bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Performance comparison of filters with different aggregates
Authors: Zhang L. , Scholz M.
Published: October 2008

Unplanted upflow filters, which were filled with different filter media (natural zeolite, blast furnace granulated slag, ceramsite, and walnut shells), were operated to assess their nutrient removal performances. Different preprocessing methods involving aerobic and anaerobic sludges were applied to the filters to accelerate the treatment processes. The results indicated that preprocessing enhanced the soluble chemical oxygen demand (SCOD) removal, but had no obvious influence on the total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) removal efficiencies. Filters containing blast furnace granulated slag were independent with respect to SCOD loading rate variations in the range between 100 and 900 mg/d. A linear velocity equation was used to determine the nutrient removal velocities of blast furnace granulated slag‐filled filters. The removal velocities were rapid, and highest for TP and lowest for TN. Compared with other filters, blast furnace granulated slag‐filled filters performed best concerning nutrient removal and retention. Walnut shell‐filled filters performed worst. © 2008 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog, 2009
Synthesis of Derivatives of the Optically Active β‐Amino Acids from (+)‐Car‐2‐ene
Authors: Koneva Ekaterina A. , Volcho Konstantin P. , Gatilov Yuri V. , Korchagina Dina V. , Salnikov Georgi E. , Salakhutdinov Nariman F.
Published: October 2008

The reaction of (+)‐car‐2‐ene (4) with chlorosulfonyl isocyanate (=sulfuryl chloride isocyanate; ClSO2NCO) led to the tricyclic lactams 6 and 8 corresponding to the initial formation both of the tertiary carbenium and α‐cyclopropylcarbenium ions (Scheme 2). A number of optically active derivatives of β‐amino acids which are promising compounds for further use in asymmetric synthesis were synthesized from the lactams (see 16, 17, and 19–21 in Scheme 3).
Monohydroxy‐Substituted Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids from Swertia japonica
Authors: Kikuchi Masafumi , Yaoita Yasunori , Kikuchi Masao
Published: October 2008

Fourteen monohydroxy‐substituted polyunsaturated fatty acids, including two new compounds, (9Z,12S,13E,15Z)‐12‐hydroxyoctadeca‐9,13,15‐trienoic acid (10) and (9Z,12Z,14E,16R)‐16‐hydroxyoctadeca‐9,12,14‐trienoic acid (13), and 12 known ones, i.e., 1–9, 11, 12, and 14, were isolated from the whole plants of Swertia japonica Makino, and characterized as the corresponding methyl esters 1a–14a. Their structures were elucidated by analysis of the corresponding spectroscopic data, and the absolute configurations of 10a and 13a were determined by the Mosher‐ester method. The CD spectra (Table) of compounds 1a–14a are briefly discussed. This is the first report on the isolation of monohydroxy‐substituted polyunsaturated fatty acids from the Swertia genus in Gentianaceae.
Dioxopiperazine Alkaloids Produced by the Marine Mangrove Derived Endophytic Fungus Eurotium rubrum
Authors: Li Dong‐Li , Li Xiao‐Ming , Li Tie‐Gang , Dang Hong‐Yue , Wang Bin‐Gui
Published: October 2008

Cultivation of the fungal strain Eurotium rubrum, an endophytic fungus that was isolated from the inner tissue of stems of the mangrove plant Hibiscus tiliaceus, resulted in the isolation of two new dioxopiperazine derivatives, namely, dehydrovariecolorin L (1) and dehydroechinulin (2), together with eight known dioxopiperazine compounds including variecolorin L (3), echinulin (4), isoechinulin A (5), dihydroxyisoechinulin A (6), preechinulin (7), neoechinulin A (8), neoechinulin E (9), and cryptoechinuline D (10). The structures of the isolated compounds were determined by extensive analysis of their spectroscopic data as well as by comparison with literature. Compounds 1, 2, 9, and 10 were investigated for their α,α‐diphenyl‐β‐picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical‐scavenging activity. In addition, the new compounds, 1 and 2, were evaluated for their cytotoxic activity against the P‐388, HL‐60, and A549 cell lines.
Four New Compounds from Sinacalia tangutica
Authors: Zhu Ying , Zhao Yan , Huang Guo‐Du , Wu Wang‐Suo
Published: October 2008

Four new compounds, 9α‐hydroxy‐1β‐methoxycaryolanol (1), stigmast‐5‐ene‐7α,22α‐diol‐3β‐tetradecanoate (2), 7‐O‐(6′‐acetoxy‐β‐D‐glucopyranosyl)coumarin (3), and 8‐O‐(6′‐acetoxy‐β‐D‐glucopyranosyl)‐7‐hydroxycoumarin (4), together with ten known compounds, were isolated from the aerial parts of Sinacalia tangutica. The structures of the new compounds were established by means of extensive spectroscopic analyses (1D‐ and 2D‐NMR, EI‐MS, HR‐ESI‐MS, as well as IR and UV) and by comparison of their spectroscopic data with those of structurally related compounds reported in the literature.
Competitive Intramolecular Aryl‐ and Alkyl‐CH Bond Activation and Ligand Evaporation from Gaseous Bisimino Complexes [Pt(L)(CH3)((CH3)2S)]+ (L=C6H5NC(CH3)C(CH3)NC6H5)
Authors: Butschke Burkhard , Schlangen Maria , Schröder Detlef , Schwarz Helmut
Published: October 2008

