bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Absolute Participle in Middle and Modern English
Authors: Ross Charles Hunter
Published: November 2006

There is much divergence of opinion among scholars as to the naming of the main periods of the English language, and hardly any two agree in regard to the limits of each period. But in treating of the absolute participle, an arbitrary division must be made according to the occurrence and development of this form in the language.
V.—The Acadians of Louisiana and Their Dialect
Authors: Fortier Alcee
Published: November 2006

Everything concerning French Louisiana seems at this time to possess an interest for the public; and it has been my purpose in some measure, to give an account of its language, its literature, its dialects, its folklore and its inhabitants. My papers published in the Transactions of our Modern Language Association have been so kindly received that I feel encouraged to continue my labors in a field vast and fertile but difficult to explore. The work to be done is, to a great extent, one of original research and of patient investigation, and it will require several years to present a tolerably complete tableau of picturesque French Louisiana. I now desire to present another feature of the picture by giving a brief sketch of the Acadians and their dialect. It may not be amiss to begin this study by taking a bird's-eye view of the history of Acadia, from the settlement of the colony to the dispersion of the inhabitants. We shall then accompany Evangeline to the beautiful banks of the Teche and follow her canoe and that of Gabriel as they glide along its placid waters, leaving scarcely a ripple on the gentle stream which, the names of the unhappy lovers have rendered immortal.
II.—The Legend of the Holy Grail
Authors: Harper George McLean
Published: November 2006

Of the main streams of medieval poetry three were so seriously checked by the Renascence that they are only at the present day beginning to flow again as literary influences. They are the Norse Edda, the German Heldensage, and the Celtic national cycle. From these abundant sources the literature of Europe during the sixteenth, seventeenth, and eighteenth centuries drew but little.
An Historical Study of the Werwolf in Literature
Authors: Smith Kirby Flower
Published: November 2006

Among the many survivais which have come down to us from the childhood of humanity nothing seems to be so widespread, so prominent, so persistently vital, as the belief in Metamorphosis. Mythology and Legend are filled with it. Literature is indebted to it for some of her brightest jewels; in fact, some of her grandest monuments, without it, would hardly have a raison d'être. In all nations and times the gods enjoy this, their peculiar privilege, as a matter of course, and they use it, both on themselves and on others, with varying motives and more or less discretion. Among men, those who come by the gift naturally are comparatively rare, and seldom encountered outside of the most primitive nations; of the remainder, a few are presented with the gift by some higher power, but the great majority derive their ability wholly from the use of magic arts. There are the Bear-Men or“ Berserkers” and the Swan-Maidens of Scandinavia, the Tiger-Men of India, the Hyena-Men of Abyssinia and many other people of a similar character in all quarters of the earth.
Modern Ideas in the Middle Ages
Authors: Francke Kuno
Published: November 2006

The didactic poetry of the Middle Ages, devoid as it largely is of romantic charm and artistic beauty, presents, nevertheless, a phenomenon of no little interest to the historical student. The growth of this species of literature is simultaneous with the decay of chivalric poetry, and it is one of the first manifestations of that commercial spirit which, together with the failure of the Crusades and the break down of the Hohenstaufén dynasty, marks the thirteenth century as one of the great turning epochs in European history. Three features of the didactic poetry are especially significant in this respect. First, what may be called the democratic attitude of the didactic writers. As a rule,1 they detest war, they abhor the unproductive life and the shallow amusements of the nobility, they extol the honesty and industry of the peaceful citizen; and if few of them go so far as to say with Hugo von Trimberg, that true love of mankind could be found only with the lower classes, since they alone were capable of self sacrifice, yet it is an adequate expression of the prevailing sentiment of his fellow writers when the sturdy Ulric Boner says that a poor freeman is richer than a rich man in dependence.
The Pronunciation of Fredericksburg, Va
Authors: Primer Sylvester
Published: November 2006

Prof. Edward A. Freeman—writing or speaking to a friend in regard to a young American who was going to the University of Jena in order to study Anglo-Saxon—remarked: “Why does he not go to Orange County, Va., instead of to Jena? They speak very good West-Saxon in Orange County.” This statement may serve as an introduction to my remarks on the pronunciation of Fredericksburg, Va. For Stafford, Spotsylvania, and Orange Counties have about the same pronunciation and have preserved to a remarkable degree the older English sounds brought over in the seventeenth century by the early settlers of this region.
XI.—On the Original Form of the Legend of Sigfrid
Authors: Goebel Julius
Published: November 2006

To the researches of Lachmann and Müllenhoff we owe the knowledge that the Nibelungensaga which appears in the Nibelungenlied as an organic and an artistic unity is in reality a composition of two elements: of the Sigfridsaga and the legend of the Burgundians. While it is a well established fact that the latter saga preserved certain reminiscences of the historical annihilation of the Burgundians by Attila in 437, no account can be found in history which might, in a like manner, explain the origin of the Sigfridsaga. It was Lachmann who, for this reason, first advanced the opinion that the legend of Sigfrid was of mythological origin, and this mythological explanation of our legend is, in some form or other, now held by most scholars.
A View of the Views About Hamlet
Authors: Tolman Albert H.
Published: November 2006

“Verily, given a printing-press upon German soil,” says Dr. Furness, “and lo! an essay on Hamlet.” England and the United States, as might be expected, vie with Germany in contributing to the literature of this play. All the sister-nations of Europe, too, have their own essays on Hamlet. Numberless are those who confidently take up the task enjoined on Horatio by the dying Prince:—

“Report me and my cause aright.”

