bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Errors in the Use of English Grammar
Authors: Giri Anju
Published: May 2011

By systematically studying the errors committed by learners one can get a lot of hints about the learning strategies and mechanisms which they are employing in learning their target languages. Such hints have provided insights to the teachers, textbook writers, curriculum designers and many applied linguists and enable them to contribute to their fields. This article seeks to present a comprehensive study of grammatical errors committed by the bachelor level university students of Nepal learning English which followed the established stages of error analysis. It was found that the bachelor level students in Nepal did commit all sorts of grammatical errors in the use of the English language. For them, the error prone grammatical units were Sentence and Clause and the error prone grammatical categories were Conditionals, Mood, V-Form, Tense/Aspect, Main Verb, Subject-Verb Agreement, Question Formation, Auxiliary/Modal,Miscellaneous forms, 'So' Form, Determiner, Verb+Participle, Word Order, and Noun.Key words: Correct forms; Incorrect forms/mistakes; ErrorsJournal of NELTAVol. 15 No. 1-2 December 2010Page: 54-63Uploaded date: 4 May, 2011DOI: 10.3126/nelta.v15i1-2.4610
Learning Grammar Autonomously through Metacognitive Strategies: An Experiment
Authors: Stephen Stanley Mohandoss , Singh Xavier Pradheep
Published: May 2011

Knowing how to learn a language maximizes the chances of effective learning. Metacognition, an emerging concept in cognitive psychology, aids learners to enrich their knowledge of the learning process and makes them autonomous learners. This paper details an experiment conducted with fifty freshmen in college on autonomous learning of 'concord' using metacognitive strategies. This experiment is an attempt to verify whether students can learn English grammar autonomously when they are trained to use metacognitive knowledge and strategies. This experiment uses the method described by Best and Kahn (2000).Key words: Metcognitive knowledge; Met cognitive strategies; Learner autonomyJournal of NELTAVol. 15 No. 1-2 December 2010Page: 146-150Uploaded date: 4 May, 2011DOI: 10.3126/nelta.v15i1-2.4620
Qualities of goat semen in Tris-Citrate-Glucose extender containing glutathione
Authors: Mishra B , Alam MGS , Khandokar MAMY , Mazumder S , Munsi MN
Published: May 2011

Glutathione (GSH) 0 (control), 2, 4 and 8 mM was used in the preservation of chilled goat semen. Treated and control samples were kept at 4 – 5°C up to seven days. Sperm motility and acrosome abnormality were assessed daily under phase contrast microscope. The sperm motility was significantly (P<0.01) higher in the semen treated with 8 mM GSH. Optimum sperm motility (≥50%) for artificial insemination was retained for three days with 2 and 4 mM GSH and up to four days with 8 mM GSH. Acrosomal damage was significantly (P<0.01) reduced to ≤ 1.0% after addition of 8 mM GSH. It is suggested that GSH may be used as an antioxidant for better preservation of goat semen for artificial insemination. DOI: 10.3329/bvet.v27i2.7554 Bangl. vet. 2010. Vol. 27, No. 2, 46 – 55
Population dynamics and the management of the Indo-Pacific king mackerel Scomberomorus guttatus from the upper Bay of Bengal off Bangladesh coast
Authors: Rashid H , Mustafa MG , Dewan S
Published: May 2011

Growth and mortality parameters, exploitation rates, annual recruitment patterns and length-weight relationships were estimated using FiSAT program from monthly length-frequency and weight samples of Indo-Pacific king mackerel, Scomberomorus guttatus, captured mainly by drift gill nets from the upper Bay of Bengal off Bangladesh coast. The aim was to estimate growth parameters, mortality rates, exploitation rate and recruitment pattern of S. guttatus for sustainable management. The von Bertalanffy growth parameters asymptotic length L∞ (cm) and growth constant K (per year) were 73.5 and 0.6, respectively. The L∞ and Z/K estimates provided by Wetherall plot were 73.3 and 2.3 cm. The annual rate of fishing mortality (F = 0.806) was low compared to the relatively high natural mortality (M = 0.994). The exploitation rate (E = 0.45) shows that the species was not over-exploited in the region. About 77.1% of S. guttatus were recruited during May-July and 23.0% during September-October. The growth performance index (φ′) was 3.5. The total length and body weight relationship was W = 0.0101 L 2.8622 suggesting that the growth rate was negative allometric (b<3). The growth parameters derived in the current study are comparable with previous estimates available for the same species. DOI: 10.3329/bvet.v27i2.7558 Bangl. vet. 2010. Vol. 27, No. 2, 82-90
New History, Post-Zionism and Neo-Colonialism: A Critique of the Israeli ‘New Historians’
Authors: Masalha Nur
Published: May 2011