Mechanistic details for the formation of methane from the title compound as well as the combined elimination of (CH3)2S/CH4 are derived from various mass‐spectrometric experiments including deuterium‐labeling studies and DFT calculations. For the first process, i.e., methane formation, we have identified three competing pathways in which the intact, Pt‐bonded methyl group combines with a H‐atom that originates from a phenyl substituent (ca. 7%), the dimethyl sulfide ligand (ca. 41%), and a methyl group of the diazabutadiene backbone (ca. 52%). In contrast, in the combined (CH3)2S/CH4 elimination, the methane is specifically formed from the Pt‐bound CH3 group and a H‐atom provided by one of the phenyl groups (‘cyclometalation’).
Synthesis and Selected Transformations of 1H‐Imidazole 3‐Oxides Derived from Amino Acid Esters
Authors: Jasiński Marcin , Mlostoń Grzegorz , Linden Anthony , Heimgartner Heinz
Published: October 2008

A series of new optically active 1H‐imidazole 3‐oxides 5 with a substituted acetate group at N(1) as the chiral unit were prepared by the reaction of α‐(hydroxyimino) ketones, α‐amino acid methyl esters, and formaldehyde. In an analogous reaction, ethyl 2‐(hydroxyimino)‐3‐oxobutyrate and 1,3,5‐trialkylhexahydro‐1,3,5‐triazines gave 3‐oxido‐1H‐imidazole‐4‐carboxylates 14, which easily rearranged into the 2‐oxo derivatives 15. Selected examples of N‐oxides 5 could be transformed into the corresponding 2,3‐dihydro‐1H‐imidazole‐2‐thione derivatives 10 via a ‘sulfur‐transfer reaction’, and the reduction of the histidine derivative 5i with Raney‐Ni yielded the optically active 2,3‐bis(imidazolyl)propanoate 12. Furthermore, reaction of the (1H‐imidazol‐1‐yl)acetates with primary amines yielded the corresponding acetamides.
Rhodium Fluoroapatite Catalyzed Conjugate Addition of Arylboronic Acids to α,β‐Unsaturated Carbonyl Compounds
Authors: Kantam Mannepalli Lakshmi , Subrahmanyam Vura Bala , Shiva Kumar Kota Balaji , Venkanna Gopaladasu T. , Sreedhar Bojja
Published: October 2008

Rhodium fluoroapatite (RhFAP) is an efficient catalyst for conjugate addition of organoboron reagents to α,β‐unsaturated carbonyl compounds. A variety of arylboronic acids and α,β‐unsaturated carbonyl compounds were converted to the corresponding conjugate‐addition products, demonstrating the versatility of the reaction. The reaction is highly selective. RhFAP was recovered quantitatively by simple filtration, and reused for four cycles.
Two New C20‐Diterpenoid Alkaloids from the Tibetan Medicinal Plant Aconitum naviculareStapf
Authors: Cao Jin‐Xin , Li Liang‐Bo , Ren Jie , Jiang Si‐Ping , Tian Ren‐Rong , Chen Xu‐Lin , Peng Shu‐Lin , Zhang Jie , Zhu Hua‐Jie
Published: October 2008

Two new C20‐diterpenoid alkaloids named naviculine A (1) and naviculine B (2), were isolated from Aconitum naviculare Stapf. Their structures were established by spectral methods, especially 2D‐NMR spectra (1H,1H‐COSY, HMQC, HMBC, and NOESY) and DFT methods (at the B3LYP/6‐311++G(2d,p)//B3LYP/6‐31G(d) level), respectively. They were assayed for their anti‐HIV‐1 activity.
A Concise Synthesis of the DNA‐Intercalating and Antimalarial Alkaloid Cryptolepine and Its Fluorescence Behaviour in Solvents of Different Polarities
Authors: Lai Tapan Kumar , Chatterjee Asima , Banerji Julie , Sarkar Deboleena , Chattopadhyay Nitin
Published: October 2008

A microwave‐induced rapid and facile synthesis of the DNA‐intercalating and antimalarial drug cryptolepine is described. The key step in this synthesis involves the aqueous‐phase base‐catalyzed condensation of isatin and 1‐acetyl‐1H‐indol‐3‐yl acetate which has been simplified and expedited by dielectric heating, employing an ordinary domestic microwave oven. The method transforms the synthesis of an important drug molecule from a prohibitively lengthy process to a matter of a few minutes with a much improved yield. Dual absorption and fluorescence is observed from the molecular system in solvents of different polarity thus providing valuable insight into its binding modes toward protein or DNA.
Two New Phenylpropanoid Derivatives from Codonopsis tangshenOliv.
Authors: Song Dan , Chou Gui‐Xin , Zhong Guo‐Yue , Wang Zheng‐Tao
Published: October 2008

Two new 3‐hydroxy‐3‐methylglutaric acid derived phenylpropanoid glucosides, tangshenoside V (1) and tangshenoside VI (2), were isolated from the roots of Codonopsis tangshen Oliv., along with the two known compounds tangshenoside I (3) and tangshenoside III (4). Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic methods (IR and 1D‐ and 2D‐NMR) and by mass spectrometry (HR‐ESI‐MS).
The effect of different powder particle size on mechanical properties of sintered alumina, resin‐ and glass‐infused alumina
Authors: Chaiyabutr Yada , Giordano Russell , Pober Richard
Published: October 2008

