bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Activation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) inhibits protein synthesis: a potential strategy to prevent the development of cardiac hypertrophy
Authors: Chan Anita Y.M , Dyck Jason R.B
Published: March 2005

A necessary mediator of cardiac myocyte enlargement is protein synthesis, which is controlled, in part, by the highly energy-consuming process of peptide-chain elongation. Recently, AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), which is a key regulator of cellular energy homeostasis, has been shown to phosphorylate a number of enzymes involved in the control of protein synthesis. Since AMPK may inhibit protein synthesis via a number of different pathways, it is possible that AMPK is also a key regulator of cardiac hypertrophy. Recent advances linking AMPK and the energy status of the cell to the regulation of protein synthesis and (or) cardiac myocyte hypertrophy will be discussed.Key words: AMPK, cardiac hypertrophy, protein synthesis, cardiac myocyte, energy metabolism.
Selective Sensitization by Nitric Oxide of Sympathetic Baroreflex in Rostral Ventrolateral Medulla of Conscious Rabbits
Authors: Mayorov Dmitry N.
Published: March 2005

Nitric oxide (NO) deficiency in the rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM) has been implicated in impaired baroreflex control in hypertensive and heart failure animals. However, the role of local NO in normal baroreflex regulation remains unclear. This study aimed to examine the role of NO in tonic and baroreflex control of blood pressure (BP) in the RVLM of conscious rabbits. Microinjections of NO donors, S-nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine and sodium nitroprusside (5 to 20 nmol), or NO itself (20 to 200 pmol) into the RVLM dose-dependently increased BP. Bilateral microinjections of an NO synthase (NOS) inhibitor N
G
-nitro-
l
-arginine methyl ester (
l
-NAME; 10 nmol), its inactive enantiomer
d
-NAME, or soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) inhibitors, 1-H-[1,2,4]oxadiaolo[4,3-a]quinoxalin-1-one (ODQ, 250 pmol) and methylene blue (10 nmol), into the RVLM did not affect resting BP, heart rate, or renal sympathetic nerve activity (RSNA). However,
l
-NAME, methylene blue, and ODQ decreased RSNA baroreflex gain by 42% to 55%, whereas
d
-NAME did not affect this reflex. Co-microinjections of
l
-NAME and superoxide scavenger tempol (20 nmol) decreased RSNA baroreflex gain by 37±8%. Microinjections of a neuronal NOS (nNOS) inhibitor, 7-nitroindazole (500 pmol), into the RVLM decreased RSNA baroreflex gain by 42±12%, without altering resting BP, heart rate, or RSNA. Local administration of inducible NOS (iNOS) inhibitors, S-methylisothiourea (0.25 nmol) and aminoguanidine (0.25 and 2.5 nmol), affected neither resting nor baroreflex parameters. These results suggest that nNOS-derived NO facilitates sympathetic baroreflex transmission in the RVLM at least in part via a sGC-dependent, superoxide-independent mechanism. However, local nNOS and iNOS play little role in the tonic support of BP in conscious rabbits.
Occupational Health of Women Construction Workers in the Unorganised Sector
Authors: Lakhani Ram
Published: March 2005

This study was undertaken to assess the occupational health status of women workers in the construction industry by evaluating incidences of occupational health disorders. One thousand and fifty-two workers were selected by stratified random sampling, medically examined and subject to relevant interviews, examinations and investigations. Over three-fourths of the women and almost all men reported working for 10 to 12 hours daily. A majority of the women reported headaches and backaches, as well as pain in the limbs. Fifty-six per cent of women and 16 per cent of men reported injuries resulting in work loss. They had no social security or other workers’ benefits. Most women and men said that they would prefer to do some other work. Respiratory, eye and skin disorders and noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) were found to be prevalent amongst workers exposed to hazards like dust, noise, heat and cold, non-ionising radiation, and exposure to dry cement, glass and adhesives, tar and paint. About 76 per cent women reported gender-specific work stress factors, such as sex discrimination, and balancing work and family demands, above and beyond the impact of general job stressors such as job overload and skill underutilisation. Discriminatory barriers to financial and career advancement were found to be linked to recurrent physical and psychological symptoms and more frequent visits to the doctor among women workers.
TexItalia versus AZ Textiles: The Deadlock in Negotiations
Authors: Khurshid Shehryar , Butt Salman Ghani , Butt Arif Nazir
Published: March 2005

This case covers the course of three-party negotiations through a business conflict between TexItalia, Italy; Creative Clothing and Textiles, Pakistan; and AZ Textiles, Pakistan. Creative Clothing and Textiles is a buying house acting as the middleman between AZ Textiles, a woven garment stitching unit, and TexItalia, its customer. The issue arises from quality problems and this case describes the discussions and tactics employed by the three parties during the negotiation stage including bluffs, threats and delaying.
A Fast Parallel Thinning Algorithm for the Binary Image Skeletonization
Authors: Deng Weian , Iyengar S. Sitharama , Brener Nathan E.
Published: March 2005