Ever since the 1948 Palestinian Nakba a bitter controversy has raged over its causes and circumstances. While the Palestinian refugees have maintained that they were driven into flight, Israeli historians claimed that the refugees either left of their own accord, or were ordered to do so by their own leaders. This essay explores the emergence of an Israeli revisionist historiography in the late 1980s which challenged the official Zionist narrative of 1948. Today the ‘new historians’ are bitterly divided and at each other's throats. The essay assesses the impact of the ‘new historians’ on history writing and power relations in Palestine-Israel, situating the phenomenon within the wider debates on knowledge and power. It locates ‘new history’ discourse within the multiple crises of Zionism and the recurring patterns of critical liberal Zionist writing. It further argues that, although the terms of the debate in Western academia have been altered under the impact of this development, both the ‘new history’ narrative and ‘Post-Zionism’ have remained marginal in Israel. Rather than developing a post-colonial discourse or decolonising methodologies, the ‘new historians’ have reflected contradictory currents within the Israeli settler colonial society. Also, ominously, their most influential author, Benny Morris, has reframed the ‘new history’ narrative within a neo-colonialist discourse and the ‘clash of civilisations’ thesis. Justifying old and neo-colonialist ideas on ‘transfer’ and ethnic cleansing, Morris (echoing calls by neo-Zionist Israeli politicians) threatens the Palestinians with another Nakba.
Targeted Therapy for Biliary Tract Cancer
Authors: Furuse Junji , Okusaka Takuji
Published: May 2011

It is necessary to establish effective chemotherapy to improve the survival of patients with biliary tract cancer, because most of these patients are unsuitable candidates for surgery, and even patients undergoing curative surgery often have recurrence. Recently, the combination of cisplatin plus gemcitabine was reported to show survival benefits over gemcitabine alone in randomized clinical trials conducted in the United Kingdom and Japan. Thus, the combination of cisplatin plus gemcitabine is now recognized as the standard therapy for unresectable biliary tract cancer. One of the next issues that need to be addressed is whether molecular targeted agents might also be effective against biliary tract cancer. Although some targeted agents have been investigated as monotherapy for first-line chemotherapy, none were found to exert satisfactory efficacy. On the other hand, monoclonal antibodies such as bevacizumab and cetuximab have also been investigated in combination with a gemcitabine-based regimen and have been demonstrated to show promising activity. Furthermore, clinical trials using new targeted agents for biliary tract cancer are also proposed. This cancer is a relatively rare and heterogeneous tumor consisting of cholangiocarcinoma and gallbladder carcinoma. Therefore, a large randomized clinical trial is necessary to confirm the efficacy of chemotherapy, and international collaboration is important.
Targeted Therapy in Nonmelanoma Skin Cancers
Authors: Spallone Giulia , Botti Elisabetta , Costanzo Antonio
Published: May 2011

Nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC) is the most prevalent cancer in light-skinned populations, and includes mainly Basal Cell Carcinomas (BCC), representing around 75% of NMSC and Squamous Cell Carcinomas (SCC). The incidence of these tumors is continuously growing. It was found that the overall number of procedures for NMSC in US rose by 76%, from 1,158,298 in 1992 to 2,048,517 in 2006. Although mortality from NMSC tends to be very low, clearly the morbidity related to these skin cancers is very high. Treatment options for NMSC include both surgical and nonsurgical interventions. Surgery was considered the gold standard therapy, however, advancements in the knowledge of pathogenic mechanisms of NMSCs led to the identification of key targets for drug intervention and to the consequent development of several targeted therapies. These represent the future in treatment of these common forms of cancer ensuring a high cure rate, preservation of the maximal amount of normal surrounding tissue and optimal cosmetic outcome. Here, we will review recent advancements in NMSC targeted therapies focusing on BCC and SCC.
Measuring the Failure of Planning and Its Impact on Sustainable Travel in Dublin, Ireland
Authors: McDonnell Simon , Caulfield Brian
Published: May 2011

With the end of the recent housing boom in Dublin, Ireland, it is perhaps a good time to analyze how the commuting and development patterns have been impacted by this unprecedented level of housing construction in recent years. In this research, the authors focus specifically on the commuting patterns of those individuals living in the newest housing stock to see how these patterns adhere to the Irish government’s stated transportation and sustainability goals. Data from the 2006 Census of Ireland is used to explore the commuting patterns of individuals living in the four counties that make up Dublin who lived in the most recently constructed housing stock (built between 2001 and 2006, constituting almost one fifth of all housing units in Dublin). The results demonstrate that the latter populations were more likely to have longer commute times and to depart earlier to get to work. The findings also suggest that, despite ambitious government level goals, housing built during the property boom was more likely to be in low-density areas.
Cross-Sectional Analysis of the Utility of Pulmonary Function Tests in Predicting Emphysema in Ever-Smokers
Authors: Hesselbacher Sean E. , Ross Robert , Schabath Matthew B. , Smith E. O’Brian , Perusich Sarah , Barrow Nadia , Smithwick Pamela , Mammen Manoj J. , Coxson Harvey , Krowchuk Natasha , Corry David B. , Kheradmand Farrah
Published: May 2011

