bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Contusion, dislocation, and distraction: primary hemorrhage and membrane permeability in distinct mechanisms of spinal cord injury
Authors: Choo Anthony M. , Liu Jie , Lam Clarrie K. , Dvorak Marcel , Tetzlaff Wolfram , Oxland Thomas R.
Published: January 2008

Object

In experimental models of spinal cord injury (SCI) researchers have typically focused on contusion and transection injuries. Clinically, however, other injury mechanisms such as fracture–dislocation and distraction also frequently occur. The objective of the present study was to compare the primary damage in three clinically relevant animal models of SCI.

Methods

Contusion, fracture–dislocation, and flexion–distraction animal models of SCI were developed. To visualize traumatic increases in cellular membrane permeability, fluorescein–dextran was infused into the cerebrospi-nal fluid prior to injury. High-speed injuries (approaching 100 cm/second) were produced in the cervical spine of deeply anesthetized Sprague–Dawley rats (28 SCI and eight sham treated) with a novel multimechanism SCI test system. The animals were killed immediately thereafter so that the authors could characterize the primary injury in the gray and white matter.

Sections stained with H & E showed that contusion and dislocation injuries resulted in similar central damage to the gray matter vasculature whereas no overt hemorrhage was detected following distraction. Contusion resulted in membrane disruption of neuronal somata and axons localized within 1 mm of the lesion epicenter. In contrast, membrane compromise in the dislocation and distraction models was observed to extend rostrally up to 5 mm, particularly in the ventral and lateral white matter tracts.

Conclusions

Given the pivotal nature of hemorrhagic necrosis and plasma membrane compromise in the initiation of downstream SCI pathomechanisms, the aforementioned differences suggest the presence of mechanism-specific injury regions, which may alter future clinical treatment paradigms.
Stress-shielding compared with load-sharing anterior cervical plate fixation: a clinical and radiographic prospective analysis of 50 patients
Authors: Saphier Paul S. , Arginteanu Marc S. , Moore Frank M. , Steinberger Alfred A. , Camins Martin B.
Published: January 2008

Object

In a prospective analysis the authors evaluated the clinical and radiographic outcome of 50 consecutive patients who underwent anterior cervical discectomy and fusion and fixation in which either a stress-shielding or a load-sharing plate (Orion and Premier, respectively) was placed. Data obtained in the two cohorts were analyzed to determine whether clinical or radiographic differences would emerge.

Methods

All patients underwent either one- or two-level fusion in which freeze-dried allogenic tricortical iliac crest bone graft was used. In the first cohort of 25 patients entered into the study, fixation was achieved using a stress-shielding anterior cervical plate (ACP) system, whereas in the second cohort of 25 patients a load-sharing plate system was employed. Patients were evaluated during a follow-up period that ranged from 12 to 35 months. Outcome was determined using a standard questionnaire by which the authors gauged the level of pain, disability, and satisfaction following surgery. The success of surgical fusion and the magnitude of the translation were determined by radiographic evaluation.

There was no statistically significant difference between the two cohorts with respect to age, sex, smoking rate, and postoperative complications. With regard to pain and functionality, there was a significant difference (p < 0.05) in favor of the load-sharing system. The fusion rates with the load-sharing and stress-shielding systems were 96 and 92%, respectively, and this difference was not significant. There was no significant difference between the two cohorts with regard to overall satisfaction. The magnitude of vertical translation was significantly greater in the stress-shielding ACP group (p < 0.05) for treatment at one level but not at two. Clinical and radiographic data were available in all patients.

Conclusions

Load-sharing ACP systems exhibited superior clinical results compared with stress-shielding ACPs in this series of patients. The symptomatic pseudarthrosis rate was lower in the load-sharing ACP–treated patients, although this was not statistically significant.
Bone marrow stromal cells promoting corticospinal axon growth through the release of humoral factors in organotypic cocultures in neonatal rats
Authors: Kamei Naosuke , Tanaka Nobuhiro , Oishi Yosuke , Ishikawa Masakazu , Hamasaki Takahiko , Nishida Koji , Nakanishi Kazuyoshi , Sakai Norio , Ochi Mitsuo
Published: January 2008

Object

The transplantation of bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) is considered to be an alternative treatment to promote central nervous system regeneration, but the precise mechanisms of this regeneration after transplantation of BMSCs have not been clarified. In the present study, the authors assessed the effects of BMSC transplantation on corticospinal axon growth quantitatively, and they analyzed the mechanism of central nervous system regeneration in the injured and BMSC-treated spinal cord using the organotypic coculture system.

Methods

Bone marrow stromal cells derived from green fluorescent protein–expressing transgenic Sprague–Dawley rats were transplanted to the organotypic coculture system in which brain cortex and spinal cord specimens obtained in neonatal Sprague–Dawley rats were used. The axon growth from the cortex to the spinal cord was assessed quantitatively, using anterograde tracing with 1,1′-dioctadecyl-3,3,3′,3′-tetramethylindocarbocyanine perchlorate. To identify the differentiation of transplanted BMSCs, immunohistochemical examinations were performed. In addition, BMSCs were analyzed using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for mRNA expression of the growth factors.

The transplantation of BMSCs beneath the membrane, where the transplanted cells did not come into direct contact with the cultured tissue, promoted corticospinal axon growth to the same extent as transplantation of BMSCs on the tissues. The RT-PCR showed that the transplanted BMSCs expressed the mRNA of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF).

