bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Insights into the pathogenesis of systemic sclerosis based on the gene expression profile of progenitor‐derived endothelial cells
Authors: Avouac Jérôme , Cagnard Nicolas , Distler Jörg H. , Schoindre Yoland , Ruiz Barbara , Couraud Pierre Olivier , Uzan Georges , Boileau Catherine , Chiocchia Gilles , Allanore Yannick 
Published: July 2011

AbstractObjectiveTo determine the gene expression profile of endothelial cells derived from the endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) of patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc).MethodsMicroarray experiments were performed on Affymetrix GeneChip Human Exon 1.0 ST Arrays in unstimulated and hypoxia‐stimulated EPC‐derived cells from patients with SSc and control subjects. Followup of the raised hypotheses was performed ex vivo by immunohistochemical analysis of skin tissue.ResultsSignals from 92 probe sets and 188 probe sets were different in unstimulated and hypoxia‐stimulated cells, respectively, from patients with SSc compared with controls. Within the largest groups of genes related to cell–cell interaction and vascular remodeling, down‐regulation of tumor necrosis factor ligand superfamily member 10 (TNFSF10) and homeobox A9 (HOX‐A9) was confirmed by real‐time polymerase chain reaction and Western blots in EPC‐derived cells and by immunohistochemistry in SSc skin tissue. Signals from 221 and 307 probe sets were different in unstimulated and hypoxia‐stimulated cells, respectively, from patients with diffuse cutaneous SSc compared with patients with limited cutaneous SSc. Within the largest group of genes related to the inflammatory response, differential expression of TNFα‐induced protein 3 and prostaglandin‐endoperoxide synthase 2 was observed in EPC‐derived cells and skin tissue from patients with SSc.ConclusionOur data revealed important gene expression changes in EPC‐derived endothelial cells from patients with SSc, characterized by a proadhesive, proinflammatory, and activated phenotype. Differential expression in lesional SSc skin tissue of new targets, such as TNF family members and HOX‐A9, may contribute to the pathogenesis of SSc and deserves more in‐depth exploration.
Anatomical Sciences Education Vol. 4, Issue 4, 2011 Cover Image
Authors: McBride Jennifer M. , Drake Richard L. 
Published: July 2011

AbstractMedical students at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University receive instruction from a resident at the cadaver during their anatomy course. As discussed by McBride and Drake in this issue of ASE, residents teaching in the anatomy course at his institution who satisfy specific requirements qualify for an academic appointment as a Clinical Instructor.
Assessment of female reproductive endpoints in Sprague–Dawley rats developmentally exposed to Diuron: potential ovary toxicity
Authors: Grassi Tony Fernando , Guerra Marina Trevisan , Perobelli Juliana Elaine , de Toledo Fabíola Choqueta , da Silva Denise Salioni , De Grava Kempinas Wilma , Barbisan Luís Fernando 
Published: July 2011

AbstractBACKGROUND: Diuron is widely used in agriculture but its deleterious effects on the reproductive system and mammary gland are still poorly understood. This study evaluated whether early‐life‐stage exposure to Diuron alters puberty onset or susceptibility to mammary carcinogenesis in female Sprague–Dawley rats. METHODS AND RESULTS: Pregnant rats received basal diet or diet containing Diuron at 500, 750, and 1,250 ppm, from gestational day 12 to the end of lactation (postnatal day 21 [PND21]). After weaning, female offspring continued receiving basal diet or diet containing Diuron until PND 51. At PND 51, female Sprague–Dawley offspring received a single dose of 50 mg/kg b.w. of 7,12‐dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA) for initiation of mammary carcinogenesis. The animals were sacrificed on PND 51, 75, and 226 to 233 (week 25) for mammary gland morphology, reproductive organs and tumor analysis, respectively. There were no significant differences among groups on vaginal opening, estrous cycle, mammary morphology, or carcinogenesis. However, reductions in ovary weight and corpora lutea were observed at PND 75 in the group treated with Diuron at 1,250 ppm. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggesting that Diuron exposure (1,250 ppm) may have been potentially toxic to the ovaries. Birth Defects Res (Part B) 92:478–496, 2011. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Real‐time measurements of human chondrocyte heat production during in vitro proliferation
Authors: Santoro R. , Braissant O. , Müller B. , Wirz D. , Daniels A.U. , Martin I. , Wendt D. 
Published: July 2011

