean Gary , Al‐Rubeai Mohamed
Published: July 2008

The understanding of how cellular productivity is modulated in cell lines is of significant importance in the biopharmaceutical industry. Often, single molecular mechanisms fail to fully explain how specific antibody productivity is enhanced during proliferation arrest. Previously, we reported that certain physiological changes occur when proliferation is arrested by p21CIP1 over expression. In this work, we correlate physiological and molecular factors to enhance antibody productivity. Using biomass, cell volume and total cellular protein content as a basis for determining specific productivity, it was found that total cellular protein correlated best with cellular productivity. This meant that there was no preferential increase in antibody production relative to cellular proteins in arrested cultures. However, molecular analysis of mRNA transcription and stability indicated that both processes were altered in arrested cultures resulting in up to threefold increased heavy chain mRNA levels. While flow cytometric analysis revealed that arrested cells had elevated translational capacity for both heavy and light chains, the heavy to light chain polypeptide ratio was 10–50% higher than in the control. This resulted in a lower extracellular accumulation of light chains and a better utilization of cellular resources for the formation of complete antibodies. Active transcriptional regulation of heavy and light chain mRNA and the modulation of translational activities play a vital role in the modulation of overall antibody productivity of these cells. The combined effect of heavy chain mRNA enhancement and the increased cellular assembly capacity was determined to effectively increase specific productivity. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2009;102: 188–199. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Group processes in food choices: The role of ethnic identity and perceived ethnic norms upon intentions to purchase ethnical food products
Authors: Nenci Anna Maria , Carrus Giuseppe , Caddeo Pierluigi , Meloni Antonella
Published: July 2008

A study tested an extended Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) model, inclusive of measures of ethnical identification and perceived ethnic group norms, in the ethnical food purchasing domain. One hundred and thirty‐five Jamaicans, living in the Brixton neighbourhood, London, were administered a self‐reported questionnaire measuring the classical TPB components (attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioural control, behavioural intentions) plus three additional components: identification with the Jamaican group, perceived norms of the Jamaican group and past behaviour. Results of hierarchical multiple regressions showed that past behaviour, ethnical identification and perceived group norms explain an additional proportion of variance in intentions, independently of attitudes, subjective norms and perceived control. A two‐way interaction, between ethnical identification and perceived group norms, was detected. A stronger relation between group norms and intentions emerged among high ethnical identifiers. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Media and community anxieties about men's interactions with children
Authors: Hodgetts Darrin , Rua Mohi
Published: July 2008

Partially as a response to community concerns related to sexual abuse, men's interactions with other people's children have become highly regulated. This paper documents media deliberations regarding the maintenance of barriers to men's interactions with children. Attention is given to news coverage of an incidence where a man was asked to shift seats on an aircraft due to an airline policy prohibiting men from sitting next to unaccompanied children. Media framing of controversy surrounding this incidence occurred across television, radio and newspaper reports and letters to the editor and talkback radio calls. Coverage reveals tensions between negative constructions of pedophiles and positive constructions of family men. The analysis highlights dilemmas within popular knowledge regarding children's safety and discrimination against men. Implications of media framing of such issues are explored through the experiences of 12 men participating in ongoing research into bloke culture in New Zealand. Seven of these men raised the airline case to invoke tensions they face when interacting with children. Of particular note are the ways in which men use media items as shared reference points for making sense of their own situations. The research strategy of analysing media items identified by research participants enables us to demonstrate the legacy of media and community deliberations in the accounts and relational practices of men. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Protecting the Nation: Nationalist rhetoric on asylum seekers and the Tampa
Authors: O'Doherty Kieran , Augoustinos Martha
Published: July 2008

This paper analyses texts from the Australian print media that invoke nationalist discourse in the so‐called ‘Tampa crisis’ of 2001, which involved the boarding by Australian military troops of a civilian Norwegian shipping vessel (the Tampa) that had rescued a group of asylum seekers. In particular, we are interested in how military action was justified in public discourse against a group of civilians through the use of arguments relying in some form or another on the notion of nationhood and national identity. We employ a critical discursive methodology to investigate how some of these descriptions worked to legitimate the Australian government's role in these events and demonstrate some of the mechanisms by which discourses of nation can operate in the marginalization of asylum seekers. We conclude that presenting issues relating to asylum seekers and the Tampa at a level of national identity was critical in justifying the Australian government's stance and actions. We also raise some concerns about the consequences that may follow from the Australian government's actions and reliance on nationalist rhetoric. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Subset selection strategy
Authors: Rodionova Oxana Y. , Pomerantsev Alexey L.
Published: July 2008