Conclusions

These findings strongly suggest that humoral factors expressed by BMSCs, including BDNF and VEGF, participate in regeneration of the central nervous system after transplantation of these cells.
Antihyperalgesic effects of vanilloid-1 and bradykinin-1 receptor antagonists following spinal cord injury in rats
Authors: Rajpal Sharad , Gerovac Tiffany A. , Turner Nicholas A. , Tilghman Jessica I. , Allcock Bradley K. , McChesney Shannon L. , Miranpuri Gurwattan S. , Park Seung W. , Resnick Daniel K.
Published: January 2008

Object

The authors previously discovered that genes for the bradykinin-1 (B1) receptor and the transient receptor potential vanilloid subtype 1 (TRPV1) were overexpressed in animals exhibiting thermal hyperalgesia (TH) following spinal cord injury (SCI). They now report the effect of TRPV1 (AMG9810) and B1 (Lys-[Des-Arg9, Leu8]-bradykinin) antagonists on TH in animals following SCI.

Methods

The rats were subjected to contusion SCI and then divided into groups in which TH did or did not develop. The animals from both groups were given either AMG9810, Lys-(Des-Arg9, Leu8)-bradykinin, or the drug-specific vehicle (control groups). Animals were tested for TH preinjury and at regular intervals after SCI by using the hindlimb withdrawal latency test.

Conclusions

The administration of AMG9810 likely improves TH as a result of a generalized analgesic effect, whereas the effect of Lys-(Des-Arg9, Leu8)-bradykinin appears more specific to the reversal of TH. This information has potential usefulness in the development of treatment strategies for post-SCI neuropathic pain.
Intramedullary leiomyolipoma of the thoracic spine
Authors: Arnold Paul M. , Gust Troy D. , Newell Kathy
Published: January 2008

✓The authors report a rare case of spinal intramedullary leiomyolipoma. The histological characteristics and location of the neoplasm are unique, and the presentation, surgical management, and pathological characteristics of the lesion are discussed.
Expression of O6-methylguanine–deoxyribose nucleic acid methyltransferase and temozolomide response in a patient with a malignant spinal cord astrocytoma
Authors: Rovin Richard A. , Winn Robert
Published: January 2008

✓The authors report the case of a 28-year-old woman with a high-grade spinal cord astrocytoma. Treatment using surgery, radiation, and temozolomide (TMZ) led to functional recovery and regression of the residual tumor as demonstrated on serial magnetic resonance images. Genetic testing revealed that this tumor did not express the DNA repair enzyme O6-methylguanine–DNA methyltransferase (MGMT). This is the first report in the literature correlating MGMT expression with the clinical response of a high-grade spinal cord astrocytoma treated using TMZ.
Multiple spinal extradural meningeal cysts presenting as acute paraplegia
Authors: Marbacher Serge , Barth Alain , Arnold Marlene , Seiler Rolf W.
Published: January 2008

✓Multiple spinal extradural meningeal cysts are rare. To the authors' knowledge, there have been only four reported cases in the world literature. The authors report a case of multiple spinal extradural meningeal cysts in a 31-year-old woman presenting with acute paraplegia. Magnetic resonance imaging of the thoracolumbar spine revealed multiple extradural cystic lesions extending from T-7 to T-8 and from T-12 to L-3. Intraoperative findings demonstrated a white, fibrous, and tense cyst filled with cerebrospinal fluid–like colorless fluid. Excision of the posterior wall of the symptomatic cyst was followed by immediate neurological improvement. The examination of the pathological specimen showed a thick duralike layer of collagen and an inner membrane of arachnoid that is often not found in these lesions. The final diagnosis was based on combined imaging, intraoperative, and histopathological findings. The authors review the literature and discuss the etiological, diagnostic, and therapeutic aspects of this lesion.
Convergence, Noninstrumental Value and the Semantics of ‘Love': Comment on McShane
Authors: Norton Bryan G.
Published: January 2008

Katie McShane, while accepting my ‘convergence hypothesis’ (the view that anthropocentrists and nonanthropocentrists will tend to propose similar policies), argues that nonanthropocentrism is nevertheless superior because it allows conservationists to have a deeper emotional commitment to natural objects than can anthropocentrists. I question this reasoning on two bases. First, McShane assumes a philosophically tendentious distinction between intrinsic and instrumental value – a distinction that presupposes a dualistic worldview. Second, I question why McShane believes anthropocentrists – weak anthropocentrists, that is – cannot ‘love’ or ‘feel awe’ toward natural objects. Her argument, that is, only works against strong anthropocentrism, which I never advocated.
Thinking from within the Calyx of Nature
Authors: Mathews Freya
Published: January 2008

Is philosophy an appropriate means for inducing the ‘moral point of view’ with respect to nature? The moral point of view involves a feeling for the inner reality of others, a feeling which, it is argued, is induced more by processes of synergistic interaction than by the kind of rational deliberation that classically constituted philosophy. But how are we to engage synergistically with other-than-human life forms and systems? While synergy with animals presents no in-principle difficulty, synergy with larger life systems takes us into epistemological realms explored only in the margins of the Western tradition, such as in Goethe's Romantic alternative to science. These ‘alternative’ epistemological realms are however the very province of the Daoist arts of China, and these arts accordingly furnish us with practices conducive to a moral consciousness of nature.
Saving Wild Rice: The Rise and Fall of the Nett Lake Dam
Authors: Habte Nega Tsegaye
Published: January 2008