It behooves one therefore who would put forth another paper upon Hamlet to show cause at the outset why he should not be looked upon as a public enemy.
A Sonnet Ascribed to Chiaro Davanzati and its Place in Fable Literature
Authors: McKenzie Kenneth
Published: November 2006

Of the poems ascribed to Chiaro Davanzati, a Florentine of the thirteenth century, one of the most interesting is the following sonnet:

Di penne di paone e d' altre assai

Vestita la corniglia a corte andau;

Ma già no lasciava per ciò lo crai

E a riguardo sempre cornigliau.

5 Gli augelli, che la sguardar, molto splai

Dele lor penne ch' essa li furau;

Lo furto le ritorna scheme e guai,

Che ciascun di sua penna la spogliau.

9 Per te lo dico, novo canzonero,

Che t' avesti le penne del Notaro

E vai furando lo detto stranero;

12 Si co' gli augei la corniglia spogliaro,

Spoglieriati per falso menzonero

Se fosse vivo Jacopo Notaro.
Ben Jonson and the Classical School
Authors: Schelling Felix E.
Published: November 2006

“The words, classical and romantic, although, like many-other critical expressions, sometimes abused by those who have understood them vaguely or too absolutely, yet define two real tendencies in the history of art and literature. The ‘classic’ comes to us out of the cool and quiet of other times, as the measure of what a long experience has shown will at least never displease us. And in the classical literature of Greece and Rome, as in the classics of the last century, the essentially classical element is that quality of order in beauty, which they possess, indeed, to a pre-eminent degree. It is the addition of strangeness to beauty, that constitutes the romantic character in art; and the desire of beauty being a fixed element in every artistic organisation, it is the addition of curiosity to this desire of beauty that constitutes the romantic temper.”
The Earliest Poems of Wilhelm Müller
Authors: Hatfield James Taft
Published: November 2006

In the summer of 1814 a group of young men who had known each other in the campaigns of the War of Liberation formed a literary circle in Berlin. They were Count von Kalckreuth, Count von Blankensee, and Wilhelm Hensel (later the celebrated painter who married Fanny Mendelssohn). They soon drew into their group two kindred spirits, Wilhelm von Studnitz and Wilhelm Müller. Müller was the youngest, but was recognized as having the choicest talents, and he became the leader of the group, which was held together by the strong bonds of personal friendship and a common love of poetry. In 1815 they published a volume of their united poems under the title “Bundesblüthen,” which contains the first fruits of Müller's gifts. A somewhat extended search through university libraries in Germany failed to disclose the book, and on going to Berlin I was disappointed that it was not entered among Müller's works in the catalogue of the Royal Library. One day while reading the book-titles under the numerous “Wilhelm Müllers” who occur in that catalogue, I found a cross-reference to the book among the works of quite a different individual. The volume is dated “Berlin 1816. In der Maurerschen Buchhandlung.” I later found another copy (preserving the original cover of blue paper) in the British Museum. Müller's contributions include 20 titles, as follows:

1. An die Leser, 173.

2. Morgenlied am Tage der ersten Schlacht, 174.

3. Erinnerung und Hoffnung, 176.

4. Leichenstein meines Freundes Ludwig Bornemann, 179.

5. Dithyramb. Geschrieben in der Neujahrsnacht 1813, 183.

6. Die zerbrochene Zither. Romanze, 190.

7. Der Verbannte. Romanze, 193.

8. Der Ritter und die Dirne. Romanze, 195.

9. Die Blutbecher. Romanze, 199.

10. Das Band. Romanze, 203.

11. Ständchen, 205.

12. Der Kuss, 207.

13. Der Zephyr, 207.

14. Die erste Rose, 208.

15. Die letzte Rose, 208.

16. Mailiedehen, 209.

17. AmorsTriumph, 210.

18. Weckt sie nicht, 211.

19. Ihr Schlummer, 212.

20. Epigramme:

1. Weihe, 213.

2. Amor und die Muse, 213.

3. Lenz und Amor, 213.

4. Mars und Amor, 214.

5. Apollo als Schäfer, 215.

6. Gruss des Winters, 215.

7. Auf einen Sternseher, 217.

8. Auf den Dichter Krispin, 217.

9.-18. Auf denselben, 217-220.
King Lear: A Study of Shakspere's Dramatic Method
Authors: Price Thomas R.
Published: November 2006

As, during these Christmas days,1 I have sunk myself in the study of King Lear, I have felt that in the time itself, which you have given me, there is some fitness of coincidence. It was in the Christmas days of 1606 that Shakspere was busy with the preparation of his play for the stage. It was on the night after Christmas that the poet saw his play produced for the first time, produced before King and Court, in the palace of Whitehall. That night marks, at all events, an important epoch in the life of Shakspere. And, if Shelley was right when he called King Lear “the most perfect specimen of dramatic poetry existing in the world,” then that evening in Whitehall, 287 years ago, marks not only the culminating point of Shakspere's career but also the culminating point in the poetical achievement of mankind.
Ein Beitrag Zur Kritik der Romantischen Sagas
Authors: Kölbing E.
Published: November 2006

Ich habe für den inhalt der folgenden seiten eine allgemeine überschrift gewählt, obwohl es sich nur um die beschreibung einer einzelnen hs., Cod. Holm. membr. 6, 4°, handelt, weil nicht nur für mehrere romantische sagas neues textkritisches material beigebracht werden soll, sondern auch die grundsätze mehrfach berührt werden, die für die herstellung kritischer ausgaben dieser prosaversionen romantischer stoffe massgebend sein müssen.
V.—A Parallel between the Middle English Poem Patience and an Early Latin Poem Attributed to Tertullian
Authors: Emerson Oliver Farrar
Published: November 2006