In this study, the compaction and sintering behavior of fine alumina powders of different particle sizes and the effect of matrix particle size on biaxial strength and fracture toughness of infused matrices were investigated. Three different alumina powders, In‐Ceram alumina, A16SG, and RC172 were selected, representing a range of particle size and shape. RC172 and A16SG were dry‐pressed. In‐Ceram alumina was slip‐cast following manufacturer's recommendations. Dry‐pressed ceramic blocks were sectioned into disks with a thickness of 1.5‐mm. Uninfused disks were sintered at four temperatures between 1250°C and 1400°C. For glass or resin infused specimens, alumina disks were sintered at 1250°C for 2 h and separated into two groups for glass infusion and resin (UDMA/TEGDMA) infusion. Disks were tested for biaxial flexural strength with a universal testing machine (Instron) at 0.5‐mm/min crosshead speeds. One‐way ANOVA and Duncan's multiple range tests revealed that alumina disks with different smaller particle sizes have significantly higher biaxial strength (p< 0.05). The strength of the alumina matrix was greatly increased by glass and resin infusion. The biaxial strength of resin‐infused alumina increased as particle size decreased, whereas strength of glass‐infused alumina was constant. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 2009
Preparing for inspection: Managing regulations and practices surrounding donors with positive infectious disease testing
Authors: Ferschke Jillian
Published: October 2008

Federal and local regulatory agencies mandate that all blood collection facilities test each allogeneic blood donation for evidence of infectious diseases. When a donation tests positive or reactive for any of the required screening tests, facilities are required to take appropriate action by deferring donors and removing potentially infectious products from inventory. Each required action must be performed in accordance with posted regulations and documented for record retention. Donor deferral records related to positive or reactive infectious disease testing are particularly vulnerable targets of inspection. There are currently numerous regulations and requirements for handling donors who test positive or reactive in infectious disease screening tests. Each of these regulations must be somehow organized and incorporated into written departmental procedures for staff to follow with confidence and accuracy. UMass Memorial Medical Center has implemented a process that equips staff members with the knowledge and confidence to respond in an organized way to an inspection of donor deferral records and related activities. The extraction of regulatory detail from written procedures into job aids and tools for staff to follow with ease and confidence ensures an inspection with zero findings in this area. J. Clin. Apheresis, 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Therapeutic apheresis in neurological disorders: A survey of the evidence in support of current category I and II indications for therapeutic plasma exchange
Authors: Weinstein Robert
Published: October 2008

Neurologic disorders constitute the largest group of indications for therapeutic plasma exchange. Although some of the traditional indications are supported by properly designed randomized trials, others are not. This article provides a critical look at the evidence in support of the assignment by ASFA of Category I or II indications to neurologic disorders in its most recent (2007) evaluation of therapeutic apheresis. J. Clin. Apheresis, 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Kinetic study of the reactions of p‐nitrophenyl acetate and p‐nitrophenyl benzoate with oximate nucleophiles
Authors: Tiwari Shuchi , Kolay Sancheeta , Ghosh Kallol K. , Kuca Kamil , Marek Jan
Published: October 2008

The reactions of p‐nitrophenyl acetate (PNPA) and p‐nitrophenyl benzoate (PNPB) with α‐nucleophile oximates, that is, butane 2,3‐dione monoximate, pralidoximate, and other oximates have been studied in the presence of different cationic surfactants. The first‐order rate constant increases with increasing surfactant concentration. The extent of acceleration is dependent on the head group structure of surfactants. The PNPA is more reactive than PNPB toward all the nucleophiles at higher concentration of surfactants. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 41: 57–64, 2009
Kinetics and mechanism of the oxidation of some organic sulfides by morpholinium chlorochromate
Authors: Malani Neha , Baghmar Manju , Sharma Pradeep K.
Published: October 2008

The oxidation of organic sulfides by morpholinium chlorochromate (MCC) resulted in the formation of the corresponding sulfoxides. The reaction is first order with respect to both MCC and the sulfide. The reaction is catalyzed by toluene‐p‐sulfonic acid (TsOH). The oxidation was studied in 19 different organic solvents. An analysis of the solvent effect by Swain's equation showed that both the cation‐ and anion‐solvating powers of the solvents play important roles. The correlation analyses of the rate of oxidation of 34 sulfides were performed in terms of various single and multiparametric equations. For the aryl methyl sulfides, the best correlation is obtained with Charton's localized‐delocalized‐resonance and localized‐delocalized‐resonance‐steric equations. The oxidation of alkyl phenyl sulfides exhibited a very good correlation in terms of the Pavelich–Taft equation. The polar reaction constants are negative, indicating an electron‐deficient sulfur center in the rate‐determining step. A mechanism involving formation of a sulfonium cation intermediate in the slow step has been proposed. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 41: 65–72, 2009
Lasermaterialbearbeitung aus der Ferne
Authors: Badyukov Dmitry , Koch Jürgen , Kemmel Matthias
Published: October 2008

Neuesten Trends der Strahlquellenanbieter hin zu brillanten Lasersystemen mit fasergekoppelten Scheiben‐ oder Faserlasern folgend, wurde ein robotergeführter, f‐theta‐freier Scann‐Kopf zur dreidimensionalen Strahlablenkung, der zur Zeit im sogenannten Remote‐Laserstrahlschweißen eingesetzt wird, entwickelt. In diesem Artikel gehen wir auf die besondere Auslegung der Optik mit der Fokussiereinrichtung vor den Ablenkspiegeln ein, welche zu einem f‐theta‐freien System führt, erläutern die Vorteile eines solchen Aufbaus gegenüber der konventionellen Technik mit Fokussierlinse nach den Ablenkspiegeln und zeigen mit Hilfe von Schweißnahtanalysen die Qualität der Schweißungen auf. Anhand der im Automobilbau eingesetzten Stahlwerkstoffe soll der interessierte Leser zur Entwicklung weiterer Applikationen für Remote‐Systeme animiert werden. Abschließend werden wir unsere Vision für Remote‐Anlagen insbesondere beim Laserschneiden darlegen.
Von der Idee zum fertigen Produkt
Authors: Weiler Sascha , Sutter Dirk , Koerber Christian
Published: October 2008

