bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A CRITICAL REVIEW OF DRUG: DARUHARIDRA (BERBERIS ARISTATA DC.)
Authors: Kaur Navdeep , Kapil Pardeep , Goyal Ankita
Published: May 2024

Ayurveda is an ancient life science that came 5000 years ago and is known as ‘the Mother of all healings’. Knowledge of Ayurveda enables one to understand how to create balance in one’s physical body, mind and consciousness. The Ayurvedic system of medicine has been prevalent in India since the Vedic period and as early as the dawn of human civilization. In Dravyaguna, all the Aushadhadravya (medicinal herbs) are mentioned that act on the body based on their rasa (taste), guna (property), veerya (potency), vipaaka (post-digestive effect) and prabhava (specific property). It includes knowledge of different Aushadhadravya (herbal plants), which could heal different ailments with their pharmacological actions. Crude drugs are the starting raw materials for manufacturing herbal medicines in all indigenous systems of medicine. Daruharidra (Berberis aristata DC.) is one such popular Aushadhadravya (herbal drug) in Ayurvedic literature, and it has been used globally for its aushadha karma (therapeutic properties). It has been mentioned in Vedas, and Brihattari later described it in Nighantus (glossaries of Ayurveda). It has different varieties. It is mainly used in Netraroga (eye disorders), Pandu (anaemia), Kushtha (skin disorders), Mutrakruccha (urinary disorders), Pratishyaya (cold), and Prameha (diabetes). Clinical and experimental studies show antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, and immunomodulatory properties. This article deals with different aspects of Daruharidra (Berberis aristata DC.) and the contribution of different Acharyas towards it.
HISTORICAL WRITE-UP OF VRANA WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO SAMHITAS AND PURANAS: A REVIEW
Authors: SR Kavya
Published: May 2024

The history of medicine includes studies exploring and understanding medical practices, both in past and present, throughout human societies. A period which lacked written sources regarding medicine related information is instead drawn from archaeological sources. This field tracks the evolution of human societies' approach to health, illness, and injury ranging from prehistory to the modern day, the events that shape these approaches, and their impact on populations. Public health measures were developed especially in the 19th century as the rapid growth of cities required systematic sanitary measures. Human societies living in those eras were susceptible to various diseases, wounds and that was the time when they sought help from the surroundings in form of natural resources to heal themselves. When we consider the great wars of ancient times like Kurukshetra in dwapara yuga and war between Rama and Ravana in treta yuga, people got injured and developed wounds from the weapons chariots etc and they sought treatment from sages who were like healers, used the natural sources in the form of treatment. The science of healing has always been a matter of serious concern to ancient surgeons. This fact can be very well understood when going through Sushruta Samhita where a good number of chapters dealing with vrana and its management is found. The mankind was susceptible to injury during the ancient times too, by this we can understand the knowledge of vrana and its treatment principles even in those eras. Hence this study will review the aspect of vrana based on different samhita’s and puranas.
Vorschläge für eine große Aktienrechtsreform
Authors: Habersack Mathias , Vetter Jochen
Published: May 2024

Seit Inkrafttreten des Aktiengesetzes vor knapp 60 Jahren haben sich die Lebenswirklichkeit der Aktiengesellschaften und das regulatorische Umfeld deutlich verändert. Der Gesetzgeber hat zwar auf diese Veränderungen mit einer großen Zahl durchaus beachtlicher Reformgesetze reagiert. Diese waren indes eher punktueller Natur und nicht selten durch Vorgaben des Unionsrechts, aber auch - man denke nur an das FISG - durch Unternehmensskandale veranlasst. Betrachtet man die Entwicklung aus einer Vogelperspektive, zeigt sich die Notwendigkeit einer großen, mehr oder weniger sämtliche Bereiche des Aktienrechts umfassenden Reform. Ein von der wissenschaftlichen Vereinigung für Unternehmens- und Gesellschaftsrecht (VGR) getragener Arbeitskreis von 26 Expertinnen und Experten des Aktienrechts hat es sich zur Aufgabe gemacht, Vorschläge zu einer großen Aktienrechtsreform zu entwickeln. Die Regelungsvorschläge nebst ausführlicher Begründung sollen zeitnah in der VGRSchriftenreihe des Verlags Dr. Otto Schmidt KG veröffentlicht werden. Nachfolgend werden die Gründe für eine große Aktienrechtsreform dargelegt und die Regelungsvorschläge zusammenfassend wiedergegeben.
EU-Verbraucherkreditrichtlinie 2023: Die wichtigsten Neuerungen im Überblick
Authors: Kirchner Maik
Published: May 2024

Bis zum 20.11.2025 muss der deutsche Gesetzgeber die überarbeitete Fassung der Richtlinie über Verbraucherkreditverträge in nationales Recht umgesetzt haben. Dieser Beitrag zeigt Änderungen gegenüber der Vorgängerregelung auf und setzt sich mit dem sich daraus ergebenden konkreten Anpassungsbedarf im deutschen Recht auseinander. Dabei geht der Autor im Besondern auf die Verbesserungen der Rechtslage aus der Perspektive des Verbraucherschutzes ein.
Biomimetic Smart Interface Materials for Biological Applications
Authors: Sun Taolei , Qing Guangyan
Published: March 2011

Controlling the surface chemical and physical properties of materials and modulating the interfacial behaviors of biological entities, e.g., cells and biomolecules, are central tasks in the study of biomaterials. In this context, smart polymer interface materials have recently attracted much interest in biorelated applications and have broad prospects due to the excellent controllability of their surface properties by external stimuli. Among such materials, poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) and its copolymer films are especially attractive due to their reversible hydrogen‐bonding‐mediated reversible phase transition, which mimics natural biological processes. This platform is promising for tuning surface properties or to introduce novel biofunctionalities via copolymerization with various functional units and/or combination with other materials. Important progress in this field in recent years is highlighted.
Paper Electronics
Authors: Tobjörk Daniel , Österbacka Ronald
Published: March 2011