This paper examines the interrelations of technology, environment and people by exploring the origin, design and implementation of a dam-building project intended to control water-level fluctuations and enhance the Nett Lake wild rice ecosystem at Bois Forte Indian Reservation in northern Minnesota. Informed by the interdisciplinary field of science and technology studies (STS), it is argued that technologies, such as the dam, do not fail or succeed because they are ill or well conceived. Rather, they acquire these properties depending on whether the boundaries of the technology, user and ecosystem become stable. This implies that even if we can point to the separate entities involved, their boundaries cannot be determined a priori. Instead, they emerge constantly, renegotiated by a complex interplay of heterogeneous elements, including scientific, economic, political, cultural, legal and natural factors.
Spanish Wood Pasture: Origin and Durability of an Historical Wooded Landscape in Mediterranean Europe
Authors: Clément Vincent
Published: January 2008

Spanish dehesas , the most extensive wood pastures in Mediterranean Europe, are a vivid example for demonstrating that the impact of rural communities on forests has not always been a bad thing. Environmental history is vital for understanding this cultural landscape. This article first analyses the origin of the dehesa. The border logic and the medieval Reconquest are elements that undoubtedly played a decisive part in its genesis; but, for the significance of Roman influence in Spain, it is necessary to consider the question of the possible existence of dehesas in Antiquity. The second aspect concerns the spreading of this landscape from the Middle Ages onwards. Dehesas are usually linked to the large properties owned by military orders, but most of all the spreading of the dehesa was favoured by the rise of transhumance from the thirteenth century onwards. Finally, the article emphasises that the durability of the Spanish wood pasture can be explained by a combination of several factors: insecurity along the border, the fact that transhumance was the most important industry in Spain for many centuries, and the protective laws adopted by the rural communities in order to protect their dehesas.
An Overview of Protein Misfolding Diseases
Authors: Dobson Christopher M.
Published: January 2008

Orginally published in: Protein Folding Handbook. Part II. Edited by Johannes Buchner and Thomas Kiefhaber. Copyright © 2005 Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA Weinheim. Print ISBN: 3‐527‐30784‐2

The sections in this article are

Introduction

Protein Misfolding and Its Consequences for Disease

The Structure and Mechanism of Amyloid Formation

A Generic Description of Amyloid Formation

The Fundamental Origins of Amyloid Disease

Approaches to Therapeutic Intervention in Amyloid Disease

Conclusions

Acknowledgements
Protein Production in Mammalian Cells
Authors: Sandig Volker , Rose Thomas , Winkler Karsten , Brecht Rene
Published: January 2008

Originally published in: Production of Recombinant Proteins. Edited by Gerd Gellissen. Copyright © 2005 Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA Weinheim. Print ISBN: 3‐527‐31036‐4

The sections in this article are

Why Use Mammalian Cells for Heterologous Gene Expression?

Mammalian Cell Lines for Protein Production

Mammalian Expression Systems

Design of the Basic Expression Unit

Transient Expression and Episomal Vectors: Alternatives to Stable Integration

“Stable” Integration into the Host Genome

Selection Strategies for Mammalian Cells

Auxotrophic Selection Markers and Gene Amplification

The Integration Locus: a Major Determinant of Expression Level

Mammalian Cell‐based Fermentation Processes

Batch and Fed‐batch Fermentation

Continuous Perfusion Fermentation

Continuous Production with Hollow‐fiber Bioreactors

Conclusions

Acknowledgments
Intermittent Cities On Waiting Spaces and How to Inhabit Transforming Cities
Authors: Faraone Claudia , Sarti Andrea
Published: January 2008

Claudia Faraone and Andrea Sarti tap into the potential of the transient contemporary city, which is incessantly growing and evolving. By networking a series of sites ‐ either officially or unofficially awaiting development ‐ they provide the city of dispersal with a highly dynamic, ready‐made urban culture. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Archipelago of the Negev Desert A Temporal/Collective Plan for Beer Sheva, Israel
Authors: Segal Rafi
Published: January 2008

Known locally as the ‘non‐city’, Beer Sheva in southern Israel is made up of segregated communities with no central core. Rafi Segal proposes a way of creating connectivity while accepting the city's lack of centre and optimising on its beautiful desert landscape and Bedouin inheritance. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Urban Voids: Grounds for Change Reimagining Philadelphia's Vacant Lands
Authors: Leob Deenah
Published: January 2008

Dispersal is most often regarded as an upshot of population rises as the demographic grows and spreads outwards of the city centre. Cities, though, can simultaneously experience contraction and expansion. Despite being the sixth largest city in the US, Philadelphia is a ‘shrinking city’; deindustrialistion has prompted urban abandonment at the same time as the growth of urban sprawl. Deenah Loeb, executive director of the City Parks Association of Philadelphia, describes how the URBAN VOIDS competition was launched in order to trigger public discussion and the reimagining of a greened city. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Royal Dutch Military Police Campus Zvi Hecker's Landscape Urbanism
Authors: Segal Rafi
Published: January 2008

Situated close to Schiphol Airport, Zvi Hecker's new police campus for the Royal Dutch Military Police is located in the Randstad area; the ‘rim city’ conurbation that comprises the four biggest Dutch cities ‐ Rotterdam, Amsterdam, The Hague and Utrecht ‐ and has come to epitomise the most intensive European condition of dispersal. As Rafi Segal describes, Hecker chooses to address this context by providing the campus with ‘a notion of the urban’ that creates ‘a city within a wall’. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Elektrochemische Alternativen für die Trinkwasserdesinfektion
Authors: Martínez‐Huitle Carlos A. , Brillas Enric
Published: January 2008