Der Erfolg eines Unternehmens, das Produkte und Dienstleistungen der Hochtechnologie anbietet, hängt unmittelbar von seiner Innovationskraft ab. In den vergangenen Jahren haben Kunden der Firma Trumpf von zahlreichen Innovationen bei Werkzeugmaschinen, Laserprodukten, der Elektronik, der Medizintechnik und den Elektrowerkzeugen profitiert. Beispielhaft für die Innovationskraft von Trumpf ist der TruMicro 5050 zur Mikrobearbeitung, der seit Ende 2007 erhältlich ist. Mit dem Ultrakurzpulslaser bietet Trumpf seinen Kunden einmal mehr völlig neue Möglichkeiten in der Lasermaterialbearbeitung. Denn die Ultrakurzpulstechnologie unterstützt Branchen wie die Halbleiter‐, Photovoltaik‐ oder auch Flachbildschirmindustrie dabei, ihrerseits innovative Produkte im Miniaturformat zu entwickeln und wirtschaftlich zu produzieren. Um seine Innovationskraft weiter zu steigern, hat Trumpf ein unternehmensweites Innovationsmanagement implementiert und eine Organisation geschaffen, die innovationsrelevante Prozesse systematisiert und dynamisiert.
Delegation in a mixed oligopoly: the case of multiple private firms
Authors: Heywood John S. , Ye Guangliang
Published: October 2008

Previous research examining mixed duopolies shows that the use of an optimal incentive contract for the public firm increases welfare and that privatization reduces welfare. We demonstrate that these results do not generalize to a mixed oligopoly with multiple private firms. We derive the optimal incentive contract for a public firm that weighs both profit and welfare and show that its use may either increase or decrease welfare depending on the number of private firms and the exact nature of costs. We also identify the conditions that determine whether or not privatizing the public firm facing an optimal incentive contract reduces welfare. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Odor identification test as an indicator of idiopathic REM sleep behavior disorder
Authors: Miyamoto Tomoyuki , Miyamoto Masayuki , Iwanami Masaoki , Suzuki Keisuke , Inoue Yuichi , Hirata Koichi
Published: October 2008

Reduction of olfactory function in idiopathic rapid‐eye‐movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder (iRBD) is of the same magnitude as that found in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). We assessed olfactory function using the Odor Stick Identification Test for Japanese (OSIT‐J) in 48 Japanese patients with iRBD, 21 with PD, and 34 with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). Possible score of the OSIT‐J ranges from 0 to 12. OSIT‐J scores were 4.9 ± 2.8 in patients with iRBD, 4.8 ± 2.8 in patients with PD, and 9.9 ± 1.4 in OSAS patients. An OSIT‐J score of 8.5 was associated with a sensitivity of 88.2 and 85.3%, respectively, and specificity of 83.3 and 85.7%, respectively, in differentiating iRBD or PD patients from OSAS patients. Odor identification is impaired in Japanese patients with iRBD and PD. The results suggest that OSIT‐J, which is a short and simple nonlexical olfactory identification test, can be useful as a clinical indicator for iRBD with Lewy body formation and is appropriate in the Japanese elderly population. © 2008 Movement Disorder Society
An analysis of searchers' perceptions of sponsored and non‐sponsored links using nested design
Authors: Zhang Ying , Jansen Bernard J.
Published: October 2008

This paper examines the effects of sponsored links' reputation. We pursued this study through a mature design of experiment method – the nested design – in order to investigate this fast growing segment of online advertising. In this study, we firstly analyze the adaptability of the nested design to find out whether the reputation of sponsored links will bias searchers. We then carefully contrived a user study to investigate this phenomenon. We used 56 participants engaged in six ecommerce Web searching tasks. The tasks were extracted from the transaction log of a Web search engine so that they could represent actual ecommerce searching information needs. We controlled the study by switching non‐sponsored and sponsored links on half of the tasks for each participant. By doing this, we could use the nested design statistical method to detect the impact of the sponsored links' reputation on the final evaluations of these results. During the study, we collected 2,435 interactions with links from search engine results page and 961 utterance evaluations of these links. The results indicate that the reputation or the location of the sponsored links will show strong significance on the final evaluation of the search engine performance. We give some perspectives and discussion which could benefit search engine providers to improve their services.
Human‐information interaction in time‐critical settings: Information needs and use in the emergency room
Authors: Sarcevic Aleksandra
Published: October 2008

Trauma centers are stressful, noisy, and dynamic places, with many people performing complex tasks, and with no technological aids to support their operations. This paper describes research that uses an emergency room as a natural laboratory for investigating information behavior and information sources of trauma team members. Data from interviews, focus groups, and videotaped trauma resuscitations revealed specific information needs in four distinct phases of a trauma event. The most commonly utilized information sources include the patient, vital signs monitor, x‐rays images, and other team members. Additionally, data indicated inefficiencies in teamwork and communication. Results from this study can be used to derive system requirements for the design of decision and communication support systems for trauma teams.
Increase in external quantum efficiency of encapsulated silicon solar cells from a luminescent down‐shifting layer
Authors: McIntosh Keith R. , Lau Gay , Cotsell James N. , Hanton Katherine , Bätzner Derk L. , Bettiol Fabian , Richards Bryce S.
Published: October 2008

This paper reports the external quantum efficiency (EQE) of encapsulated screen‐printed crystalline silicon solar cells, where the encapsulation includes a layer of luminescent down‐shifting (LDS) molecules. At wavelengths less than 400 nm, the inclusion of the LDS molecules increases the EQE from near zero to, at most, 40%. The increase in EQE corresponds to a rise in short‐circuit current density of 0·37 ± 0·13 mA/cm2 under the AM1‐5g spectrum. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Quantitative protein microarrays for time‐resolved measurements of protein phosphorylation
Authors: Korf Ulrike , Derdak Sophia , Tresch Achim , Henjes Frauke , Schumacher Sabrina , Schmidt Christian , Hahn Bettina , Lehmann Wolf D. , Poustka Annemarie , Beissbarth Tim , Klingmüller Ursula
Published: October 2008