AbstractIsothermal microcalorimeters (IMC) are highly sensitive instruments that allow the measurement of heat flow in the microwatt range. Due to their detection of minute thermal heat, IMC techniques have been used in numerous biological applications, including the study of fermentation processes, pharmaceutical development, and cell metabolism. In this work, with the ultimate goal of establishing a rapid and real‐time method to predict the proliferative capacity of human articular chondrocytes (HAC), we explored to use of IMC to characterize one of the crucial steps within the process of cartilage tissue engineering, namely the in vitro expansion of HAC. We first established an IMC‐based model for the real‐time monitoring of heat flow generated by HAC during proliferation. Profiles of the heat and heat flow curves obtained were consistent with those previously shown for other cell types. The average heat flow per HAC was determined to be 22.0 ± 5.3 pW. We next demonstrated that HAC proliferation within the IMC‐based model was similar to proliferation under standard culture conditions, verifying its relevance for simulating the typical cell culture application. HAC growth and HAC heat over time appeared correlated for cells derived from particular donors. However, based on the results from 12 independent donors, no predictive correlation could be established between the growth rate and the heat increase rate of HAC. This was likely due to variability in the biological function of HAC derived from different donors, combined with the complexity of tightly couple metabolic processes beyond proliferation. In conclusion, IMC appears to be a promising technique to characterize cell proliferation. However, studies with more reproducible cell sources (e.g., cell lines) could be used before adding the complexity associated with primary human cells. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2011;108: 3019–3024. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Bioactive Xenicane Diterpenoids from the Taiwanese Soft Coral Asterospicularia laurae
Authors: Lin Yun‐Sheng , Eid Fazary Ahmed , Chen Chung‐Hsiung , Kuo Yao‐Haur , Shen Ya‐Ching 
Published: July 2011

AbstractChemical investigation of the Taiwanese soft coral Asterospicularia laurae has led to the isolation of three new xenicane diterpenoids, named asterolaurins K–M (1–3, resp.). Their chemical structures were determined through extensive spectroscopic analyses (1H‐ and 13C‐NMR, 1H,1H‐COSY, HMBC, and NOESY). Compound 2 exhibited cytotoxic activity against HEp‐2, Daoy, MCF‐7, and WiDr tumor cells.
Oxidative DNA Damage Induced by a Copper(II)1,10‐PhenanthrolineL‐Serine Complex in the Presence of Rutin
Authors: Wang Yong , Dai Panpan , Chen Fu , Yang Zhousheng 
Published: July 2011

AbstractThe capacity of the ternary complex copper(II)1,10‐phenanthrolineL‐serine ([CuPhenSer]) to induce double‐strand scission of DNA was explored by agarose‐gel electrophoresis. It was found that the complex exhibited remarkable activity to damage DNA in the presence of rutin. Analysis of the UV and fluorescence spectra clearly demonstrated that the complex was bound to DNA by intercalation. Further, the occurrence of 8‐hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8‐OHdG), a biomarker of oxidative DNA damage, after the treatment of DNA by the complex in presence of rutin was evidenced by an electrochemical method. Finally, the mechanism of oxidative damage to double‐stranded DNA by the [CuPhenSer] complex in the presence of rutin was discussed.
Computational studies on the conformations of some large‐ring cyclodextrins (CDn, n = 20, 21, 22, 23)
Authors: Ivanov Petko M. 
Published: July 2011

AbstractComputational studies were carried out on the conformations of large‐ring cyclodextrins with degree of polymerization from 20 to 23. Principal component analysis (PCA) was applied for postprocessing of trajectories from conformational search, based on 100.0 ns molecular dynamics simulations. The dominant PCA modes for concerted motions of the macroring atoms were monitored in a lower‐dimensions subspace. The first six lowest indexed principal components contribute more than 90% of the total atomic motions in all cases, with about 70% (CD21) to 83% (CD22) contribution coming from the three highest‐eigenvalue principal components. Representative average geometries of the cyclodextrin macrorings were also obtained for the whole simulation and for the ten 10.0 ns time intervals of the simulation. We concluded that resemblance exists of the representative conformations of these four cyclodextrins with the circularized three‐turn single helical structure proposed for CD21 from small‐angle X‐ray scattering, as well as with the representative conformations of CD26. Chirality, 2011. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Current status observation of a three‐state counting process with application to simultaneous accurate and diluted HIV test data
Authors: McKeown Karen , Jewell Nicholas P. 
Published: July 2011