This paper investigates the skeletonization problem using parallel thinning techniques and proposes a new one-pass parallel asymmetric thinning algorithm (OPATA8). Wu and Tsai presented a one-pass parallel asymmetric thinning algorithm (OPATA4) that implemented 4-distance, or city block distance, skeletonization. However, city block distance is not a good approximation of Euclidean distance. By applying 8-distance, or chessboard distance, this new algorithm improves not only the quality of the resulting skeletons but also the efficiency of the computation. This algorithm uses 18 patterns. The algorithm has been implemented, and has been compared to both algorithm OPATA4 and Zhang and Suen’s two-pass parallel thinning algorithm. The results show that the proposed OPATA8 has good noise resistance, perfectly 8-connected skeleton output, and a faster speed without serious erosion.
The GrADS Project: Software Support for High-Level Grid Application Development
Authors: Berman Francine , Chien Andrew , Cooper Keith , Dongarra Jack , Foster Ian , Gannon Dennis , Johnsson Lennart , Kennedy Ken , Kesselman Carl , Mellor-Crumme John , Reed Dan , Torczon Linda , Wolski Rich
Published: March 2005

Advances in networking technologies will soon make it possible to use the global information infrastructure in a qualitatively different way—as a computational as well as an information resource. As described in the recent book The Grid: Blueprint for a New Computing Infrastructure, this Grid will connect the nation’s computers, databases, instruments, and people in a seamless web of computing and distributed intelligence, which can be used in an on-demand fashion as a problem-solving resource in many fields of human endeavor—and, in particular, science and engineering. The availability of grid resources will give rise to dramatically new classes of applications, in which computing resources are no longer localized but, rather, distributed, heterogeneous, and dynamic; computation is increasingly sophisticated and multidisciplinary; and computation is integrated into our daily lives and, hence, subject to stricter time constraints than at present. The impact of these new applications will be pervasive, ranging from new systems for scientific inquiry, through computing support for crisis management, to the use of ambient computing to enhance personal mobile computing environments. To realize this vision, significant scientific and technical obstacles must be overcome. Principal among these is usability. The goal of the Grid Application Development Software (GrADS) project is to simplify distributed heterogeneous computing in the same way that the World Wide Web simplified information sharing over the Internet. To that end, the project is exploring the scientific and technical problems that must be solved to make it easier for ordinary scientific users to develop, execute, and tune applications on the Grid. In this paper, the authors describe the vision and strategies underlying the GrADS project, including the base software architecture for grid execution and performance monitoring, strategies and tools for construction of applications from libraries of grid-aware components, and development of innovative new science and engineering applications that can exploit these new technologies to run effectively in grid environments.
An MPI Implementation of the SPAI Preconditioner on the T3E
Authors: Barnard Stephen T. , Bernardo Luis M. , Simon Horst D.
Published: March 2005

The authors describe and test spai_1.1, a parallel MPI implementation of the sparse approximate inverse (SPAI) preconditioner. They show that SPAI can be very effective for solving a set of very large and difficult problems on a Cray T3E. The results clearly show the value of SPAI (and approximate inverse methods in general) as the viable alternative to ILU-type methods when facing very large and difficult problems. The authors strengthen this conclusion by showing that spai_1.1 also has very good scaling behavior.
On the Interpretation of Top500 Data
Authors: Feitelson Dror G.
Published: March 2005

A novel representation of Top500 data is proposed in which the systems are plotted in rank and number-of-processors coordinates. This rendering brings to light various trends, such as complete Japanese domination of the range of high rank achieved with a small number of processors. In addition, an evolutionary trend whereby the rank of a given machine doubles every year is identified. This, in turn, leads to a characterization of the distribution of computing power across the whole list.
Competing for Global FDI: Opportunities and Challenges for the Indian Economy
Authors: Srivastava Sadhana , Sen Rahul
Published: March 2005

With the advent of globalization, developing countries, particularly those in Asia, have been witnessing a massive surge of FDI inflows during the past two decades. Even though India has been a latecomer to the FDI scene compared to other East Asian countries, its significant market potential and a liberalized policy regime has sustained its attraction as a favourable destination for foreign investors. This article aims to examine the impact of inward FDI on the Indian economy, particularly after a decade of economic reforms, and analyzes the challenges to position itself favourably in the global competition for FDI. In this context, the article further investigates the likely impact on FDI inflows to India as a result of increasing competition from another major emerging market economy, i.e., China, in the wake of its accession to the WTO. The article provides the major policy implications from this analysis, besides drawing attention on the complexities in interpreting FDI data in India.
Capital Mobility and Informal Wage in a Small Economy—Two Examples
Authors: Marjit Sugata , Kar Saibal , Sarkar Punyabrata
Published: March 2005

We conduct two policy experiments in a general equilibrium framework with an informal sector. The first deals with a liberal trade policy and the second with a decline in the unionized wage rate. In both cases, informal workers gain if capital moves between the formal and the informal segments and lose if it does not. These results are independent of the factor intensity rankings of the sectors. Both of these results have important policy implications.
Regional Power Market for Energy Development in South Asia: Some Issues
Authors: Thakur Tripta , Kaushik Shobhit
Published: March 2005