The quantitative analysis of signaling networks requires highly sensitive methods for the time‐resolved determination of protein phosphorylation. For this reason, we developed a quantitative protein microarray that monitors the activation of multiple signaling pathways in parallel, and at high temporal resolution. A label‐free sandwich approach was combined with near infrared detection, thus permitting the accurate quantification of low‐level phosphoproteins in limited biological samples corresponding to less than 50 000 cells, and with a very low standard deviation of approximately 5%. The identification of suitable antibody pairs was facilitated by determining their accuracy and dynamic range using our customized software package Quantpro. Thus, we are providing an important tool to generate quantitative data for systems biology approaches, and to drive innovative diagnostic applications.
Towards functional phosphoproteomics by mapping differential phosphorylation events in signaling networks
Authors: de la Fuente van Bentem Sergio , Mentzen Wieslawa I. , de la Fuente Alberto , Hirt Heribert
Published: October 2008

Protein phosphorylation plays a central role in many signal transduction pathways that mediate biological processes. Novel quantitative mass spectrometry‐based methods have recently revealed phosphorylation dynamics in animals, yeast, and plants. These methods are important for our understanding of how differential phosphorylation participates in translating distinct signals into proper physiological responses, and shifted research towards screening for potential cancer therapies and in‐depth analysis of phosphoproteomes. In this review, we aim to describe current progress in quantitative phosphoproteomics. This emerging field has changed numerous static pathways into dynamic signaling networks, and revealed protein kinase networks that underlie adaptation to environmental stimuli. Mass spectrometry enables high‐throughput and high‐quality analysis of differential phosphorylation at a site‐specific level. Although determination of differential phosphorylation between treatments is analogous to detecting differential gene expression, the large body of statistical techniques that has been developed for analysis of differential gene expression is not generally applied for detecting differential phosphorylation. We suggest possible improvements for analysis of quantitative phosphorylation by increasing the number of biological replicates and adapting statistical tests used for gene expression profiling and widely implemented in freely available software tools.
Proteomics of lung physiopathology
Authors: Miller Ingrid , Eberini Ivano , Gianazza Elisabetta
Published: October 2008

This compilation accounts the efforts made to characterize the proteomes of lung tissues in health and disease and to recognize proteomic patterns of diseased states in the patient's biological fluids/secretions and lavage fluids. A massive amount of primary data could not lead yet to the identification of diagnostic proteomic signatures. The variability of proteomic findings associated with lung diseases suggests that a useful diagnostic index may eventually result only from the composite predictive values of a large panel of protein markers.
Synthesis and polymerization of new di‐octadecyl ester derivatives of α‐hydroxymethyl acrylate: A structure‐property correlation for their copolymers with methyl methacrylate
Authors: Tas Huseyin , Mathias Lon J.
Published: October 2008

New ether dimer (ED‐Od) and diester (ODE) derivatives of α‐hydroxymethylacrylate, each having two octadecyl side chains, were synthesized and (co)polymerized to evaluate the effects of differences in the structures of the monomers on final (co)polymer properties, particularly glass transition temperature. The free radical polymerizations of both monomers yielded high‐molecular weight polymers. Cyclopolymer formation of ED‐Od was confirmed by 13C NMR analysis and the cyclization efficiency (0.95 or greater) was found to be as high as the cyclization efficiencies of the cyclopolymerizations of ether dimers of various alkyl α‐hydroxymethylacrylates synthesized previously. Copolymers of both ED‐Od and ODE with methyl methacrylate (MMA) showed significant Tg decreases over PMMA due to octadecyl side groups causing “internal” plasticization. Comparison of the Tg's of the copolymers of octadecyl methacrylate, ED‐Od and ODE with MMA revealed that the impacts of these monomers on depression of Tg's are identical. That is, the magnitude of decrease in Tg's was quantitatively related to the number of the octadecyl side groups in the copolymers rather than their placement on the same or randomly incorporated repeat units. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 7785–7793, 2008
Synthesis and characterization of functional polysilanes [RMe2Si(CH2)x(Me)Si]n (R = 2‐Fu, 5‐Me‐2‐Fu, 2‐Th, 4‐Me‐2‐Th; x = 2, 3) with appended furyl/thienyl groups on the carbosilyl side chains and their application in the generation and stabilization of palladium nanoparticles
Authors: Shankar Ravi , Shahi Vandana
Published: October 2008

The polysilanes [RMe2Si(CH2)x(Me)Si]n [x = 2, 3; R = 2‐Fu (1, 2), 5‐Me‐2‐Fu (3, 4)] bearing furyl‐substituted carbosilyl side chains have been synthesized by dehalocondensation reaction (Wurtz coupling) of the corresponding carbosilanes using sodium dispersion in refluxing toluene. On the other hand, analogous polysilanes with appended thienyl groups [x = 2, 3; R = 2‐Th (5, 6), 4‐Me‐2‐Th (7, 8)] are only accessible by the reaction of the corresponding carbosilane precursors under mild Wurtz coupling conditions (THF, RT). These polysilanes reveal monomodal molecular weight distribution with Mw/PDI = 3.3–5.4 × 104/1.22–1.47 (1–4) and 9.1–14.4 × 104/1.45–1.61 (5–8) and are characterized by FT‐IR, multinuclear (1H, 13C{1H}, 29Si{1H}) NMR, and UV/PL spectral studies as well as thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Preliminary studies on the reactivity of polysilane 2 with palladium acetate (toluene, RT) reveal the formation of spherical palladium nanoparticles of size 8.2 ± 0.6 nm, which remain stable in solution for several weeks. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 7816–7826, 2008
Synthesis of hetero‐telechelic polymers by self‐polyaddition of monomers containing both oxetanyl and carboxyl groups
Authors: Kudo Hiroto , Atsumi Hiroyuki , Sato Masaaki , Nishikubo Tadatomi
Published: October 2008

