bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Toll‐like receptors 2 and 3 agonists differentially affect oligodendrocyte survival, differentiation, and myelin membrane formation
Authors: Bsibsi Malika , Nomden Anita , van Noort Johannes M. , Baron Wia 
Published: October 2011

AbstractToll‐like receptors (TLRs) play a key role in controlling innate immune responses to a wide variety of pathogen‐associated molecules as well as endogenous signals. In addition, TLR expression within nonimmune cells has been recognized as as modulator of cell behavior. In this study we have addressed the question of whether functional TLRs are expressed on oligodendrocytes, the myelinating cells of the central nervous system. Primary cultures of rat oligodendrocytes at different maturation stages were found to express TLR2 and, to lesser extent, TLR3. Immunocytochemical analysis revealed that both TLRs were localized at the cell body and primary processes and were excluded from myelin‐like membranes. Interestingly, innate immune receptor ligands were able to modulate oligodendrocyte survival, differentiation, and myelin‐like membrane formation, indicating that TLRs on oligodendrocytes are functional. In highly purified oligodendrocytes cultures, the TLR2 agonist zymosan promoted survival, differentiation, and myelin‐like membrane formation, whereas poly‐I:C, a TLR3 ligand, was a potent inducer of apoptosis. Together, these data indicate that, in addition to other neural cell types, also oligodendrocytes express functional TLRs, which play a role in regulating various aspects of oligodendrocyte behavior. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Preparation of hydrophilic polymer‐grafted polystyrene beads for hydrophilic interaction chromatography via surface‐initiated atom transfer radical polymerization
Authors: Dai Xiaojun , He Yuan , Wei Yinmao , Gong Bolin 
Published: October 2011

AbstractA one‐step procedure based on surface‐initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (SI‐ATRP) to hydrophilize monodisperse poly(chloromethylstyrene‐co‐divinylbenzene) beads has been presented in this work, using 2‐hydroxyl‐3‐[4‐(hydroxymethyl)‐1H‐1,2,3‐triazol‐1‐yl]propyl 2‐methylacrylate (HTMA) as a monomer. The chain length of the grafted poly(HTMA) was controlled via varying the ratio of HTMA to initiator on the surface of the beads. When using the grafted beads as a stationary phase in hydrophilic interaction chromatography (HILIC), good resolution for nucleobases/nucleosides was obtained with acetonitrile aqueous solution as an eluent; while for phenolic acids and glycosides, they could be eluted and separated in the presence of TFA. The retention time of the solutes increased with the amount of the grafted HTMA. The retention mechanisms of solutes were investigated by the effects of mobile phase composition and buffer pH on the retention of solutes. The results illustrated that the retention behaviors of the tested solutes were dominated by hydrogen bonding interaction and electrostatic interaction. From the chemical structure of the ligands, the modified beads could not only be used as a stationary phase in HILIC, but also act as a useful building block to develop new stationary phases for other chromatographic modes such as affinity media.
Enantioselective micro‐2D‐HPLC determination of aspartic acid in the pineal glands of rodents with various melatonin contents
Authors: Han Hai , Miyoshi Yurika , Oyama Tsubasa , Konishi Ryoko , Mita Masashi , Hamase Kenji 
Published: October 2011

AbstractEnantioselective determination of aspartic acid (Asp) in the pineal gland of rodents with various melatonin contents was performed using a highly sensitive and selective two‐dimensional HPLC system. After derivatization of the amino group with 4‐fluoro‐7‐nitro‐2,1,3‐benzoxadiazole (NBD‐F), NBD‐Asp was separated using a capillary monolithic ODS column in the first dimension. The fraction of NBD‐Asp was automatically collected and transferred to the second dimension, and the D‐ and L‐Asp were separated and determined using a narrowbore enantioselective column. Large amounts of D‐Asp were observed in the pineal gland of the rats and specific strains of mice (C3H and CBA) possessing a high concentration of melatonin in their pineal gland. On the other hand, the amounts of D‐Asp were small in the pineal gland of mice possessing a trace or no melatonin in their pineal gland (ddY, ICR, C57BL and BALB/c). In other tissues and physiological fluids, no significant strain‐dependent changes of the D‐Asp amounts were observed. These results indicate that large amounts of D‐Asp are present only in the pineal gland containing large amounts of melatonin, and special care should be taken when selecting mouse strains for the investigation of D‐Asp.
Magnetic solid‐phase extraction using magnetic hypercrosslinked polymer for rapid determination of illegal drugs in urine
Authors: Gao Qiang , Lin Cai‐Yong , Luo Dan , Suo Li‐Li , Chen Jian‐Li , Feng Yu‐Qi 
Published: October 2011