The Middle English poem Patience, it will be remembered, is in the main a paraphrase of the book of Jonah. In the main also, the medieval writer has followed the biblical narrative, as he has in Clannesse when narrating the fall of the angels, the flood, the destruction of Sodom, and the capture of Babylon. But just as in these latter stories the English poet has taken considerable freedom with the biblical account, both in vividness at the expense of a literal rendering and in the use of medieval scripture interpretation, so in recounting the life of Jonah there are passages which have no close connection with the book of the prophet. The most remarkable of these is the extension of two sentences in the book of Jonah into some thirty-nine lines, describing vividly and picturesquely the storm at sea which overtook Jonah and his companions. Of this striking extension, and of certain additions which also occur in it, no source has ever been pointed out so far as I am aware. Nor has attention been called to a close parallelism between this portion of Patience, and a similar extension of the same story in the poem De Jona et Nineve, formerly attributed to Tertullian.
Unpublished Letters of Charles Sealsfield
Authors: Faust Albert B.
Published: November 2006

Of the forty-three letters of Sealsfield here presented, twenty-five appear now for the first time. The remaining eighteen have already been published, but either in abridged form, or deviating greatly from an exact reproduction of the originals. The letters altogether include: I. Twenty to Frl. Elise Meyer; II. Five to Frl. Marie Meyer; III. Eighteen to Hrn. Heinrich Erhard. The earliest of these letters is dated September 1841; the greater number, however, were written after the author was already past the prime of life. Old age naturally intensifies human weaknesses, but like the setting sun, it also illumines the horizon of the past. Thus these letters written during our author's last years, illustrate something more than the eccentricities of an old man. Sealsfield's literary and social judgments, however carelessly thrown out,—his whole personality in fact,—concern not only the few who have devoted themselves to the study of Sealsfield, or who cherish his memory, but are calculated to interest as well that larger class in both hemispheres which still represents the extinct “citizen of the world,” the cosmopolitan who had learned to look beyond the fashions of his own time and country in politics and literature. In Sealsfield's home the memory of “Oesterreich's grösster Romanendichter” has recently been revived by the celebration of the hundredth anniversary of our author's birth. It is hoped that the present publication may be not unwelcome, as following opportunely in the wake of that event. Appended to these letters will be found a synopsis of the principal events of Seals-field's life, arranged in chronological order.
Analysis of vibratinal spectra of 8-hydroxyquinoline and its 5,7-dichloro, 5,7-dibromo, 5,7-diiodo and 5,7-dinitro derivatives based on density functional theory calculations
Authors: Bahgat Khaled , Ragheb Abdel
Published: November 2006

The geometry, frequency and intensity of the vibrational bands of 8-hydroxyquinoline and its 5,7-dichloro, 5,7-dibromo, 5,7-diiodo and 5,7-dinitro derivatives were obtained by the density functional theory (DFT) calculations with Becke3-Lee-Parr (B3LYP) functional and 6-31G* basis set. The effects of chloride, bromide, iodide and nitro substituent on the vibrational frequencies of 8-hydroxyquinoline have been investigated. The assignments have been proposed with aid of the results of normal coordinate analysis. The observed and calculated spectra are found to be in good agreement.
A proteomic analysis of the effect of mapk pathway activation on l-glutamate-induced neuronal cell death
Authors: Kang Sunghyun , Kim Eun , Bahn Young , Chung Jin , Lee Do , Park Sung , Yoon Tae-Sung , Park Byoung , Bae Kwang-Hee
Published: November 2006

Oxidative stress has been implicated in the pathogenesis of neuronal degenerative diseases. It is also widely known that oxidative stress induces mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling cascades. In this study, we used proteomic analysis to investigate the role of the MAPK pathway in oxidative stress-induced neuronal cell death. The results demonstrated that several proteins, including eukaryotic translation elongation factor 2 (eEF2) and enolase I, showed a differential expression pattern during the neuronal cell death process, and this was MAPK pathway dependent. Several chaperone and cytoskeletal proteins including heat shock protein 70, calreticulin, vimentin, prolyl 4-hydroxylase β polypeptide, and transgelin 2 were up-or down-regulated, despite their expressions not depending on the MAPK pathway. These findings strongly suggest that the expressions of proteins which play protective roles are independent of the MAPK pathway. On the other hand, eEF2 and enolase I may be the downstream targets of the MAPK pathway.
Differences in the degree of inhibition of NDP reductase by chemical inactivation and by the thermosensitive mutation nrdA101 in Escherichia coli suggest an effect on chromosome segregation
Authors: Riola José , Guarino Estrella , Guzmán Elena , Jiménez-Sánchez Alfonso
Published: November 2006

NDP reductase activity can be inhibited either by treatment with hydroxyurea or by incubation of an nrdA ts mutant strain at the non-permissive temperature. Both methods inhibit replication, but experiments on these two types of inhibition yielded very different results. The chemical treatment immediately inhibited DNA synthesis but did not affect the cell and nucleoid appearance, while the incubation of an nrdA101 mutant strain at the non-permissive temperature inhibited DNA synthesis after more than 50 min, and resulted in aberrant chromosome segregation, long filaments, and a high frequency of anucleate cells. These phenotypes are not induced by SOS. In view of these results, we suggest there is an indirect relationship between NDP reductase and the chromosome segregation machinery through the maintenance of the proposed replication hyperstructure.
Biological Responses of Antiprogestins in Mammary Gland, Uterus and Seminal Vesicles of Prepubertal Intact and Adult Gonadectomized Mice
Authors: Köhlerová E. , Kotanová J. , Škarda J.
Published: November 2006