Die Trinkwasserdesinfektion erfolgt weltweit zumeist durch Chlorung. Dabei entstehen aber potenziell toxische Nebenprodukte, weshalb alternative Techniken entwickelt wurden; eines der praktikabelsten Verfahren ist die elektrochemische Desinfektion. Dieser Kurzaufsatz stellt solche Methoden zur Trinkwasserdesinfektion vor und unterstreicht die Effizienz von kürzlich entwickelten Diamantfilmen in chlorfreien elektrochemischen Systemen.
Virtual maps–virtual worlds: Testing the usability of a greek virtual cultural map
Authors: Garoufallou Emmanouel , Siatri Rania , Balatsoukas Panagiotis
Published: January 2008

The authors report on the findings of a usability test conducted to evaluate the usability of the VeriaGrid online system. The VeriaGrid (www.theveriagrid.org) is a prototype virtual map that focuses on the provision of information related to the cultural heritage of the city of Veria (Greece). It has been developed under the Light Project by the Central Public Library of Veria (www.libver.gr). It is an interactive application that includes various functional or thematic areas such as an interactive digital map of Veria, image gallery, videoclips, panoramic site photos, and general information about the city of Veria. The findings of the usability test revealed that users had some difficulties in using novel features of the digital map (such as the Recommended Points and the Routes functions) and finding textual information about cultural heritage of the city of Veria. Users, however, were satisfied with the overall usability of the system. In light of these findings, some recommendations for improving the usability of the system are made.
Substituent Effects in the Preparation of Naphthacenes by the Coupling Reaction of Diyne‐Derived Zirconacyclopentadienes with Tetraiodobenzene
Authors: Seri Tomomi , Qu Hongmei , Zhou Lishan , Kanno Ken‐ichiro , Takahashi Tamotsu
Published: January 2008

The synthesis of a series of substituted naphthacene derivatives through the coupling reaction of zirconacyclopentadienes with diiodobenzenes is reported. A reaction of bis(propargyl)benzenes with zirconacene dibutyl afforded the corresponding tricyclic zirconacyclopentadienes, which reacted with o‐diiodobenzenes to afford the corresponding dihydronaphthacenes. The yields of the coupling reactions were dependent on the substituents on both of the zirconacycles and o‐diiodobenzenes. The reactions of diphenyl‐substituted zirconacycles gave higher yields than those of the α,α′‐dialkyl‐substituted derivatives. The iodide functions thus introduced allowed further introduction of substituents by well‐established cross‐coupling reactions after construction of the naphthacene skeletons.
Resonance Rayleigh scattering method for the determination of chitosan with some anionic surfactants
Authors: Wang Yu‐Wei , Li Nian‐Bing , Luo Hong‐Qun
Published: January 2008

In weak acidic buffer medium, chitosan binding with an anionic surfactant, such as sodium dodecyl benzene sulphonate (SDBS), sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS) or sodium dodecyl sulphonate (SDS), can result in a significant enhancement of resonance Rayleigh scattering (RRS) intensity. The results showed that under optimum conditions the enhanced RRS intensity is proportional to the concentration of chitosan in the range 0.10–20.0 µg/mL for SDBS, 0.27–15.0 µg/mL for SLS and 0.20–15.0 µg/mL for SDS. Among these, the sensitivity of SDBS is the highest and its detection limit for chitosan is 29 ng/mL, while those of SLS and SDS are 83 and 61 ng/mL, respectively. The method has good selectivity and was applied to the determination of trace amounts of chitosan in practical samples with satisfactory results. Therefore, a simple and convenient method with high sensitivity and selectivity for the determination of chitosan was established. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Team‐teaching a current events‐based biology course for nonmajors
Authors: Bondos Sarah E. , Phillips Dereth
Published: January 2008

Rice University has created a team‐taught interactive biology course for nonmajors with a focus on cutting edge biology in the news—advances in biotechnology, medicine, and science policy, along with the biological principles and methodology upon which these advances are based. The challenges inherent to teaching current topics were minimized by team‐teaching the course, providing knowledgeable and enthusiastic lecturers for every topic while distributing the effort required to update material. Postdoctoral associates and advanced graduate students served as lecturers, providing an opportunity for them to develop their teaching skills and learn to communicate effectively with nonscientists on newsworthy topics related to their research. Laboratory tours, in‐class demonstrations, and mock‐ups helped lecturers convey surprisingly advanced ideas with students who lacked a strong theoretical or practical science background. A faculty member and co‐coordinator administer the class, organize class activities, and mentor the speakers on teaching techniques and lecture design. Course design, lecture topics, hands‐on activities, and approaches to successfully solve the difficulties inherent to team teaching are discussed. Course evaluations reflect student involvement in, and enjoyment of, the class.
The French paradox
Authors: Logan Barry A. , Hammond Matthew P. , Stormo Benjamin M.
Published: January 2008

Plant‐derived phenolic compounds such as those found in red wine, tea, and certain fruit juices may protect against cardiovascular disease by detoxifying (scavenging) superoxide and other unstable reactive oxygen species. We present a laboratory exercise that can be used to assess the superoxide‐scavenging capacity of beverages. Among the beverages examined, only those known to be rich in phenolic compounds (red wine, green tea, blueberry juice, and stout beer) exhibited appreciable superoxide scavenging. White wine and a 10% ethanol solution served as controls and did not scavenge superoxide.
Cooperative learning combined with short periods of lecturing
Authors: Fernández‐Santander Ana
Published: January 2008