AbstractA novel magnetic material Fe3O4/SiO2/P(MAA‐co‐VBC‐co‐DVB) was prepared via the hypercrosslinking of its precursor which was produced via precipitation polymerization of methacrylic acid (MAA), vinylbenzyl chloride (VBC), and divinylbenzene (DVB) in the presence of Fe3O4/SiO2 submicrospheres with the surface containing abundant reactive double bonds. The resultant sorbent was characterized by scan electron microscopy, N2 adsorption, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. It was found that this material had remarkable features such as large surface area (500 m2/g) and pore volume (0.32 cm3/g), as well as desirable chemical composition (including hydrophobic and ion‐exchange moieties). Taking advantages of the Fe3O4/SiO2/P(MAA‐co‐VBC‐co‐DVB), a magnetic SPE (MSPE) coupled with capillary electrophoresis (CE) method was developed for the determination of illegal drugs in urine samples. The extraction time could be clearly shortened up to 3 min. The recoveries of these drug compounds were in the range of 84.0–123% with relative standard deviations ranging between 1.7 and 10.5%; the limit of detection was in the range of 4.0–6.0 μg/L. The proposed method is simple, effective, and low‐cost, and provides an accurate and sensitive detection platform for abused drug analysis.
Heparin‐Like Macromolecules for the Modification of Anticoagulant Biomaterials
Authors: Ran Fen , Nie Shengqiang , Li Jie , Su Baihai , Sun Shudong , Zhao Changsheng 
Published: October 2011

AbstractA heparin‐like structured macromolecule (HLSM) is synthesized by RAFT polymerization using carboxyl‐terminated trithiocarbonate as the RAFT agent. The HLSM can be directly blended with PES in DMAC to prepare flat‐sheet membrane by means of a liquid–liquid phase separation technique. The synthesized polymeric material retard blood clotting and the modified membrane exhibits good anticoagulant ability due to the existence of the important functional groups SO3H, COOH and OH. The anionic groups on the membrane surface may bind coagulation factors and thus improve anticoagulant ability. The results indicate that the HLSM has potential to improve the anticoagulant properties of biomaterials and to be applied in blood purification including hemodialysis and bioartificial liver supports.magnified image
Notch2‐induced COX‐2 expression enhancing gastric cancer progression
Authors: Tseng Yun‐Chien , Tsai Yu‐Hui , Tseng Min‐Jen , Hsu Kai‐Wen , Yang Min‐Chieh , Huang Kuo‐Hung , Li Anna Fen‐Yau , Chi Chin‐Wen , Hsieh Rong‐Hong , Ku Hung‐Hai , Yeh Tien‐Shun 
Published: October 2011

AbstractGastric carcinoma is one of the most common and mortal types of malignancy worldwide. To date, the mechanisms controlling its aggressiveness are not yet fully understood. Notch signal pathway can function as either an oncogene or a tumor suppressor in tumorigenesis. Four members (Notch1–4) of Notch receptors were found in mammals and each exhibits distinct roles in tumor progression. Previous study showed that the activated Notch1 receptor promoted gastric cancer progression through cyclooxygenase‐2 (COX‐2). This study addressed whether Notch2 signal pathway is also involved in gastric cancer progression. Constitutive expression of Notch2 intracellular domain (N2IC), the activated form of Notch2 receptor, promoted both cell proliferation and xenografted tumor growth of human stomach adenocarcinoma SC‐M1 cells. The colony formation, migration, invasion, and wound‐healing abilities of SC‐M1 cells were enhanced by N2IC expression, whereas these abilities were suppressed by Notch2 knockdown. Similarly, Notch2 knockdown inhibited cancer progressions of AGS and AZ521 gastric cancer cells. Expression of N2IC also caused epithelial–mesenchymal transition in SC‐M1 cells. Furthermore, N2IC bound to COX‐2 promoter and induced COX‐2 expression through a CBF1‐dependent manner in SC‐M1 cells. The ability of N2IC to enhance tumor progression in SC‐M1 cells was suppressed by knockdown of COX‐2 or treatment with NS‐398, a COX‐2 inhibitor. Moreover, the suppression of tumor progression by Notch2 knockdown in SC‐M1 cells was reversed by exogenous COX‐2 or its major enzymatic product PGE2. Taken together, this study is the first to demonstrate that the Notch2‐COX‐2 signaling axis plays an important role in controlling gastric cancer progression. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Mikrosilica — ein Staub macht Karriere
Authors: Friede Bernd , Fidjestøl Per 
Published: October 2011