The present study tested and compared the antiproliferative and proliferative activities of three antiprogestins on four separate mouse model systems: prepubertal intact and adult ovariectomized (OVX) females, prepubertal intact and adult castrated males. In prepubertal intact males and females and adult castrated males, norethindrone acetate (NA; a synthetic steroid exhibiting progestational and estrogenic activities)- stimulated mammary growth was decreased by antiprogestins: more by RU 46556 (RU) than RU 38486 (MI) and onapristone (ON). In adult OVX females the inhibitory effect of RU and MI was lower than that of ON. Uterine weights were not significantly decreased by MI, were significantly decreased by RU at a lower daily dose (50 μg) but not affected by a high (500 μg) dose. Seminal vesicle weights were increased by RU but not affected by MI in both NA-treated prepubertal and adult castrated males. In adult castrated but not in prepubertal males ON decreased seminal vesicle weights. In 17β-estradiol (E) plus progesterone (Prog)-treated animals of all four model systems, RU (100 μg/d) acted additively with a submaximal daily dose (10 μg) of antiestrogen ICI 182, 780 (ICI) to produce a lower mammary gland growth rate than ICI alone. In uterus, however, no significant effect of a combination of ICI plus RU was noted when compared with ICI alone. In general, our assay could serve as an in vivo tool for the detection of steroid hormone agonist and antagonist activities of newly synthesized analogs of steroid hormones, and natural and man-made chemicals and extracts of environmental samples.
Reproductive Performance of Late Pregnant Gilts Treated with Baypamun© before Farrowing
Authors: Potočnjak D. , Pavičić Ž. , Valpotić H. , Popović M. , Bedrica Lj. , Vijtiuk N. , Vlahović K. , Mrljak V. , Barić-Rafaj R.
Published: November 2006

The aim of this study was to investigate whether the production results of pregnant gilts, grown under commercial farm conditions and moved from the sow keeping unit to the prefarrowing unit, could be increased by non-specific immunization with Baypamun© (Bayer, Leverkusen, Germany; BPM), an immune response modifier (IRM). We used three groups of pregnant gilts that obtained different treatments. Non-treated group A served as control; two experimental groups were treated on Day 6, 4 and 2 (group B), or on Day 5, 3 and 1 (group C), respectively, before their transfer from the sow keeping unit to the prefarrowing unit. The experimental gilts received i.m. 2 ml of IRM BPM, i.e. inactivated Parapoxovis virus (1 x 106.75 TCID50). Throughout the trial, the numbers of liveborn and stillborn piglets and the duration of farrowing were recorded. Variance analysis with the type of treatment as independent variable showed a significant difference between control (group A) and experimental group B in the number of liveborn piglets (P < 0.0001) as well as between group A and group B (P < 0.0001) or group C (P < 0.0001) in the number of stillborn piglets, respectively. No differences in duration of farrowing between groups were recorded.
New Ruthenium Complexes Containing Oligoalkylthiophene‐Substituted 1,10‐Phenanthroline for Nanocrystalline Dye‐Sensitized Solar Cells
Authors: Chen C.‐Y. , Lu H.‐C. , Wu C.‐G. , Chen J.‐G. , Ho K.‐C.
Published: November 2006

Two new ruthenium complexes [Ru(dcbpy)(L)(NCS)2], where dcbpy is 4,4′‐dicarboxylic acid‐2,2′‐bipyridine and L is 3,8‐bis(4‐octylthiophen‐2‐yl)‐1,10‐phenanthroline (CYC‐P1) or 3,8‐bis(4‐octyl‐5‐(4‐octylthiophen‐2‐yl)thiophen‐2‐yl)‐1,10‐phenanthroline (CYC‐P2), are synthesized, characterized by physicochemical and semiempirical computational methods, and used as photosensitizers in nanocrystalline dye‐sensitized solar cells. It was found that the difference in light‐harvesting ability between CYC‐P1 and CYC‐P2 is associated mainly with the location of the frontier orbitals, in particular the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO). Increasing the conjugation length of the ancillary ligand decreases the energy of the metal‐to‐ligand charge transfer (MLCT) transition, but at the same time reduces the molar absorption coefficient, owing to the HOMO located partially on the ancillary ligand of the ruthenium complex. The incident photon‐to‐current conversion efficiency curves of the devices are consistent with the MLCT band of the complexes. Therefore, the overall efficiencies of CYC‐P1 and CYC‐P2 sensitized cells are 6.01 and 3.42 %, respectively, compared to a cis‐di(thiocyanato)‐bis(2,2′‐bipyridyl)‐4,4′‐dicarboxylate ruthenium(II)‐sensitized device, which is 7.70 % using the same device‐fabrication process and measuring parameters.
Comparing holistic and disaggregated ratings in the evaluation of scientific presentations
Authors: Arkes Hal R. , Shaffer Victoria A. , Dawes Robyn M.
Published: November 2006