Paper is ubiquitous in everyday life and a truly low‐cost substrate. The use of paper substrates could be extended even further, if electronic applications would be applied next to or below the printed graphics. However, applying electronics on paper is challenging. The paper surface is not only very rough compared to plastics, but is also porous. While this is detrimental for most electronic devices manufactured directly onto paper substrates, there are also approaches that are compatible with the rough and absorptive paper surface. In this review, recent advances and possibilities of these approaches are evaluated and the limitations of paper electronics are discussed.
Association between hybrid status and reproductive success of captive male and female rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) at the California National Primate Research Center (CNPRC)
Authors: Kanthaswamy Sree , Clarke Parry M.R. , Kou Alexander , Malladi Venkat , Trask Jessica Satkoski , Smith David Glenn
Published: March 2011

The California National Primate Research Center (CNPRC) houses more than 1,000 rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) of mixed Chinese–Indian ancestry. Most of these animals are kept in outdoor field cages, the colony's long term breeding resource. Since 2001, hybrids comprised between 4 and 49% of the field cage populations, but in most cases have represented a maximum of 10% of those populations. The increasing prevalence of hybrids is partly due to management efforts to distribute genetic diversity effectively and minimize genetic subdivisions. However, other factors may also contribute to the spread of hybrids within the colony, most notably variance in socio‐sexual behaviors and physical attributes. It is known that hybrids of some species exhibit heterosis, such as early maturation, that can enhance reproductive success, and anecdotal observations of mixed groups of hybrid, Indian and Chinese animals at the CNPRC suggest that hybrids are more sexually active. To determine whether hybrids experienced a reproductive advantage, a study was conducted using birth records of 5,611 offspring born in the CNPRC colony between 2003 and 2009. We found that while the degree of Chinese ancestry (DCA) appeared to influence the maturational schedule of both males and females (maturation was inversely related to proportion of Chinese ancestry), DCA had no independent effect on either male or female RS or rank. Therefore, we have found no evidence that a hybrid phenotype confers an absolute reproductive advantage in our colony. Am. J. Primatol. 73:671–678, 2011. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Enhancement of graft yield and control of degradation during polypropylene maleation in the presence of polyfunctional monomer
Authors: Ni Qing‐Lin , Fan Jia‐Qi , Niu Hui , Dong Jin‐Yong
Published: March 2011

Free‐radical initiated grafting of maleic anhydride (MAH)/polyfunctional acrylate (PFA) multimonomer system onto polypropylene (PP) via reactive extrusion was studied. The effects of PFA and initiator concentration on the grafting reaction were investigated. It was shown that PFA as a comonomer could greatly enhance MAH grafting degree, which increased monotonically as the molar ratio of PFA to MAH increased. The rheology test demonstrated that the viscosity of grafted PP was also promoted as more PFA was used. The formation of branched structure during the grafting process was proved by oscillatory shear rheological analysis. The mechanism of grafting in the presence of PFA was discussed, suggesting PFA had higher reactivity with PP macroradicals than MAH and therefore forming stabilized macroradicals, thus resulting in depression of β‐scission and favoring the formation of branched structure. Higher initiator concentration gave higher MAH grafting degree but more severe degradation. The mechanical properties of the grafted PP were comparable with those of unmodified PP. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011
Functionalization of plasma‐treated polymer surfaces with glycidol
Authors: Boulares‐Pender Alya , Prager Andrea , Reichelt Senta , Elsner Christian , Buchmeiser Michael R.
Published: March 2011

The ionic species created by the O2‐plasma treatment of poly(styrene) surfaces are able to initiate the polymerization of glycidol in the absence of any initiator. Consequently, thin hydrophilic films of poly(glycidol) are formed at the surface of oxygen plasma‐treated polymer surfaces upon treatment with glycidol. These were characterized with the aid of X‐ray photoelectron spectrometry, contact angle measurements, and scanning electron microscopy. A significant decrease of unspecific protein adsorption at the plasma‐treated glycidol‐modified surfaces was evidenced using fluorescence microscopy. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011
Variations of hydrogen peroxide and catalase expression in Bombyx eggs during diapause initiation and termination
Authors: Sima Yang‐Hu , Yao Jin‐Mei , Hou Yi‐Sheng , Wang Li , Zhao Lin‐Chuan
Published: March 2011

For diapause eggs of the silkworm, Bombyx mori, diapause initiation is prevented with hydrochloric acid (HCl) at around 20 h post‐oviposition while diapause status is terminated with chilling around 5°C. To investigate whether hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and catalase expression are involved in diapause initiation and termination, the concentration of H2O2, relatively higher levels of catalase mRNA and activity of catalase were compared between (1) 20‐h‐old diapause eggs and the HCl‐treated diapause eggs, and (2) 10‐day‐old diapause eggs and the 5°C‐chilled diapause eggs. Compared to diapause eggs, the HCl‐treated eggs had significantly higher H2O2 concentrations (up from approximately 1–3 µmol/g fresh mass to 5–8 µmol/g fresh mass), higher relative level of catalase mRNA (up from 0 to 35.2%) and higher catalase activity (up from 2.51 units/mg protein to 4.97 units/mg protein) at 96 h post‐treatment. On the other hand, the 5°C chilling resulted in significant increases of H2O2 concentration (up from 0.79 µmol/g fresh mass to 5.57 µmol/g fresh mass), relative level of catalase mRNA (up from 0 to 71.4%) and catalase activity (up from 0.88 units/mg protein to 3.42 units/mg protein) within 120 days. The results obtained in this work suggest that variations of H2O2 and catalase expression in Bombyx eggs are involved in diapause initiation and termination. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Prenatal administration of retinoic acid upregulates insulin‐like growth factor receptors in the nitrofen‐induced hypoplastic lung
Authors: Ruttenstock Elke , Doi Takashi , Dingemann Jens , Puri Prem
Published: March 2011