AbstractGibt es ein Mittel gegen Betonkrebs und die Zerstörung von Beton durch Meerwasser und Sulfatlösungen? Ja, allerdings nur prophylaktisch: Mikrosilica sorgt weltweit für langlebige Beton konstruktionen.
Ungestörtes Wachstum erwünscht
Authors: Groß Michael 
Published: October 2011

AbstractHerbizide, gegen die Unkräuter resistent sind, und Insektizide, die Bienen schaden — Pflanzenschutzmittelhersteller müssen ihre Produktentwicklung überdenken. Statt weiterer Mittel gegen Schädlinge erforschen sie mit neuen gentechnischen Methoden Nutzpflanzen, die Angriffen besser widerstehen.
Welches Tier lieferte das Fleisch?
Authors: Bollig Klaus 
Published: October 2011

AbstractUm Zusammensetzung und Herkunft eines Lebensmittels zu überprüfen — etwa ob das Fleisch im Hamburger tatsächlich vom Rind stammt — eignet sich die DNA‐Analyse über Polymerase‐Kettenreaktion mit anschließender Elektrophorese. Diese lässt sich mit Mikrochiptechnik automatisieren.
Multiscale poro‐creep model for cement‐based materials
Authors: Gu Shui‐Tao , Bary Benoît , He Qi‐Chang , Thai Minh‐Quan 
Published: October 2011

SUMMARYExperimental observations clearly show that the relative humidity (hr) conditions influence significantly the creep behavior of cement‐based materials, indicating that the water present within these materials plays a crucial role. This work presents a creep model for hardened cement pastes (HCP), based on a multiscale homogenization approach. It takes into account both free and adsorbed water contained in the porosity and investigates their effects on the HCP macroscopic creep behavior. The calcium silicate hydrate phase is assumed to be linear viscoelastic, and the Mori–Tanaka scheme is applied in the Laplace–Carson space to the composite formed of porosity, calcium silicate hydrate, and the other main hydrated compounds (which behavior is linearly elastic) by making use of the correspondence principle. With this model, estimations of the evolution of the macroscopic creep behavior of HCP submitted to constant external loading are examined under different hr and compared with available experimental data. Finally, a method for implementing the model in a finite element code is proposed, and simulations of standard creep tests are performed to assess its validity. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
What goes up does not always come down: patterns of distress, physical and psychosocial morbidity in people with cancer over a one year period
Authors: Carlson Linda E. , Waller Amy , Groff Shannon L. , Giese‐Davis Janine , Bultz Barry D. 
Published: October 2011

AbstractBackgroundAs the concept of distress as the 6th vital sign gains strength in cancer care, research on the experience of patients is critical. This study longitudinally examined patients' physical and psychosocial concerns over the year following diagnosis.MethodsBetween July 2007 and February 2008, patients attending a large tertiary cancer centre were recruited to participate in a study examining their levels of distress, pain, fatigue, depression and anxiety over a year.ResultsA total of 877 patients provided baseline data with 620, 589 and 505 retained at 3, 6 and 12 months, respectively. Overall, levels of distress, depression and anxiety decreased significantly over the study period. No significant changes were found in levels of pain or fatigue. Demographics (being unmarried) and medical interventions (particularly having radiation therapy) predicted persistent distress, anxiety and depression, whereas receiving psychosocial support predicted decreased levels of distress, anxiety and depression. Some patients reported continued clinical levels of distress (29%), pain (19%) and fatigue (40%) 12 months post diagnosis.DiscussionFor some people, distress, depression, and anxiety may be transient and decrease over time, but for others they may be sustained. Pain and fatigue may remain present in many cancer patients. There is a need to modify current clinical practice to facilitate the appropriate assessment and management of distress. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Posttraumatic growth, social support, and social constraint in hematopoietic stem cell transplant survivors
Authors: Nenova Maria , DuHamel Katherine , Zemon Vance , Rini Christine , Redd William H. 
Published: October 2011