The synthesis and self‐polyaddition of new monomers, o‐, m‐, and p‐[(3‐ethyloxetane‐3‐yl)methoxyethyl]benzoic acid (o‐EOMB, m‐EOMB, and p‐EOMB) containing both oxetanyl groups and carboxyl groups were examined. The reactions of o‐EOMB, m‐EOMB, and p‐EOMB in the presence of tetraphenylphosphonium bromide as a catalyst in o‐dichlorobenzene at 150–170 °C resulted in self‐polyaddition to give the corresponding hetero‐telechelic polymers poly(o‐EOMB), poly(m‐EOMB), and poly(p‐EOMB) with Mns = 14,500–33,400 in satisfactory yields. The Mn of poly(o‐EOMB) decreased at higher reaction temperatures than 150 °C, unlike those of poly(m‐EOMB) and poly(p‐EOMB), possibly due to inter‐ or intraester exchange side reactions. It was also found that the thermal properties and solubilities of these polymers were supposed with the proposed structures. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 7835–7842, 2008
Polyolefin‐based nanocomposite: The effect of organoclay modifier
Authors: Santos K. S. , Liberman S. A. , Oviedo M. A. S. , Mauler R. S.
Published: October 2008

Polypropylene (PP) nanocomposites were prepared using montmorillonite with different organic modifiers, and the effect of processing aid (EMCA and PPG) on the dispersion of the nanofillers in the PP matrix was evaluated by WAXD, TEM, DSC, TGA, DMA, and mechanical tests. The present study helps to clarify the effects of the organic modifiers of clays on the intercalation and exfoliation processes. Nanocomposites of intercalated and partially exfoliated morphology were obtained, mainly when a low amount (1:1) of PP‐g‐MA/MMT was used. The results of the tests on mechanical properties showed that the clays with larger d001 (C‐15A and Nanofil 5) using PPG presented a more considerable gain in impact strength. The nanocomposites using clays with smaller d001(C‐20A) presented larger modulus when compared with those of pristine PP. The heat deflection temperature, crystallization temperature, and thermal stability of the nanocomposites were improved compared to neat PP. The DMA results showed that the organoclay improved the modulus of PP, but decreased the Tg. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 46: 2519–2531, 2008
Diagnosis and management of irritable bowel syndrome
Authors: Thomas Linzi
Published: October 2008

Irritable bowel syndrome is a common condition that can become chronic and severe, leading to difficulties in management. Our Drug review discusses diagnosis and the available dietary, pharmacological and psychological interventions, followed by sources of further information. Copyright © 2008 Wiley Interface Ltd
Enhanced piezoelectric properties of sodium bismuth titanate (Na0.5Bi4.5Ti4O15) ceramics with B‐site cobalt modification
Authors: Wang Chun‐Ming , Zhao Liang , Wang Jin‐Feng , Zhang Shujun , Shrout Thomas R.
Published: October 2008

The piezoelectric properties of the cobalt‐modified sodium bismuth titanate (Na0.5Bi4.5Ti4O15, NBT) piezoelectric ceramics were investigated. The piezoelectric properties of NBT ceramics were significantly enhanced by cobalt modification. The Curie temperature TC and piezoelectric constant d33 for the 0.3 wt% cobalt‐modified NBT ceramics (NBT‐C3) were found to be 663 °C and 30 pC/N, respectively. Thermal annealing studies presented that the cobalt‐modified NBT ceramics possess stable piezoelectric properties, demonstrating that the cobalt‐modified NBT‐based ceramics are promising candidates for high temperature piezoelectric applications. (© 2009 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Appetite suppressive effects of yeast hydrolysate on nitric oxide synthase (NOS) expression and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) immunoreactivity in hypothalamus
Authors: Jung E. Y. , Suh H. J. , Kim S. Y. , Hong Y. S. , Kim M. J. , Chang U. J.
Published: October 2008

To investigate the effects of yeast hydrolysate on appetite regulation mechanisms in the central nervous system, nitric oxide synthase (NOS) expression and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) immunoreactivity in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) and ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus (VMH) of the hypothalamus were examined. Male Sprague‐Dawley (SD) rats were assigned to five groups: control (normal diet), BY‐1 and BY‐2 (normal diet with oral administration of 0.1 g and 1.0 g of yeast hydrolysate <10 kDa/kg body weight, respectively), AY‐1 and AY‐2 (normal diet with oral administration of 0.1 g and 1.0 g of yeast hydrolysate 10–30 kDa/kg body weight, respectively). The body weight gain in the BY groups was less than that in the control. In particular, the weight gain of the BY‐2 group (133.0 ± 5.1 g) was significantly lower (p < 0.05) than that of the control group (150.1 ± 3.7 g). Among the test groups, the BY‐2 group was shown to have significantly lower triacylglycerol (TG) levels (p < 0.05) than the other groups. The staining intensities and optical densities of NOS neurons in the PVN of the AY group were significantly higher (p < 0.05) than in the control and BY groups. The staining intensities and optical densities of VIP immunoreactivity in the PVN and VMH of the BY groups were higher than those of the AY groups and the control. In conclusion, these results indicated that yeast hydrolysate of <10 kDa reduced the body weight gain and body fat in normal diet‐fed rats and increased the lipid energy metabolism by altering the expression of NOS and VIP in neurons. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Astragaloside IV attenuates lipolysis and improves insulin resistance induced by TNFα in 3T3‐L1 adipocytes
Authors: Jiang Boren , Yang Ying , Jin Hua , Shang Wenbin , Zhou Libin , Qian Lei , Chen Mingdao
Published: October 2008

