bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Surfactant‐Stabilized Small Hydrogel Particles in Oil: Hosts for Remarkable Activation of Enzymes in Organic Solvents
Authors: Das Dibyendu , Roy Sangita , Debnath Sisir , Das Prasanta Kumar
Published: March 2010

Hydrogels of amino acid based cationic surfactant having C16 tails were used to immobilize heme proteins and enzyme. These hydrogel‐entrapped proteins/enzyme showed remarkable activation when dispersed in organic solvent. The activation effect (ratio of the activity of the hydrogel‐entrapped enzyme in organic solvent to the activity of the native enzyme in water) of cytochrome c increased up to 350‐fold with varying protein and gelator concentration. Hydrogel‐entrapped hemoglobin and horseradish peroxidase (HRP) also showed markedly improved activity in organic solvent. Alteration in the structure of the gelator and its supramolecular arrangement showed that the protein immobilized within amphiphilic networks with larger interstitial space exhibited higher activation. This striking activation of hydrogel‐entrapped proteins stems from the following effects: 1) the hydrophilic domain of the amphiphilic networks facilitates accessibility of the enzyme to the water‐soluble substrate. 2) the surfactant, as an integral part of the amphiphilic network, assists in the formation of a distinct interface through which reactants and products are easily transferred between hydrophilic and hydrophobic domains. 3) Surfactant gelators help in the dispersion and stabilization of gel matrix into small particles in organic solvent, which enhances the overall surface area and results in improved mass transfer. The activation was dramatically improved up to 675‐fold in the presence of nongelating anionic surfactants that helped in disintegration of the gel into further smaller‐sized particles. Interestingly, hydrogel‐immobilized HRP exhibited about 2000‐fold higher activity in comparison to the activity of the suspended enzyme in toluene. Structural changes of the entrapped enzyme and the morphology of the matrix were investigated to understand the mechanism of this activation.
Adaptative Biaryl Phosphite–Oxazole and Phosphite–Thiazole Ligands for Asymmetric Ir‐Catalyzed Hydrogenation of Alkenes
Authors: Mazuela Javier , Paptchikhine Alexander , Pàmies Oscar , Andersson Pher G. , Diéguez Montserrat
Published: March 2010

A library of readily available phosphite–oxazole/thiazole ligands (L1 a–g–L7 a–g) was applied in the Ir‐catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of several largely unfunctionalized E‐ and Z‐trisubstituted and 1,1‐disubstituted terminal alkenes. The ability of the catalysts to transfer chiral information to the product could be tuned by choosing suitable ligand components (bridge length, the substituents in the heterocyclic ring and the alkyl backbone chain, the configuration of the ligand backbone, and the substituents/configurations in the biaryl phosphite moiety), so that enantioselectivities could be maximized for each substrate as required. Enantioselectivities were therefore excellent (enantiomeric excess (ee) values up to >99 %) for a wide range of E‐ and Z‐trisubstituted and 1,1‐disubstituted terminal alkenes. The biaryl phosphite moiety was a very advantageous ligand component in terms of substrate versatility.
Signal‐regulated systems and networks
Authors: van Zyl Terence L. , Ehlers Elizabeth M.
Published: March 2010

The article presents the use of signal regulatory networks (SRNs), a biologically inspired model based on gene regulatory networks. SRNs are a way of understanding a class of self‐organizing IT systems, signal‐regulated systems (SRSs). This article builds on the theory of SRSs and introduces some formalisms to clarify the discussion. An exemplar SRS that can be evaluated using SRNs is presented. Finally, an implementation of an adaptive and robust solution, built on a theory of SRSs and analyzed as a SRN, is shown to be plausible. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Complexity, 2010
Evaluation of apoptosis in cytologic specimens
Authors: Shtilbans Viktor , Wu Maoxin , Burstein David E.
Published: March 2010

A hallmark of neoplasia is dysregulated apoptosis, programmed cell death. Apoptosis is crucial for normal tissue homeostasis. Dysregulation of apoptotic pathways leads to reduced cytocidal responses to chemotherapeutic drugs or radiation and is a frequent contributor to therapeutic resistance in cancer. The literature pertaining to detection of apoptotic pathway constituents in cytologic specimens is reviewed herein. Virtually all methods for detecting apoptosis, including classic cytomorphologic evaluation, TUNEL assay, immunocytochemistry, and gene sequence analysis, may be applied to cytologic samples as well as tissue. Components of both intrinsic and extrinsic apoptotic pathways have been studied, including many reports examining p53 and bcl‐2, as well as studies of caspase inhibitory proteins XIAP and survivin, death receptors and ligands such as Fas, Fas‐ligand, and TRAIL. p53 undergoes oncogenic alteration more than any other protein; its immunocytochemical detection almost always connotes loss of its physiologic role as an inducer of apoptosis in response to a damaged genome. Several reports establish cytologic sampling as being as useful as tissue sampling. In one respect cytologic sampling is superior to tissue sampling in particular, by allowing clinicians to repeat sampling of the same tumor before and after administration of therapy; a number of reports use this approach to attempt to predict tumor response by assaying the effect of chemotherapy on the induction of apoptosis. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2010;38:685–697. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Identification and characterization of the n‐6 fatty acid‐producing Mucor rouxii native isolate CFR‐G15
Authors: Mamatha Shivaramu S. , Halami Prakash M. , Venkateswaran Govindarajulu
Published: March 2010