AbstractObjectiveThe relation between posttraumatic growth (PTG) and aspects of the social context, such as social support and social constraint, continues to be unclear in cancer survivors. Social cognitive processing theory is a useful framework for examining the effect of the social context on PTG. In theory, support interactions may either facilitate or hinder cognitive processing and thus lead to different PTG outcomes. The current study tested the hypothesis that emotional support and instrumental support would each explain a unique amount of the variance in PTG in distressed hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) survivors. Additionally, it was predicted that social constraint on cancer‐related disclosure would be negatively associated with PTG.MethodsForty‐nine distressed HSCT survivors with a spouse or partner completed the posttraumatic growth inventory and measures of social support received from their spouse/partner and social constraint from people close to them as part of a larger clinical trial.ResultsBoth emotional and instrumental social support were positively correlated with PTG, and social constraint on disclosure was not associated with PTG. Contrary to hypotheses, instrumental support was the only unique social contextual predictor of PTG.ConclusionsThe results of this study highlight the importance of examining the effects of subtypes of social support on PTG separately. Findings are discussed in the context of the cognitive (i.e., processing of the traumatic event) versus non‐cognitive (i.e., buffering stress) pathways between the social context and PTG. Future research directions are presented. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Multicentre Trials for Decontamination of Fine‐Lumen PTFE Tubes Loaded with Bacterial Endospores by Low and Atmospheric Pressure Plasma
Authors: Schnabel Uta , Maucher Tanja , Köhnlein Johanna , Volkwein Wolfram , Niquet Rijana , Trick Iris , Stieber Manfred , Müller Michael , Werner Heinz‐Peter , Ehlbeck Jörg , Oehr Christian , Weltmann Klaus‐Dieter 
Published: October 2011

AbstractToday more and more thermo‐labile medical devices are applied, which have to be decontaminated with low‐temperature sterilization methods. One method under development is the low‐temperature plasma. For the comparability of the antimicrobial efficacy of two low‐temperature plasma setups in fine‐lumen polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) tubes, independent of performer, round robin tests with Bacillus atrophaeus and Geobacillus stearothermophilus spores loaded with 0.3% BSA were done. All in all six test series were necessary to standardize the process and to achieve comparability, reproducibility, and microbiological variability. The results provide new evidence to the importance of standardization in microbiological investigations in terms of decontamination. This new tool is useable for established and new decontamination and sterilization equipment.magnified image
Plasma‐Induced Death of HepG2 Cancer Cells: Intracellular Effects of Reactive Species
Authors: Yan Xu , Xiong Zilan , Zou Fei , Zhao Shasha , Lu Xinpei , Yang Guangxiao , He Guangyuan , Ostrikov Kostya (Ken) 
Published: October 2011

AbstractReports show that cold atmospheric‐pressure plasmas can induce death of cancer cells in several minutes. However, very little is presently known about the mechanism of the plasma‐induced death of cancer cells. In this paper, an atmospheric‐pressure plasma plume is used to treat HepG2 cells. The experimental results show that the plasma can effectively control the intracellular concentrations of ROS, NO and lipid peroxide. It is shown that these concentrations are directly related to the mechanism of the HepG2 death, which involves several stages. First, the plasma generates NO species, which increases the NO concentration in the extracellular medium. Second, the intracellular NO concentration is increased due to the NO diffusion from the medium. Third, an increase in the intracellular NO concentration leads to the increase of the intracellular ROS concentration. Fourth, the increased oxidative stress results in more effective lipid peroxidation and consequently, cell injury. The combined action of NO, ROS and lipid peroxide species eventually results in the HepG2 cell death.magnified image
Antibacterial Surfaces and Coatings Produced by Plasma Techniques
Authors: Vasilev Krasimir , Griesser Stefani S. , Griesser Hans J. 
Published: October 2011