Emphysema is largely an under-diagnosed medical condition that can exist in smokers in the absence of airway obstruction. We aimed to determine the sensitivity and specificity of pulmonary function tests (PFTs) in assessing emphysema using quantitative CT scans as the reference standard. We enrolled 224 ever-smokers (current or former) over the age of 40. CT of thorax was used to quantify the low attenuation area (% emphysema), and to measure the standardized airway wall thickness. PFTs were used individually and in combination to predict their ability to discriminate radiographic emphysema. Significant emphysema (>7%) was detected in 122 (54%) subjects. Twenty six (21%) emphysema subjects had no evidence of airflow obstruction (FEV1/FVC ratio 23% emphysema showed airflow obstruction. The sensitivity and specificity of spirometry for detecting radiographic emphysema were 79% and 75%, respectively. Standardized airway wall thickness was increased in subjects with airflow obstruction, but did not correlate with emphysema severity. In this cohort of lifetime ever-smokers, PFTs alone were inadequate for diagnosing emphysema. Airway wall thickness quantified by CT morphometry was associated with airflow limitation, but not with emphysema indicating that the heterogeneous nature of lung disease in smokers may represent distinct phenotypes.
AGRICOH: A Consortium of Agricultural Cohorts
Authors: Leon Maria E. , Freeman Laura E. Beane , Douwes Jeroen , Hoppin Jane A. , Kromhout Hans , Lebailly Pierre , Nordby Karl-Christian , Schenker Marc , Schüz Joachim , Waring Stephen C. , Alavanja Michael C.R. , Annesi-Maesano Isabella , Baldi Isabelle , Dalvie Mohamed Aqiel , Ferro Giles , Fervers Béatrice , Langseth Hilde , London Leslie , Lynch Charles F. , McLaughlin John , Merchant James A. , Pahwa Punam , Sigsgaard Torben , Stayner Leslie Thomas , Wesseling Catharina , Yoo Keun-Young , Zahm Shelia H. , Straif Kurt , Blair Aaron
Published: May 2011

AGRICOH is a recently formed consortium of agricultural cohort studies involving 22 cohorts from nine countries in five continents: South Africa (1), Canada (3), Costa Rica (2), USA (6), Republic of Korea (1), New Zealand (2), Denmark (1), France (3) and Norway (3). The aim of AGRICOH, initiated by the US National Cancer Institute (NCI) and coordinated by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), is to promote and sustain collaboration and pooling of data to investigate the association between a wide range of agricultural exposures and a wide range of health outcomes, with a particular focus on associations that cannot easily be addressed in individual studies because of rare exposures (e.g., use of infrequently applied chemicals) or relatively rare outcomes (e.g., certain types of cancer, neurologic and auto-immune diseases). To facilitate future projects the need for data harmonization of selected variables is required and is underway. Altogether, AGRICOH provides excellent opportunities for studying cancer, respiratory, neurologic, and auto-immune diseases as well as reproductive and allergic disorders, injuries and overall mortality in association with a wide array of exposures, prominent among these the application of pesticides.
Source Reduction Behavior as an Independent Measurement of the Impact of a Public Health Education Campaign in an Integrated Vector Management Program for the Asian Tiger Mosquito
Authors: Bartlett-Healy Kristen , Hamilton George , Healy Sean , Crepeau Taryn , Unlu Isik , Farajollahi Ary , Fonseca Dina , Gaugler Randy , Clark Gary G. , Strickman Daniel
Published: May 2011

The goal of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a public health educational campaign to reduce backyard mosquito-larval habitats. Three communities each, within two New Jersey counties, were randomly selected to receive: (1) both education and mosquito control, (2) education only, and (3) no education or mosquito control. Four separate educational events included a 5-day elementary school curriculum in the spring, and three door to door distributions of educational brochures. Before and after each educational event, the numbers of mosquito-larval container habitats were counted in 50 randomly selected homes per study area. Container surveys allowed us to measure source reduction behavior. Although we saw reductions in container habitats in sites receiving education, they were not significantly different from the control. Our results suggest that traditional passive means of public education, which were often considered the gold standard for mosquito control programs, are not sufficient to motivate residents to reduce backyard mosquito-larval habitats.
Membrane-Based Inverse Transition Cycling: An Improved Means for Purifying Plant-Derived Recombinant
Protein-Elastin-Like Polypeptide Fusions
Authors: Phan Hoang Trong , Conrad Udo
Published: May 2011

Elastin-like peptide (ELP) was fused to two different avian flu H5N1 antigens and expressed in transgenic tobacco plants. The presence of the ELP tag enhanced the accumulation of the heterologous proteins in the tobacco leaves. An effective
membrane-based Inverse Transition Cycling was developed to recover the ELPylated antigens and antibodies from plant material. The functionality of both the ELPylated neuraminidase and an ELPylated nanobody was demonstrated.
Serine Proteases-Like Genes in the Asian Rice Gall Midge Show Differential Expression in Compatible and Incompatible Interactions with Rice
Authors: Sinha Deepak Kumar , Lakshmi Mulagondla , Anuradha Ghanta , Rahman Shaik J. , Siddiq Ebrahimali A. , Bentur Jagadish S. , Nair Suresh
Published: May 2011

The Asian rice gall midge, Orseolia oryzae (Wood-Mason), is a serious pest of rice. Investigations into the gall midge-rice interaction will unveil the underlying molecular mechanisms which, in turn, can be used as a tool to assist in developing suitable integrated pest management strategies. The insect gut is known to be involved in various physiological and biological processes including digestion, detoxification and interaction with the host. We have cloned and identified two genes, OoprotI and OoprotII, homologous to serine proteases with the conserved His87, Asp136 and Ser241 residues. OoProtI shared 52.26% identity with mosquito-type trypsin from Hessian fly whereas OoProtII showed 52.49% identity to complement component activated C1s from the Hessian fly. Quantitative real time PCR analysis revealed that both the genes were significantly upregulated in larvae feeding on resistant cultivar than in those feeding on susceptible cultivar. These results provide an opportunity to understand the gut physiology of the insect under compatible or incompatible interactions with the host. Phylogenetic analysis grouped these genes in the clade containing proteases of phytophagous insects away from hematophagous insects.
Conformationally Constrained Histidines in the Design of Peptidomimetics: Strategies for the χ-Space Control
Authors: Stefanucci Azzurra , Pinnen Francesco , Feliciani Federica , Cacciatore Ivana , Lucente Gino , Mollica Adriano
Published: May 2011