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary hypoplasia (PH) is the main cause of mortality in newborns with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH). Prenatal administration of retinoic acid (RA) stimulates alveologenesis in the nitrofen‐induced pulmonary hypoplasia. Insulin‐like growth factor receptors (IGFRs) play a crucial role in alveologenesis during lung development. We recently demonstrated that IGFRs were downregulated in later stages of lung development in the nitrofen CDH model. Several studies suggest the ability of RA to regulate insulin‐like growth factor signaling. We hypothesized that IGFRs pulmonary gene expression is upregulated after the administration of RA in the nitrofen‐induced CDH model. METHODS: Pregnant rats were exposed to either olive oil or nitrofen on day 9 (D9) of gestation. RA was given intraperitoneally on days D18, D19, and D20. Fetal lungs were dissected on D21 and divided into control, control + RA, CDH, and CDH + RA group. IGFRs gene and protein expression were determined using RT‐PCR and immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: mRNA expression levels of IGFRs were significantly increased in control + RA and CDH + RA compared with CDH group. Immunoreactivity of IGFRs was markedly increased in control + RA and CDH + RA compared with CDH lungs. CONCLUSIONS: Upregulation of pulmonary gene and protein expression of IGFRs after prenatal RA treatment in the nitrofen model suggests that RA may promote lung growth by stimulating IGFRs mediated alveologenesis. Birth Defects Res (Part B) 92:148–151, 2011. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Lymphoma development of simultaneously combined exposure to two radiofrequency signals in AKR/J mice
Authors: Lee Hae‐June , Jin Yeung Bae , Lee Jae‐Seon , Choi Soo Yong , Kim Tae‐Hong , Pack Jeong‐Ki , Choi Hyung Do , Kim Nam , Lee Yun‐Sil
Published: March 2011

There are public concerns regarding possible carcinogenic or cancer‐promoting effects of radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF‐EMFs) because of the extensive use of wireless mobile phones and other telecommunication devices in daily life. However, so far it is unclear if non‐thermal exposure of single EMF exposure in animal studies has a direct influence on carcinogenesis. Here, carcinogenic effects of combined signal RF‐EMFs on AKR/J mice, which were used for the lymphoma animal model, were investigated. Six‐week‐old AKR/J mice were simultaneously exposed to two types of RF signals: single code division multiple access (CDMA) and wideband code division multiple access (WCDMA). AKR/J mice were exposed to combined RF‐EMFs for 45 min/day, 5 days/week, for a total of 42 weeks. The whole‐body average specific absorption rate (SAR) of CDMA and WCDMA fields was 2.0 W/kg each, 4.0 W/kg in total. When we examined final survival, lymphoma incidence, and splenomegaly incidence, no differences were found between sham‐ and RF‐exposed mice. However, occurrence of metastasis infiltration to the brain in lymphoma‐bearing mice was significantly different in RF‐exposed mice when compared to sham‐exposed mice, even though no consistent correlation (increase or decrease) was observed between male and female mice. However, infiltration occurrence to liver, lung, and spleen was not different between the groups. From the results, we suggested that simultaneous exposure to CDMA and WCDMA RF‐EMFs did not affect lymphoma development in AKR/J mice. Bioelectromagnetics 32:485–492, 2011. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Quantification of cyproheptadine in human plasma by high‐performance liquid chromatography coupled to electrospray tandem mass spectrometry in a bioequivalence study
Authors: Mendes Gustavo Duarte , Arruda André , Chen Lu Shi , de Almeida Magalhães José Cássio , Alkharfy Khalid M , De Nucci Gilberto
Published: March 2011

A rapid, sensitive and specific method to quantify cyproheptadine in human plasma using amitriptyline as the internal standard (IS) is described. The analyte and the IS were extracted from plasma by liquid‐liquid extraction using a diethyl‐ether/dichloromethane (70/30; v/v) solvent. After removing and drying the organic phase, the extracts were reconstituted with a fixed volume of acetonitrile/water (50/50 v/v) + 0.1% of acetic acid. The extracts were analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography coupled to electrospray tandem mass spectrometry (LC‐MS/MS). Chromatography was performed isocratically using an Alltech Prevail C18 5 µm analytical column, (150 mm x 4.6 mm I.D.). The method had a chromatographic run time of 4 min and a linear calibration curve ranging from 0.05 to 10 ng/mL (r2 > 0.99). The limit of quantification was 0.05 ng/mL. This HPLC/MS/MS procedure was used to assess the bioequivalence of cyproheptadine in two cyproheptadine + cobamamide (4 mg + 1 mg) tablet formulations (Cobactin® [cyproheptadine + cobamamide] test formulation supplied from Zambon Laboratórios Farmacêuticos Ltda. and Cobavital® from Solvay Farma (standard reference formulation)). A single 4 mg + 1 mg [cyproheptadine + cobamamide] dose of each formulation was administered to healthy volunteers. The study was conducted using an open, randomized, two‐period crossover design with a 1‐week washout interval. Since the 90% CI for Cmax and AUCs ratios were all within the 80‐125% bioequivalence limit proposed by the US Food and Drug Administration, it was concluded that the cyproheptadine test formulation (Cobactin®) is bioequivalent to the Cobavital® formulation for both the rate and the extent of absorption of cyproheptadine. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Purification, immobilization, and characterization of a specific lipase from Staphylococcus warneri EX17 by enzyme fractionating via adsorption on different hydrophobic supports
Authors: Volpato Giandra , Filice Marco , de las Rivas Blanca , Rodrigues Rafael C. , Heck Júlio X. , Fernandez‐Lafuente Roberto , Guisan Jose M. , Mateo Cesar , Ayub Marco Antônio Záchia
Published: March 2011