The National Institutes of Health refused to switch to disaggregated ratings as a method for evaluating proposals, because no contest between disaggregated and holistic ratings had ever used scientific materials as the to‐be‐rated stimuli. We designed two studies to fill this research void. Participants rated scientific convention presentations either using a holistic procedure in which one overall rating was given or a disaggregated procedure in which one rating was given to each of five criteria. In four of the six convention sessions the disaggregated ratings led to higher inter‐rater reliability than did the holistic ratings; three of these differences were statistically significant. The inter‐rater reliabilities between the two types of ratings collapsed across all sessions differed significantly. In a second experiment, participants rated posters using either disaggregated or holistic ratings. The disaggregated ratings again led to higher inter‐rater reliability, but not significantly so. In 35 of the 43 sessions in which disaggregated and holistic ratings were compared, the variance of the disaggregated ratings was smaller. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Subtractive hybridization magnetic bead capture: A new technique for the recovery of full‐length ORFs from the metagenome
Authors: Meyer Quinton C. , Burton Stephanie G. , Cowan Don A.
Published: November 2006

A new method for the recovery of full‐length open reading frames from metagenomic nucleic acid samples is reported. This technique, based on subtractive hybridization magnetic bead capture technology, has the potential to access multiple gene variants from a single amplification reaction.

It is now widely accepted that classical microbiological methods provide only limited access to the true microbial biodiversity (less than 1%). The desire to access a higher proportion of the metagenome has led to the development of efficient environmental nucleic acid extraction technologies and to a range of sequence‐dependent and sequence‐independent gene discovery techniques. These methods avoid many of the limitations of culture‐dependent gene targeting.
The fight against new types of influenza virus
Authors: Romanova Julia
Published: November 2006

In 1997, during an outbreak in chickens in Hong Kong the avian H5N1 influenza virus crossed the species barrier and infected 18 people, of which 6 cases were fatal. The virus also infected wild birds and continued to circulate and mutate in geese and ducks in southeastern China. Since this occurrence, new antigenic variants that are highly pathogenic for humans as well as wild, domestic, and exotic waterfowl continue to appear in Hong Kong. This virus is spreading across Asia, and is encroaching upon Europe and other continents. Wild birds are now considered as the main reservoir of H5N1 virus. Humans become infected with this H5N1 virus usually via close contact with infected birds or a highly contaminated environment. The very low transmissibility of this virus prevented further person‐to‐person dissemination in spite of the complete absence of immunity in the human population to H5N1 viruses. Viruses of the H5N1 subtype are characterized by an exceptionally high pathogenicity for humans. The cause of the viral virulence is not known so far; however, several virulence factors are considered. The unprecedented capability of H5N1 viruses to kill humans intensifies the concern about its pandemic potential with catastrophic consequences. The effectiveness of existing antivirals as well as vaccines for humans and birds are reviewed.
Reactions of Hydrogen Atoms with Met‐Enkephalin and Related Peptides
Authors: Mozziconacci Olivier , Bobrowski Krzysztof , Ferreri Carla , Chatgilialoglu Chryssostomos
Published: November 2006

The reactions of hydrogen atoms with enkephalins and related peptides have been investigated by radiolytic methods in aqueous solutions and lipid vesicle suspensions. Pulse radiolysis experiments indicate that methionine residue (Met) is the main target. In Met‐enkephalin (Tyr‐Gly‐Gly‐Phe‐Met) the attack of the hydrogen atom occurs to about 50 % on Met with formation of methanethiyl radical. The remaining percentage is divided roughly evenly between Tyr and Phe. With Leu‐enkephalin (Tyr‐Gly‐Gly‐Phe‐Leu) the site of attack is limited to Tyr and Phe. Using a peptide–liposome (that is, 1‐palmitoyl‐2‐oleoyl phosphatidylcholine vesicles) model, the cis–trans isomerization of phospholipids could be detected due to the catalytic action of thiyl radicals. The radiation chemical yields of the H. and, consequently of CH3S. radical, was modulated by the experimental conditions and the nature of peptide. Large amounts of trans lipids observed in phosphate buffer vesicle suspensions indicated the efficient role of double‐bond isomerization as marker of Met‐containing peptide damage.
Nanocomposite and Nanoporous Polyaniline Conducting Polymers Exhibit Enhanced Catalysis of Nitrite Reduction
Authors: Luo Xiliang , Killard Anthony J. , Smyth Malcolm R.
Published: November 2006

Nanostructured polyaniline (PANI) conducting polymer films were prepared on electrochemically pretreated glassy carbon electrodes, which were previously modified with multilayers of polystyrene (PS) nanoparticles with a diameter of 100 nm. PANI was electropolymerised and grown through the interstitial spaces between the PS nanoparticles, which formed a nanocomposite film of PANI and PS nanoparticles on the electrode surface. Furthermore, a nanoporous PANI film was fabricated through the removal of the PS nanoparticles by dissolution in toluene. As a result of their nanostructure, both of the PANI films (before and after removal of the PS nanoparticles) exhibited enhanced electrocatalytic behaviour towards the reduction of nitrite relative to bulk‐PANI films; however, partial collapse or shrinkage may have occurred with the removal of the nanoparticles and could have resulted in a less enhanced response. Under optimised conditions, the nanocomposite‐film‐modified electrode exhibited a fast response time of 5 s and a linear range from 5.0×10−7 to 1.4×10−3 M for the detection of nitrite; the detection limit was 2.4×10−7 M at a signal‐to‐noise ratio of 3.
Total Synthesis and Evaluation of the Actin‐Binding Properties of Microcarpalide and a Focused Library of Analogues
Authors: Fürstner Alois , Nagano Takashi , Müller Christoph , Seidel Günter , Müller Oliver
Published: November 2006