A successful design of peptidomimetics must come to terms with χ-space control. The incorporation of χ-space constrained amino acids into bioactive peptides renders the χ1 and χ2 torsional angles of pharmacophore amino acids critical for activity and selectivity as with other relevant structural features of the template. This review describes histidine analogues characterized by replacement of native α and/or β-hydrogen atoms with alkyl substituents as well as analogues with α, β-didehydro unsaturation or Cα-Cβ cyclopropane insertion (ACC derivatives). Attention is also dedicated to the relevant field of β-aminoacid chemistry by describing the synthesis of β2- and β3-models (β-hHis). Structural modifications leading to cyclic imino derivatives such as spinacine, aza-histidine and analogues with shortening or elongation of the native side chain (nor-histidine and homo-histidine, respectively) are also described. Examples of the use of the described analogues to replace native histidine in bioactive peptides are also given.
Flavonoids, Phenolics, and Antioxidant Capacity in the Flower of Eriobotrya japonica Lindl.
Authors: Zhou Chunhua , Sun Chongde , Chen Kunsong , Li Xian
Published: May 2011

Flavonoids and phenolics are abundant in loquat flowers. Methanol had the highest extraction efficiency among five solvents, followed by ethanol. Considering the safety and residue, ethanol is better as extraction solvent. The average content of flavonoids and phenolics of loquat flower of five cultivars were 1.59 ± 0.24 and 7.86 ± 0.87 mg/g DW, respectively, when using ethanol as extraction solvent. The contents of both bioactive components in flowers at different developmental stages and in the various flower tissues clearly differed, with the highest flavonoids and phenolics content in flowers of stage 3 (flower fully open) and petal, respectively. The antioxidant capacity was measured using FRAP, DPPH, and ABTS methods. The values of ABTS method was highest, followed by DPPH, the lowest was FRAP, when using vitamin C equivalent antioxidant capacity (VCEAC) as unit. Correlation analysis showed that the ABTS method showed the highest correlation coefficients with flavonoids and phenolics, i.e., 0.886 and 0.973, respectively.
Stress Tolerance of Bed Bugs: A Review of Factors That Cause Trauma to Cimex lectularius and C. Hemipterus
Authors: Benoit Joshua B.
Published: May 2011

Recent emergence of bed bugs (Cimex spp.) has prompted a significant expansion of research devoted to this pest. The ability to survive and recover from stress has significant implications on the distribution and survival of insects, and bed bugs are no exception. Research on bed bug stress tolerance has shown considerable progress and necessitates a review on this topic. Bed bugs have an extraordinary ability to resist dehydration between bloodmeals, and this represents a critical factor allowing their prolonged survival when no host is available. High relative humidities are detrimental to bed bugs, leading to reduced survival in comparison to those held at lower relative humidities. Continual exposure of bed bugs, eggs and mobile stages, to temperatures below freezing and short term exposure (=1 h) to temperatures below −16 to −18 °C results in mortality. The upper thermal limit for short term exposure of eggs, nymphs and adults is between 40–45 °C for the common (Cimex lectularius) and tropical (C. hemipterus) bed bugs. Long-term exposure to temperatures above 35 °C results in significant reduction in survival of mobile bed bugs. Eggs for C. lectularius and C. hemipterus are no longer viable when held below 10 °C or above 37 °C throughout embryogenesis. Blood feeding, although necessary for survival and reproduction, is discussed as a stress due to thermal and osmotic fluctuations that result from ingesting a warm bloodmeal from a vertebrate host. Cold, heat, water stress and blood feeding prompted the expression of heat shock proteins (Hsps). Pesticide application is a common human-induced stress for urban pests, and recent studies have documented pesticide resistance in many bed bug populations. High levels of traumatic insemination (mating) of bed bugs has been linked to reduced survival and fecundity along with possibly exposing individuals to microbial infections after cuticular penetration by the paramere (=male reproductive organ), thus represents a form of sexual stress. Additionally, less common stress types such as microbial infections that have been documented in bed bugs will be discussed. Overall, this review provides a current update of research related to bed bug stress tolerance and how their ability to resist stressful conditions has lead to their expansion and proliferation.
Speciation, Divergence, and the Origin of Gryllus rubens: Behavior, Morphology, and Molecules
Authors: Gray David A.
Published: May 2011

The last 25 years or so has seen a huge resurgence of interest in speciation research. This has coincided with the development and widespread use of new tools in molecular genetics, especially DNA sequencing, to inform ecological and evolutionary questions. Here I review about a decade of work on the sister species of field crickets Gryllus texensis and G. rubens. This work has included analysis of morphology, behavior, and the mitochondrial DNA molecule. The molecular work in particular has dramatically re-shaped my interpretation of the speciational history of these taxa, suggesting that rather than ‘sister’ species we should consider these taxa as ‘mother-daughter’ species with G. rubens derived from within a subset of ancestral G. texensis.
Molecular Morphology of Pituitary Cells, from Conventional Immunohistochemistry to Fluorescein Imaging
Authors: Matsuno Akira , Mizutani Akiko , Okinaga Hiroko , Takano Koji , Yamada So , Yamada Shoko M. , Nakaguchi Hiroshi , Hoya Katsumi , Murakami Mineko , Takeuchi Masato , Sugaya Mutsumi , Itoh Johbu , Takekoshi Susumu , Osamura R. Yoshiyuki
Published: May 2011