The informal activities of cooperative learning and short periods of lecturing has been combined and used in the university teaching of biochemistry as part of the first year course of Optics and Optometry in the academic years 2004–2005 and 2005–2006. The lessons were previously elaborated by the teacher and included all that is necessary to understand the topic (text, figures, graphics, diagrams, pictures, etc.). Additionally, a questionnaire was prepared for every chapter. All lessons contained three parts: objectives, approach and development, and the assessment of the topic. Team work, responsibility, and communication skills were some of the abilities developed with this new methodology. Students worked collaboratively in small groups of two or three following the teacher's instructions with short periods of lecturing that clarified misunderstood concepts. Homework was minimized. On comparing this combined methodology with the traditional one (only lecture), students were found to exhibit a higher satisfaction with the new method. They were more involved in the learning process and had a better attitude toward the subject. The use of this new methodology showed a significant increase in the mean score of the students' academic results. The rate of students who failed the subject was significantly inferior in comparison with those who failed in the previous years when only lecturing was applied. This combined methodology helped the teacher to observe the apprenticeship process of students better and to act as a facilitator in the process of building students' knowledge.
Problem‐solving test: The effect of in vitro bisulfite treatment on genomic DNA
Authors: Szeberényi József
Published: January 2008

Terms to be familiar with before you start to solve the test: polymerase chain reaction, primer, promoter, restriction endonucleases, agarose gel electrophoresis, ethidium bromide staining, DNA methylation, Taq polymerase, single nucleotide polymorphisms, CpG islands, tumor suppressor genes, protooncogenes, epigenetic regulation
Use of a laboratory exercise on molar absorptivity to help students understand the authority of the primary literature
Authors: Soundararajan Madhavan , Bailey Cheryl P. , Markwell John
Published: January 2008

To promote understanding of the authority of the primary literature in students taking our biochemistry laboratory courses, a biochemistry laboratory exercise on the determination of an acceptable molar absorptivity value of 2‐nitrophenol (2‐NP) was developed. This made the laboratory course much more relevant by linking to a thematic thread, β‐galactosidase, that scaffolds concepts in one exercise with those in later exercises. The substrate for the continuous assay of β‐galactosidase is the chromogenic 2‐nitrophenyl‐β‐D‐galactopyranoside that produces 2‐NP. In an early laboratory exercise, students determine the wavelength of maximum absorption for the protonated and deprotonated form of 2‐NP at various pH values and then determine the molar absorptivity of 2‐NP. Students were encouraged to discuss apparent discrepancies not only in their own determinations of molar absorptivity values for 2‐NP, but also in the published molar absorptivity values for 2‐NP (2,150–21,300 M−1 cm−1) at almost the same pH and at 420 nm. Finally, the students were led to a publication that serves as an authentic source for molar absorptivity of 2‐NP.
Every Child Matters? A critical review of child welfare reforms in the context of minority ethnic children and families
Authors: Chand Ashok
Published: January 2008

This paper critically reviews some key government papers that together largely provide the foundation for the relevant child welfare reforms in England and Wales. The context of this review was to evaluate whether these papers and documents made sufficient reference to improving policies and practices for minority ethnic children and families involved in child welfare matters, given the research evidence from the early 1990s suggesting that such families may experience particular disadvantages or discriminations within the UK child welfare system. The research evidence cited draws upon studies that have considered the experiences of different minority ethnic groups from the point of referrals through to long term services, including those children who have been looked after in local authority care and those families that have been subject to care proceedings. This paper concludes that more is needed under the Every Child Matters agenda to both acknowledge and address the specific needs of minority ethnic children and their families, as identified in the range of studies published post Children Act 1989. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Oligodeoxynucleotides Containing 3‐Bromo‐3‐deazaadenine and 7‐Bromo‐7‐deazaadenine 2′‐Deoxynucleosides as Chemical Probes to Investigate DNA–Protein Interactions
Authors: Minakawa Noriaki , Kawano Yuri , Murata Shunpei , Inoue Naonori , Matsuda Akira
Published: January 2008

We describe the design and proof of concept of a pair of chemical probes for investigating DNA–protein interactions—specifically, the incorporation of 7‐bromo‐7‐deazaadenine and 3‐bromo‐3‐deazaadenine 2′‐deoxynucleosides (Br7C7dA and Br3C3dA) into oligodeoxynucleotides (ODNs)—and their utility. Whereas the bromo substituent of the Br7C7dA unit in an ODN duplex acts sterically to inhibit binding with NF‐κB, which interacts with the duplex in its major groove, the bromo substituent of the Br3C3dA unit acts sterically to inhibit binding with RNase H, which interacts with the duplex in its minor groove. In addition, the utilization of ODNs containing 7‐deazaadenine and 3‐deazaadenine 2′‐deoxynucleosides (C7dA and C3dA), together with the pair of chemical probes, afforded valuable information on the requirement for nitrogen atoms located in either the major or minor grooves. Accordingly, we were able to show the utility of ODNs containing Br7C7dA, Br3C3dA, C7dA, and C3dA for the investigation of DNA–protein interactions.
Syntheses of Ladder‐Type Oligonaphthalene Derivatives and Their Photophysical and Electrochemical Properties
Authors: Chen Jun‐Chun , Lee Tse‐Shi , Lin Chih‐Hsiu
Published: January 2008