Staphylococcus warneri strain EX17 produces three lipases with different molecular weights of 28, 30, and 45 kDa. The 45 kDa fraction (SWL‐45) has been purified from crude protein extracts by one chromatographic step based on the selective adsorption of this lipase by interfacial activation on different hydrophobic supports at low ionic strength. The adsorption of SWL‐45 on octyl‐Sepharose increased the enzyme activity by 60%, but the other lipases were also adsorbed on this support. Using butyl‐Toyopearl, which is a lesser hydrophobic support, the purification factor was close to 20, and the only protein band detected on the sodium dodecyl sulfate‐polyacrylamide electrophoresis analysis gel was that corresponding to the SWL‐45, which could be easily desorbed from the support by incubation with triton X‐100, producing a purified enzyme. SWL‐45 was immobilized under very mild conditions on cyanogen bromide Sepharose, showing similar activities and stability as for its soluble form but without intermolecular interaction. The effects of different detergents over the activity of the immobilized SWL‐45 were analyzed, which was hyperactivated by factors of 1.3 and 2.5 with 0.01% Tween 80 and 0.1% Triton X‐100, respectively, while ionic detergents produced detrimental effects on the enzyme activity even at very low concentrations. Optimal reaction conditions and the effect of other additives on the enzyme activity were also investigated. © 2011 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 2011
Kinetic characterization of the group II helicoverpa armigera nucleopolyhedrovirus propagated in suspension cell cultures: Implications for development of a biopesticides production process
Authors: Pedrini Márcia R. S. , Reid Steven , Nielsen Lars K. , Chan Leslie C. L.
Published: March 2011

Large‐scale commercialization of baculovirus biopesticides for the control of insect pests requires a cell culture production process, and knowledge of the infection kinetics is a vital prerequisite for process optimization. Well‐characterized kinetic parameters have so far only been reported for the commercially established recombinant Autographa californica nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV), a Group I NPV. In this work, key infection kinetic parameters of the Group II NPV Helicoverpa armigera nucleopolyhedrovirus (HaSNPV), and its Few Polyhedra (FP) mutant, were well characterized for the first time, in suspension HzAM1 insect cell cultures, to facilitate the scale‐up of an HaSNPV‐based biopesticide. The FP mutant had a selective advantage over wild‐type HaSNPV in cell cultures, and the kinetic analysis showed that this was due to a superior budding rate, rather than a faster binding rate (BR) or longer budding duration. Another finding was that wild‐type HaSNPV had very poor infection kinetics when compared with AcMNPV, exhibiting an 18‐fold lower BR, a more than 50‐fold lower budding rate, and a 60‐fold lower extracellular/total progeny virus ratio. Such poor infection kinetics have serious implications during scale‐up of an HaSNPV biopesticide production process, including the requirement for large volumes of virus inocula and the difficulty of achieving synchronous infections. Groups I and II NPVs may have very different infection kinetics because of their different envelope fusion proteins. This study is the first to compare the two groups of NPVs in terms of well‐characterized cell‐specific infection kinetics, and the findings may indicate a phylogenetic basis for kinetic differences. © 2011 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 2011
Caught in the Act: Visualization of SNARE‐Mediated Fusion Events in Molecular Detail
Authors: Risselada Herre Jelger , Kutzner Carsten , Grubmüller Helmut
Published: March 2011

Neurotransmitter release at the synapse requires fusion of synaptic vesicles with the presynaptic plasma membrane. SNAREs are the core constituents of the protein machinery responsible for this membrane fusion, but the actual fusion mechanism remains unclear. Here, we have simulated neuronal SNARE‐mediated membrane fusion in molecular detail. In our simulations, membrane fusion progresses through an inverted micelle fusion intermediate before reaching the hemifused state. We show that at least one single SNARE complex is required for fusion, as has also been confirmed in a recent in vitro single‐molecule fluoresence study. Further, the transmembrane regions of the SNAREs were found to play a vital role in the initiation of fusion by causing distortions of the lipid packing of the outer membrane leaflets, and the C termini of the transmembrane regions are associated with the formation of the fusion pores. The inherent mechanical stress in the linker region of the SNARE complex was found to drive both the subsequent formation and expansion of fusion pores. Our simulations also revealed that the presence of homodimerizations between the transmembrane regions leads to the formation of unstable fusion intermediates that are under high curvature stress. We show that multiple SNARE complexes mediate membrane fusion in a cooperative and synchronized process. Finally, we show that after fusion, the zipping of the SNAREs extends into the membrane region, in agreement with the recently resolved X‐ray structure of the fully assembled state.
Electronic Effects in the Catalytic Hydrosilylation with In‐Situ Generated Iron(II)‐Catalysts
Authors: Muller Keven , Schubert Anett , Jozak Thomas , Ahrens‐Botzong Annegret , Schünemann Volker , Thiel Werner R.
Published: March 2011