In situ hybridization (ISH) at the electron microscopic (EM) level is essential for elucidating the intracellular distribution and role of mRNA in protein synthesis. EM-ISH is considered to be an important tool for clarifying the intracellular localization of mRNA and the exact site of pituitary hormone synthesis on the rough endoplasmic reticulum. A combined ISH and immunohistochemistry (IHC) under EM (EM-ISH&IHC) approach has sufficient ultrastructural resolution, and provides two-dimensional images of the subcellular localization of pituitary hormone and its mRNA in a pituitary cell. The advantages of semiconductor nanocrystals (quantum dots, Qdots) and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) enable us to obtain three-dimensional images of the subcellular localization of pituitary hormone and its mRNA. Both EM-ISH&IHC and ISH & IHC using Qdots and CLSM are useful for understanding the relationships between protein and mRNA simultaneously in two or three dimensions. CLSM observation of rab3B and SNARE proteins such as SNAP-25 and syntaxin has revealed that both rab3B and SNARE system proteins play important roles and work together as the exocytotic machinery in anterior pituitary cells. Another important issue is the intracellular transport and secretion of pituitary hormone. We have developed an experimental pituitary cell line, GH3 cell, which has growth hormone (GH) linked to enhanced yellow fluorescein protein (EYFP). This stable GH3 cell secretes GH linked to EYFP upon stimulation by Ca2+ influx or Ca2+ release from storage. This GH3 cell line is useful for the real-time visualization of the intracellular transport and secretion of GH. These three methods from conventional immunohistochemistry and fluorescein imaging allow us to consecutively visualize the process of transcription, translation, transport and secretion of anterior pituitary hormone.
Chiroptical Measurement of Chiral Aggregates at
Liquid-Liquid Interface in Centrifugal Liquid Membrane Cell by Mueller Matrix and Conventional Circular Dichroism Methods
Authors: Takechi Hideaki , Arteaga Oriol , Ribo Josep M. , Watarai Hitoshi
Published: May 2011

The centrifugal liquid membrane (CLM) cell has been utilized for chiroptical studies of liquid-liquid interfaces with a conventional circular dichroism (CD) spectropolarimeter. These studies required the characterization of optical properties of the rotating cylindrical CLM glass cell, which was used under the high speed rotation. In the present study, we have measured the circular and linear dichroism (CD and LD) spectra and the circular and linear birefringence (CB and LB) spectra of the CLM cell itself as well as those of porphyrine aggregates formed at the liquid-liquid interface in the CLM cell, applying Mueller matrix measurement method. From the results, it was confirmed that the CLM-CD spectra of the interfacial porphyrin aggregates observed by a conventional CD spectropolarimeter should be correct irrespective of LD and LB signals in the CLM cell.
Diversity-Oriented Synthesis of a Library of Substituted Tetrahydropyrones Using Oxidative Carbon-Hydrogen Bond Activation and Click Chemistry
Authors: Zaware Nilesh , LaPorte Matthew G. , Farid Ramy , Liu Lei , Wipf Peter , Floreancig Paul E.
Published: May 2011

Eighteen (2RS,6RS)-2-(4-methoxyphenyl)-6-(substituted ethyl)dihydro-2H-pyran-4(3H)ones were synthesized via a DDQ-mediated oxidative carbon-hydrogen bond activation reaction. Fourteen of these tetrahydropyrans were substituted with triazoles readily assembled via azide-alkyne click-chemistry reactions. Examples of a linked benzotriazole and pyrazole motif were also prepared. To complement the structural diversity, the alcohol substrates were obtained from stereoselective reductions of the tetrahydropyrone. This library provides rapid access to structurally diverse non-natural compounds to be screened against a variety of biological targets.
High Affinity, Developability and Functional Size: The Holy Grail of Combinatorial Antibody Library Generation
Authors: Ponsel Dirk , Neugebauer Julia , Ladetzki-Baehs Kathrin , Tissot Kathrin
Published: May 2011

Since the initial description of phage display technology for the generation of human antibodies, a variety of selection methods has been developed. The most critical parameter for all in vitro-based approaches is the quality of the antibody library. Concurrent evolution of the libraries has allowed display and selection technologies to reveal their full potential. They come in different flavors, from naïve to fully synthetic and differ in terms of size, quality, method of preparation, framework and CDR composition. Early on, the focus has mainly been on affinities and thus on library size and diversity. Subsequently, the increased awareness of developability and cost of goods as important success factors has spurred efforts to generate libraries with improved biophysical properties and favorable production characteristics. More recently a major focus on reduction of unwanted side effects through reduced immunogenicity and improved overall biophysical behavior has led to a re-evaluation of library design.
Enhancement of Leaf Gas Exchange and Primary Metabolites under Carbon Dioxide Enrichment Up-Regulates the Production of Secondary Metabolites in Labisia pumila Seedlings
Authors: Ibrahim Mohd Hafiz , Jaafar Hawa Z.E.
Published: May 2011