Ladder‐type oligophenylene derivatives are important compounds for light‐emitting devices. However, the closely related ladder‐type oligonaphthalene derivatives have received little attention due to the lack of synthetic accessibility. We hereby report the syntheses of these novel conjugated systems by means of an intramolecular cationic cyclization protocol. Utilizing a one‐pot–multiple‐component reaction, the acyclic precursors to these ladder‐type oligomers up to pentamer can be synthesized from small fragments in just two or three steps. Photophysical and electrochemical studies revealed that the electron delocalization in these compounds is considerably enhanced relative to that found in the regular unplanarized oligonaphthalene derivatives. However, such an effect is much weaker than that found in fully planar rylene derivatives.
Asymmetric Synthesis of (+)‐Altholactone: A Styryllactone Isolated from Various Goniothalamus Species
Authors: Enders Dieter , Barbion Julien
Published: January 2008

The asymmetric total synthesis of (+)‐altholactone (1), a member of the styryllactone family of natural products displaying cytotoxic and antitumor activities, is described. Key steps include a RAMP‐hydrazone α‐alkylation (RAMP=(R)‐1‐amino‐2‐methoxymethylpyrrolidine) of 2,2‐dimethyl‐1,3‐dioxan‐5‐one, a boron‐mediated aldol reaction, a six‐ to five‐membered ring acetonide shuffling, an oxidative 1,5‐diol to δ‐lactone conversion and a stereoselective ring‐closure to generate the annulated tetrahydrofuran moiety with inversion of configuration.
Organophosphates and Synthetic Musk Fragrances in Freshwater Streams in Hessen/Germany
Authors: Quednow Kristin , Püttmann Wilhelm
Published: January 2008

Four small freshwater river systems in Hessen, Germany, have been investigated with respect to seasonal and spatial concentration variations and transported load of the organophosphates tri‐n‐butyl phosphate (TBP), tris(2‐butoxyethyl)phosphate (TBEP), tris(2‐chloroethyl)phosphate (TCEP), tris(1‐chloro‐2‐propyl)phosphate (TCPP), and tris(1,3‐dichloro‐2‐propyl)phosphate (TDCPP) and the synthetic musk fragrances 1,3,4,6,7,8‐hexahydro‐4,6,6,7,8,8‐hexa‐methylcyclopenta‐[γ]‐2‐benzopyran (HHCB) and 7‐acetyl‐1,1,3,4,4,6‐hexamethyl‐1,2,3,4‐tetrahydronaphthalene (AHTN). Data originate from water samples collected in the time span from September 2003 to April 2005 at 25 sampling locations. The detection frequency for all compounds was about 90%. Mean concentration levels of organophosphates were 502 ng/L (TCPP), 276 ng/L (TBP), 183 ng/L (TBEP), 118 ng/L (TCEP), and 117 ng/L (TDCPP). The synthetic musk fragrances HHCB and ATHN were detected with mean concentrations of 141 and 46 ng/L, respectively. The variability of the concentration of all compounds was high with respect to space and time. The highest concentrations were observed in the Schwarzbach system characterized by the highest proportion of wastewater compared to the other river systems. Concentration levels of synthetic musk fragrances were significantly lower in summer times compared to winter times.
Biodiversity in the Benthic Diatom Community in the Upper River Töss Reflected in Water Quality Indices
Authors: Kupe Lirika , Schanz Ferdinand , Bachofen Reinhard
Published: January 2008

Biodiversity in benthic diatom communities was determined to assess the ecological state and to evaluate changes in water quality in time and space in the prealpine part of the river Töss (Switzerland). One site upstream and three sites downstream from the inlet of a communal waste water treatment plant (WWTP) were analyzed during 1996/97. In total, 67 diatom species were detected and the relative abundance of each taxon determined. The Shannon Diversity Index and the Saprobic Index were calculated and related to the newly developed Swiss Trophic Diatom Index. Dominant species belonged to the genera Achnanthes, Amphora, Cymbella, Diatoma, Gomphonema, Navicula, and Nitzschia. The species composition and the abundance of the diatom species present varied over the seasons, but changes in the chemical parameters or the flow regime had little effect. The Shannon Index gave evidence of biodiversity variations over the seasons and some differences between sampling sites. The Saprobic Index oscillated within a small band, indicative for oligo‐mesosaprobic conditions. It could not identify significant changes in water quality between sampling sites and over the seasons. The Swiss Trophic Diatom Index differentiated better between sampling sites and seasons and gave values corresponding to a β‐mesosaprobic state. Preliminary data from 2005 and 2006 give no evidence of a change in water quality during the last decade.
Pilot‐Scale Degradation of Organic Contaminants in a Continuous‐flow Reactor by the Helielectro‐Fenton Method
Authors: Casado Juan , Fornaguera Jordi
Published: January 2008

The feasibility of pilot‐scale mineralization of organic pollutants in wastewaters using the Electro‐Fenton® process is demonstrated. The treatment was applied in a continuous‐flow reactor, to solutions of nitrobenzene, 2,4‐D and benzoic acid and to actual wastewaters from a fine chemicals company along with a pulp and paper company. The results showed mineralization yields from 60 to 84% by simply applying the Electro‐Fenton® process. When a subsequent exposure to sunlight was carried out (Helielectro‐Fenton method), this mineralization almost went to completion, except for the effluent from the fine chemicals industry.
Semi‐Micro Reflux Procedure for Minimization of Chloride Interference by COD Determination
Authors: Martins Ayrton F. , de Jesus Lucas E. W. , Vendruscolo Nádia , Vasconcelos Tibiriçá G. , Wilde Marcelo L.
Published: January 2008