The South Asian power sector is mired with a number of issues of common concern that have led to accentuating and acute power shortages that threaten to hamper the economic development of the region. This article discusses the regional problems that are prevalent in the generation and the distribution sectors. The article further explores some of the key policy issues related to regional cooperation in the South Asian Energy Sector. The article concludes that evolution of a regional power market holds tremendous potential for ensuring improved energy availability, reliability and quality; and creation of a viable power market would require firm political commitment and an evaluation of security concerns and related risks.
Patterns of blood flow during the postprandial response in ball pythons, Python regius
Authors: Starck J. Matthias , Wimmer Christian
Published: March 2005

We present evidence supporting the hypothesis that postprandial upregulation of the size of the small intestine and the liver is caused by an increased blood flow volume to the organs. The postprandial response of ball pythons was characterized by measurements of oxygen consumption, organ size changes and histological evaluation of the mucosal epithelium and liver parenchyme. Synchronized with these changes in measurements were changes in the patterns of blood flow volume to small intestine and liver. A correlation analysis of organ size change and blood flow volume showed a significant nonlinear relationship, which explained about 50% of the overall variances in organ size (small intestine, liver). Histological analysis indicated that incorporation of lipid droplets in enterocytes and in hepatocytes contributes to an increase of absorptive surface magnification (in small intestine) and hepatocyte size (in liver). Collectively, these data support the concept that in the ball python, postprandial upregulation of organ size does not reflect new mitotic activity, but rather results from increased blood volume in the intestinal villi and incorporation of lipid droplets into enterocytes and hepatocytes, respectively.
Synthesis, Analgesic and Antiinflammatory properties of Certain 5‐/6‐Acyl‐3‐(4‐substituted‐1‐piperazinylmethyl)‐2‐benzoxazolinones Derivatives
Authors: Köksal Meriç , Gökhan Nesrin , Küpeli Esra , Yesilada Erdem , Erdoğan Hakkı
Published: March 2005

The synthesis of a novel series of Mannich bases of 5‐/6‐acyl‐5‐methyl‐2‐benzoxazolinones has been described. The structures attributed to compounds 2a, 3a, 4a, 4b, 9a, 9b, 5a–5g, 6a–6g, 10a, 10g, 11a, 11g have been elucidated using IR and 1H NMR spectroscopic techniques besides elemental analysis. The compounds have been evaluated for their in vivo analgesic and antiinflammatory activities using the p‐benzoquinone‐induced writhing test and the carrageenan hind paw oedema test in mice, respectively. In addition, the ulcerogenic effects of the compounds were determined. Among the tested derivatives most promising results were obtained for the compounds bearing a 6‐(4‐chlorobenzoyl) at C‐6 position and 2‐/4‐fluorophenyl at C‐3 position of 2‐benzoxazolinone ring (11c, 11d).
A longitudinal study of palliative care
Authors: Strömgren Annette S. , Sjogren Per , Goldschmidt Dorthe , Petersen Morten Aagaard , Pedersen Lise , Hoermann Linda , Groenvold Mogens
Published: March 2005

BACKGROUND

The current article evaluated the course of patient‐assessed symptomatology in specialized palliative care and tested for bias due to patient attrition in measures of initial symptomatology and treatment outcome.

METHODS

Over 2 years, 267 consecutive, eligible patients were referred to a department of palliative care. Upon arrival, 201 patients consented to participate in a questionnaire‐based evaluation of quality of life (QOL). Of these, 175 patients participated, and 142, 119, and 95 participated in the study at 1, 2, and 3 weeks, respectively. Weekly, participants completed the self‐assessment questionnaires European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer QLQ‐C30, Edmonton Symptom Assessment System, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory. Physicians used the Mini Mental State Examination to evaluate cognitive function. Changes from the initial symptom scores for each week were calculated. Initial scoring and change after 1 week were tested for association with completion level, i.e., whether the patient completed questions at 1, 2, 3, or 4 time points.

RESULTS

High initial symptom intensity and significant improvements over time were observed for pain, lack of appetite, nausea/vomiting, sleeplessness, constipation, and overall QOL/well‐being. For some symptoms, initial scores were significantly higher in patients who dropped out, but the changes over the first week were not significantly different between completion levels for any symptom.