Increased circulating free fatty acid (FFA) concentrations have been demonstrated to potentially link obesity, insulin resistance and cardiovascular diseases. Astragaloside IV (AS‐IV) is a saponin which is widely used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. The purpose of the present study was to examine the effects of AS‐IV on the lipolysis and insulin resistance induced by tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNFα) in cultured 3T3‐L1 adipocytes. TNFα promotes lipolysis in mammal adipocytes via the mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) family resulting in reduced expression/function of perilipin. Application of AS‐IV inhibited TNFα‐induced accelerated lipolysis in a dose‐dependent manner, which was compatible with suppressed phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and reversed the downregulation of perilipin. Moreover, TNFα induced downregulation of key enzymes in lipogenesis, including LPL, FAS and GPAT, were also attenuated by AS‐IV. Further studies showed that AS‐IV improved TNFα‐induced insulin resistance in 3T3‐L1 adipocytes. This study provides the first direct evidence of the antilipolytic action of AS‐IV in adipocytes, which may allow this agent to decrease the circulating FFA levels, thus increase insulin sensitivity and treat cardiovascular diseases. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Inhibitory effects of xanthohumol from hops (Humulus lupulus L.) on human hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines
Authors: Ho Yi‐Chien , Liu Chi‐Hsien , Chen Chien‐Nan , Duan Kow‐Jen , Lin Ming‐Tse
Published: October 2008

Xanthohumol is one of the main flavonoids in hop extracts and in beer. Very few investigations of xanthohumol have studied hepatocellular carcinoma. In this study, the inhibitory effects of xanthohumol on human hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines were investigated. The IC50 values of xanthohumol for two hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines and one normal hepatocyte cell line were 108, 166 and 211 µm, respectively. Normal murine hepatocyte cell line had more resistance to xanthohumol than hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines. Besides, the inhibitory effects of xanthohumol on human hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines were attributed to apoptosis as indicated in the results of flow cytometry, fluorescent nuclear staining and electrophoresis of oligonucleosomal DNA fragments. Hop xanthohumol was more efficient in the growth inhibition of hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines than the flavonoids silibinin and naringin from thistle and citrus. It was shown for the first time that xanthohumol from hops effectively inhibits proliferation of human hepatocellular carcinoma cells in vitro. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effect of Asparagus‐P® on cell metabolism of cultured kidney and inflammation‐mediating cells
Authors: Dartsch Peter C.
Published: October 2008

Asparagus‐P® is a traditional herbal medicinal product consisting of a combination of dried and pulverized asparagus roots and parsley leaves in equal parts. It is commonly used to support aquaretic kidney function, i.e. the increased excretion of water from the kidneys without affecting electrolyte balance. The mechanisms of this aquaretic effectiveness are widely unknown and are controversial. By using two different kidney cell lines (distal tubule‐derived Madin‐Darby bovine kidney (MDBK) cells and proximal tubule‐derived opossum kidney (OK) cells) the study investigated whether a stimulation of basal kidney cell metabolism might be responsible for the increased excretion of water from the kidneys. The results demonstrate that Asparagus‐P® was able to stimulate the metabolism of both kidney cell lines in a dose‐dependent manner with a maximum stimulation at the recommended daily dosage after distribution in the whole body fluid. Metabolic stimulation was much more pronounced for OK than for MDBK cells. Whether a stimulation of cell metabolism correlates with an increased water excretion is currently unknown, but in vitro data might deliver the first evidence for a better understanding of the mechanism of action. Moreover, Asparagus‐P® inhibited the metabolism of inflammation‐mediating cells (differentiated human promyelocytes). This increases the information on the antiinflammatory efficacy of Asparagus‐P® as already shown by its potential to inactivate reactive oxygen radicals. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Thermal activation of the co‐chaperonins GroES and gp31 probed by mass spectrometry
Authors: Geels Rimco B. J. , Calmat Stephane , Heck Albert J. R. , van der Vies Saskia M. , Heeren Ron M. A.
Published: October 2008

Many biological active proteins are assembled in protein complexes. Understanding the (dis)assembly of such complexes is therefore of major interest. Here we use mass spectrometry to monitor the disassembly induced by thermal activation of the heptameric co‐chaperonins GroES and gp31. We use native electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI‐MS) on a Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FT‐ICR) mass spectrometer to monitor the stoichiometry of the chaperonins. A thermally controlled electrospray setup was employed to analyze conformational and stoichiometric changes of the chaperonins at varying temperature. The native ESI‐MS data agreed well with data obtained from fluorescence spectroscopy as the measured thermal dissociation temperatures of the complexes were in good agreement. Furthermore, we observed that thermal denaturing of GroES and gp31 proceeds via intermediate steps of all oligomeric forms, with no evidence of a transiently stable unfolded heptamer. We also evaluated the thermal dissociation of the chaperonins in the gas phase using infrared multiphoton dissociation (IRMPD) for thermal activation. Using gas‐phase activation the smaller (2–4) oligomers were not detected, only down to the pentamer, whereafter the complex seemed to dissociate completely. These results demonstrate clearly that conformational changes of GroES and gp31 due to heating in solution and in the gas phase are significantly different. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
What technical barriers exist for real‐time fluoroscopic and video image overlay in robotic surgery?
Authors: Afthinos J. N. , Latif M. J. , Bhora F. Y. , Connery C. P. , McGinty J. J. , Burra A. , Attiyeh M. , Todd G. J. , Belsley S. J.
Published: October 2008

Background

A hypothetical advantage of the da Vinci® console is its ability to integrate multiple visual data sources. Current platforms for augmented reality surgery fuse pre‐operative radiographic studies but are limited with their ability to update with intra‐operative imaging. The aim of our study was to evaluate the feasibility of real‐time radiographic image overlay with current technology.