In zygomycetes fungi, many Mucor spp. have been known to produce γ‐linolenic acid (GLA) in their biomass. Among 250 soil samples screened, 20 Mucor isolates showed GLA in their mycelial mass under normal cultivation conditions. Sudan Black B was used for screening their qualitative oleaginesity. Among the representative isolates, Mucor sp. CFR‐G15, when grown in a fat‐producing medium, showed a maximum lipid content of 30 ± 1.32% in its mycelia and 14.42 ± 0.74% GLA. By using gene‐specific primers, the 18S rRNA gene and the Δ6 DES gene were amplified by PCR technique. The nucleotide sequences of the 18S rRNA and Δ6 DES genes exhibited >98% homology with M. rouxii ATCC 24905 (accession nos. AF117923 and AF296076, respectively), suggesting taxonomic identity. The native isolate M. rouxii CFR‐G15 reported in this study was found to be promising for the development of an economical process in the industrial production of GLA.
Flux schemes based finite volume method for internal transonic flow with condensation
Authors: Halama J. , Benkhaldoun F. , Fořt J.
Published: March 2010

This paper describes the development of numerical method for the solution of condensing steam flow in internal aerodynamics problems. The numerical method is based on the fractional step method, where the resulting set of ODEs is solved by the two‐stage Runge–Kutta method and the homogeneous set of PDEs by a finite volume method. The flow does not contain both phases (gas and liquid) in the whole domain, therefore we discuss properties of used finite volume methods in several cases of single‐phase transonic flow in a channel and a turbine cascade. We present numerical results of two‐phase flow of condensing steam in 2D nozzle achieved by several numerical methods and show the differences in results caused by numerical diffusion. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Summing nondetects: Incorporating low-level contaminants in risk assessment
Authors: Helsel Dennis R
Published: March 2010

Low-level contaminants often are present below the detection or reporting limits of a laboratory, resulting in values reported as a nondetect or less-than. How can these values be summed along with detected concentrations to obtain a total, particularly when weighting factors such as toxic equivalence factors (TEFs) are used? The most common method employed by environmental scientists for summing nondetects along with detected values is to substitute one-half the detection limit for each nondetect. This substitution allows the least precise measurements, data with high detection limits, to have a strong influence on the resulting total amount. Substitution methods have repeatedly been shown to provide substandard results in studies over the last 2 decades. Here an alternative, the Kaplan–Meier (KM) method used throughout the fields of medical and industrial statistics, is used to obtain the total. KM estimates are far less affected by the least precise data than are estimates computed using substitution. No assumptions about the distribution of data (whether they follow a normal or other distribution) need be made. Direct application of KM to computation of toxicity equivalence concentrations (TECs) is shown. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2010;6:361–366. © 2009 SETAC
Are endocrine disruptors among the causes of the deterioration of aquatic biodiversity?
Authors: Zhou Jin , Cai Zhong-Hua , Zhu Xiao-Shan
Published: March 2010

Exposure to environmental pollutants such as endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs) is now taken into account to explain partially the biodiversity decline of aquatic ecosystems. Much research has demonstrated that EDCs can adversely affect the endocrine system, reproductive health, and immune function in aquatic species. These toxicological effects include 1) interference with normal hormonal synthesis, release, and transport, 2) impairment of growth, development, and gonadal maturation, and 3) increased sensitivity to environmental stressors. Recent studies also have confirmed that EDCs have carcinogenic and mutagenic potential. In essence, these changes in physiological and biochemical parameters reflect, to some extent, some phenotypic characteristics of the deterioration of aquatic biodiversity. At present, evidence at the molecular level shows that exposure to EDCs can trigger genotoxicity, such as DNA damage, and can reduce genetic diversity. Field studies have also provided more direct evidence that EDCs contribute to the population decrease and biodiversity decline. Evolutionary toxicology and multigenerational toxicity tests have further demonstrated that EDCs can damage an organism's offspring and eventually likely lead to loss of evolutionary potential. Taken together, these results provide some basis for understanding the relationship between variety deterioration and EDC exposure. It is conceivable that there is a causal association between EDC exposure and variety deterioration of aquatic organisms. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2010;6:492–498. © 2010 SETAC
Regulatory aspects on the use of fish embryos in environmental toxicology
Authors: Halder Marlies , Léonard Marc , Iguchi Taisen , Oris James T , Ryder Kathy , Belanger Scott E , Braunbeck Thomas A , Embry Michelle R , Whale Graham , Norberg-King Teresa , Lillicrap Adam
Published: March 2010

Animal alternative tests are gaining serious consideration in an array of environmental sciences, particuarly as they relate to sound management of chemicals and wastewater discharges. The ILSI Health and Environmental Sciences Institute and the European Centre for Ecotoxicology and Toxicology of Chemicals (ECETOC) held an International Workshop on the Application of the Fish Embryo Test in March, 2008. This relatively young discipline is following advances in animal alternatives for human safety sciences, and it is advisable to develop a broad comparison of how animal alternative tests involving fish are viewed in a regulatory context over a wide array of authorities or advising bodies. These include OECD, Western Europe, North America, and Japan. This paper summarizes representative practices from these regions. Presently, the global regulatory environment has varying stances regarding the protection of fish for use as an experimental animal. Such differences have a long-term potential to lead to a lack of harmony in approaches to fish toxicity testing, especially for chemicals in commerce across multiple geographic regions. Implementation of alternative methods and approaches will be most successful if accepted globally, including methods of fish toxicity testing. An important area for harmonization would be in the interpretation of protected and nonprotected life stages of fish. Use of fish embryos represent a promising alternative and allow bridging to more technically challenging alternatives with longer prospective timelines, including cell-based assays, ecotoxicogenomics, and QSARs. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2010;6:484–491. © 2010 SETAC
The european union risk assessment on zinc and zinc compounds: The process and the facts
Authors: Bodar Charles W.M. , Pronk Marja E.J. , Sijm Dick T.H.M.
Published: March 2010