AbstractThe authors examine multistate current status data defined by two survival times of interest where one only observes whether or not each of the individual survival times exceed a common observed monitoring time. An individual can therefore belong to one of three states. The authors are interested in whether current status information on the second event can be used to improve estimation of the distribution function of time to the first event. For both single and multiple monitoring time scenarios, in the fully nonparametric setting, one cannot improve the naïve estimator, using information on the first event only, when estimating “smooth” functionals of the distribution of time to the first event (van der Laan & Jewell, 2003). Therefore, improving the naïve estimator is examined when parametric assumptions about the waiting time between the two events are made. For situations where this waiting time is modifiable by design, the issue of determining the optimal length of the waiting time for estimation of the cumulative hazard of the distribution of time to the first event in the recent past is also addressed. The ideas are motivated by and applied to an example on simultaneous accurate and diluted assay HIV test data. The Canadian Journal of Statistics 39: 475–487; 2011 © 2011 Statistical Society of Canada
Competition by inhibitory oligonucleotides prevents binding of CpG to C‐terminal TLR9
Authors: Avalos Ana M. , Ploegh Hidde L. 
Published: July 2011

AbstractTLR9 recognizes unmethylated CpG‐containing DNA commonly found in bacteria. Synthetic oligonucleotides containing CpG‐motifs (CpG ODNs) recapitulate the activation of TLR9 by microbial DNA, whereas inversion of the CG dinucleotide within the CpG motif to GC (GpC ODNs) renders such ODNs inactive. This difference cannot be attributed to binding of ODNs to the full‐length TLR9 ectodomain, as both CpG and GpC ODNs bind comparably. Activation of murine TLR9 requires cleavage into an active C‐terminal fragment, which binds CpG robustly. We therefore compared the ability of CpG and GpC ODNs to bind to full‐length and C‐terminal TLR9, and their impact on the cleavage of TLR9. We found that CpG binds better to C‐terminal TLR9 when compared with GpC, despite comparably low binding of both ODNs to full‐length TLR9. Neither CpG nor GpC ODNs affected TLR9 cleavage in murine RAW 264.7 cells stably expressing TLR9‐Myc. Inhibitory ODNs (IN‐ODNs) block TLR9 signaling, but how they do so remains unclear. We show here that inhibitory ODNs do not impede TLR9 cleavage but bind to C‐terminal TLR9 preferentially, and thereby compete for CpG ODN binding both in RAW cells and in TLR9‐deficient cells transduced with TLR9‐Myc. Ligand binding to C‐terminal fragment thus determines the outcome of activation through TLR9.
Lanthanide Carbonates
Authors: Janicki Rafał , Starynowicz Przemysław , Mondry Anna 
Published: July 2011

AbstractThe crystal and molecular structures of the rare earth carbonates with the general formulae [C(NH2)]3[Ln(CO3)4(H2O)]·2H2O (where Ln = Pr3+, Nd3+, Sm3+, Eu3+, Gd3+, Tb3+) and [C(NH2)]3[Ln(CO3)4]·2H2O (where Ln = Y3+, Dy3+, Ho3+, Er3+, Tm3+, Yb3+, Lu3+) were determined. The crystals consist of monomeric [Ln(CO3)4(H2O)]5–or [Ln(CO3)4]5–complex anions in which the carbonate ligands coordinate to the Ln3+ion in a bidentate manner. The spectroscopic (UV/Vis/NIR and IR) properties of the crystalline lanthanide carbonates, as well as their aqueous solutions, were determined. Correlation between the spectroscopic and the structural data enabled us to conclude that the [Ln(CO3)4(OH)]6–and [Ln(CO3)4]5–species predominate in the light and heavy lanthanide solutions, respectively. The nature of the Ln–O interaction was also discussed. The experimental data, as well as the theoretical calculations, indicated that the Ln–O(CO32–) bond is more covalent than the Ln–O(OH2) bond. Moreover, the covalency degree is larger for the heavy lanthanide ions. Inspection of the NBO results revealed that the oxygen hybrids, with the approximate composition sp4, form strongly polarized bonds with the 6s6p5d4hybrids of lutetium.
From Discrete Molecule to One‐Dimension Chain: Two New Nitronyl Nitroxide–Lanthanide Complexes Exhibiting Slow Magnetic Relaxation
Authors: Wang Xiaoling , Bao Xia , Xu Panpan , Li Li 
Published: July 2011