A split plot 3 by 3 experiment was designed to investigate and distinguish the relationships among production of primary metabolites (soluble sugar and starch), secondary metabolites (total phenolics, TP; total flavonoids, TF) and leaf gas exchange of three varieties of the Malaysian medicinal herb Labisia pumila Blume, namely the varieties alata, pumila and lanceolata, under three levels of CO2 enrichment (400, 800 and 1,200 µmol mol−1) for 15 weeks. The treatment effects were solely contributed by CO2 enrichment levels; no varietal differences were observed. As CO2 levels increased from 400 to 1,200 µmol mol−1, the production of carbohydrates also increased steadily, especially for starch more than soluble sugar (sucrose). TF and TP content, simultaneously, reached their peaks under 1,200 µmol exposure, followed by 800 and 400 µmol mol−1. Net photosynthesis (A) and quantum efficiency of photosystem II (fv/fm) were also enhanced as CO2 increased from 400 to 1,200 µmol mol−1. Leaf gas exchange characteristics displayed a significant positive relationship with the production of secondary metabolites and carbohydrate contents. The increase in production of TP and TFs were manifested by high C/N ratio and low protein content in L. pumila seedlings, and accompanied by reduction in cholorophyll content that exhibited very significant negative relationships with total soluble sugar, starch and total non structural carbohydrate.
Antihyperglycemic Effect of Orthosiphon Stamineus Benth Leaves Extract and Its Bioassay-Guided Fractions
Authors: Mohamed Elsnoussi Ali Hussin , Mohamed Ali Jimale , Asmawi Mohd. Zaini , Sadikun Amirin , Ebrika Omar Saad , Yam Mun Fei
Published: May 2011

Preliminary investigations were carried out to evaluate the antidiabetic effects of the leaves of O. stamineus extracted serially with solvents of increasing polarity (petroleum ether, chloroform, methanol and water); bioassay-guided purification of plant extracts using the subcutaneous glucose tolerance test (SbGTT) was also carried out. Only the chloroform extract, given at 1 g/kg body weight (b.w.), significantly reduced (P < 0.05) the blood glucose level of rats loaded subcutaneously with 150 mg/kg (b.w.) glucose. The active chloroform extract of O. stamineus was separated into five fractions using a dry flash column chromatography method. Out of the five fractions tested, only chloroform fraction 2 (Cƒ2), at the dose of 1 g/kg (b.w.) significantly inhibited (P < 0.05) blood glucose levels in SbGTT. Active Cƒ2 was split into two sub-fractions Cƒ2-A and Cƒ2-B, using a dry flash column chromatography method. The activities Cƒ2-A and Cƒ2-B were investigated using SbGTT, and the active sub-fraction was then further studied for anti-diabetic effects in a streptozotocin-induced diabetic rat model. The results clearly indicate that Cƒ2-B fraction exhibited a blood glucose lowering effect in fasted treated normal rats after glucose-loading of 150 mg/kg (b.w.). In the acute streptozotocin-induced diabetic rat model, Cƒ2-B did not exhibit a hypoglycemic effect on blood glucose levels up to 7 hours after treatment. Thus, it appears that Cƒ2-B functions similarly to metformin, which has no hypoglycemic effect but demonstrates an antihyperglycemic effect only in normogycemic models. The effect of Cƒ2-B may have no direct stimulatory effects on insulin secretion or on blood glucose levels in diabetic animal models. Verification of the active compound(s) within the active fraction (Cƒ2-B) indicated the presence of terpenoids and, flavonoids, including sinensitin.
Breakfast and Snacks: Associations with Cognitive Failures, Minor Injuries, Accidents and Stress
Authors: Chaplin Katherine , Smith Andrew P.
Published: May 2011

One strategy for examining effects of nutrients on cognitive function is to initially investigate foods that contain many different nutrients. If effects are demonstrated with these foods then further studies can address the role of specific nutrients. Breakfast foods (e.g., cereals, dairy products and fruit) provide many important nutrients and consumption of breakfast has been shown to be associated with beneficial effects on cognitive function. Isolating effects of specific constituents of breakfast has proved more difficult and it is still unclear what impact breakfast has on real-life performance. The present study provided initial information on associations between breakfast consumption and cognitive failures and accidents. A second aim was to examine associations between consumption of snacks which are often perceived as being unhealthy (chocolate, crisps and biscuits). A sample of over 800 nurses took part in the study. The results showed that frequency of breakfast consumption (varied breakfasts: 62% cereal) was associated with lower stress, fewer cognitive failures, injuries and accidents at work. In contrast, snacking on crisps, chocolate and biscuits was associated with higher stress, more cognitive failures and more injuries outside of work. Further research requires intervention studies to provide a clearer profile of causality and underlying mechanisms.
Electronic Noses and Tongues: Applications for the Food and Pharmaceutical Industries
Authors: Baldwin Elizabeth A. , Bai Jinhe , Plotto Anne , Dea Sharon
Published: May 2011

The electronic nose (e-nose) is designed to crudely mimic the mammalian nose in that most contain sensors that non-selectively interact with odor molecules to produce some sort of signal that is then sent to a computer that uses multivariate statistics to determine patterns in the data. This pattern recognition is used to determine that one sample is similar or different from another based on headspace volatiles. There are different types of e-nose sensors including organic polymers, metal oxides, quartz crystal microbalance and even gas-chromatography (GC) or combined with mass spectroscopy (MS) can be used in a non-selective manner using chemical mass or patterns from a short GC column as an e-nose or “Z” nose. The electronic tongue reacts similarly to non-volatile compounds in a liquid. This review will concentrate on applications of e-nose and e-tongue technology for edible products and pharmaceutical uses.
Enhancement of Optical Adaptive Sensing by Using a Dual-Stage Seesaw-Swivel Actuator with a Tunable Vibration Absorber
Authors: Chou Po-Chien , Lin Yu-Cheng , Cheng Stone
Published: May 2011