AbstractBacterial colonisation of synthetic materials surfaces is an important problem in many fields and consequently there have been considerable efforts over many decades to find solutions. This review discusses plasma‐based strategies for combating infections at biomedical implants and devices, caused by the attachment of bacteria and their subsequent biofilm formation on device surfaces. Plasma polymerisation and plasma treatment have become attractive modalities for developing antibacterial coatings and various strategies have been reported. Plasma polymers have been used as reservoirs loaded with antibacterial agents that are subsequently released. Plasma polymer layers can also serve as a diffusion barrier to control the release rate. Plasma‐modified surfaces are also utilised as functional coatings for attachment of biocidal or bacteriostatic molecules. A popular strategy continues to be the use of silver ions or silver nanoparticles in polymer matrices. Another popular approach comprises the use of quaternary amine compounds on surfaces. In both cases, antibacterial activity is indeed obtained, but damage to human cells and tissue remains a concern. Alternative approaches utilising the covalent immobilisation of antibiotic molecules are discussed. We also assess existing strategies and their potential usefulness.magnified image
Green's function approach in the classical theory of thermoelectricity
Authors: Achilles Steven , Seifert Wolfgang , Trimper Steffen 
Published: October 2011

AbstractThe Green's function (GF) method is a powerful technique to describe non‐equilibrium processes under inclusion of a broad class of boundary and initial conditions. Based on the Onsager theory of non‐equilibrium the applicability of GFs is demonstrated to find the steady‐state solution for the thermoelectric behaviour in one dimension. The spatial temperature profile is represented by the GF even if the Onsager transport coefficients are likewise coordinate dependent. The method can be directly used to study situations which are realized experimentally. The method can be extended to construct a systematic perturbation theory where the GF obeys a Dyson equation.
Materials with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy for magnetic random access memory
Authors: Sbiaa R. , Meng H. , Piramanayagam S. N. 
Published: October 2011

AbstractMaterials with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) are being investigated for magnetic random access memory (MRAM) and other spintronics applications. This article is an overview of the developments in this topic. At first, a historical overview of the magnetic memory is presented along with the fundamentals of MRAM using the field‐assisted scheme. Later on, the principle of spin‐transfer torque (STT) is explained briefly along with the STT‐MRAM design requirements. Here, it is described that the MRAM design is a challenge where a choice has to be made to meet five criteria, a phenomenon called MRAM pentalemma. The main part of the article focuses on the discussion of materials with PMA. The focus is made first on multilayers such as Co/Pd and Co/Pt which have been widely investigated, followed by the recent observation of PMA in FeCoB. In subsequent sections, the progress in future candidates such as FePt is discussed. The article concludes with a summary of the challenges and future directions in this research topic. (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Silicon: the gulf between crystalline and amorphous
Authors: Drabold D. A. 
Published: October 2011

AbstractThe Expert Opinion is written by a distinguished scientist and presents his personal view on important and relevant new results of research, highlighting their significance and putting the work into perspective for a broader audience. Please send comments to pss.rapid@wiley‐vch.de or to the author. The text by D. A. Drabold refers to the Rapid Research Letter by F. Kail et al., published in this issue of Phys. Status Solidi RRL 5(10–11), 361–363 (2011). (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Impact of non‐smooth observation operators on variational and sequential data assimilation for a limited‐area shallow‐water equation model
Authors: Steward J. L. , Navon I. M. , Zupanski M. , Karmitsa N. 
Published: October 2011

AbstractWe investigate the issue of variational and sequential data assimilation with nonlinear and non‐smooth observation operators using a two‐dimensional limited‐area shallow‐water equation model and its adjoint. The performance of the four‐dimensional variational approach (4D‐Var: two dimensions plus time) compared with that of the maximum‐likelihood ensemble filter (MLEF), a hybrid ensemble/variational method, is tested in the presence of non‐smooth observation operators.Following the work of Lewis & Overton and Karmitsa, we investigate minimization of the data‐assimilation cost functional using the limited‐memory Broyden–Fletcher–Goldfarb–Shanno (L‐BFGS) quasi‐Newton algorithm originally intended for smooth optimization and the limited‐memory bundle method (LMBM) algorithm specifically designed to address large‐scale non‐smooth minimization problems.Numerical results obtained for the MLEF method show that the LMBM algorithm yields results superior to the L‐BFGS method. Results for 4D‐Var suggest that L‐BFGS performs well when the non‐smoothness is not extreme, but fails for non‐smooth functions with large Lipschitz constants. The LMBM method is found to be a suitable choice for large‐scale non‐smooth optimization, although additional work is needed to improve its numerical stability. Finally, the results and methodologies of 4D‐Var and MLEF are compared and contrasted. Copyright © 2011 Royal Meteorological Society