A risk assessment on zinc and zinc compounds was carried out within the framework of Council Regulation 793/93/EEC on Existing Chemicals. This risk assessment basically followed the European Union (EU) technical guidance documents (TGDs). These TGDs are built on the current knowledge on quantitative risk assessments, mainly for organic chemicals. This article describes the tailor-made approach for the zinc risk assessment. This work lasted almost a decade and involved the contributions of all EU member states and industry, who discussed the risk assessment during technical meetings. The risk assessment is initially based on scientific findings but is interrelated with pragmatic considerations. It follows a comprehensive approach, covering both environmental and human health. In the environmental part, new methodologies were developed to deal with the natural background of zinc, essentiality, speciation, and the use of species sensitivity distributions. The major results and the process of drawing conclusions of the risk assessment are outlined: potential environmental risks of zinc and zinc compounds may occur at local and regional scales in surfacewater, sediment, and soil. No potential health risks were identified for consumers and man indirectly exposed via the environment. For workers, potential health risks were identified only for zinc oxide and zinc chloride.
Methamidophos, dichlorvos, O‐methoate and diazinon pesticides used in Turkey make a covalent bond with butyrylcholinesterase detected by mass spectrometry
Authors: Tacal Ozden , Lockridge Oksana
Published: March 2010

Organophosphorus pesticides used most commonly in Turkey include methamidophos, dichlorvos, O‐methoate and diazinon. These toxic chemicals or their metabolites make a covalent bond with the active site serine of butyrylcholinesterase. Our goal was to identify the adducts that result from the reaction of human butyrylcholinesterase with these pesticides. Highly purified human butyrylcholinesterase was treated with a 20‐fold molar excess of pesticide. The protein was denatured by boiling and digested with trypsin. MS and MSMS spectra of HPLC‐purified peptides were acquired on a MALDI‐TOF‐TOF 4800 mass spectrometer. It was found that methamidophos added a mass of +93, consistent with addition of methoxy aminophosphate. A minor amount of adduct with an added mass of +109 was also found. Dichlorvos and O‐methoate both made dimethoxyphosphate (+108) and monomethoxyphosphate adducts (+94). Diazinon gave a novel adduct with an added mass of +152 consistent with diethoxythiophosphate. Inhibition of enzyme activity in the presence of diazinon developed slowly (15 h), concomitant with isomerization of diazinon via a thiono‐thiolo rearrangement. The isomer of diazinon yielded diethoxyphosphate and monoethoxyphosphate adducts with added masses of +136 and +108. MSMS spectra confirmed that each of the pesticides studied made a covalent bond with serine 198 of butyrylcholinesterase. These results can be used to identify the class of pesticides to which a patient was exposed.
A comprehensive review of surface modification for neural cell adhesion and patterning
Authors: Khan Saida , Newaz Golam
Published: March 2010

This comprehensive literature review covers recent studies on patterning neuronal cells by topographical modifications on material surfaces targeted for neural prostheses. We explore different materials that are used as the candidate surface for neuronal cell adhesion. Cell–material interactions are identified in both cases where the material surface was in direct contact with cells and where the materials were coated to facilitate cell adhesion. Commonly used coating materials and coating methods are discussed. The existing hypotheses behind mechanism of the response of neuronal cells to a specific topography are presented briefly. A few selected important studies have been presented to show the range of techniques employed and the extent of the research area. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A, 2010
In vivo testing of a biodegradable woven fabric made of bioactive glass fibers and PLGA80—A pilot study in the rabbit
Authors: Alm Jessica J. , Frantzén Janek P. A. , Moritz Niko , Lankinen Petteri , Tukiainen Mikko , Kellomäki Minna , Aro Hannu T.
Published: March 2010

The purpose of this study was to perform an intra‐animal comparison of biodegradable woven fabrics made of bioactive glass (BG) fibers and poly(L‐lactide‐co‐glycolide) 80/20 copolymer (PLGA80) fibers or PLGA80 fibers alone, in surgical stabilization of bone graft. The BG fibers (BG 1‐98) were aimed to enhance bone growth at site of bone grafting, whereas the PLGA component was intended to provide structural strength and flexibility to the fabric. Bone formation was analyzed qualitatively by histology and quantitatively by peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT) at 12 weeks. The surgical handling properties of the control PLGA80 fabric were more favorable. Both fabrics were integrated with the cortical bone surfaces, but BG fibers showed almost complete resorption. There were no signs of adverse local tissue reactions. As a proof of material integration and induced new bone formation, there was a significant increase in bone volume of the operated femurs compared with the contralateral intact bone (25% with BG/PLGA80 fabric, p < 0.001 and 28% with the control PLGA80 fabric, p = 0.006). This study failed to demonstrate the previously seen positive effect of BG 1‐98 on osteogenesis, probably due to the changed resorption properties of BG in the form of fibers. Therefore, the feasibility and safety of BG as fibers needs to be reevaluated before use in clinical applications. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 2010.
Modeling of maximum dry density and optimum moisture content of stabilized soil using artificial neural networks
Authors: Hossein Alavi Amir , Hossein Gandomi Amir , Mollahassani Ali , Akbar Heshmati Ali , Rashed Azadeh
Published: March 2010