Technological obstacles to the use of rotary-type swing arm actuators to actuate optical pickup modules in small-form-factor (SFF) disk drives stem from a hinge’s skewed actuation, subsequently inducing off-axis aberrations and deteriorating optical quality. This work describes a dual-stage seesaw-swivel actuator for optical pickup actuation. A triple-layered bimorph bender made of piezoelectric materials (PZTs) is connected to the suspension of the pickup head, while the tunable vibration absorber (TVA) unit is mounted on the seesaw swing arm to offer a balanced force to reduce vibrations in a focusing direction. Both PZT and TVA are designed to satisfy stable focusing operation operational requirements and compensate for the tilt angle or deformation of a disc. Finally, simulation results verify the performance of the dual-stage seesaw-swivel actuator, along with experimental procedures and parametric design optimization confirming the effectiveness of the proposed system.
Rapid Assessment of Mineral Concentration in Meadow Grasses by Near Infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy
Authors: Ward Alastair , Nielsen Anne Lisbeth , Møller Henrik
Published: May 2011

A near infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) method for rapid determination of nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium in diverse meadow grasses was developed with a view towards utilizing this material for biogas production and organic fertilizer. NIRS spectra between 12,000 cm−1 and 4,000 cm−1 were used. When validated on samples from different years to those used for the calibration set, the NIRS prediction of nitrogen was considered moderately useful with R2 = 0.77, ratio of standard error of prediction to reference data range (RER) of 9.32 and ratio of standard error of prediction to standard deviation of reference data (RPD) of 2.33. Prediction of potassium was less accurate, with R2 = 0.77, RER of 6.56 and RPD of 1.45, whilst prediction of phosphorous was not considered accurate enough to be of any practical use. This work is of interest from the point of view of both the removal of excess nutrients from formerly intensively farmed areas and also for assessing the plant biomass suitability for conversion into carbon neutral energy through biogas production.
Improved Calibration Functions of Three Capacitance Probes for the Measurement of Soil Moisture in Tropical Soils
Authors: Fares Ali , Abbas Farhat , Maria Domingos , Mair Alan
Published: May 2011

Single capacitance sensors are sensitive to soil property variability. The objectives of this study were to: (i) establish site-specific laboratory calibration equations of three single capacitance sensors (EC-20, EC-10, and ML2x) for tropical soils, and (ii) evaluate the accuracy and precision of these sensors. Intact soil cores and bulk samples, collected from the top 20 and 80 cm soil depths at five locations across the Upper Mākaha Valley watershed, were analyzed to determine their soil bulk density (ρb), total porosity (θt), particle size distribution, and electrical conductivity (EC). Laboratory calibration equations were established using soil packed columns at six water content levels (0–0.5 cm3 cm−3). Soil bulk density and θt significantly varied with sampling depths; whereas, soil clay content (CC) and EC varied with sampling locations. Variations of ρb and θt at the two depths significantly affected the EC-20 and ML2x laboratory calibration functions; however, there was no effect of these properties on calibration equation functions of EC-10. There was no significant effect of sampling locations on the laboratory calibration functions suggesting watershed-specific equations for EC-20 and ML2x for the two depths; a single watershed-specific equation was needed for EC-10 for both sampling depths. The laboratory calibration equations for all sensors were more accurate than the corresponding default equations. ML2x exhibited better precision than EC-10, followed by EC-20. We conclude that the laboratory calibration equations can mitigate the effects of varying soil properties and improve the sensors’ accuracy for water content measurements.
A Survey of System Architecture Requirements for Health Care-Based Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Egbogah Emeka E. , Fapojuwo Abraham O.
Published: May 2011

Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) have emerged as a viable technology for a vast number of applications, including health care applications. To best support these health care applications, WSN technology can be adopted for the design of practical Health Care WSNs (HCWSNs) that support the key system architecture requirements of reliable communication, node mobility support, multicast technology, energy efficiency, and the timely delivery of data. Work in the literature mostly focuses on the physical design of the HCWSNs (e.g., wearable sensors, in vivo embedded sensors, et cetera). However, work towards enhancing the communication layers (i.e., routing, medium access control, et cetera) to improve HCWSN performance is largely lacking. In this paper, the information gleaned from an extensive literature survey is shared in an effort to fortify the knowledge base for the communication aspect of HCWSNs. We highlight the major currently existing prototype HCWSNs and also provide the details of their routing protocol characteristics. We also explore the current state of the art in medium access control (MAC) protocols for WSNs, for the purpose of seeking an energy efficient solution that is robust to mobility and delivers data in a timely fashion. Furthermore, we review a number of reliable transport layer protocols, including a network coding based protocol from the literature, that are potentially suitable for delivering end-to-end reliability of data transmitted in HCWSNs. We identify the advantages and disadvantages of the reviewed MAC, routing, and transport layer protocols as they pertain to the design and implementation of a HCWSN. The findings from this literature survey will serve as a useful foundation for designing a reliable HCWSN and also contribute to the development and evaluation of protocols for improving the performance of future HCWSNs. Open issues that required further investigations are highlighted.
Use of the Electronic Nose as a Screening Tool for the Recognition of Durum Wheat Naturally Contaminated by Deoxynivalenol: A Preliminary Approach
Authors: Campagnoli Anna , Cheli Federica , Polidori Carlo , Zaninelli Mauro , Zecca Oreste , Savoini Giovanni , Pinotti Luciano , Dell’Orto Vittorio
Published: May 2011