In this study, a semi‐micro procedure for the COD (Chemical Oxygen Demand) was undertaken to allow the measurement of effluent samples with a high chloride content. It was found that the COD values for standard and effluent samples, corresponded closely to those obtained using the standard method of Burns and Marshall. When the method was applied to samples of industrial wastewater, with a very high chloride content, the recommended procedure proved to be accurate and precise, with RSDs of 6% and 4.3% for the standard and effluent solutions, respectively. The required amount of hazardous reagents was similar to that found in the standard closed reflux method. It was also possible to determine the total amount of oxidized halides. The use of this low‐cost, laboratory‐made system made it unnecessary to acquire an expensive, imported analytical system, while maintaining a high level of accuracy in the determinations.
Epidermal growth factor receptor immunohistochemistry
Authors: Hirsch Fred R. , Dziadziuszko Rafal , Thatcher Nick , Mann Helen , Watkins Claire , Parums Dinah V. , Speake Georgina , Holloway Brian , Bunn Paul A. , Franklin Wilbur A.
Published: January 2008

BACKGROUND

The ISEL (Iressa Survival Evaluation in Lung Cancer) clinical trial evaluated the efficacy of gefitinib versus placebo in pretreated nonsmall‐cell lung cancer patients. Two different antibodies, scoring systems, and cutoff points of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) protein expression were compared to predict response and survival of enrolled patients.

METHODS

EGFR expression was assessed in tumor samples by immunohistochemistry using the Dako EGFR pharmDx kit (scoring percent of tumor cells with positive staining) and Zymed monoclonal antibody clone 31G7 (scoring staining index derived from proportion of positive cells times staining intensity).

RESULTS

Data for EGFR expression were available for 379 patients for Dako and 357 patients for Zymed antibody (22% and 21%, respectively, of trial population). Objective response rates in gefitinib‐treated EGFR‐positive patients defined with various cutpoints with Dako antibody varied between 8% and 12%, and with Zymed antibody between 10% and 13%. Lower cutoff points with Dako antibody provided the best discrimination between EGFR‐positive and EGFR‐negative patients for survival hazard ratios comparing gefitinib to placebo, with a significant treatment/cutoff point interaction for 10% cutoff point (P = .049). A similar but less apparent trend was noted for Zymed antibody, although the discrimination between hazard ratios was not significant for any cutoff point analyzed.

CONCLUSIONS

Assessment with the Dako PharmDx kit and percentage of cells with positive staining may provide more accurate prediction of differential effect on survival with gefitinib than assessment with Zymed antibody and staining index. Using higher cutpoints to define positivity does not improve test discrimination. Cancer 2008. © 2008 American Cancer Society.
Exploring the Optical Activity Tensor by Anisotropic Rayleigh Optical Activity Scattering
Authors: Zuber Gérard , Wipf Peter , Beratan David N.
Published: January 2008

Rayleigh optical activity (RayOA) spectroscopy promises to provide an elegant and robust analytical method to probe molecular stereochemistry. A careful selection of RayOA variants such as right‐angle depolarized ICP (incident circular polarization) or backscattering DCPI (in‐phase dual circular polarization) allows analysis of the anisotropic component of the scattered light. In this study, we show that calculated anisotropic Rayleigh optical activity quantities provide key advantages over isotropic chiroptical quantities (such as optical rotation and RayOA variants dominated by isotropic invariants): 1) higher sensitivity for probing the chiroptical tensor G′, 2) reduced dependence on small geometry changes, and 3) much less stringent computational demand for predicting an accurate sign than for optical rotation. Moreover, the stereochemical information provided by anisotropic RayOA and its invariants can be used to develop chirality descriptors because of the apparent correlation between structure/stereochemistry and the sign and magnitude of the anisotropic Rayleigh optical activity quantities.
Theoretical Investigation of the Second‐Shell Mechanism of Nitrile Hydratase
Authors: Hopmann Kathrin H. , Himo Fahmi
Published: January 2008

Nitrile hydratases (NHases) are biocatalytically important enzymes that are utilized in the industrial production of acrylamide and nicotinamide. There are two different classes of NHases, harbouring either a low‐spin FeIII or a low‐spin CoIII ion in the active site, in each case with the same peculiar set of ligands, involving deprotonated backbone amides and oxidized cysteine residues. The detailed reaction mechanism of NHase has not been established yet, but different proposals have been put forward. Depending on the binding site of the substrate, these can be divided into first‐shell and second‐shell mechanisms, respectively. Recently, we have investigated different first‐shell mechanisms using quantum‐chemical active‐site models based on the iron‐dependent NHase (Inorg. Chem. 2007, 46, 4850). Here we continue our investigation of the NHase reaction by exploring two different variations of the second‐shell mechanism of the iron‐dependent NHase. In the first, a metal‐bound hydroxide ion performs a nucleophilic attack on the nitrile substrate, while in the second investigated mechanism, the oxidized cysteine, Cys114‐SO–, acts as the nucleophile. We report energies, optimized transition state, and intermediate geometries for both investigated mechanisms. The calculated barriers are similar to the previously reported first‐shell mechanism involving Cys114‐SO– as catalytic base. (© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2008)
Profiles of volatile compounds in milk containing fish oil analyzed by HS‐SPME‐GC/MS
Authors: Jimenez‐Alvarez Diego , Giuffrida Francesca , Golay Pierre‐Alain , Cotting Claudia , Destaillats Frédéric , Dionisi Fabiola , Keely Brendan
Published: January 2008