This study considers the use of artificial neural networks (ANNs) to predict the maximum dry density (MDD) and optimum moisture content (OMC) of soil‐stabilizer mix. Multilayer perceptron (MLP), one of the most widely used ANN architectures in the literature, is utilized to construct comprehensive and accurate models relating the MDD and OMC of stabilized soil to the properties of natural soil such as particle‐size distribution, plasticity, linear shrinkage, and the type and quantity of stabilizing additives. Five ANN models are constructed using different combinations of the input parameters. Two separate sets of ANN prediction models, one for MDD and the other for OMC, and also a combined ANN model for multiple outputs are developed using the potentially influential input parameters. Relative‐importance values of various inputs of the models are calculated to determine the significance of each of the predictor variables to MDD and OMC. Inferring the most relevant input parameters based on Garson's algorithm, modified ANN models are separately developed for MDD and OMC. The modified ANN models are utilized to introduce explicit formulations of MDD and OMC. A parametric study is also conducted to evaluate the sensitivity of MDD and OMC due to the variation of the most influencing input parameters. A comprehensive set of data including a wide range of soil types obtained from the previously published stabilization test results is used for training and testing the prediction models. The performance of ANN‐based models is subsequently analyzed and compared in detail. The results demonstrate that the accuracy of the proposed models is satisfactory as compared to the experimental results.
Organometallic Complexes for Nonlinear Optics, 47 – Synthesis and Cubic Optical Nonlinearity of a Stilbenylethynylruthenium Dendrimer
Authors: Jeffery Christopher J. , Cifuentes Marie P. , Dalton Gulliver T. , Corkery T. Christopher , Randles Michael D. , Willis Anthony C. , Samoc Marek , Humphrey Mark G.
Published: March 2010

The synthesis of the 1st generation dendrimer 1,3,5‐{trans‐[Ru(C≡C‐3,5‐(trans‐[Ru(C≡CPh)(dppe)2(C≡CC6H4‐4‐(E)‐CHCH)])2C6H3)(dppe)2(C≡CC6H4‐4‐(E)‐CHCH)]}3C6H3 proceeds by a novel route that features Emmons‐Horner‐Wadsworth coupling of 1,3,5‐C6H3(CH2PO(OEt)2)3 with trans‐[Ru(C≡CC6H4‐4‐CHO)Cl(dppe)2] and 1‐I‐C6H3‐3,5‐(CH2PO(OEt)2)2 with trans‐[Ru(C≡CPh)(C≡CC6H4‐4‐CHO)(dppe)2] as key steps. The stilbenylethynylruthenium dendrimer is much more soluble than its ethynylated analog 1,3,5‐{trans‐[Ru(C≡C‐3,5‐(trans‐[Ru(C≡CPh)(dppe)2(C≡CC6H4‐4‐C≡C)])2C6H3)(dppe)2(C≡CC6H4‐4‐C≡C)]}3C6H3 and, in contrast to the ethynylated analog, is a two‐photon absorber at telecommunications wavelengths.

magnified image
Preparation of Uniform Microspheres and Microcapsules by Modified Emulsification Process
Authors: Ma Guang‐Hui , Yang Jian , Lv Pi‐Ping , Wang Lian‐Yan , Wei Wei , Tian Rui , Wu Jie , Su Zhi‐Guo
Published: March 2010

Summary: Uniform microspheres and microcapsules have been prepared by developing a direct membrane emulsification technique from O/W, W/O and W/O/W emulsions in previous studies, and have been applied in bio‐separation and drug delivery systems. The diameter can be controlled from several microns to above 100 microns. However, smaller microsphere with submicron size, especially from W/O/W emulsion was difficult to be prepared. In this article, a modified emulsification technique was developed to overcome the problem. That is, a pre‐emulsion (W/O or W/O/W) with broad size distribution of droplets was prepared firstly by homogenization, sonification or mechanical stirring method, then the pre‐emulsion was pressed through the uniform pores of a Shirasu Porous Glass (SPG) membrane to obtain relatively uniform smaller droplets, finally the droplets were solidified to form uniform microsphere or microcapsule. Uniform chitosan microsphere and poly(lactic‐glycolic acid) (PLGA) microcapsule with submicron size were prepared from W/O and W/O/W emulsions, respectively. Further more, uniform polymer‐magnetite microcapsule was prepared by combining this technique and a new post‐precipitation process of magnetite.
Shear Thinning Behavior of Concentrated Latex Dispersions
Authors: Takamura Koichi , de Ven Theo G. M. van
Published: March 2010