In combination with different aromatic N,N‐donors, iron acetate and octanoate are suitable catalyst precursors for the hydrosilylation of carbonyl compounds. Iron octanoate can be used to perform this catalytic transformation in cheap and non‐toxic petrol ether or heptane as the solvent and with versatile polymethylhydrosiloxane (PMHS) as the silane source. Investigation of the preformed catalyst (iron octanoate+N,N‐ligand+PMHS) by using Mössbauer spectroscopy suggests that the active species is a high‐spin iron(II) system.
Selective Synthesis of Fe7Se8 Polyhedra with Exposed High‐Index Facets and Fe7Se8 Nanorods by a Solvothermal Process in a Binary Solution and Their Collective Intrinsic Properties
Authors: Gao Min‐Rui , Lin Zhao‐Yang , Jiang Jun , Yao Hong‐Bin , Lu Yong‐Ming , Gao Qiang , Yao Wei‐Tang , Yu Shu‐Hong
Published: March 2011

Fe7Se8 polyhedra with high‐index facets and Fe7Se8 nanorods can be selectively synthesized by a solvothermal reaction in a mixed solvent of diethylenetriamine (DETA) and deionized water (DIW). It is found that the morphologies of Fe7Se8 nanocrystals can be effectively controlled by adjusting the volume ratio of DETA and DIW. The unusual polyhedral crystals are bounded by two {001} and twelve {012} facets. The intrinsic properties of Fe7Se8 nanocrystals have been investigated. Magnetic measurements indicate that the obtained polyhedra and nanorods show a weak ferromagnetic ordering at room temperature. In particular, a new photoluminescence emission at 403 nm from the Fe7Se8 nanocrystals has been observed. The described solvothermal reaction in a mixed solvent may be extended to the synthesis of other transition‐metal chalcogenide crystals with controlled shape, facets, and structure, which may bring new functionalities.
Enhancing Gas Adsorption and Separation Capacity through Ligand Functionalization of Microporous Metal–Organic Framework Structures
Authors: Zhao Yonggang , Wu Haohan , Emge Thomas J. , Gong Qihan , Nijem Nour , Chabal Yves J. , Kong Lingzhu , Langreth David C. , Liu Hui , Zeng Heping , Li Jing
Published: March 2011

Hydroxyl‐ and amino‐ functionalized [Zn(BDC)(TED)0.5]⋅2DMF⋅0.2H2O leads to two new structures, [Zn(BDC‐OH)(TED)0.5]⋅1.5DMF⋅0.3H2O and [Zn(BDC‐NH2)(TED)0.5]⋅xDMF⋅yH2O (BDC=terephthalic acid, TED=triethylenediamine, BDC‐OH=2‐hydroxylterephthalic acid, BDC‐NH2=2‐aminoterephthalic acid). Single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction and powder X‐ray diffraction studies confirmed that the structures of both functionalized compounds are very similar to that of their parent structure. Compound [Zn(BDC)(TED)0.5]⋅2DMF⋅0.2H2O can be considered a 3D porous structure with three interlacing 1D channels, whereas both [Zn(BDC‐OH)(TED)0.5]⋅1.5DMF⋅0.3H2O and [Zn(BDC‐NH2)(TED)0.5]⋅xDMF⋅yH2O contain only 1D open channels as a result of functionalization of the BDC ligand by the OH and NH2 groups. A notable decrease in surface area and pore size is thus observed in both compounds. Consequently, [Zn(BDC)(TED)0.5]⋅2DMF⋅0.2H2O takes up the highest amount of H2 at low temperatures. Interestingly, however, both [Zn (BDC‐OH)(TED)0.5]⋅1.5DMF⋅0.3H2O and [Zn(BDC‐NH2)(TED)0.5] ⋅xDMF⋅yH2O show significant enhancement in CO2 uptake at room temperature, suggesting that the strong interactions between CO2 and the functionalized ligands, indicating that surface chemistry, rather than porosity, plays a more important role in CO2 adsorption. A comparison of single‐component CO2, CH4, CO, N2, and O2 adsorption isotherms demonstrates that the adsorption selectivity of CO2 over other small gases is considerably enhanced through functionalization of the frameworks. Infrared absorption spectroscopic measurements and theoretical calculations are also carried out to assess the effect of functional groups on CO2 and H2 adsorption potentials.
Immobilization of DNA on Magnetic Microparticles for Mercury Enrichment and Detection with Flow Cytometry
Authors: Huang Po‐Jung Jimmy , Liu Juewen
Published: March 2011

Mercury detection in water has attracted a lot of research interest due to its highly toxic nature and adverse environmental impact. In particular, the recent discovery of specific binding of HgII to thymine‐rich (T‐rich) DNA resulting in T‐HgII‐T base pairs has led to the development of a number of sensors with different signaling mechanisms. However, the majority of such sensors were non‐immobilized. Immobilization, on the other hand, allows active mercury adsorption, signal amplification, and sensor regeneration. In this work, we immobilized a thymine‐rich DNA on a magnetic microparticle (MMP) surface through biotin–streptavidin interactions. In the presence of HgII, the DNA changes from a random coil structure into a hairpin, upon which SYBR Green I binds to emit green fluorescence. Detection was carried out by using flow cytometry where the fluorescence intensity increased ≈9‐fold in the presence of mercury and the binding of mercury reached equilibrium in less than 2 min. The sensor showed a unique sample‐volume‐dependent fluorescence signal change where a higher fluorescence was obtained with a larger sample volume, suggesting that the particles can actively adsorb HgII. Detection limits of 5 nM (1 ppb) and 14 nM (2.8 ppb) were achieved in pure buffer and in mercury‐spiked Lake Ontario water samples, respectively.
Green and Blue Electrochemically Generated Chemiluminescence from Click Chemistry—Customizable Iridium Complexes
Authors: Zanarini Simone , Felici Marco , Valenti Giovanni , Marcaccio Massimo , Prodi Luca , Bonacchi Sara , Contreras‐Carballada Pablo , Williams Rene M. , Feiters Martin C. , Nolte Roeland J. M. , De Cola Luisa , Paolucci Francesco
Published: March 2011