CONCLUSIONS

Improvement in symptom intensity was identified. Dropout was associated with higher initial symptomatology but not with poorer outcome of palliative treatment. Cancer 2005. © 2005 American Cancer Society.
A watermark embedding and extracting method for printed documents
Authors: Suzaki Masahiko , Suto Masayuki
Published: March 2005

In this paper, we propose a new method of embedding watermarks into printed documents as well as extracting the watermarks from the printed documents. In the embedding process, unique mesh patterns in which microdots are assigned with equal spaces between them are inserted. We then assign 0 or 1 symbols to them, and generate and print a document image in which information is embedded by superimposing these mesh patterns as a document background. The extraction method involves filtering a scanned image of a watermarked printed document. We use a symbol assigned dot pattern as a 2D waveform, and a Gabor filter as a watermark detection filter. In this way, we implemented watermark detection resistant to various kinds of noise such as printing and scanning, or daily usage. We also provide results of basic performance evaluations, as well as test system evaluations for embedding and extracting watermarks in a practical environment. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electron Comm Jpn Pt 3, 88(7): 43–51, 2005; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/ecjc.20142
Generating prime degree irreducible polynomials by using irreducible all‐one polynomial over F2
Authors: Makita Kei , Nogami Yasuyuki , Sugimura Tatsuo
Published: March 2005

In most of the methods of public key cryptography devised in recent years, a finite field of a large order is used as the field of definition. In contrast, there are many studies in which a higher‐degree extension field of characteristic 2 is fast implemented for easier hardware realization. There are also many reports of the generation of the required higher‐degree irreducible polynomial, and of the construction of a basis suited to fast implementation, such as an optimal normal basis (ONB). For generating higher‐degree irreducible polynomials, there is a method in which a 2m‐th degree self‐reciprocal irreducible polynomial is generated from an m‐th degree irreducible polynomial by a simple polynomial transformation (called the self‐reciprocal transformation). This paper considers this transformation and shows that when the set of zeros of the m‐th degree irreducible polynomial forms a normal basis, the set of zeros of the generated 2m‐th order self‐reciprocal irreducible polynomial also forms a normal base. Then it is clearly shown that there is a one‐to‐one correspondence between the transformed irreducible polynomial and the generated self‐reciprocal irreducible polynomial. Consequently, the inverse transformation of the self‐reciprocal transformation (self‐reciprocal inverse transformation) can be applied to a self‐reciprocal irreducible polynomial. It is shown that an m‐th degree irreducible polynomial can always be generated from a 2m‐th degree self‐reciprocal irreducible polynomial by the self‐reciprocal inverse transformation. We can use this fact for generating 1/2‐degree irreducible polynomials. As an application of 1/2‐degree irreducible polynomial generation, this paper proposes a method which generates a prime degree irreducible polynomial with a Type II ONB as its zeros. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electron Comm Jpn Pt 3, 88(7): 23–32, 2005; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/ecjc.20151
Agreement between experiment and hybrid DFT calculations for OH bond dissociation enthalpies in manganese complexes
Authors: Lundberg Marcus , Siegbahn Per E. M.
Published: March 2005

Information on the accuracy of DFT functionals for redox reactions in transition metal systems is rather limited. To analyze the performance of some popular functionals for redox reactions in manganese systems, calculated OH bond dissociation enthalpies for Mn‐ligands in six different complexes are compared to experimental results. In this benchmark, B3LYP performs well with a mean absolute error of 3.0 kcal/mol. B98 gives similar results to B3LYP (error of 3.8 kcal/mol). B3LYP* gives lower OH bond strengths than B3LYP and has a mean error of 5.0 kcal/mol. Compared to B98 and B3LYP, B3LYP* has an error trend for the manganese ligands that is more similar to the error for a free water molecule. The nonhybrid functional BLYP consistently and significantly underestimates the OH bond strengths by approximately 20 kcal/mol. HCTH407 has a rather large mean error of 9.4 kcal/mol and shows no consistent trend. The results support the use of hybrid functionals and the present computational method for large model systems containing manganese. An example is the oxygen evolving complex in photosystem II where hybrid functionals predict the appearance of a Mn(IV)‐oxyl radical before the OO bond formation step. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comput Chem 26: 661–667, 2005
Distribution of oxidation enzyme eNOS and myeloperoxidase in primary open angle glaucoma
Authors: Lin Hui‐Ju , Tsai Chang‐Hai , Tsai Fuu‐Jen , Chen Wei‐Cheng , Tsai Shih‐Wei , Fan Seng‐Sheen
Published: March 2005

Genetic factors and the influence of superoxide are known to play roles in the etiology of glaucoma. We evaluated the association between primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) and two polymorphisms in the epithelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) gene, and one polymorphism in the myeloperoxidase (MPO) gene. We enrolled 66 patients with POAG and 100 healthy volunteers in this study. The polymorphisms in the eNOS and the polymorphism MPO −463 G‐to‐A in the MPO gene were resolved by polymorphism polymerase chain reaction (PCR). There were no significant differences in the distribution of the eNOS intron −4 (P=0.481), eNOS promotor −786 (P=0.555), and MPO −463 (P=0.292) gene polymorphisms between the POAG patients and the volunteers (P‐values=0.481, 0.555, and 0.292, respectively). None of the alleles from either gene differed between the groups (P‐values=0.483, 0.554, and 0.183, respectively). Superoxide is closely related to glaucoma, and eNOS and MPO are two important enzymes in the free radical pathway. However, polymorphisms of the eNOS intron‐4, eNOS promotor −786, and MPO −463 gene polymorphisms did not reveal significant differences between POAG patients and controls in our study. The use of these agents and other superoxide‐related genes for clinical applications requires further investigation. J. Clin. Lab. Anal. 19:87–92, 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
AT1 receptor A1166C and AT2 receptor –1332A/G gene polymorphisms: Efficient genotyping by single‐tube PCR
Authors: Živković Maja , Stanković Aleksandra , Alavantić Dragan
Published: March 2005

Angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1) and angiotensin II type 2 receptor (AT2) genes have been investigated in recent years as potential etiologic candidates for cardiovascular and renal diseases. The pathogenic implications of AT1 A1166C and AT2 A–1332G gene polymorphisms have been shown. Here we describe a rapid and reliable method for detecting both AT1 and AT2 gene polymorphisms by a single‐tube PCR, to reduce analysis time and simplify the genotyping procedure. In contrast to previously described methods, our method does not require hybridization, primer extension, or nested PCR for genotyping. In most previous studies concerning gene polymorphisms of RAS, both AT1 and AT2 receptor gene polymorphisms were investigated. The advantage of our method is that it makes it possible to detect both of these polymorphisms in a duplex PCR. The procedure described is convenient for routine laboratory use with manual sample processing, and offers the potential for further automation as well. Its simplicity makes it practical for large‐scale screening of individuals and families at risk for cardiovascular or renal diseases. J. Clin. Lab. Anal. 19:84–86, 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Delayed Single Kirschner Wire Compression Technique for Mallet Fracture
Authors: FRITZ D. , LUTZ M. , ARORA R. , GABL M. , WAMBACHER M. , PECHLANER S.
Published: March 2005

Twenty-four mallet fractures which involved at least one third % of the articular surface of the distal interphalangeal joint were treated by open reduction and internal fixation using a single double-ended Kirschner wire at a mean of 9 days after injury (range 4–15). At a mean follow-up of 43 (range 12–18) months the active range of motion, pain and the Warren and Norris criteria were evaluated. The mean active range of motion was from −2° extension (range 0–10°) to 72° flexion (range 50–90°). Nineteen patients were pain free and five suffered from mild pain during strenuous work. The Warren and Norris results were successful in 22 and improved in two cases. Radiographs showed, that all the fractures united in a near-anatomic position but with joint narrowing in six digits.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome in Association with Hand–Arm Vibration Syndrome: A Review of Claimants Seeking Compensation in the Mining Industry
Authors: BURKE F. D. , LAWSON I. J. , MCGEOCH K. L. , MILES J. N. V. , PROUD G.
Published: March 2005

Twenty six thousand eight hundred and forty-two miners seeking compensation were clinically assessed for vascular and neurosensory impairment arising from exposure to occupational hand–arm vibration (Hand–Arm Vibration Syndrome). They were also assessed clinically for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome which, if present, would result in additional compensation.

Fifteen per cent were assessed as having both HAVS and CTS. Thirty-eight per cent of claimants had nocturnal wakening, 1.3% wasting of abductor pollicis brevis, 15% had a positive Tinel’s test and 20% had a positive Phalen’s test. The 15% prevalence reported is lower than the rates cited previously in several small population studies of workers exposed to vibration.

This paper reports the results of the assessment process and discusses the difficulty of discriminating Carpal Tunnel Syndrome from diffuse neurosensory impairment arising from HAVS.
Minimally Invasive Plate Osteosynthesis for Comminuted Fractures of the Metaphysis of the Radius
Authors: IMATANI J. , NODA T. , MORITO Y. , SATO T. , HASHIZUME H. , INOUE H.
Published: March 2005

Five comminuted and displaced fractures of the distal metaphysis of the radius were treated by a technique of minimally invasive plate osteosynthesis (MIPO) with the aim of minimizing soft tissue damage and devascularization of the fracture fragments. This technique used the small AO T-shaped locking compression plate (AO LCP T-plate) and left the pronator quadratus intact. Radial inclination, palmar tilt, and ulnar variance were restored without loss of reduction in all five cases and the fractures healed at an average of 10 weeks, with good to excellent clinical outcomes.
Ciliary motility and surface morphology of cultured humanrespiratory epithelial cells during ciliogenesis
Authors: Yoshitsugu Masahiko , Hanamure Yutaka , Furuta Shigeru , Deguchi Kouji , Ueno Kazuyoshi , Rautiainen Markus
Published: March 2005

Summary— We used human respiratory epithelial cells in floating culture to study the motility and surface morphology of the cilia during ciliogenesis. Ciliary motility and surface morphology was examined by a high‐speed video system and electron microscopy, respectively. On day 8 of floating culture, but rarely before, cells with numerous moving short cilia with mean ciliary beat frequency (CBF) of 17.8 ± 2.5 Hz (mean ± SD) were seen. The mean CBF was highest on day 10 (19.6 ± 3.9 Hz) and reached 17.4 ± 2.5 Hz on day 14. The ciliary beat amplitude (CBA) was recognized on day 8, abruptly increased on day 9, then continued with aging of the culture. The intracellular coordination of ciliary beats was poor on day 8 with random beat direction but improved up to day 12 when the intracellular uniform beat direction was established. However, intercellular coordination remained absent even on day 14. Results suggest that immature short cilia have a rigid beat pattern. With the elongation of the cilia and the resulting whip‐like movement, the ciliary beat was gradually synchronized. Although a ciliary elongation seems to be required for making intracellular coordination, other factors are involved in intercellular coordination. Also, a high CBF does not always indicate the activity of mature cilia.
The Taunton Fragment: a new text from Anglo-Saxon England
Authors: Gretsch Mechthild
Published: March 2005