Summary: Measured viscosity vs. shear rate relationships were analyzed for a wide variety of carboxylated latexes reported in the literature using the theoretical model proposed by one of the authors. The theory contains three main parameters: cm, ko and δ, which are the maximum volume fraction, a particle interaction parameter closely related to the secondary electroviscous effect, and the thickness of the stabilizing surface layer, respectively. It is assumed that sheared dispersions always approach close packing for high volume fractions, i.e. cm = 0.74, and that the shear thinning is entirely due to the energy dissipation associated with hydrodynamic and colloidal particle interactions, which at low shear rates is larger than at high ones (for simple shear flows). The experimental data include those by Laun who measured the viscosity of concentrated latex dispersions over nine order of magnitude of shear rate ranging from 10−3 to 106 s−1, and Chu et al., who prepared several monodisperse latexes and measured the viscosity of individual as well as trimodal blends of these three latexes as a function of shear rate. The viscosity of carboxylated latex is also influenced by surface “hair”, which appears to be closely related to the amount and type of functional monomers, and degree of dissociation of carboxylic acid groups on the latex surface.
Isoangustone A present in hexane/ethanol extract of Glycyrrhiza uralensis induces apoptosis in DU145 human prostate cancer cells via the activation of DR4 and intrinsic apoptosis pathway
Authors: Seon Mi Ra , Lim Soon Sung , Choi Hyun Ju , Park So Young , Cho Han Jin , Kim Jin‐Kyu , Kim Jongdai , Kwon Dae Young , Park Jung Han Yoon
Published: March 2010

Glycyrrhiza uralensis (licorice) is one of the most frequently prescribed ingredients in Oriental medicine, and licorice extract has been shown to exert anti‐carcinogenic effects. However, its use as a cancer chemopreventive agent is rather limited, due to the fact that its principal component, glycyrrhizin, is known to induce hypertension. This study determined the effects of a hexane/ethanol extract of G. uralensis (HEGU), which contains undetectable amounts of glycyrrhizin, on the apoptosis of androgen‐insensitive DU145 cells. HEGU induced apoptosis and increased the levels of cleaved caspase‐9, caspase‐7, caspase‐3 and poly (ADP‐ribose) polymerase (PARP). HEGU also induced mitochondrial membrane depolarization and cytochrome c release to the cytosol. HEGU increased the levels of Fas, death receptor 4 (DR4), cleaved caspase‐8, Mcl‐1S, and truncated Bid proteins. A caspase‐8 inhibitor suppressed HEGU‐induced apoptosis. An active fraction of HEGU was separated via column chromatography and the structure of the active compound isoangustone A was identified via 1H‐NMR and 13C‐NMR. Isoangustone A increased apoptotic cells, the cleavage of PARP and caspases, and the levels of DR4 and Mcl‐1S. Transfection with DR4 small interfering RNA attenuated HEGU‐ and isoangustone A‐induced apoptosis. These results demonstrate that the activation of DR4 contributes to HEGU‐ and isoangustone A‐induced apoptosis of DU145 cells.
Blackcurrant proanthocyanidins augment IFN‐γ‐induced suppression of IL‐4 stimulated CCL26 secretion in alveolar epithelial cells
Authors: Hurst Suzanne M. , McGhie Tony K. , Cooney Janine M. , Jensen Dwayne J. , Gould Elaine M. , Lyall Kirsty A. , Hurst Roger D.
Published: March 2010

Epidemiological studies reveal that fruit consumption reduces the prevalence of airway inflammation and childhood asthma. In particular, blackcurrant polyphenolic extracts have been shown to alleviate lung inflammation. Since IL‐4‐stimulated eotaxin‐3 (CCL26) secretion is a major factor in the continuous eosinophil recruitment observed in atopic asthma, our focus was to evaluate the effectiveness of blackcurrant polyphenolic compounds on CCL26 secretion in human alveolar epithelial cells. Our results indicate that a proanthocyanin‐enriched blackcurrant extract (BC‐P), but not anthocyanin‐enriched blackcurrant extract suppressed both IL‐4‐ and IL‐13‐stimulated CCL26 secretion in a dose‐dependent manner. Furthermore pre‐incubation of cells with BC‐P caused a time‐dependent suppression of IL‐4‐stimulated CCL26 secretion. Moreover, epigallocatechin (EGC), and to a lesser extent epicatechin, metabolites identified in the proanthocyanidin extract, suppressed IL‐4‐stimulated CCL26 secretion. EGC was also effective at reducing the cellular phosphorylated STAT‐6/STAT‐6 ratio. Furthermore, both BC‐P and purified EGC potentiated the ability of IFN‐γ to suppress IL‐4‐stimulated CCL26 secretion. The progression of an allergic immune response is complex, identifying plant compounds that target specific cellular events and complement the body's own immune actions is important for the development of functional foods. Our findings support the potential for blackcurrant polyphenolic compounds to reduce eosinophil recruitment and alleviate eosinophilic‐driven airway inflammation.
Complete assignment of the 1H and 13C NMR spectra of cis and trans isonucleoside derivatives of purine with a tetrahydropyran ring
Authors: Besada Pedro , Costas Tamara , Terán Carmen
Published: March 2010

1H and 13C NMR chemical shifts of cis and trans isonucleoside analogues of purine in which the furanose moiety is substituted by a tetrahydropyran ring were completely assigned using one‐ and two‐dimensional NMR experiments that include NOE, DEPT, COSY and HSQC. The significant 1H and 13C NMR signals differentiating between the cis and trans stereoisomers were compared. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Hereditary amyloidosis of the Finnish type in a German family: Clinical and electrophysiological presentation
Authors: Lüttmann Rainer J. , Teismann Inga , Husstedt Ingo W. , Ringelstein E. Bernd , Kuhlenbäumer Gregor
Published: March 2010