Cationic cyclometalated iridium complexes containing two anionic phenylpyridine (ppy) ligands and the neutral bidentate triazole–pyridine ligand, 2‐(1‐substituted‐1H‐1,2,3‐triazol‐4‐yl)pyridine (pytl), were investigated. The complexes display a rich and reversible electrochemical behavior, upon investigations by cyclic voltammetry in strictly aprotic conditions, that couples with excellent emission quantum yields and long lifetimes of the excited states. Therefore, in organic media, all complexes have generated intense green electrochemiluminescence (ECL) through the so‐called annihilation procedure and, importantly, a modulation of the emission energy (to blue) has been easily obtained by simple fluorination of the ppy ligand. Finally, taking advantage of their remarkable solubility in water, intense ECL was also obtained from aqueous buffer solutions using the co‐reactant method, thus making all the investigated complexes highly promising for their effective use as ECL labels in bioanalytical applications.
Quantum Chemical Studies of the Hydration of Sr2+ in Vacuum and Aqueous Solution
Authors: Kerridge Andrew , Kaltsoyannis Nikolas
Published: March 2011

The geometric structures of gas‐phase Sr2+ hydrates are calculated quantum chemically by using hybrid (B3LYP) and meta‐GGA (TPSS) density functional theory, and a range of thermodynamic data (including sequential bond enthalpies, entropies and free energies for the reactions Sr2+(H2O)n−1+H2O→Sr2+(H2O)n) are shown to be in excellent agreement with experiment. When the number of coordinating water molecules exceeds six, such that water begins to occupy the second solvation shell, it is found that detailed analysis based on both geometrical and conformational entropy is required in order to confidently identify the experimentally observed structures. The significant increase in coordination number observed experimentally between the gas‐ and aqueous‐phase species is successfully reproduced, as is the first solvation shell geometry. Inaccurate second shell geometries imply that larger model systems may be required to achieve agreement with experiment. Candidate species for on‐going computational studies of the interaction of hydrated Sr2+ with brucite surfaces have been identified.
Relationship between Channel and Sorption Properties in Coordination Polymers with Interdigitated Structures
Authors: Hijikata Yuh , Horike Satoshi , Sugimoto Masayuki , Sato Hiroshi , Matsuda Ryotaro , Kitagawa Susumu
Published: March 2011

Porous coordination polymers constructed from Zn2+ and isophthalate with linear bipyridyl‐type ligands were synthesized. [Zn(ip)(bpb)]n (CID‐21; ip=isophthalate, bpb=1,4‐bis(4‐pyridyl)benzene), [Zn(ip)(bpt)]n (CID‐22; bpt=3,6‐bis(4‐pyridyl)‐1,2,4,5‐tetrazine), and [Zn(ip)(bpa)]n (CID‐23; bpa=1,4‐bis(4‐pyridyl)acetylene) all have interdigitated structures of layers and similar void volumes (≈27 %). In these compounds, 1D bottleneck‐type channels run along the perpendicular direction of the layer stacking and their properties are strongly dominated by the dipyridyl linker ligands. Because of the difference in packing of 2D layers, CID‐21 and CID‐22 have relatively rigid porous structures, whereas CID‐23 has greater flexibility, as indicated by the results of powder X‐ray diffraction studies. The micropores of CID‐22 surrounded by tetrazine moieties adsorb polar molecules, such as methanol and water. The higher affinity of CID‐22 for water than CID‐21 is supported by a theoretical study. The 1D channel of CID‐23 is wider than that of the other two compounds, which enables the incorporation of aromatic molecules. This is because the shape of the bpa linker ligand generates a wider pore diameter (8.6 Å). Only CID‐23 can adsorb a benzene molecule and the isotherm of benzene has a gate‐opening‐type profile. This offers proof of the guest accommodation process through large structural transformation from a nonporous to a porous structure. The flexibility and restricted pore space of CID‐23, at 298 K, allows only benzene, but not cyclohexane, to enter the channels. The porous structure exhibits clear selectivity for these similar guests. The incorporation of an elongated dipyridyl linker ligand in the 2D coordination layers provides a strategy for the design of microporous compounds with different flexibilities, microporous environments, and separation abilities.
Towards the Limit of Atropochiral Stability: H‐MIOP, an N‐Heterocyclic Carbene Precursor and Cationic Analogue of the H‐MOP Ligand
Authors: Abdellah Ibrahim , Boggio‐Pasqua Martial , Canac Yves , Lepetit Christine , Duhayon Carine , Chauvin Remi
Published: March 2011

The configurational stability of biaryl motifs is addressed for the 1‐naphthyl‐N‐benzimidazolyl motif substituted by a single diphenylphosphinyl group at the 2‐position. The atropoenantiomers of the N‐methylated cation H‐MIOP, a less sterically locked analogue of the neutral H‐MOP ligand, were resolved by enantiospecific cleavage of the N2CP bond of the resolved enantiomers of BIMIONAP. The latter were obtained by enantiospecific N‐methylation of the previously resolved enantiomers of neutral BIMINAP. PdCl2 complexes of the P,C‐chelating N‐heterocyclic carbene (NHC)–phosphine ligands derived from (R)‐ and (S)‐H‐MIOP were prepared by two enantiospecific routes: by N2CP bond cleavage from the (R)‐ and (S)‐BIMIONAP–PdCl2 complexes, or by simultaneous coordination of the P and C atoms of the in situ generated free NHC–phosphine. The enantiomerization pathways of H‐MOP, H‐MIOP, and corresponding NHC–phosphine have been investigated at the B3PW91/6‐31G(d,p) level of theory. The calculated enantiomerization barriers of H‐MOP and H‐MIOP in acetonitrile are equal to 176.0 and 146.4 kJ mol−1, respectively, and are mainly determined by the distortion of the naphthalene and/or benzimidazole motifs in the transition state. Beyond the stability of their optical rotation at room temperature, the respective calculated Oki’s racemization temperatures of 334 and 225 °C allowed us to consider both ligands as configurationally stable.
Natural pericosines B and C as enantiomeric mixtures: Direct evidence by chiral HPLC analysis
Authors: Usami Yoshihide , Okada Yusuke , Yamada Takeshi
Published: March 2011