The Taunton Fragment (now Taunton, Somerset, Somerset County Record Office, DD/SAS C/1193/77) consists of four leaves containing portions of brief expositions or homilies on the pericopes for four successive Sundays after Pentecost. In the Fragment, brief passages in Latin regularly alternate with the Old English translations of these passages. The manuscript to which the four leaves once belonged was written probably at some point around or after the middle of the eleventh century in an unknown (presumably minor) centre in Anglo-Saxon England. Until recently, the existence of the Taunton leaves had escaped the notice of Anglo-Saxonists; the texts which they contain are printed here for the first time. It will be obvious that eight pages, half of which are in Old English prose, add in no negligible way to the corpus of Old English. Through analysis of the texts in the second part of this article, I hope to show that their contribution to our knowledge of various kinds of literary activity in Anglo-Saxon England is significant indeed, and that the linguistic evidence they present has no parallel elsewhere in the corpus of Old English.
Conceptual Design of a Cellular Filter To Remove Trace Viral Contaminants in Blood
Authors: Mohan K. Krishna , Tsao I‐Fu , Wang H. Y.
Published: March 2005

Various process alternatives and designs of using a filter containing cellular adsorbents to remove trace viral contaminants from blood and other protein solutions have been studied. Sterilization charts have been developed that can be used to estimate the filter size required to achieve a desired sterilization criterion. A parametric study was carried out to identify various process parameters that may affect this physical trace removal process. It has been demonstrated that the adsorption rate constant is a critical parameter in the design of an efficient cellular filter for viral contaminant removal. This constant is characteristic of the virus‐cell system under consideration and is shown to be particularly sensitive to the cell surface receptor density, adsorbent diameter, and fluid flow rate. Higher log titer reduction in virus concentrations can be achieved with low flow rates and no recycle. Preliminary analyses indicate the feasibility of using a magnetically stabilized fluidized filter (MSFF) reactor design for effective virus removal from these complex solutions.
Flux Enhancement in Hollow Fiber Ultrafiltration for the Recovery of Acid Cheese Whey Precipitates
Authors: Heng Meng H. , Glatz Charles E.
Published: March 2005

Ultrafiltration (UF) is commonly used to recover the soluble proteins from cheese whey. One major limitation of its application is concentration polarization resulting in flux reduction. We report on a strategy of using polyelectrolyte [(carboxymethyl)‐cellulose (CMC)] precipitation to convert a portion of the polarizing macromolecules into potentially flux‐enhancing particles. The polymer dosage used can affect the resultant slurry (both protein removal and particle size) and is the important determinant of the flux rates obtainable. Over the CMC dosage range studied, 0.25–3.5 kg/m3, the CMC‐whey slurries have higher permeate flux than the corresponding supernatant, but both have similar permeate flux‐CMC dosage relationships, indicating that the effects reported here are superimposed on membrane‐fouling behavior. Permeate flux was doubled when CMC dosages ranging from 0.75 to 1.75 kg/m3 were added to the whey. The presence of particles was crucial for flux enhancement. The flux behavior of the resultant CMC‐whey slurries showed that the mechanism of enhancement has some of the features of hydrodynamic shear‐induced diffusion.
Large‐Scale Bioprocessing of Solids
Authors: Andrews Graham
Published: March 2005

The bioremediation of contaminated soils, bacterial leaching of metals from ores, biode‐sulfurization of coal, and the direct fermentation of biomass to ethanol are all relatively new processes in which the microbial substrate is a solid. They involve high volume low‐value products, so if they are to be economically viable, the bioreactor must be as small and cheap as possible. Bioreactor design for all these processes has much in common, but it has not been addressed in a systematic way. This paper examines the effect of particle size on reactor type (heap versus slurry), problems of gas transfer into heaps and concentrated slurries, and the desirability of longitudinal mixing.
Enhanced Antibody Production at Slowed Growth Rates: Experimental Demonstration and a Simple Structured Model
Authors: Suzuki E. , Ollis D. F.
Published: March 2005