Hereditary amyloidosis of the Finnish type (HAF, or familial amyloid polyneuropathy type IV) is an autosomal dominant disease that has been described most commonly in the Finnish population but has also been found in some other countries. Herein we report the first German family whose members suffer from this condition. There are no known Finnish ancestors. We performed clinical and electrophysiological examinations in 22 members of this family. All symptomatic family members suffered from facial palsy, and most of them had peripheral neuropathy. One patient had confirmed corneal lattice dystrophy. Additional symptoms were hypoglossal nerve involvement in 5 patients and oculomotor nerve palsy in 1 patient. The lips of all older patients appeared thickened. The causative G654A mutation in the gelsolin gene was found in all affected family members. Muscle Nerve, 2010
HIV neuropathy in South Africans: Frequency, characteristics, and risk factors
Authors: Maritz Jean , Benatar Michael , Dave Joel A. , Harrison Taylor B. , Badri Motasim , Levitt Naomi S. , Heckmann Jeannine M.
Published: March 2010

The purpose was to estimate the frequency, characteristics, and risk factors of HIV‐associated distal sensory polyneuropathy (DSP) among South Africans who attend an urban community‐based clinic. In a cross‐sectional study, neuropathy status was determined in 598 HIV‐infected adults using validated tools (Brief Peripheral Neuropathy Screen and a modified version of the Total Neuropathy Score) to categorize subjects as DSP versus no DSP. Symptomatic DSP (SDSP) required the presence of at least two neuropathic signs together with symptoms. Clinical, anthropometric, and laboratory evaluations were prospectively performed. CD4 counts, antiretroviral therapy (ART), and questionnaires regarding previous tuberculosis (TB) and alcohol exposure were collected retrospectively. Approximately half (49%) of the study population were diagnosed with DSP, and 30% of the study population were diagnosed with SDSP. In multivariate analyses the odds ratio (OR) (95% confidence interval) of DSP were independently associated with ART use (OR 1.7, 1.0–2.9), age (per 10 year increment) (OR 1.7, 1.4–2.2), and prior TB (OR 2.0, 1.3–3.0). Pain or paresthesias were reported as moderately severe by 70% of those with SDSP. Stavudine use was significantly associated with DSP. DSP is a clinically significant problem in urban HIV‐infected Africans. Our findings raise the possibility that the incidence of DSP may be reduced with avoidance of stavudine‐containing regimens in older subjects, especially with a history of prior TB infection. Muscle Nerve, 2010
Predicted residue–residue contacts can help the scoring of 3D models
Authors: Tress Michael L. , Valencia Alfonso
Published: March 2010

During the 7th Critical Assessment of Protein Structure Prediction (CASP7) experiment, it was suggested that the real value of predicted residue–residue contacts might lie in the scoring of 3D model structures. Here, we have carried out a detailed reassessment of the contact predictions made during the recent CASP8 experiment to determine whether predicted contacts might aid in the selection of close‐to‐native structures or be a useful tool for scoring 3D structural models. We used the contacts predicted by the CASP8 residue–residue contact prediction groups to select models for each target domain submitted to the experiment. We found that the information contained in the predicted residue–residue contacts would probably have helped in the selection of 3D models in the free modeling regime and over the harder comparative modeling targets. Indeed, in many cases, the models selected using just the predicted contacts had better GDT‐TS scores than all but the best 3D prediction groups. Despite the well‐known low accuracy of residue–residue contact predictions, it is clear that the predictive power of contacts can be useful in 3D model prediction strategies. Proteins 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Long‐range rover localization by matching LIDAR scans to orbital elevation maps
Authors: Carle Patrick J.F. , Furgale Paul T. , Barfoot Timothy D.
Published: March 2010

Current rover localization techniques such as visual odometry have proven to be very effective on short‐ to medium‐length traverses (e.g., up to a few kilometers). This paper deals with the problem of long‐range rover localization (e.g., 10 km and up) by developing an algorithm named MOGA (Multi‐frame Odometry‐compensated Global Alignment). This algorithm is designed to globally localize a rover by matching features detected from a three‐dimensional (3D) orbital elevation map to features from rover‐based, 3D LIDAR scans. The accuracy and efficiency of MOGA are enhanced with visual odometry and inclinometer/sun‐sensor orientation measurements. The methodology was tested with real data, including 37 LIDAR scans of terrain from a Mars–Moon analog site on Devon Island, Nunavut. When a scan contained a sufficient number of good topographic features, localization produced position errors of no more than 100 m, of which most were less than 50 m and some even as low as a few meters. Results were compared to and shown to outperform VIPER, a competing global localization algorithm that was given the same initial conditions as MOGA. On a 10‐km traverse, MOGA's localization estimates were shown to significantly outperform visual odometry estimates. This paper shows how the developed algorithm can be used to accurately and autonomously localize a rover over long‐range traverses. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Multiple systems for motor skill learning
Authors: Clark Dav , Ivry Richard B.
Published: March 2010