Long‐chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC‐PUFA) have various positive biological effects. Fish oil represents a major source of LC‐PUFA; therefore it is extensively used to enrich food products as, for example, infant formulae, dairy products and fruit juices. However, in the presence of oxygen and metals, LC‐PUFA readily degrade, producing off‐flavors and decreasing the nutritional value of the product. The deterioration of sensory properties (taste and odor) can be easily perceived by the consumer, due to the formation of volatile compounds that are formed by decomposition of lipid hydroperoxides, also known as primary oxidation products. In this study, we used the headspace solid‐phase microextraction‐gas chromatography/mass spectrometry technique (HS‐SPME‐GC/MS) to characterize and quantify volatile compounds in a food matrix supplemented with fish oil. We demonstrated that the HS‐SPME‐GC/MS method is a valuable tool to monitor lipid oxidation at early stages. We identified t‐2‐hexenal and c‐4‐heptenal as possible oxidation markers during the storage of milk enriched with 5% of cod oil.
Approach to a New Dihydrofuran‐Fused Cyclic System by a Remarkable Switching of endo/exo Selectivity of a [4+2] Cyclo­addition Reaction
Authors: Matsuya Yuji , Imamura Yoshiaki , Miyahara Tatsuro , Ochiai Hiroshi , Nemoto Hideo
Published: January 2008

An efficient synthesis of a new class of dihydrofuran‐fused tetracyclic compounds, possessing a 2‐oxa‐furano‐steroidal framework, has been achieved by successive electrocyclic reactions of benzocyclobutene derivatives. It has been revealed that the stereoselectivity of a key intramolecular [4+2] cycloaddition reaction can be controlled by installation of a bulky silyl substituent onto the furan ring resulting in the formation of the exo adducts, the opposite selectivity to that observed in our past related studies. Preliminary examinations of the bioactivities of the synthesized compounds have been performed and have revealed that they have potential as anti‐influenza agents. (© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2008)
Electrocatalytic Determination of Nitrite on a Rigid Disk Electrode Having Cobalt Phthalocyanine Prepared In Situ
Authors: Canevari Thiago C. , Luz Rita C. S. , Gushikem Yoshitaka
Published: January 2008

This work reports an in situ cobalt(II) phthalocyanine (CoPc) synthesis on a SiO2/SnO2 (SiSn) matrix surface obtained by the sol‐gel method and its electrocatalytic activity for oxidation of nitrite. A rigid disk electrode with SiSn/CoPc was used to study the electrooxidation of nitrite by the cyclic voltammetric, chronoamperometric techniques and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). The adsorbed phthalocyanine electrocatalyzed nitrite oxidation at 0.73 V (versus SCE) using the DPV technique. The anodic peak current intensities, plotted from differential pulse voltammograms in 1 mol L−1 KCl for the concentration range 0.002 to 3.85 mmol L−1 of nitrite were linear, with a correlation coefficient of 0.998 and a detection limit of 0.95 μmol L−1.
Impedance Study of GaN and InGaN Semiconductor Anion Selective Electrodes
Authors: Dimitrova Rozalina , Catalan Lionel , Alexandrov Dimiter , Chen Aicheng
Published: January 2008

The response of potentiometric anion selective electrodes employing undoped GaN or In0.2Ga0.8N films as sensing element to detect various anions was investigated in solutions of KF, KNO3, KCl, HOC6H4COONa, KSCN, CH3COOK, KClO4 and KBr salts. The calibration plots for the GaN and In0.2Ga0.8N semiconductor electrodes contained linear regions extending over four decades of activity change in most solutions. The structure of the GaN and In0.2Ga0.8N semiconductor electrode/ electrolyte interface was studied through electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Analogous equivalent circuits modeling the GaN or In0.2Ga0.8N electrode/electrolyte interface were proposed and their parameters were calculated. The space charge layer of the GaN and In0.2Ga0.8N semiconductors dominated the impedance of the electrochemical system at high frequencies (>10 kHz), whereas at low frequencies (<10 kHz), the impedance was controlled by the diffusion of electroactive species across the layer of adsorbed ions at the surface of the electrode. Results imply a strong dependence of the electrodes performance on the adsorption capacity of tested anions.
Electrocatalytic Behavior of Glassy Carbon Electrodes Modified with Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes and Cobalt Phthalocyanine for Selective Analysis of Dopamine in Presence of Ascorbic Acid
Authors: Cruz Moraes Fernando , Cabral Murilo F. , Machado Sergio A. S. , Mascaro Lucia H.
Published: January 2008

This work describes the development, electrochemical characterization and utilization of a cobalt phthalocyanine modified carbon nanotube electrode for the quantitative determination of dopamine in 0.2 mol L−1 phosphate buffer contaminated with high concentration of ascorbic acid. The electrode surface was analyzed by cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy which showed a modified surface presenting a charge transfer resistance of 500 Ω, against the 16.46 kΩ value found for the bare glassy carbon surface. A pseudo rate constant value of 5.4×10−4 cm s−1 for dopamine oxidation was calculated. Voltammetric experiments showed a shift of the peak potential of DA oxidation to less positive value at 390 mV as compared with that of a bare GC electrode at 570 mV. The electrochemical determination of dopamine, in presence of ascorbic acid in concentrations up to 0.1 mol L−1 by differential pulse voltammetry, yielded a detection limit as low as 2.56×10−7 mol L−1.