A simple structured model for monoclonal antibody (MAb) production kinetics was formulated by combining the cell cycle theory with the estimated number of MAb‐coded messenger RNA (mRNA) molecules per cell: it is assumed that the rate‐controlling step is first order in this mRNA and that the growth rate variation does not alter the MAb synthesis rate within any cycle phase but only changes the relative time length of the individual phases. The model predicted “negatively growth associated”MAb production kinetics and thus an enhanced MAb production rate to be achieved by slowing the cell growth. Experiments consistent with these assumptions provided support for the model. Hybridoma cultures where growth was slowed by either a DNA synthesis inhibitor (thymidine or hydroxyurea) or by a selective inhibitor of initiation of nonantibody protein (potassium acetate) exhibited 50–130% MAb production rate enhancement for growth slowed up to 50%; however, further decreases in the growth rate also decreased the MAb production rate. Experiments inconsistent with these assumptions showed other behavior: general inhibition of protein chain elongation (by cycloheximide) or inhibition of ribosomal RNA (rRNA) synthesis (by actinomycin D) each slowed both growth and the specific MAb production rate, leading to net “positive”growth associated MAb production rates. Thus, a need for models with greater structure is also demonstrated.
Indole Alkaloid Formation by Catharanthus roseus Cells in a Biofilm Reactor
Authors: Kargi F. , Ganapathi B. , Maricic K.
Published: March 2005

Catharanthus roseus cells producing indole alkaloids were grown in the form of a biofilm. Production medium was circulated through the reactor parallel to the upper surface of the horizontal biofilm. Sugar consumption and indole alkaloid formation were followed to compare the performance of cultures with different biofilm thicknesses. Dissolved oxygen concentration gradients within the biofilms were determined at the end of each run. RNA and protein content of the cells in the upper and lower layers of the biofilms were compared. Results obtained in the biofilm experiments were compared to those obtained with suspension cultures. At optimized biofilm thicknesses, the biofilm reactor was more effective than suspension cultures in maximizing indole alkaloid titers. This is thought to be due to better cell‐cell contact within the biofilm and nutrient concentration gradients, which resulted in low growth rates.
Process Design, Economic Feasibility, and Market Potential for Nylon 1313 Produced from Erucic Acid
Authors: Van Dyne Donald L. , Blase Melvin G.
Published: March 2005

Nylon 1313, made from the erucic acid of crambe or industrial rapeseed oil, has excellent attributes for use in industry. Its durability, chemical and water resistance, dimensional stability, and electrical properties are valuable characteristics for numerous applications. The processes and economics in transforming erucic acid into brassylic acid and into nylon 1313 are detailed. A sensitivity analysis, developed on a LOTUS template, shows changes in the unit cost of producing nylon 1313 with changes in feedstock material costs and coproduct credits, the two most important factors in the economic feasibility of nylon 1313. The current market and future potential markets for nylon 1313 are discussed. Biotechnology can play an important role in the commercialization of nylon 1313 from erucic acid. Rapeseed is a crop of choice for many biotechnologists. Expected technological advances could lower the cost of crop production, thereby reducing the cost of nylon 1313. Success would improve the competitive position of nylon 1313 relative to other industrial nylons.
Design of Continuous Sterilization Systems for Fermentation Media Containing Suspended Solids
Authors: Armenante Piero M. , Leskowicz Mark A.
Published: March 2005

A mathematical model was developed to analyze the performance of a continuous sterilizer fed with a liquid fermentation medium containing suspended solids. This type of medium is commonly used in the industrial practice of a number of fermentation processes. The unsteady‐state energy balance equations for the liquid and the suspended solids passing through each component of the system were solved analytically. A computer model was then used to calculate the temperature profiles in the liquid and in the solid particles as they move through the sterilizer, as well as the level of sterility achieved under different operating conditions. It appears that the level of sterility is always lower when solids are present in the system, as one may anticipate. The temperature gradients produced in the solids as a result of the unsteady‐state heat transfer occurring as the media moves through the heat exchangers in the system result in lower temperatures in the solid cores. This reduces the effectiveness of the process by protecting the microorganisms against thermal death. In some cases it was found that the level of sterility was so low that operating under such conditions would fail to produce a sterile product. The model was also used to assess the sensitivity of the sterilization process to changes in the most significant design and operating parameters for the case in which solids are present in the medium. The sterilization temperature, steam temperature, heat transfer coefficients in the heat exchangers, particle size, and residence time in the sterilizer holding section appear to be the most important of these parameters. The model obtained in this work can be used to design continuous sterilizers processing slurry media or to evaluate the performance of existing sterilizers.
Effect of Transcription Promoters on the Optimal Production of Secreted Protein in Fed‐Batch Reactors
Authors: Park Seujeung , Ramirez W. Fred
Published: March 2005

Production of heterologous proteins by yeast secretion imposes additional factors that need to be considered, which do not appear with production by direct expression. These include additional intracellular polypeptide processing dynamics through the secretory organelles and the protein concentration in the culture medium, which is the usual final destination of the product. Optimal control theory is applied to optimize fed‐batch production of secreted protein. We maximize an objective function that includes both total production rate and product concentration. A mutant invertase is chosen as the model heterologous secretory protein. Optimal control control strategies have been obtained for the use of two different promoters for the gene transcription, a derepressible SUC2 promoter and a strong glycolytic GPD promoter. With the use of the strong GPD promoter, achieving maximum production occurs on the singular arc of maximum specific growth rate. As the object switches to maximum product concentration, operation occurs for longer periods of time at a slow glucose singular arc condition. The optimal control for maximizing protein production with the weak SUC2 promoter requires transitions between high and low glucose concentrations associated with multiple distinct singular arc conditions. For maximum product concentration, the high concentration branches of the singular arc supporting maximum growth rate and maximum secretion rate disappear. Operation stays essentially on the low glucose concentration branch of the singular arc, which maximizes the protein production rate and minimizes the dilution of the broth product concentration.
Comparative Studies of Glucose Catabolism by Escherichia coli Grown in a Complex Medium under Aerobic and Anaerobic Conditions
Authors: Diaz‐Ricci Juan C. , Hitzmann Bernd , Rinas Ursula , Bailey James E.
Published: March 2005