A comparative investigation shows that hydroxylated 10‐membered lactones modeled around the fungal metabolites microcarpalide (1) and pinolidoxin (2) are endowed with selective actin‐binding properties. Although less potent than the marine natural product latrunculin A, which represents the standard in the field, nonenolides of this type are significantly less toxic and accommodate substantial structural editing. Most notable is the fact that even an intramolecular transesterification with formation of a hydroxylated butanolide skeleton does not annihilate their microfilament disrupting capacity. This finding calls for a reinvestigation of the biological profile of other fungal metabolites that embody a similar motif. Microcarpalide (1) serving as the calibration point for this comparative study was prepared by total synthesis based on ring‐closing metathesis (RCM) as the key step. The chosen route favorably compares to previous approaches to this target and provides further support for the notion that the (E,Z)‐configuration of a medium‐sized cycloalkene can be controlled by proper choice of the catalyst as previously outlined by our group. 9‐epi‐Microcarpalide26and furanone27as representative examples of the “natural productlike” compounds investigated herein have been characterized by crystal structure analysis.
Heat‐shock protein peptide DiaPep277 treatment in children with newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes: a randomised, double‐blind phase II study
Authors: Lazar L. , Ofan R. , Weintrob N. , Avron A. , Tamir M. , Elias D. , Phillip M. , Josefsberg Z.
Published: November 2006

Background

Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is a T‐cell‐mediated autoimmune disease that leads to the destruction of insulin‐producing beta cells. Treatment with DiaPep277, a peptide derived from heat‐shock protein 60 (hsp60), has been found to slow the deterioration of beta‐cell function after clinical onset of diabetes in NOD mice and human adults. Our aim was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of DiaPep277 treatment in attenuating beta‐cell destruction in children with recent‐onset T1DM.

Methods

A prospective, randomized, double‐blind, phase II design was used. The sample included 30 children (19 males) aged 7–14 years who had been diagnosed with T1DM from 53 to 116 days previously, and had basal C‐peptide concentrations above 0.1 nmol/L. The children were randomized to receive subcutaneous injections of 1 mg DiaPep277 (15 patients) or 40 mg mannitol (placebo) at entry and at 1, 6, and 12 months. The duration of follow‐up was 18 months. The groups were compared for stimulated C‐peptide level, exogenous insulin dose, and HbA1c concentration.

Results

C‐peptide levels similarly decreased over time in the DiaPep277‐ and placebo‐treated patients. There was no significant difference in insulin dose or HbA1c concentration between the groups at any time point. No serious drug‐related adverse effects were recorded throughout the study period.

Conclusions

One‐year treatment with DiaPep277 at a dosage of 1 mg is safe for use and well tolerated in children with recent‐onset T1DM. However, it appears to have no beneficial effect in preserving beta‐cell function or improving metabolic control. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Preconcentration and Determination of a Phospholipid at a Surface Modified by Layer‐by‐Layer Assembly
Authors: Wandstrat M. M. , Cox J. A.
Published: November 2006

Electrochemical oxidation of a phospholipid, phosphatidylcholine (PC), was accomplished at a 4‐aminothiophenol (ATP)‐modified gold electrode coated with a layer‐by‐layer assembly of an electrochemical catalyst (dirhodium phosphomolybdic acid), a trapping agent for PC (a cyclophane, CP, derivative, 1,4‐xylylene‐1,4‐phenylene‐diacetate), and a spacer (generation‐4 polyamidoamine dendrimer, PAMAM). The layer‐by‐layer assembly process and the trapping of PC was verified by quartz crystal microbalance measurements; Au|ATP|CP|PAMAM|CP trapped (1.5±0.4)×10−9 mol cm−2 of PC. The electrocatalytic oxidation of PC yielded a current that varied linearly with concentration over the range 1–50 μM; the R2 value was 0.996.
Redox Spectra Of Wines
Authors: Ksenzhek Octavian , Petrova Svetlana , Kolodyazhny Michael
Published: November 2006

The method of thin layer voltammetry on pyrolytic graphite electrodes was applied for analysis of Crimean wines on the content of electrochemically active components. The cyclic voltammetric curves were resolved into a set of peaks corresponding to the electrochemical conversion of quinones and phenolics. The final results of such analysis are represented as diagrams, which we call the “Redox Spectra of Wines”. The Redox Spectra of Wines were found to be their specific characteristics. The method may be regarded as promising for the evaluation of authenticity of wines.
A Porous ITO Nanoparticles Modified Electrode for the Redox Liquid Immobilization
Authors: Niedziolka Joanna , Szot Katarzyna , Marken Frank , Opallo Marcin
Published: November 2006