Motor learning is a ubiquitous feature of human competence. This review focuses on two particular classes of model tasks for studying skill acquisition. The serial reaction time (SRT) task is used to probe how people learn sequences of actions, while adaptation in the context of visuomotor or force field perturbations serves to illustrate how preexisting movements are recalibrated in novel environments. These tasks highlight important issues regarding the representational changes that occur during the course of motor learning. One important theme is that distinct mechanisms vary in their information processing costs during learning and performance. Fast learning processes may require few trials to produce large changes in performance but impose demands on cognitive resources. Slower processes are limited in their ability to integrate complex information but minimally demanding in terms of attention or processing resources. The representations derived from fast systems may be accessible to conscious processing and provide a relatively greater measure of flexibility, while the representations derived from slower systems are more inflexible and automatic in their behavior. In exploring these issues, we focus on how multiple neural systems may interact and compete during the acquisition and consolidation of new behaviors. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

This article is categorized under:

Psychology > Motor Skill and Performance
Yeasts associated with nectarines and their potential for biological control of brown rot
Authors: Janisiewicz W. J. , Kurtzman C. P. , Buyer J. S.
Published: March 2010

Resident fruit microflora has been the source of biocontrol agents for the control of postharvest decay of fruits and the active ingredient in commercialized biocontrol products. With the exception of grapes and apples, information on the resident microflora of other fruits is only fragmentary, but greater knowledge in this area can be very helpful in developing biocontrol strategies. We characterized the yeast microflora of nectarines (‘Croce del Sud’) from the early stages of fruit development until harvest. The fruit samples were collected from trees in an unmanaged orchard. The resident fruit microflora was separated from the occasionally deposited microorganisms by discarding initial fruit washings before the final wash, followed by sonication and plating on NYDA medium. The isolated yeasts were identified by BIOLOG and by sequencing the D1/D2 domain of a large subunit of the rRNA gene and, where available, the ITS sequence. BIOLOG identified 19 and the genetic analysis 23 species of yeasts. Although the identification by these two systems was not always the same, the predominant yeasts were Rhodotorula spp., Sporodiobolus spp., Cryptococcus spp., Pichia spp., Candida spp. and yeast‐like Aureobasidium pullulans. Several of the taxa appear to represent new species. The preliminary biocontrol tests against brown rot of nectarine fruit caused by Monilinia fructicola indicates significant decay control potential of some of the identified yeast species, namely Cryptococcus magnus, Cryptococcus sp. nov., Sporidiobolus pararoseus, A. pullulans and Rhodotorula sp. nov. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Post‐Grignard Reagents: Influence of the Coligands L on the Molecular Structures of Phenylcalcium Iodides [(L)nCa(R)I] and Calcium Diiodides [(L)nCaI2]
Authors: Langer Jens , Krieck Sven , Fischer Reinald , Görls Helmar , Westerhausen Matthias
Published: March 2010

Iodide is a very soft and large anion and as such its extreme ability to be polarized leads to a flat energy surface with respect to the variation of the Ca–I distances in [(L)nCaI2] and [(L)nCa(R)I]. The influence of the donor strength and the bulkiness of the neutral coligands L on the Ca–I distances is studied. The base adducts of calcium diiodide can be isolated after the addition of L to CaI2 or from the Schlenk equilibrium after the direct synthesis of calcium powder with aryl iodides. As L the ethers diethyl ether (Et2O), tetrahydrofuran (thf), tetrahydropyran (thp), 1,2‐dimethoxyethane (dme), 18‐crown‐6 (18C6), bis(methoxyethyl)ether (diglyme), and amines tetramethylethylenediamine (tmeda), and hexamethyltriethylenetetramine (hmteta) are studied yielding the adducts [(thp)4Ca(Ph)I] (1a), [(thf)4Ca(Ph)I] (1b), [(dme)2(thf)Ca(Ph)I] (1c), [(18C6)Ca(Ph)I] (1d), and [(tmeda)2Ca(Ph)I] (1e), as well as [(thp)4CaI2] (2a), [(thf)4CaI2] (2b), [(Et2O)4CaI2] (2c), [(diglyme)(thf)2CaI2] (2d), [(diglyme)(dme)CaI2] (2e), [(dme)2(thf)CaI2] (2f), [(18C6)CaI2] (2g), [(tmeda)2CaI2] (2h), and [(hmteta)CaI2] (2i). For comparison reasons, [(thf)4Ca(Ph)Br] (3a), [(thp)4CaBr2] (4a), [(thf)4CaBr2] (4b), and [(dme)2(AcOH)CaBr2] (4c) with AcOH being acetic acid are included as well. The comparison shows that the coordination number of calcium itself only plays an insignificant role whereas bulkiness and donor strength of L represent the key influences.
Formation of Mesopores in USY Zeolites: A Case Revisited
Authors: Lutz Wolfgang , Kurzhals Rolf , Kryukova Galina , Enke Dirk , Weber Manfred , Heidemann Detlef
Published: March 2010

Steaming of NH4Y zeolite at 723 K and 873 K is accompanied by the formation of extra‐framework amorphous aluminosilicate and silica gel in addition to earlier observed extra‐framework aluminum species. Their occurrence is directly associated with the formation of mesopores. Bulk (intracrystalline) mesopores occur inside the crystallite nuclei and surface (intercrystalline) mesopores are located nearby the crystallite surface. Corrosion of the zeolite framework results in a loss of crystallinity and, consequently, decreased catalytic activity of the USY catalysts synthesized. Analysis of the reasons of mesopore formation may help to reduce these disadvantages.
Globale Orte/Lokale Welten
Authors: Henkel Knut
Published: March 2010