A new technique for representative subset selection is presented. The advocated method selects unambiguously the most important objects among the calibration set and uses this subset for the model development without significant deterioration in the predictive ability. The method is called boundary subset selection and it is an inherent part of the Simple Interval Calculation (SIC) approach. SIC is a method for linear modeling, which is based on the assumption of error boundedness. The primary SIC consequence is an object status classification (OSClas) that reveals the most influential objects and also designates the most stable and reliable ones. The OSClas is used as the main tool for representative subset selection. The presented results are compared with widely used Kennard–Stone algorithm and D‐optimal design procedure employing three real‐world examples. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Optimal corrections for digitization and quantification effects in angle measure technique (AMT) texture analysis
Authors: Kucheryavski Sergei V. , Kvaal Knut , Halstensen Maths , Mortensen Peter Paasch , Dahl Casper K. , Minkkinen Pentti , Esbensen Kim H.
Published: July 2008

The effects of digitization and quantification in one‐ and two‐dimensional signals on angle measure technique (AMT) texture analysis are described in order to find optimal corrections. AMT analysis with varying parameters has been carried out on simulated and real images as well on time‐series data. All images and signals are of high resolution in order to study these effects with particularly attention to the low(est), local scales. Quantification effects are studied by multiplying original images or signals by varying scale factor values, K with posterior round‐up, while digitization effects were realized by applying various resampling schemes for images and signals using bilinear interpolation. Results lead to general conclusions regarding possible operational regimes for correction of these adverse effects as a function of optimal scale‐ and sampling‐factors during AMT pre‐processing. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
In‐line monitoring of reactive crystallization process based on ATR–FTIR and Raman spectroscopy
Authors: Alatalo Hannu , Kohonen Jarno , Qu Haiyan , Hatakka Henry , Reinikainen Satu‐Pia , Louhi‐Kultanen Marjatta , Kallas Juha
Published: July 2008

The paper studies the utilization of attenuated total reflectance–Fourier transformed infrared (ATR–FTIR) and Raman spectroscopy to investigate isothermal semi‐batch precipitation of a model compound, L‐glutamic acid. ATR–FTIR spectroscopy was mainly used for in‐line monitoring of the solution phase and Raman spectroscopy for analysis of the solid phase. L‐glutamic acid has two reported polymorphs: a metastable α form and a stable β form. The β form can be obtained at relatively high supersaturation levels at 25°C. The synthesis consists of a sodium glutamate reaction with sulfuric acid yielding L‐glutamic acid crystals and sodium sulfate as a side‐product solute. The spectral data were utilized to interpret the crystallization process using multivariate methods. A thermodynamic model taking into account the non‐ideal character of the studied compound system and dissociation of different compounds is introduced. The resolution of ATR–FTIR is not sufficient to determine directly the L‐glutamic acid concentration in the solution. Therefore, special efforts were made to determine the instantaneous concentration of dissolved glutamic acid based on the mass balance and ATR–FTIR spectra. Calibration concentrations were based on thermodynamic data. Multivariate methods were applied in monitoring the precipitation process and to predict indirectly the concentration of the chemical compounds. In this study, the spectra from ATR–FTIR were utilized to estimate and predict the concentrations from thermodynamic modeling. It was also investigated if the Raman spectra could be used for this purpose. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Quantitative results from single‐particle characterization data
Authors: Hopke Philip K.
Published: July 2008

In order to obtain a better understanding of the atmospheric aerosol, several techniques have been developed to examine the nature of individual airborne particles including computer‐controlled scanning electron microscopy (CCSEM) and aerosol time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry (ATOFMS). In both cases, the chemical information derived by these techniques is qualitative, but can serve as the basis for classification of the particles into classes with similar chemical compositions. The mass or number concentrations of the particles in each of the identified classes then becomes a quantitative variable that can be used in source apportionment studies or with an external calibration data set to estimate the bulk composition of the sampled aerosol. In this paper, the approaches to particle classification include adaptive resonance theory (ART) neural networks and Density Based Spatial Clustering of Application with Noise (DBSCAN). Applications of these approaches to specific source identification and apportionment problems will be presented. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The PLS model space revisited
Authors: Wold Svante , Høy Martin , Martens Harald , Trygg Johan , Westad Frank , MacGregor John , Wise Barry M.
Published: July 2008