AbstractA mononuclear lanthanide–radical complex [Tb(hfac)3(NITPhSCH3)2] (1) and a one‐dimensional chain complex [Tb(hfac)3(NITPhSCH3)]n (2) {hfac = hexafluoroacetylacetonate, NITPhSCH3 = 2‐[4‐(methylthio)phenyl]‐4,4,5,5‐tetramethylimidazolin‐1‐oxyl 3‐oxide} have been synthesized. Single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction studies revealed that compound 1 is a mononuclear complex in which two NITPhSCH3 radicals are coordinated as monodentate ligands to the TbIII ion through their NO groups to form a tri‐spin complex, and complex 2 is a 1D chain structure constructed of Tb(hfac)3 units bridged by NITPhSCH3 radicals through their NO groups. The temperature dependence of the magnetic susceptibilities of 1 and 2 indicates ferromagnetic coupling between the TbIII ion and the NITPhSCH3 radical. Frequency‐dependent out‐of‐phase signals of alternating current magnetic susceptibilities were observed at low temperature for both complexes, indicative of slow magnetic relaxation.
Phosphane‐Free Copper‐Catalyzed Decarboxylative Coupling of Alkynyl Carboxylic Acids with Aryl Halides under Aerobic Conditions
Authors: Pan Delin , Zhang Chun , Ding Shengtao , Jiao Ning 
Published: July 2011

AbstractA phosphane‐free copper‐catalyzed decarboxylative cross‐coupling reaction of alkynyl carboxylic acids with aryl halides was developed. CuBr (1–5 mol‐%) was used as a catalyst in the presence of a β‐diketone ligand in air. The reactions of aryl iodides were conducted in the absence of a Pd catalyst. The ligand plays a key role in this kind of copper catalysis. NaNO2 was disclosed to efficiently improve this kind of decarboxylative cross‐coupling when a nitro group was not present in the substrates.
Sequential injection setup for capillary isoelectric focusing combined with MS detection
Authors: Páger Csilla , Dörnyei Ágnes , Kilár Ferenc 
Published: July 2011

AbstractCapillary isoelectric focusing in the presence of electroosmosis with sequential injection of carrier ampholytes and sample was found to be suitable for MS detection. The separate injection of the sample and the ampholytes provides good condition to suppress and overcome the undesirable effect of the presence of ampholytes in MS. By the appropriate selection of ampholyte solutions, whose pH range not necessarily covers the pI values of the analytes, the migration of the components can be controlled, and the impact of the ampholytes on MS detection is decreased. The unique applicability of this setup is shown by testing several parameters, such as the application of volatile electrolyte solutions, the type of the ampholytes, the order and the number of the ampholyte and sample zones. Broad and narrow pH range ampholytes were applied in experiments using uncoated capillaries with different lengths for the analyses of substituted nitrophenol dyes to achieve optimal conditions for the MS detection. Although the sample components are not leaving the pH gradient, due to the decrease in the ampholyte concentration at the position of the components, and because the sample components migrate in charged state, the ionisation is more effective for MS detection.
An in‐line SPE strategy to enhance sensitivity in CE for the determination of pharmaceutical compounds in river water samples
Authors: Maijó Irene , Borrull Francesc , Calull Marta , Aguilar Carme 
Published: July 2011

AbstractIn this study, the suitability of solid‐phase extraction (SPE) coupled in‐line to CE with UV–Vis detection was evaluated for the preconcentration and separation of diluted solutions of five pharmaceuticals compounds: benzafibrate, piroxicam, diclofenac sodium, naproxen and clofibric acid. An SPE analyte concentrator containing Oasis® HLB sorbent was constructed without frits and placed near the inlet end of the separation capillary. Different parameters such as sample pH, composition and volume of the elution plug and sample loading time were studied in order to obtain the maximum preconcentration factors. The LODs reached for standard samples were in the range 0.06–0.5 ng/mL with good reproducibility, and the developed strategy provides sensitivity enhancement factors around 14 000‐fold in peak area and 5900‐fold in peak height compared with the normal hydrodynamic injection. Finally, river water samples fortified with the pharmaceutical compounds were analyzed by the developed in‐line SPE‐CE‐UV method in order to show the potential of the methodology for the analysis of environmental aquatic samples. For these samples, high values of relative recoveries, between 73–107% and 79–103% for two concentration levels, 5 and 25 ng/mL, respectively, were obtained and LODs ranged between 0.19 and 1 ng/mL.
Rapid CE‐UV binding tests of environmentally hazardous compounds with polymer‐modified magnetic nanoparticles
Authors: Iqbal Zafar , Alsudir Samar , Miah Musharraf , Lai Edward P. C. 
Published: July 2011