Tin‐doped indium oxide (ITO) nanoparticles (ca. 20 nm in diameter) were deposited onto electrode surfaces employing a simple immersion, withdrawal and solvent evaporation method. The resulting ITO films are irregularly packed and highly porous and they promote electron transport. When water insoluble redox liquids are immobilized within the porous film efficient electrochemical reactions occur at the solid‐liquid and at liquid‐liquid interfaces. Scanning electron microscopy reveals a macroscopically uniform surface of the deposit. The thickness of the film estimated by atomic force microscopy is proportional to the number of deposited layers with a thickness increase per single immersion and withdrawal step equal to approximately 60 nm. However, the films are deposited non‐uniformly and the thickness only provides an average parameter. The results of voltammetric experiments performed in aqueous electrolyte solution indicate good adhesion and wetting of the deposit. The surface electroactivity towards the electrooxidation of ferrocenedimethanol provides highly reversible responses without any blocking effects. The ITO nanoparticle modified electrode surface was impregnated with nanomole amounts of a hydrophobic redox liquid, tert‐butylferrocene, and then immersed in the aqueous electrolyte solutions. The value of the voltammetric peak current and the efficiency of the multi‐phase electrode process improved proportional to the number of immersion and withdrawal steps from ITO nanoparticles suspension. This improvement is also observed after further electrode modification with a hydrophobic thin film via sol‐gel processing of methyltrimethoxysilane. In this case the porous film at the electrode surface can be surface modified to provide affinity to certain liquids or analytes.
Investigation of Graphite Electrodes Modified with Cellobiose Dehydrogenase from the Ascomycete Myriococcum thermophilum
Authors: Harreither Wolfgang , Coman Vasile , Ludwig Roland , Haltrich Dietmar , Gorton Lo
Published: November 2006

The catalytic properties of cellobiose dehydrogenase (CDH) from the ascomycete fungus Myriococcum thermophilum adsorbed on a graphite electrode were investigated for a large variety of carbohydrate substrates. The effects of applied potential, pH and buffer composition were tested and optimized, and the most suitable conditions were used to evaluate the detection limit, linear range, and sensitivity of the sensor for different carbohydrates in the flow injection mode. Subsequently, the long term stability of the modified electrodes was determined. Additionally, the direct and mediated electron transfer between the active site of the enzyme and the electrode has been investigated by amperometric flow injection measurements in the absence and presence of the mediator 1,4‐benzoquinone in the presence of cellobiose or lactose.
Towards a portable microchip system with integrated thermal control and polymer waveguides for real‐time PCR
Authors: Wang Zhenyu , Sekulovic Andrea , Kutter Jörg P. , Bang Dang D. , Wolff Anders
Published: November 2006

A novel real‐time PCR microchip platform with integrated thermal system and polymer waveguides has been developed. The integrated polymer optical system for real‐time monitoring of PCR was fabricated in the same SU‐8 layer as the PCR chamber, without additional masking steps. Two suitable DNA binding dyes, SYTOX Orange and TO‐PRO‐3, were selected and tested for the real‐time PCR processes. As a model, cadF gene of Campylobacter jejuni has been amplified on the microchip. Using the integrated optical system of the real‐time PCR microchip, the measured cycle threshold values of the real‐time PCR performed with a dilution series of C. jejuni DNA template (2 to 200 pg/µL) could be quantitatively detected and compared with a conventional post‐PCR analysis (DNA gel electrophoresis). The presented approach provided reliable real‐time quantitative information of the PCR amplification of the targeted gene. With the integrated optical system, the reaction dynamics at any location inside the micro reaction chamber can easily be monitored.
TK/TD dose–response modeling of toxicity
Authors: Begum Munni , Sen Pranab K.
Published: November 2006

In environmental cancer risk assessment of a toxic chemical, the main focus is in understanding induced target organ toxicity that may in turn lead to carcinogenicity. Mathematical models based on systems of ordinary differential equations with biologically relevant parameters are tenable methods for describing the disposition of chemicals in target organs. In evaluation of a toxic chemical, dose–response assessment often addresses only toxicodynamics (TD) of the chemical, while its toxicokinetics (TK) do not enter into consideration. The primary objective of this research is to integrate both TK and TD in evaluation of toxic chemicals while performing dose–response assessment. Population models, with hierarchical setup and nonlinear predictors, for TK concentration and TD effect measures are considered. A one‐compartment model with biologically relevant parameters, such as organ volume, uptake rate and excretion rate, or clearance, is used to derive the TK predictor while a two parameter Emax model is used as a predictor for TD measures. Inference of the model parameters with nonnegative and assay's Limit of Detection (LOD) constraints was carried out by Bayesian approaches using Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) techniques. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Inhibition of Flt3‐activating mutations does not prevent constitutive activation of ERK/Akt/STAT pathways in some AML cells: a possible cause for the limited effectiveness of monotherapy with small‐molecule inhibitors
Authors: Siendones Emilio , Barbarroja Nuria , Torres Luis Arístides , Buendía Paula , Velasco Francisco , Dorado Gabriel , Torres Antonio , López‐Pedrera Chary
Published: November 2006

The Flt3 receptor tyrosine kinase is a critical mediator in the pathogenesis of acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). Flt3‐activating mutations have been associated with poor prognosis and decreased overall survival of AML patients, thus Flt3 constitutes an ideal target for drug treatment of such disease. Unfortunately, the monotherapy with small‐molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitors in clinical trials shows that remission is not permanent, presumably by resistance of Flt3 mutants to inhibitors. An alternative approach for treatment is based on the cooperation between Flt3 and additional intracellular pathways for AML transformation in some patients. Thus, the inhibition of both Flt3 and such pathways may be exploited for successful treatment of the disease. We investigated the importance of Flt3‐activating mutations for the constitutive activation of intracellular pathways in primary AML cells, and their effect on cell survival. We found that the main compounds involved in the differentiation, proliferation and survival of AML (MAPK/AKT/STAT) were constitutively activated. However, only four samples showed internal tandem duplications (ITDs) for Flt3. Surprisingly, contrary to previous reports, we found that inhibition of ITD/Flt3 activity did not prevent the phosphorylation of ERK, STAT5 or Akt in some primary AML cells. In parallel, we found that in these cells, Flt3 and ERK or Akt cooperate to regulate cell survival. Our results support the hypothesis that the optimal therapeutic treatment of AML may require not only the oncogenic tyrosine kinase, but also the appropriate combination of different specific inhibitors, thus providing a more effective approach to reverse leukaemogenesis. Thus, we propose that each AML patient should have an individually tailored combination treatment. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Minimizing the surface effect of PDMS–glass microchip on polymerase chain reaction by dynamic polymer passivation
Authors: Xia Yong‐Mei , Hua Zhi‐Shan , Srivannavit Onnop , Ozel Ayse Bilge , Gulari Erdogan
Published: November 2006