Pericosines are carbasugar‐type metabolites of Periconia byssoides OUPS‐N133, a fungus that was originally separated from the sea hare Aplysia kurodai. It has been reported that pericosines C and E are enantiomeric mixtures. The difference in specific rotation between natural pericosine C and the synthetic one led to the conclusion that natural pericosine C is an enantiomeric mixture. Meanwhile, the small specific rotation of natural pericosine B compared to that of the synthetic one led to the deduction that natural pericosine B might also be an enantiomeric mixture. Then, racemic pericosines B and C were synthesized, and the direct enantioseparation of these racemic carbasugars was conducted with CHIRALPAK® IA and CHIRALPAK® AY‐H, which are suitable columns for racemic pericosines B and C, respectively. Using chiral HPLC, we conclude that natural pericosines B and C exist as enantiomeric mixtures. A rare example of the application of direct chiral HPLC analysis to intact sugars or carbasugars was provided. Chirality 2011. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Comparative study on kynurenic acid production in the rat striatum by tryptophan enantiomers: An in vivo microdialysis study
Authors: Ishii Kana , Iizuka Hideaki , Ogaya Tadahiro , Song Ziyu , Fukushima Takeshi
Published: March 2011

Kynurenic acid (KYNA), an endogenous antagonist of N‐methyl‐D‐aspartate and α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, is one of the L‐tryptophan (Trp) metabolites. To compare the level of KYNA produced in the striatum of rats after independent administration of L‐Trp and D‐Trp, rats were intraperitoneally administered L‐Trp and/or D‐Trp (100 mg/kg), and a microdialysis (MD) probe was implanted in the striatum. The KYNA level in the MD samples was determined using the column‐switching high‐performance liquid chromatography system. KYNA levels in the MD samples increased by approximately twofold in rats that were administered D‐Trp or L‐Trp; this result suggests that just as L‐Trp, D‐Trp was also metabolized to KYNA in the striatum. Additionally, 30 min before the administration of D‐Trp, rats were administered 3‐methyl pyrazole‐5‐carboxylic acid (MPC) (50 mg/kg), which is a specific inhibitor of D‐amino acid oxidase (DAAO). Pretreatment with MPC suppressed striatal KYNA production; this result suggests that DAAO, encoded by one of the susceptible genes for schizophrenia, may contribute to the production of KYNA from D‐Trp in the striatum of rats. Chirality 2011. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Calcium Channel Blocker Inhibition of AGE and RAGE Axis Limits Renal Injury in Nondiabetic Patients With Stage I or II Chronic Kidney Disease
Authors: Nakamura Tsukasa , Sato Eiichi , Fujiwara Nobuharu , Kawagoe Yasuhiro , Koide Hikaru , Ueda Yoshihiko , Takeuchi Masayoshi , Yamagishi Sho‐ichi
Published: March 2011

Background:

There is a growing body of evidence that advanced glycation end products (AGE) and their receptor (RAGE) system are implicated in chronic kidney disease (CKD). We have previously found that a long‐acting calcium channel blocker, azelnidipine, but not amlodipine, improves renal injury in CKD patients. However, little is known about the effect of azelnidipine on the AGE‐RAGE axis in humans. In this study, we examined whether azelnidipine addition could have renoprotective properties in hypertensive CKD patients by reducing serum levels of AGE and soluble form of RAGE (sRAGE). Thirty nondiabetic stage I or II CKD patients who had already been treated with angiotensin II receptor blockers were enrolled in this study.

Hypothesis:

We hypothesized that azelnidipine treatment could limit renal injury partly by blocking the AGE‐RAGE axis.

Methods:

Patients were randomly divided into 2 groups; one group was treated with 16 mg azelnidipine and the other with 5 mg amlodipine once daily. They were followed up for 6 months.

Results:

Proteinuria was positively correlated with circulating AGE and sRAGE levels in our subjects. Both drugs exhibited comparable and significant blood pressure (BP)‐lowering effects. Although neither of them affected glucose, glycated hemoglobin, lipid levels, and estimated glomerular filtration rate, treatment with azelnidipine, but not amlodipine, decreased circulating AGE, sRAGE, proteinuria, and urinary levels of liver‐type fatty acid binding protein, a marker of tubular injury, in a BP‐lowering–independent manner.

Conclusions:

Our present results suggest that azelnidipine may exert renoprotective properties in nondiabetic hypertensive CKD patients via its unique inhibitory effects on the AGE‐RAGE axis. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The authors have no funding, financial relationships, or conflicts of interest to disclose.
Extracting date/time expressions in super‐function based Japanese–English machine translation
Authors: Sasayama Manabu , Kuroiwa Shingo , Ren Fuji
Published: March 2011