AbstractHazardous compounds and bacteria in water have an adverse impact on human health and environmental ecology. Polydopamine (or polypyrrole)‐coated magnetic nanoparticles and polymethacrylic acid‐co‐ethylene glycol dimethacrylate submicron particles were investigated for their fast binding kinetics with bisphenol A, proflavine, naphthalene acetic acid, and Escherichia coli. A new method was developed for the rapid determination of % binding by sequential injection of particles first and compounds (or E. coli) next into a fused‐silica capillary for overlap binding during electrophoretic migration. Only nanolitre volumes of compounds and particles were sufficient to complete a rapid binding test. After heterogeneous binding, separation of the compounds from the particles was afforded by capillary electrophoresis. % binding was influenced by applied voltage but not current flow. In‐capillary coating of particles affected the % binding of compounds.
Advances in the measurement of protein mobility using laser Doppler electrophoresis – the diffusion barrier technique
Authors: Corbett Jason C. W. , Connah Malcolm T. , Mattison Kevin 
Published: July 2011

AbstractA new technique for the measurement of protein mobility using laser Doppler electrophoresis (LDE) is introduced and characterised. The diffusion barrier approach loads a tiny protein sample volume into a much larger volume of dispersant, which contains the electrodes; the LDE measurement is then recorded before the sample can diffuse to the electrodes. We demonstrate that sample volumes are reduced by up to two orders of magnitude to volumes typically associated with separation techniques (∼50 μL), no reduction in measurement sensitivity occurs, samples can be retrieved usefully intact, post‐measurement and typical measurement times are of the order of minutes. Measurements of BSA mobility up to 75°C and 1 M buffer concentration and lysozyme at a concentration as low as 0.5 mg/mL are demonstrated using the technique with good agreement with literature values.
Quantitative evaluation of lectin‐reactive glycoforms of α1‐acid glycoprotein using lectin affinity capillary electrophoresis with fluorescence detection
Authors: Shimura Kiyohito , Tamura Mayumi , Toda Tosifusa , Yazawa Shin , Kasai Ken‐ichi 
Published: July 2011

Abstractα1‐Acid glycoprotein (AGP) was previously shown to be a marker candidate of disease progression and prognosis of patients with malignancies by analysis of its glycoforms via lectins. Herein, affinity capillary electrophoresis of fluorescein‐labeled AGP using lectins with the aid of laser‐induced fluorescence detection was developed for quantitative evaluation of the fractional ratios of concanavalin A‐reactive or Aleuria aurantia lectin‐reactive AGP. Labeled AGP was applied at the anodic end of a fused‐silica capillary (50 μm id, 360 μm od, 27 cm long) coated with linear polyacryloyl‐β‐alanyl‐β‐alanine, and electrophoresis was carried out for about 10 min in 60 mM 3‐morpholinopropane‐1‐sulfonic acid‐NaOH buffer (pH 7.35). Addition of the lectins to the anode buffer resulted in the separation of lectin‐reactive glycoform peaks from lectin‐non‐reactive glycoform peaks. Quantification of the peak area of each group revealed that the percent of lectin‐reactive AGP is independent of a labeling ratio ranging from 0.4 to 1.5 mol fluorescein/mol AGP, i.e. the standard deviation of 0.5% for an average of 59.9% (n=3). In combination with a facile procedure for micro‐purification of AGP from serum, the present procedure, marking the reactivity of AGP with lectins, should be useful in determining the prognosis for a large number of patients with malignancies.
Determination of eight illegal drugs in human urine by combination of magnetic solid‐phase extraction with capillary zone electrophoresis
Authors: Chen Ming‐Luan , Suo Li‐Li , Gao Qiang , Feng Yu‐Qi 
Published: July 2011

AbstractUsing magnetite/silica/poly(methacrylic acid‐co‐ethylene glycol dimethacrylate) (Fe3O4/SiO2/poly(MAA‐co‐EDMA)) magnetic microspheres, a rapid and high‐throughput magnetic solid‐phase extraction coupled with capillary zone electrophoresis (MSPE‐CZE) method was developed for the determination of illegal drugs (ketamine, amphetamines, opiates, and metabolites). The MSPE of target analytes could be completed within 2 min, and the eight target analytes could be baseline separated within 15 min by CZE with 30 mM phosphate buffer solution (PBS, pH 2.0) containing 15% v/v ACN as background electrolyte. Furthermore, hydrodynamic injection with field‐amplified sample stacking (FASS) was employed to enhance the sensitivity of this MSPE‐CZE method. Under such optimal conditions, the limits of detection for the eight target analytes ranged from 0.015 to 0.105 μg/mL. The application feasibility of MSPE‐CZE in illegal drugs monitoring was demonstrated by analyzing urine samples, and the recoveries of target drugs for the spiked sample ranging from 85.4 to 110.1%. The method reproducibility was tested by evaluating the intra‐ and interday precisions, and relative standard deviations of <10.3 and 12.4%, respectively, were obtained. To increase throughput of the analysis, a home‐made MSPE array that has potential application to the treatment of 96 samples simultaneously was used.