Fungal contamination and the presence of related toxins is a widespread problem. Mycotoxin contamination has prompted many countries to establish appropriate tolerance levels. For instance, with the Commission Regulation (EC) N. 1881/2006, the European Commission fixed the limits for the main mycotoxins (and other contaminants) in food. Although valid analytical methods are being developed for regulatory purposes, a need exists for alternative screening methods that can detect mould and mycotoxin contamination of cereal grains with high sample throughput. In this study, a commercial electronic nose (EN) equipped with metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) sensors was used in combination with a trap and the thermal desorption technique, with the adoption of Tenax TA as an adsorbent material to discriminate between durum wheat whole-grain samples naturally contaminated with deoxynivalenol (DON) and non-contaminated samples. Each wheat sample was analysed with the EN at four different desorption temperatures (i.e., 180 °C, 200 °C, 220 °C, and 240 °C) and without a desorption pre-treatment. A 20-sample and a 122-sample dataset were processed by means of principal component analysis (PCA) and classified via classification and regression trees (CART). Results, validated with two different methods, showed that it was possible to classify wheat samples into three clusters based on the DON content proposed by the European legislation: (a) non-contaminated; (b) contaminated below the limit (DON 1,750 μg/kg), with a classification error rate in prediction of 0% (for the 20-sample dataset) and 3.28% (for the 122-sample dataset).
Two-Scale Simulation of Drop-Induced Failure of Polysilicon MEMS Sensors
Authors: Mariani Stefano , Ghisi Aldo , Corigliano Alberto , Martini Roberto , Simoni Barbara
Published: May 2011

In this paper, an industrially-oriented two-scale approach is provided to model the drop-induced brittle failure of polysilicon MEMS sensors. The two length-scales here investigated are the package (macroscopic) and the sensor (mesoscopic) ones. Issues related to the polysilicon morphology at the micro-scale are disregarded; an upscaled homogenized constitutive law, able to describe the brittle cracking of silicon, is instead adopted at the meso-scale. The two-scale approach is validated against full three-scale Monte-Carlo simulations, which allow for stochastic effects linked to the microstructural properties of polysilicon. Focusing on inertial MEMS sensors exposed to drops, it is shown that the offered approach matches well the experimentally observed failure mechanisms.
Use of Ribosome-Inactivating Proteins from Sambucus for the Construction of Immunotoxins and Conjugates for Cancer Therapy
Authors: Ferreras José M. , Citores Lucía , Iglesias Rosario , Jiménez Pilar , Girbés Tomás
Published: May 2011

The type 2 ribosome-inactivating proteins (RIPs) isolated from some species belonging to the Sambucus genus, have the characteristic that although being even more active than ricin inhibiting protein synthesis in cell-free extracts, they lack the high toxicity of ricin and related type 2 RIPs to intact cells and animals. This is due to the fact that after internalization, they follow a different intracellular pathway that does not allow them to reach the cytosolic ribosomes. The lack of toxicity of type 2 RIPs from Sambucus make them good candidates as toxic moieties in the construction of immunotoxins and conjugates directed against specific targets. Up to now they have been conjugated with either transferrin or anti-CD105 to target either transferrin receptor- or endoglin-overexpressing cells, respectively.
Retroviral Vectors: Post Entry Events and Genomic Alterations
Authors: Nowrouzi Ali , Glimm Hanno , Von Kalle Christof , Schmidt Manfred
Published: May 2011

The curative potential of retroviral vectors for somatic gene therapy has been demonstrated impressively in several clinical trials leading to sustained long-term correction of the underlying genetic defect. Preclinical studies and clinical monitoring of gene modified hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells in patients have shown that biologically relevant vector induced side effects, ranging from in vitro immortalization to clonal dominance and oncogenesis in vivo, accompany therapeutic efficiency of integrating retroviral gene transfer systems. Most importantly, it has been demonstrated that the genotoxic potential is not identical among all retroviral vector systems designed for clinical application. Large scale viral integration site determination has uncovered significant differences in the target site selection of retrovirus subfamilies influencing the propensity for inducing genetic alterations in the host genome. In this review we will summarize recent insights gained on the mechanisms of insertional mutagenesis based on intrinsic target site selection of different retrovirus families. We will also discuss examples of side effects occurring in ongoing human gene therapy trials and future prospectives in the field.
A gold-catalyzed alkyne-diol cycloisomerization for the synthesis of oxygenated 5,5-spiroketals
Authors: Tlais Sami F , Dudley Gregory B
Published: May 2011

A highly efficient synthesis of oxygenated 5,5-spiroketals was performed towards the synthesis of the cephalosporolides. Gold(I) chloride in methanol induced the cycloisomerization of a protected alkyne triol with concomitant deprotection to give a strategically hydroxylated 5,5-spiroketal, despite the potential for regiochemical complications and elimination to furan. Other late transition metal Lewis acids were less effective. The use of methanol as solvent helped suppress the formation of the undesired furan by-product. This study provides yet another example of the advantages of gold catalysis in the activation of alkyne π-systems.