Is local politics not — or no longer — possible today? Hand in hand with the dissolution of localities as socially integrated communities, there has also been a dissolution of the traditional scope for action. This disintegration is heightened by current processes of socioeconomic and political restructuring. Scope for local action still has to be developed by linking the global and the local, the municipality and the civil society. Regime theory provides valuable assistance in helping us to comprehend this challenge. It shows that through establishing strategic exclusion mechanisms it is possible to co-ordinate productively the actions of a number of different protagonists, even in the absence of formal agreements or social integration.
Gutachterliche Stellungnahmen über Factory Outlet Center
Authors: Heinritz Günter , Rauh Jürgen
Published: March 2010

There is hardly a topic which has aroused as much controversial discussion over the last few years as factory outlet centres (FOCs) and attitudes towards them in spatial planning. An assortment of expert reports — in some cases conflicting in their findings and reflecting the goals and interests of the clients who commissioned them — have come to be a bone of contention both in public debate and before the courts. It is against this background that expert reports on FOCs have to be subjected to critical scrutiny. The main differences between these reports emerge in connection with the statements they contain on the evaluation of the range of goods on offer in FOCs and the potential for adjustment, on the definition of catchment areas, and on assessing the impacts of FOCs on existing shopping centres in the surrounding area.
Regionalplanung und Golfsport
Authors: Schemel Hans-Joachim
Published: March 2010

At present the question whether the construction of golf courses is defensible in spatial planning terms is predominantly evaluated according to suitability criteria of micro-locations, particularly from an ecological point of view, and less according to the suitability of macro-locations extending beyond municipal boundaries. Using the example of the regional plan for Munich, which is currently in the process of revision and updating, the article demonstrates that the argument of deregulation puts the previously clear statements on the admissibility of golf courses into question. The contribution develops regional planning criteria for the evaluation of potential golf course locations with reference to the broader regional context. In this respect the compatibility of golf courses with the character of the landscape and the recreational interests of the public is discussed, and criteria are suggested according to which certain macro-locations should be classified as being unsuitable for golf.
Spezialisierung und räumliche Konzentration der Wirtschaft in einem Europa der Regionen
Authors: Möller Joachim
Published: March 2010

The subject of the paper is to analyse the development of the economic structure of regions and the concentration of economic activities in space. An important non-linearity obtained from new regional economics is stressed: the importance of the core increases at the early stage of the development, but then declines again. A similar pattern can be derived for specialisation. Against this background a discussion follows on whether specialisation trends will change after the completion of European Economic and Monetary Union and what would be the consequences. Finally, we present an empirical analysis of the prevailing trends with respect to regional concentration and specialisation for western Germany.
Die „historische Sozialraumanalyse” als Instrument zur Identifikation von Planungsproblemen
Authors: Steinbach Josef
Published: March 2010

The method of Social Area Analysis is often used to define problems of urban development, but usually it is based on cross-sectional data only. Here time series (1971-1991) of the input variables are used in order to examine the changes of the Viennese social structure. The results are visualised as three-dimensional trend surfaces. It can be shown that urban planning has to react to “double segregation”-processes of the population as well as to new demographic “cycles of ageing”.
Soziale Infrastruktur im Kontext städtischer Schrumpfung
Authors: Koch Katharina
Published: March 2010

This article develops a number of spatial-order concepts designed to steer the implementation of the quantitative adjustments that need to be made to the provision of social infrastructure close to where the users of these facilities live. Against the background of the aim to provide parity of provision throughout the entire territory, the aim of these concepts is show how such facilities might best be distributed in terms of location in the future. These concepts are based on a customised procedure for gauging the need for quantitative adjustments at the sub-urban level and on the application of a set of criteria to be used in selecting suitable locations for adjustment. The article begins by presenting an overview of current trends which can be detected in current (structural) changes in the quantitative and qualitative demand for social infrastructure, and by considering the implications these entail.
Konsequenzen aus der demographischen Entwicklung für den Umbau der Grünflächen älterer Wohnsiedlungen und öffentlicher Parks
Authors: Schmidt Albert
Published: March 2010

Policy and practice perspective
Bevölkerungsrückgang und Alterung als maßgebliche Entwicklungsdeterminanten: der Fall Weißwasser
Authors: Bernt Matthias , Peter Andreas
Published: March 2010

Policy and practice perspective
Handelbare Umweltrechte als Steuerungsinstrument für den Straßengüterverkehr in sensiblen Regionen
Authors: Eßer Anke , Schmedding David
Published: March 2010

The continuous growth of traffic volume in Europe over the past years and the corresponding economic and ecological impacts are the reasons for a recurring discussion of a more sustainability-oriented transport policy. In this context, the implementation of new transport policy instruments is part of the discussion. Against this background, the article investigates to what extent tradeable permits can be an alternative to the existing mix of transport policy instruments. A system of tradeable permits for heavy goods vehicles in ecologically sensitive areas has been designed and subsequently implemented on a theoretical level for one of the alpine corridors. The impact on traffic volume and the environment have been analysed using ad-hoc models. Conclusions drawn from these models can be used as a basis for a future application of such a system.
Klaus Einig und Dennis Guth Neue Beschäftigtenzentren in deutschen Stadtregionen: Lage, Spezialisierung, Erreichbarkeit
Authors: Einig Klaus , Guth Dennis
Published: March 2010

Policy and practice perspective