Methods

S‐video composite output from a fluoroscopic C‐arm was superimposed onto the video output of the da Vinci device. Image superimposition disparity measurements were evaluated in a bench model. The feasibility of robotic dissection assisted by real‐time cholangiogram and intravenous pyelogram was evaluated.

Results

Image alignment resulted in a radiographic blind spot and image disparity with severely limited application in an in vivo model.

Conclusions

External collisions of the robotic device and visual disparity in multiple planes negate the current implementation of fluoroscopic overlay and will require more elegant methods of computer‐assisted registration. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Secure authentication policy with evidential signature scheme for WLAN
Authors: Ouyang Yen‐Chieh , Hsueh Ching‐Tsung , Chen Hung‐Wei
Published: October 2008

Non‐repudiation is one of most important security services in electronic transactions. It provides protection from denial by one of the entities involved in a communication of parties participating in all or part of communication. In practice, a non‐repudiation property is an important evidence for accounting for or tracking a system or tracking to illegal connections. However, a password‐based communication system does not provide the non‐repudiation property for connection evidence. In this paper, a dynamic session key policy (DSKP) with a non‐repudiation signature scheme for secure mobile networks authentication is proposed. The proposed non‐repudiation signature scheme is a mixed method which combines a one‐way hash function and a traditional digital signature technique. Since computational cost usually is an important issue in a mobile environment, the proposed scheme can provide additional non‐repudiation properties satisfying the future needs of electronic evidences such as accounting, auditing, logging, and tracking of connections to a mobile network system at the expense of a small additional computing load for the mobile devices. Besides, it can also achieve the same security services from a security and performance analysis point of view. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Treatment of severe early onset Blount's disease by an intra-articular and a metaphyseal osteotomy using the Taylor Spatial Frame
Authors: Bar-On Elhanan , Weigl Daniel Martin , Becker Tali , Katz Kalman
Published: October 2008

Purpose

Severe Blount's disease results in a multiplanar deformity of the lower limb. The mechanical axis is disrupted, there is a rotational deformity, and also shortening of the limb. A depression of the medial tibial plateau causes joint incongruity and instability. The purpose of this study is to review the results of treatment addressing all the aspects of the deformity.

Methods

Four patients were treated for severe Blount's disease. The index procedure consisted of a medial tibial plateau elevating osteotomy, a lateral tibial and proximal fibular epiphysiodesis, a proximal tibial metaphyseal osteotomy, and the application of the Taylor Spatial Frame programmed for correction of varus, rotation and shortening, and preemptive lengthening to compensate for growth arrest.

Results

Mechanical axis was corrected from a mean 23° (13°–30°) to 0° in three patients and 6° valgus in 1. Tibias were lengthened by 1–4 cm. At follow-up, the mechanical axis was 0° in two patients and 7° varus in two. The overlengthening was diminishing as planned.

Conclusions

The double osteotomy and Taylor Frame correction was found to be accurate, safe, and effective for multiplanar deformity correction in severe Blount's disease.
Hidden Markov Models Incorporating Fuzzy Measures and Integrals for Protein Sequence Identification and Alignment
Authors: Bidargaddi Niranjan P. , Chetty Madhu , Kamruzzaman Joarder
Published: October 2008

Profile hidden Markov models (HMMs) based on classical HMMs have been widely applied for protein sequence identification. The formulation of the forward and backward variables in profile HMMs is made under statistical independence assumption of the probability theory. We propose a fuzzy profile HMM to overcome the limitations of that assumption and to achieve an improved alignment for protein sequences belonging to a given family. The proposed model fuzzifies the forward and backward variables by incorporating Sugeno fuzzy measures and Choquet integrals, thus further extends the generalized HMM. Based on the fuzzified forward and backward variables, we propose a fuzzy Baum-Welch parameter estimation algorithm for profiles. The strong correlations and the sequence preference involved in the protein structures make this fuzzy architecture based model as a suitable candidate for building profiles of a given family, since the fuzzy set can handle uncertainties better than classical methods.
How to use drugs for pain management: from pharmacokinetics to pharmacogenomics
Authors: Allegaert K. , van den Anker J.N.
Published: October 2008

The promise of pharmacogenomics (PGx), i.e. the study of the role of inheritance in the individual variation in drug response lies in its potential to further identify the right drug and dosing regimen in every individual patient. Observations on the impact of cytochrome P450 (CYP) 2D6, the μ‐opioid receptor μ 1 (OPRM1), UDP‐glucuronosyl (UGT) 2B7 isoenzyme, efflux transporter P‐glycoprotein (P‐gp) and ATP‐binding cassette B1 (ABCB1/multiple drug resistence 1 (MDR1) polymorphisms on opioid disposition are provided to illustrate the potential impact of PGx on pain management.

PGx are, however, only one group of co‐variates of interindividual variability. People differ and the interindividual phenotypic variability is the final result of maturation, genomic variation and environment. Other clinical characteristics, like ontogeny (i.e. age‐dependent maturation), co‐morbidity (e.g. hepatic or renal dysfunction) or co‐medication should be considered together with the genomic variation. Population pharmacokinetic models hereby enable researchers to simultaneously assess the independent impact of different co‐variates.