Super‐function based machine translation (SFBMT), which is a type of example‐based machine translation, has a feature which makes it possible to expand the coverage of examples by changing nouns into variables. However, there have been problems extracting entire date/time expressions containing parts‐of‐speech other than nouns, because only nouns/numbers were changed into variables. We describe a method of extracting date/time expressions for SFBMT. SFBMT uses noun determination rules to extract nouns and a bilingual dictionary to obtain the correspondence of the extracted nouns between the source and the target languages. In this method, we add a rule to extract date/time expressions and then extract date/time expressions from a Japanese–English bilingual corpus. The evaluation results shows that the precision of this method for Japanese sentences is 96.7%, with a recall of 98.2%, and the precision for English sentences is 94.7%, with a recall of 92.7%. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electron Comm Jpn, 94(4): 44–54, 2011; Published online in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com). DOI 10.1002/ecj.10262
Ensemble recording of electrical activity in neurons derived from P19 embryonal carcinoma cells
Authors: Takayama Yuzo , Saito Atsushi , Moriguchi Hiroyuki , Kotani Kiyoshi , Jimbo Yasuhiko
Published: March 2011

Regeneration of the central nervous system (CNS) is one of the most important research themes in neuroscience and neuroengineering. It is essential to replenish the lost neurons and to establish appropriate functional neuronal networks using pluripotent stem cells. Little is known, however, about the properties of stem cell‐derived neuronal networks, particularly under the differentiation and development processes. In this work, we cultured P19 embryonal carcinoma cells on microelectrode arrays (MEAs). P19 cells were differentiated into neurons by retinoic acid application and formed densely connected networks. Spontaneous electrical activity was extracellularly recorded through substrate electrodes and analyzed. Synchronized periodic bursts, which were characteristic features in primary cultured CNS neurons, were observed. Pharmacological studies demonstrated that the glutamatergic excitatory synapses and the GABAergic inhibitory synapses were active in these P19‐derived neuronal networks. The results suggested that MEA‐based recording was useful for monitoring differentiation processes of stem cells. P19‐derived neuronal networks had quite similar network properties to those of primary cultured neurons, and thus provide a novel model system to investigate stem cell‐based neuronal regeneration. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electron Comm Jpn, 94(4): 9–19, 2011; Published online in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com). DOI 10.1002/ecj.10325
Asymmetric Transfer Hydrogenation of Aromatic Ketones Using Rhodium Complexes of Chiral N‐Heterocyclic Carbenes Derived from (S)‐Pyroglutamic Acid
Authors: Aupoix Audrey , Bournaud Chloée , Vo‐Thanh Giang
Published: March 2011

A new and flexible procedure for the preparation of chiral azolium salts derived from (S)‐pyroglutamic acid has been developed. The efficiency of these ligands has been evaluated in the metal‐catalyzed asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of aromatic ketones in isopropanol. Good enantioselectivities up to 90 % ee were observed.
Electrochemical Oxidation of Native Double‐Stranded DNA on a Graphene‐Modified Glassy Carbon Electrode
Authors: Wang Qingxiang , Zheng Meixia , Shi Juanlan , Gao Feng , Gao Fei
Published: March 2011

The electrochemistry of double‐stranded DNA (dsDNA) was investigated on a graphene‐modified glassy carbon electrode (GR/GCE). Electrochemical characterization showed that GR on GCE surface significantly enhanced the specific surface area and electrical conductivity of the sensing platform. On GR/GCE, the electrooxidation peak of guanine residues in dsDNA was obviously enhanced and the peak potential was significantly lowered as compared to bare GCE. The electrochemical parameters and influence factors for measurements were investigated. Under the optimal conditions, the peak current linearly increased with dsDNA concentrations in the range from 1 to 500 µg mL−1 with a detection limit of 0.35 µg mL−1.
Impact of Ti‐V ratio on the crystalline phase/visible light activity of TiV‐oxide photocatalyst
Authors: Nair Ranjith G. , Tripathi A.M. , Samdarshi S.K.
Published: March 2011

TiV‐oxide photocatalysts were synthesized through sol–gel technique for different Ti:V ratio. They were characterized using XRD, SEM, EDAX, UV‐Vis‐DRS, photoluminescence, and FTIR studies. The systems with high Ti:V ratio showed a mixed phase while with low ratio a rutile phase. The sizes of the particles were between 20 and 30 nm showing an increase with change in phase from mixed to rutile. The reflectance spectrum showed a red‐shift in the optical response covering a large portion of visible spectrum. Interestingly, both mixed and rutile phases showed visible light activity in the photodegradation of methylene blue under laboratory conditions. However, mixed‐phase catalyst showed high activity in terms of rate of degradation and photonic efficiency. © 2011 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog, 2012
Processes affecting fate of toluene during transport through quartz sand
Authors: Chung S.G. , Kim D.J. , Choi J.W. , Lee S.H.
Published: March 2011

Biodegradation of organic compounds during transport in aquifer systems has become an important issue in applying bioaugmentation to a target area. In this study, we conducted a set of laboratory column experiments for various patterns of solutes, that is, KCl only, toluene only, toluene and bacterium Pseudomonas putida, to investigate how the processes of sorption, biodegradation, and bacteria affect the fate of toluene during transport through quartz sand. The column experiments revealed that (i) sorption of toluene onto sand occurred irreversibly with a mass loss of 35% without any retardation, (ii) biodegradation also occurred but to a lesser extent (∼21%) than the irreversible sorption, and (iii) for the case of toluene and bacterium, a rather long tailing was present in the effluent concentraion curves of bacterium and toluene. The tailing of bacterial curve can be explained by the secondary energy minimum of DLVO theory. The tailing of toluene curve was attributed to the sorption of toluene onto bacterial cells during transport which was evidenced by the separate biosorption test. This implies that sorption does not affect directly the microbial activity, and the bacterium Pseudomonas putida can impact toluene transport positively (mass loss via biodegradation) as well as negatively (mass added via enhancement) upon simultaneous introduction into the aquifer. These results would provide valuable information on the design of bioaugmentation scheme for bioremediation of groundwater contaminated with BTEX compounds. © 2011 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog, 2011