Pell, Ramos and Manne (PRM) in a recent article in this journal claim that the ‘conventional’ PLS algorithm with orthogonal scores has an inherent inconsistency in that it uses different model spaces for calculating the prediction model coefficients and for calculating the X‐space model and it's residuals [1]. We disagree with PRM. All PLS model scores, residuals, coefficients, etc., obtained by the conventional PLS algorithm do come from the same underlying latent variable (LV) model, and not from different models or model spaces as PRM suggest. PRM have simply posed a different model with different assumptions and obtained slightly different results, as should have been expected. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Using OrPLS to identify asymptomatic women at risk for Alzheimer's disease
Authors: Rayens William , Liu Yushu , Andersen Anders , Smith Charles
Published: July 2008

Persons at risk for Alzheimer's disease (AD) demonstrate altered cortical activation measured by functional MRI (fMRI) years before symptoms of disease are expected. We used fMRI to study the differences in cortical activation between 13 women with a family history of AD and at least one apolipoprotein E4 allele, a risk factor for AD, and a control group of 11 women lacking both factors. Our primary goal was to assess how well the two groups are able to be statistically separated, a task which directly affects the performance of post hoc classification. The dimension of the dataset, however, precludes the use of ordinary classification methods. In this paper we show the superiority of using Oriented Partial Least Squares (OrPLS) to accomplish the classification in the presence of this dimensionality problem. We are able to reduce the misclassification rates on the standardized fMRI data from an average of about 48% for PCA, to an average of 27% for PLS, and then to perfect classification for OrPLS. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Synthesis and Optical Properties of all‐trans‐Oligodiacetylenes
Authors: Pilzak Gregor S. , van Lagen Barend , Hendrikx Cindy C. J. , Sudhölter Ernst J. R. , Zuilhof Han
Published: July 2008

A new series of pure and highly soluble oligodiacetylenes (ODAs) was synthesized in high yield and on a multi‐milligram scale by a sequence of Sonogashira reactions with a strongly reduced level of homocoupling. The λmax and εmax of these ODAs show an increase with both chain elongation and solvent polarity. A plot of λmax absorption versus 1/CL (CL=conjugation length) was shown to be linear. The λmax converges to 435 nm for the longest members of the series at micromolar concentration. This reveals that the longest wavelength absorption observed for PDA chains (λmax up to 700 nm) is due to aggregation effects. The fluorescence quantum yield increased from monomer to trimer and decreased for longer ODAs. A similar trend is found for the lifetime of fluorescence with a maximum of 600 ps for the trimer. The observed linearity of the rotational correlation time with the oligomer length implies that the ODA chains in solution lack significant geometrical changes. This implies that the ODAs in solution are fully stretched molecular rods of up to 4 nm in length.
Recognition of Ionic Guests by Ionic β‐Cyclodextrin Derivatives
Authors: Wenz Gerhard , Strassnig Christian , Thiele Carolin , Engelke Annegret , Morgenstern Bernd , Hegetschweiler Kaspar
Published: July 2008

Inclusion compounds of cationic, anionic, and neutral p‐substituted derivatives of tert‐butylbenzene complexed in β‐cyclodextrin and its ionic 6‐mono and 6‐hepta derivatives were systematically investigated by isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC). All inclusion compounds showed 1:1 stoichiometry with binding constants ranging from 10 to 3×106 M−1. The binding free energies could be subdivided into apolar and electrostatic contributions. The electrostatic interactions could be quantitatively described by Coulomb's law by taking into account the degree of protonation of hosts and guests, the orientations of the guests within the hosts, and ion shielding as described by the Debye–Hückel–Onsager theory. The orientations of the guests within the cyclodextrin cavities were determined by ROESY NMR spectroscopy.
Helicate Extension as a Route to Molecular Wires
Authors: Schultz David , Biaso Frédéric , Shahi Abdul Rehaman Moughal , Geoffroy Michel , Rissanen Kari , Gagliardi Laura , Cramer Christopher J. , Nitschke Jonathan R.
Published: July 2008

We describe the preparation of a helicate containing four closely spaced, linearly arrayed copper(I) ions. This product may be prepared either directly by mixing copper(I) with a set of precursor amine and aldehyde subcomponents, or indirectly through the dimerization of a dicopper(I) helicate upon addition of 1,2‐phenylenediamine. A notable feature of this helicate is that its length is not limited by the lengths of its precursor subcomponents: each of the two ligands wrapped around the four copper(I) centers contains one diamine, two dialdehyde, and two monoamine residues. This work thus paves the way for the preparation of longer oligo‐ and polymeric structures. DFT calculations and electrochemical measurements indicate a high degree of electronic delocalization among the metal ions forming the cores of the structures described herein, which may therefore be described as “molecular wires”.