Polydimethyl siloxane (PDMS)–glass microchip has a very strong surface effect on polymerase chain reaction (PCR), leading to a very poor PCR yield. In the work reported here, practical dynamic passivation of surfaces of PDMS–glass microchip using polyethylene glycol (PEG) or polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) was achieved using a conventional thermocycler. The passivation procedure was cost‐effective and easy to conduct. The effects of polymer molecular weight and polymer concentration on tube PCR efficiency were investigated primarily to prescreen out suitable polymers and polymer concentrations in the PCR mixture. The result from tube PCR indicated that both PEG and PVP could affect the performance of Taq polymerase. A final concentration of 0.025% (w/v) or 0.4% (w/v) polymer in the PCR mixture can enhance the tube PCR, while 1% (w/v) polymer was found to inhibit the reaction. PEG was more effective in tube PCR, although PVP performed better in chip PCR. Instead of employing the polymer directly in the PCR mixture, i.e. the conventional in situ passivation approach, another approach of dynamic passivation by pre‐injecting polymers into the microchip achieved better performance. The efficiency of pre‐passivation was found to follow the order: PVP10000>PVP55000, PEG8000> PEG10000>PEG400. After pre‐passivation with PVP10000, PVP55000 and PEG8000, the PCR efficiency can recover to 93%, 86% and 83%, respectively, of that obtained from tube PCR. Copyright © 2006 Society of Chemical Industry
Team effectiveness under stress: a structural contingency approach
Authors: Drach‐Zahavy Anat , Freund Anat
Published: November 2006

To examine whether working under stressful circumstances restricts or enhances team effectiveness, a structural contingency model for team effectiveness was tested by focusing on job structuring (mechanistic/organic structuring) as a key factor, which interacts with qualitative and quantitative stress on team attitude (team commitment) and outcomes (team effectiveness). Findings from 73 primary care teams indicated that mechanistic structuring for teams working under quantitative stress was positively associated with team commitment, which in turn fostered team effectiveness, whereas organic structuring for working under qualitative stress improved team effectiveness. Furthermore, team commitment mediated the relationships between stress and structuring and team effectiveness. These findings support a structural contingency model for improving team effectiveness under stress. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Raman study of methane clathrate hydrates under pressure: new evidence for the metastability of structure II
Authors: Choukroun Mathieu , Morizet Yann , Grasset Olivier
Published: November 2006

New high‐pressure experiments on the H2OCH4 system have been conducted for investigating the structure of methane hydrates (MH) under pressure. Interestingly, structure II (sII) MH was generated and locally coexisted with structure I (sI) up to 500 MPa. The Raman analysis of MH formation during the experiments allowed us to distinguish two possible evolutions: (1) a direct crystallization of sI MH from CH4 gas and (2) an indirect evolution from gas to sII, followed by a sII–sI transition. Calculations show that H2O molar fraction is 2.9–25% lower in sII MH than in sI in the early stages of hydrate formation. We suggest that sII MH crystallize locally because the amounts of H2O available for sI MH generation are too low.

A first synthesis of the MH Raman signature under pressure is also provided. In addition to the description of well‐known signatures of MH, a new Raman band assigned to a ν3 asymmetric stretching mode of CH bonds in CH4 is observed in sI MH at 3055 cm−1 and at 3060 cm−1 in the high‐pressure phase MH II. The first scaling law describing the evolution with pressure of the CH bonds' ν1 peak position within small cages is established. Also, OH and OO bonds' signatures and evolution with pressure are almost identical in MH and ice Ih up to 1 GPa. Such a pressure range is much wider than the stability domain of ice Ih. This result magnifies the role of guest–host interactions in the stabilization of the hydrate structure. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
PEG‐PLA Block Copolymer as Potential Drug Carrier: Preparation and Characterization
Authors: Ben‐Shabat Shimon , Kumar Neeraj , Domb Abraham J.
Published: November 2006

Summary: Diblock and multiblock copolymers composed of a poly(D,L‐lactide) (PLA) or poly(trimethylene carbonate) (PTMC) core with a hydrophilic chain of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) were prepared. These copolymers, in which the core is connected to PEG through a polyfunctional molecule such as citric, mucic, or tartaric acid, may be used to form nanoparticles for drug delivery applications. Branched copolymers were prepared by direct amidation between the polyfunctional acid and methoxy PEGamine, followed by ring‐opening polymerization of lactide or trimethyl carbonate to form the PLA and PTMC block copolymers. In addition, a complex multiblock copolymer of biotin‐PEG‐poly[lactic‐co‐(glycolic acid)] (PLGA) for application in an avidin‐biotin system was prepared for possible design of nanospheres with targeting properties. Studies of drug release from polymeric systems containing multiblock copolymers and studies of polymer degradation were also performed.

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