Escherichia coli HB101 was grown in complex medium under anaerobic and aerobic conditions. Cells prepared under these two different conditions were characterized by two‐dimensional protein gel electrophoresis, by NMR measurements under identical (anaerobic) conditions, and by measuring the kinetics of glucose uptake and catabolite end‐product appearance in the medium under identical anaerobic conditions. Specific rates of glucose uptake and end‐product formation were significantly greater for the anaerobically grown cells, which also exhibited lower intracellular concentrations of sugar phosphates, nucleoside di‐and triphosphates, UDPG, and NAD(H). Two‐dimensional gel electrophoretic analyses reveal changes in the intracellular levels of proteins involved in pyruvate catabolism that have been observed previously for E. coli grown in minimal medium under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Enzymes involved in the TCA cycle were not detected in cells grown aerobically or anaerobically in complex medium.
Polymer Fractionation in Aqueous Two‐Phase Polymer Systems
Authors: Hartounian H. , Sandler S. I.
Published: March 2005

We consider the effects of the addition of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) of different molecular weights to aqueous two‐phase systems of PEG 8000 and dextran 500. The first purpose of this study was to determine the molecular weight partitioning of the polymers themselves so that, for example, aqueous two‐phase separations using affinity ligands can be improved. The second purpose was to examine whether this molecular weight partitioning could be predicted by using solution thermodynamic models so that it would be possible to optimize affinity partitioning without extensive laboratory work. Experimentally, we find that, by increasing the PEG concentration of any molecular weight in the feed, the high molecular weight PEG concentration in the dextran‐rich phase is reduced. This observation can be used to reduce the loss of expensive ligated PEG used in affinity partitioning. Further, there is generally good agreement between our experimental data and the predictions of a solution thermodynamic model.
Immobilization of Arthrobacter simplex in Thermally Reversible Hydrogels: Effect of Gel Hydrophobicity on Steroid Conversion
Authors: Park Tae Gwan , Hoffman Allan S
Published: March 2005

Arthrobacter simplex cells have been immobilized in a series of thermally reversible hydrogels having different gel hydrophobicities. Steroid conversion from hydrocortisone to prednisolone via the Δ1−dehydrogenase system was greatly affected by the relative hydrophobicities of the gel matrices, which were prepared by copolymerizing varying ratios of N‐isopropylacrylamide to acrylamide. The characteristics of the immobilized cells, such as optimal temperatures, Km values, and the effects of an added artificial electron acceptor, were largely influenced by the gel matrices and their different lower c ritical solution temperatures (LCST). The data indicate that the microenvironment of the dehydrogenation system is quite different within the different hydrophilic/hydrophobic gel matrices. The high partitioning of water‐insoluble steroids into the hydrophobic regions and the reduced possibility of product inhibition within the more hydrophobic gel matrices may cause the observed higher steroid conversion in these gels. A possible model for immobilized A. simplex cells in such different gel matrices is proposed.
Production of Recombinant Proteins by Baculovirus‐Infected Gypsy Moth Cells
Authors: Betenbaugh Michael J , Balog Laura , Lee Po‐Shun
Published: March 2005

An experimental study was undertaken to evaluate alternative insect cell lines to Sf9 [from Spodoptera frugiperda (fall army worm)] for the production of recombinant proteins. Insect cell lines from two different organisms were considered: IPLB‐LdEIta (LdEIta) from Lymantria dispar (gypsy moth) and IPLB‐HvT1 (HvT1) from Heliothis virescens (tobacco budworm). Both LdEIta and HvT1 produced higher total activity levels of recombinant σ‐galactosidase in monolayer culture than Sf9 after infection with the Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus (AcMNPV). However, only LdEIta generated a product yield (activity per milligram of total protein) which exceeded that of Sf9 (by 25%), so its growth and production characteristics were investigated in depth. LdEIta generated production levels and yields of a recombinant rotaviral protein, VP4, which exceeded those of Sf9 by 84 and 38%, respectively. In suspension culture, the LdEIta cells grew as aggregates with a doubling time several hours longer than Sf9, but the recombinant product yields of LdEIta were still higher than Sf9 by 38% in this culture environment. σ‐Galactosidase expression rates and cell death rates suggested that the difference in productivity between the two hosts was due to the ability of LdEIta to survive the baculovirus infection and produce recombinant proteins longer than Sf9. The presence of LdEIta aggregates in suspension culture may be used as a method to separate live cells from dead cells, labile product, and spent medium in recombinant protein production processes.